The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Call to raise values early in life

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Thursday, Jul 22, 2010
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Call to raise values early in life

Staff Reporter

If family value is weak, then education cannot be deep-rooted: Kiran Bedi

Photo: K.V. Srinivasan

Valuable moment:Kiran Bedi (centre) interacts with children from Eureka Schools at a function in Chennai on Wednesday. AID India founder Balaji Sampath and Director of Sella Servizi Bancari Chennai branch Bono Giada are in the picture. —

CHENNAI: “Corporate social responsibility is a social value that comes from family and personal values. All these values should be raised early in life and the greatest value of them is internalising them,” said former IPS officer Kiran Bedi.

She was delivering a talk on ‘Living the values' at an event organised by Gruppo Banca Sella here on Wednesday. Ms. Bedi's talk had the auditorium listening in rapt attention, where she explained how giving and sharing nurtured in a family system is the best example carried forward for others to follow.

“If the family value is weak then education cannot be deep-rooted,” she said, giving details of the reforms she brought for prisoners and her journey with two NGOs she started when as a police officer.

To a question on the present scenario of the police force, she said it is the least reformed department in the country because of its total monopoly. “We have no welfare measures worthwhile for those working in the department. We are still being governed by the Act of 1861 and Indian Administrative Service is blocking the police reforms,” she said.

A panel discussion on ‘CSR as the foundation of sustainable growth' at the event, which was inaugurated by agriculture scientist M.S. Swaminathan, had speakers from corporates and NGOs share views.

Balaji Sampath, founder AID India, said when corporates took up a social responsibility, they kept three factors in mind — pledge for a cause that would make a difference, get the employees involved and bring a name for the organisation. Ms. Bedi suggested that there be a joint coordination between the six lakh Indian village and corporates, where each corporate link up with two villages.

Madhavan Sadagopan of Cognizant Foundation and B. Jeevanandam, Vice President-HR Bannari Amman Apparel said CSR has arisen more out of a strategy for their companies. R. Karthikeyan Ranganathan, HR Trainer, moderated the discussion. Bono Giada, Director, Sella Servizi Bancari, Chennai branch, who is the inspiration behind starting Eureka Schools, spoke.

Seventeen class V children from Eureka Schools, free schools run by AID India near Kalpakkam and Kancheepuram, attended the event.

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