Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay gave his Dior sunglasses to an elderly woman during an unscheduled stop near Mettur in Salem district on 1 September 2026. The brief interaction, which included Vijay speaking to the woman and placing his sunglasses on her before giving them to her, was captured on video and subsequently went viral on social media. Vijay was in Salem for an official visit that included an inspection of the Mettur hydroelectric power station and the opening of the Stanley Reservoir's sluice gates for the release of Cauvery water for irrigation in the delta districts. While returning towards Salem airport, Vijay reportedly stopped after seeing elderly women working in a nearby field. The elderly woman was identified in reports as Chellam. During their interaction, Vijay asked her name and whether she had eaten. According to Chellam, she had not eaten because she had been waiting to see him. Vijay told her that he had already eaten and asked her to go and have food. Vijay then spent several minutes speaking with Chellam and walking around the garden and cattle shed area. During the interaction, he removed the Christian Dior sunglasses he was wearing and placed them on her. Reports said Chellam was initially reluctant to accept them, but eventually took the sunglasses from Vijay. She was later seen wearing them while standing beside him and waving to people gathered at the spot.