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Chasing a healthy dream

In focus The global reformer talks about her obsession with the dream of transforming the world into a peaceful zone to P. Sujatha Varma

Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar

Miles to go Reeta Roy sharing a light moment with the vice-president of Abbott Foundation, Jeff Richardson

She has an underlying strength and a rare unaffected charm that demonstrates convincingly how a woman need not abandon grace to pursue her goal aggressively.

In her seven-year-long stint with the Global Citizenship and Policy Department of the Abbott Fund, a philanthropic foundation established by the US-based pharmaceutical giant Abbott in 1951 to create healthier global communities, Reeta Roy, the divisional vice-president of the department, has been playing a pivotal role in forging relationships with countries that are focussed on shared interests and goals. Having shouldered the task of overseeing the humanitarian work taken up by the company that encompasses disaster relief and programmes involving education and welfare of women and children besides a special focus on rehabilitation of people living with HIV/AIDS, Roy is willing to commit what it takes to accomplish her goal – global health.

Her small eyes shrink further when she tapers them off to express the magnitude and profundity of the issues dogging the global health scenario. “The best part of being associated with a global company is that it gives you a comprehensive perspective. People across the world, at the very fundamental level, have common aspirations. They want access to basic needs of the mankind. In the world that we live in today, it is important to find common and mutual goals. Nations with adequate resources must try and help the not-so-privileged ones. Everyone must benefit equally from the opportunities on hand,” she says.

Attributing her broad outlook to what she calls her multi-culture family background, she explains the Indian connection: “My father was a Bengali and my mother is Chinese. He came to Malaysia where I was born. My extended family members live in Kolkata and I visit them whenever I come to India.”

Roy is smitten by the Indians’ philosophy of life where people deal effectively with whatever comes their way. “Their pragmatic approach is amazing. There is so much wisdom and integrity in the country’s rich history and culture expanding over countless years,” she observes almost gasping. Indian vegetarian food is one thing she cannot stop raving about.

Clad in black trousers teamed with a white top, her diminutive stature belies the tall demands she has been meeting in over 130 countries where Abbott Fund operates.

“I draw my strength from my family. I have never heard people around me talking about race, community or any other prejudiced factor.” The Indian brainpower is making a mark across the globe, she maintains.

“People here are very competitive and account for a vast contribution to the positive changes happening around due to their social commitment.” Given a chance, Roy would transform the world into a peaceful zone where regardless of age, gender, religion, community and ethnicity, people will see each other as representatives of human race.

She accepts that it is a tall order to fight global challenges like gory conflicts and unrest, but chooses to be an optimist and see the glass as half full rather than half empty.

“The larger nations of the world have begun to make significant commitment to uplift the lesser privileged. More and more successful individuals are doing their bit and the power of the individual is certainly on the rise. It is heartening to see individuals trying to make a difference in the social set-up,” she flashes a content smile.

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