Corporate Citizen Claps for the Creation of ‘Aatmajas’ or ‘daughters borne of the soul’ by empowering disadvantaged girl Children via the pune-based, Aatmaja foundation
Championing this cause is Priti Rao, Chairperson of the foundation who has had multiple personal successes in her roles as Senior Vice President at Infosys; as an independent director with Mastek Ltd and as Managing Director of Pumpkin Patch Day-care. As the ‘IT Woman of the year 2002’, bestowed upon her by the Computer Society of India, she definitely understands what it is to ‘face’ success and ‘feel empowered’. She, in turn, has modeled Aatmaja Foundation as a catalyst to help young girls grow into confident, empowered professionals with strong values. Its mission statement, “We shall create a vibrant network of Aatmajas who will help each other in their future endeavors”, resonates with its achievements since 2015. What started with on boarding of 20 girls, is now a lifeline for 180 girls and the foundation has been happily surprised by the progress of these girls. Channelizing its “Udaan” programme for teenage girls from marginalized communities, Aatmaja provides financial assistance towards their education, career and personal counseling, guidance and coaching for up to eight years till they find good employment. They provide merit and need-based mentorship to girl students from disadvantaged backgrounds studying in 10th standard. The Foundation attempts to uplift lives of girls who fight against odds to survive and also laud and support the bravery of single or destitute mothers who despite limited skills; believe in the ‘power of literacy’ for their own girl children. Girls, however, have to qualify a selection process based on their aptitude for learning and other social parameters such as income liability – that apart, a 70% score in the 6th, 7th and 8th grade is compulsory. “Mentors work with the youth to identify their interests, build a strong foundation of values, sharpen their professional skills, provide them with basic knowledge to be successful personally and professionally, and maximize their support systems through the encouragement of fellow “Aatmajas”.” Developing self-respect and positive well-being has kept up the spirit of the foundation and the lives of its innumerable underprivileged yet confident and ‘spirited’ girls!
Corporate Citizen slaps the devastating fire tragedy that Claimed at least 22 young lives at an arts Coaching Centre at takshashila arcade in surat’s sarthana area
While this once again triggers the unending debacle on fire permits and issues on crowded building and illegal structures - the death of these innocent teenagers definitely needs some soul searching! The Surat tragedy has spun the usual post-mortem inspections across coaching centers across various state departments and their machinery. The Maharashtra Class Owners’ Association, an umbrella body of around 2,000 coaching centers in the city, too issued guidelines. As coaching centers remain an unregulated sector, most continue to run devoid of any safety norms. The age-old question on why infrastructure permits and safety norms evade builders at the construction or handing over stages often gets drummed to death, still remains unanswered. Mushrooming of coaching centers is not new and quite ubiquitous and sometimes even eyesores across residential and commercial properties. The Surat tragedy revisits these obvious glitches. As expected, the aftermath has seen the Gujarat government spring into action asking builders of more than 9,000 properties, to spruce themselves with fire safety installations or face closure. The Delhi government too ordered the city’s fire department to inspect coaching centers operating from high-rise buildings or shutdown facilities that run these in buildings found violating fire safety rules. Disturbing reports have since poured in from other cities on fire safety rules and their implementation across buildings that harbor coaching classes or other learning enterprises. Likewise, Gurgaon’s Sector 14, has also come under the scanner like many others. “After examining our records, not a single coaching centre was found to have a valid NOC. As per the Haryana Fire Service Act, coaching centers fall under educational institution category thereby mandating them to have a NOC…,” said IS Kashyap, assistant divisional fire safety officer. Sitting on a tinderbox is definitely uncomfortable-when will authorities spruce up their act and checkbox ‘safety’ as a blanket cover for all? Should we hazard an ‘uncomfortable’ guess!
by Sangeeta Ghosh Dastidar
