Father Frost Comes from His Village Veliky Ustyug in Russia to Celebrate Russian New Year at
Sevalaya
The Russian Government, in consultation with the Russian Consulate in India, has been
arranging Father Frost’s visits to celebrate Christmas and New Year across the globe. This
year, they selected only two cities in India: New Delhi and Chennai.
It is a great privilege that the Russian Government has chosen Sevalaya as the centre in
Chennai to celebrate their Russian New Year, bringing joy to the lives of underprivileged
children. On 18th December 2024, dressed in his Christmas attire, Father Frost traveled all the way from
his hometown of Veliky Ustyug to Sevalaya’s Kasuva Centre. Father Frost, a cherished
character from Russian fairy tales, was joined by Alexander Dodonov, Director of the Russian
Centre of Science and Culture, Chennai, who served as the Chief Guest for Sevalaya’s Russian
New Year celebrations.
The auditorium was filled with happiness and cheers as he blessed the children with inspiring
words like, “Your dreams will come true in the upcoming year!”, “You will have good health in
2025!” and “Study well for your bright future!”.
The celebrations were filled with joy as he danced with the children to traditional Russian music,
spreading smiles and warmth.The festivities concluded with a special cake prepared by
Sevalaya’s Community College baking unit, which was shared among the delighted children.
Sevalaya extends heartfelt thanks to the Russian Government for selecting Kasuva as one of
the exclusive venues for this global celebration, making it a proud and unforgettable moment.
Earlier Sevalaya Muralidharan, Founder and Managing Trustee, Sevalaya welcomed the
gathering and the Chief Guests.A A Kingston, Vice President, Operations, Sevalaya delivered the Vote of Thanks. Mementos were presented to the Chief Guest.
Sevalaya is a registered charitable trust headquartered in Chennai, operating since 1988. More
than 2,200 underprivileged children are provided education at their campus located near
Thiruninravur. Spread across 40 centres in South India, Sevalaya also provides skill
development courses for youth, runs After-School Study Centres, Children and Old Age Homes,
Hospitals, healthcare and rural development projects, gaushalas and organic farms, with all its
services provided free of cost, reaching nearly 8,00,000 beneficiaries in 36 years.
