The Sri Chitra Home for the Destitute and Infirm was started as a charitable institution for accommodating and looking after the destitute and infirm of our society with the munificence of His Highness Sri Chitra Thirunal Balarama Varma, Maharaja of Travancore, with an endowment of Rs. 50.000. The home was inaugurated by Her Highness Maharani Sethu Parvathy Bai, the queen mother of the Maharaja in November 1934, (Thulam 28, 1110 Malayalam Era.)
The institution was first housed in a rented building at Pattom, where the L.I.C. building is at present situated. The first 9 inmates were directed by the Trivandrum Humanitarian Society. The administration of the Home was vested in a Provisional Board, subject to Government control.
The expenses were met from the interest on the endowments, donations from the public and the Government Grant. In the early stages, there was a General body and Board of Management for the running of the Home. Those who paid a lump sum of Rs.100 or annual contribution of Rs.12 became the members of the General Body and those who paid a lump sum of Rs.200 or an annual contribution of Rs24 were able to sit on the Board of Management. The Dewan as the Chairman and Advocate General, Division Peshkar (District Collector) , the Treasurer of Vanchi Poor Fund, the Mayor and the Commissioner of the Trivandrum Corporation as members formed the first Board of Management.
The institution was first housed in a rented building at Pattom, where the L.I.C. building is at present situated. The first 9 inmates were directed by the Trivandrum Humanitarian Society. The administration of the Home was vested in a Provisional Board, subject to Government control. The expenses were met from the interest on the endowments, donations from the public and the grant. In the early stages, there was a General body and Board of Management for the running of the Home. Those who paid a lump sum of Rs.100 or annual contribution of Rs.12 became the members of the General Body and those who paid a lump sum of Rs.200 or an annual contribution of Rs24 were able to sit on the Board of Management. The Dewan as the Chairman and Advocate General, Division Peshkar (District Collector) , the Treasurer of Vanchi Poor Fund, the Mayor and the Commissioner of the Trivandrum Corporation as members formed the first Board of Management.
The aims and objectives of the institution were to afford relief by providing accommodation, food, clothing and medical aid to the poor and infirm, such as aged,blind,lame,etc.of both sexes who are unable to earn their livelihood and to run orphanages for the protection, care and education of the helpless children.
The first orphanage was started with 55 children belonging to poor families, who were either orphaned or left unprotected by the malaria epidemic in South Travancore in 1935. They were recommended by the doctors who had been working in the malaria- infected areas. The children thus admitted were sent to school. It is recorded that the education expenses per annum per child came to 55 Chakroms and two Cash, that is, nearly 54 paise.
The able bodied inmates helped in the Home. A weaving section was started in 1935 to train the inmates. Later tailoring and binding units were also added.
In 1943, when the Maharaja wanted to eradicate mendicancy from Trivandrum City, the Board of Management in consultation with the City Corporation drew up a scheme for providing asylum in the Sri Chitra Home to deserving beggars. The City Corporation started a Beggar Relief Fund and collected Rs.24312 towards this. The Corporation paid Rs.5000 as lump sum and also decided to give Rs. 750 per mensem to the Home for taking care of beggars. In 1944 the Government passed the Travancore Prevention of Begging Act (Act XII of 1120) to enforce detention of beggars and thereby eradicate beggar menace from the City
The Government acquired 2½ acres of land at Pazhavangadi adjacent to the Annadana Bhavan functioning under the Vanchi Poor Fund. The institution was shifted from Pattom to the present premises after repairing the existing buildings and providing with electric and sanitary installations by the end of 1944.