The Hindu : New Delhi News : `Suraksha Kavach' programme gets new ambassadors

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 27, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

`Suraksha Kavach' programme gets new ambassadors

Bindu Shajan Perappadan

This year's National Bravery Award winners to highlight importance of vaccination

NEW DELHI: Shah Rukh Khan does it and so does Kareena Kapoor. No reason then for this year's National Bravery Award winners to back out of this bit of endorsement opportunity themselves. Pitching in to highlight the importance of vaccinations, the children will lend their name and time to GlaxoSmithkline's latest "Suraksha Kavach" programme.

The Suraksha Kavach programme is aimed at promoting the importance of protection and wellness in society through the use of vaccination.

"The company under this unique social responsibility drive will also participate and complement the Government's initiatives in recognising the National Bravery Award winners.

The company in association with the Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW) will present this year's National Bravery Award winners a `Suraksha Kavach' trophy and a pledge to protect them with vaccines," said a GlaxoSmithkline official here.

Speaking about the programme, Director, Clinical R&D and Medical Affairs, GSK Biologicals (South Asia), Sanjoy. K. Datta explained: "We are extremely privileged to honour the achievements of these 17 brave children. Their contribution is inspiring and their heroic deeds truly represent protection. They are ambassadors for the `Suraksha Kavach' programme, whose objective is to promote the importance of protection and wellness for individuals, families and society at large. Through these children, the programme aims at creating, cultivating and rewarding the importance of protection in society."

The Indian Council for Child Welfare, a premier national voluntary organisation in the field of child welfare and development, started the National Bravery Awards in 1957 -- one of its most prestigious programmes.

The idea was to recognise and honour children who performed outstanding deeds of bravery and selfless sacrifice. The selection is made by a committee constituted by the ICCW, comprising representatives from the secretariats of the President and the Vice-President, various ministries, as well as the Central Social Welfare Board, the police, All India Radio, Doordarshan and leading NGOs including National Bal Bhavan, SOS Children's Villages of India, R.K. Mission and experienced ICCW members.

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