{
  "id": 8453330,
  "title": "KZN teacher who helped establish rural schools turns 100",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/kzn-teacher-who-helped-establish-rural-schools-turns-100",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-19T12:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IOL",
    "slug": "iol",
    "url": "https://iol.co.za/thepost/news/2026-09-19-kzn-teacher-who-helped-establish-rural-schools-turns-100/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Retired school principal Veerasamy Appiah Rama turned 100 years old on August 17th, 2021. Born in 1926 to Indian parents who immigrated to South Africa, Rama grew up on a sugar estate in Beneva, KwaZulu-Natal. At the age of nine, after his mother passed away, Rama had to look after his younger siblings while his father worked long hours. Despite the challenges, Rama excelled in school and eventually completed Standard 6 and Sastri College. Influenced by his father's emphasis on education, Rama's family built the first school in Beneva, which opened in 1942. Rama served as a teacher, vice principal, and principal at various schools across South Coast, including Esperanza Government-Aided Indian School, Umzinto High School, Port Shepstone Primary and High School, and Engar Memorial Primary School. He relocated to Durban and served as the principal of Junagarth Primary School and Montarena Secondary School, where he retired in 1987 after 42 years of service. Rama married Parvathee in 1952 and had two children, Don and Kumarie. He and his friend Poobie Naicker traveled to 52 cities around the world, including India, Japan, China, and Fiji. Rama credits his long life to a fulfilling existence, regular walks, and learning to swim at the age of 65.",
  "summary": "Retired principal Veerasamy Appiah Rama, who helped establish schools in rural KwaZulu-Natal and Durban, has celebrated his 100th birthday with family and friends.",
  "key_points": [
    "Veerasamy Appiah Rama turned 100 on August 17, 2021.",
    "Born in 1926 to Indian parents in KwaZulu-Natal.",
    "Established first school in Beneva in 1942."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}