Great leaders are born young and few can exemplify this better than B. S. Abdur Rahman, the Founder of Thassim Beevi Abdul Kader College for Women. A lad of barely nine or 10, he showed the first signs of being a visionary with a mission when he went round Kilakarai, his native village in Tamil Nadu of India, along with friends, urging non-school going children to attend school.

Even as a boy, he wondered why schools of international standard were so few in rural India. He was determined to do something about it. Worldly-wise and practical, he drew his lessons in life. According to him, it is hard to make money and harder to keep it. But it's the hardest to utilize it for the right purpose. With vision and enterprise, he established various businesses but he utilized his energies to build charitable institutions. He believed education was the key to empowerment. He had denied himself higher education in his quest for riches but he compensated it in plenty by offering education to others. With a missionary zeal almost, he set up a number of educational institutions, making special efforts to uplift the downtrodden sections of society, particularly women.

Muslim girls had to stop their studies with school education due to lack of tertiary level institutions for girls in his native town. Thassim Beevi Abdul Kader College for Women, Kilakarai was established in 1988 with residential facilities for girls not only in Ramanathapuram District but also from the surrounding Districts. The institution has attracted girl students from neighboring countries also [e.g. Ceylon, Malaysia, Thailand and Sudan]. The torchbearer for multitudes of beneficiaries from the down-trodden sector is the peerless Alhaj B S Abdur Rahman. Service-motivation, commitment, broad outlook, relentless aspiration and a thirst for venture and knowledge are a few of the efficacies in his journey into charity. A colossus with a magnificently sympathizing soul, he ranks above all humans in the cause of the society.