Koilpillai Parker Fund is a memorial fund
commemorating the legacy of Mr. Parker. The fund provides
educational scholarship support to young women leaders.
Koilpillai Parker
1927-2006
Koilpillai Parker, or “Appa” to his children and
their friends, died on January 19th, 2006. Appa is remembered
in many ways, but one of the most compelling stories about
him dates back to Appa’s first paycheck. Up to then
Appa had worked under the guidance of missionaries, and mostly
with leprosy patients. When a job opportunity came up in Saudi
Arabia where male nurses like himself were in demand, the
missionaries gave Appa a suit for his interview and paid him
his first salary in cash so that he could purchase shoes for
his interview at Aramco. Appa had other plans, however. A
friend who saw him dressed for his interview remembered that
he had on his new suit but no shoes on his feet. He had used
all his money to buy chocolate instead of shoes. Indeed, Appa
had grown up around missionaries who enjoyed chocolate, and
he had wondered and imagined how good it must be. So, the
very first time he had cash on hand, he had spent it all on
chocolate. The friend supplied Appa with a good pair of shoes
and socks. Appa got the Aramco job, where among other things,
he became part of the medical team that cared for King Ibn
Saud.
Appa’s generosity to others was without limits. Having
immigrated to the U.S. with his family, he headed a household
with a regular flow of guests for whom he prepared his special
biriyani and unique pickles. New immigrants from India came
to the Parker home with confidence that they had a safe place
to stay for weeks and even months while they found jobs and
got established in the new country.
Appa at Birds Nest
Appa’s known history begins at approximately age 8 when,
as an orphaned street child, he was taken into the care of Dr.
Harriet Parker, an American missionary working in India at the
time. He and two little girls, his “sisters,” lived
in a back room of her house while she took care of them and
ensured that they attended school. In spite of his late start,
Appa was recognized for his brilliance and sponsored by missionaries
to study nursing in England and to acquire an advanced degree
in the United States. He in turn advanced professionally. In
1965, Appa had earned just 8 Rupees per month (the equivalent
of 24 cents today) working at the Mysore Mission Hospital in
India. At his retirement more than twenty years later, he was
a senior nursing administrator at Beth Israel Medical Center
in New York.
Dr. Parker gave her name to more children in need over the
years and established an orphanage to house those children,
called “Birds Nest.” Today, 50 girls live at Birds
Nest, which became “girls only” in recent decades.
Each girl is guaranteed healthy, safe and secure conditions.
The girls are schooled through 10th grade and some continue
in vocational training afterwards. Having no families of their
own, the girls would not be considered eligible for marriage
in Indian circumstances. Birds Nest acts as the girls’
“family,” helping them to identify spouses and
making the arrangements. Birds Nest is what is left of Appa’s
roots in India.
A Memorial to Appa
In honor of Appa’s life and exceptional achievements,
his family is establishing the Koilpillai Parker Memorial
Fund. This fund will provide educational support, including
university scholarships, to orphans from Birds Nest so they
may have the option to continue their studies. Since Appa
remained concerned about the limited opportunities for boys
in the streets, we would also like to supplement existing
opportunities for girls at Birds Nest with a corresponding
program for boys. We can think of no better way to carry on
the legacy of love and generosity that he has left to us.
If you wish to make a donation, please make your check to
the “Koilpillai Parker Memorial Fund,” and mail
to: The Koilpillai Parker Memorial Fund, 104 Elm Avenue, Takoma
Park, MD 20912. All donations will be dedicated to the Birds
Nest Foundation, a non-profit society registered in India.
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