The students of the Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management (EPGP) at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) organized "Prayaas: A Social Responsibility Initiative" at the IIMB campus on October 16, 2010.
The inspiration for this event came from the Social Entrepreneurship elective offered at IIMB by Professor Trilochan Sastry which prompted the students to start an annual social responsibility event which would enable contribution to society through different activities. The inaugural year featured many events - The Jaipur Foot Camp, in association with the Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti, Jaipur (BMVSS) and a Blood Donation Camp, in partnership with Rashtroyothan.
The day's agenda also featured 20 students from Suroyadaya Boys' Hostel who were hosted by EPGP volunteers and their spouses along with the Vikasana Student Club at IIMB. The kids were engaged the entire day in different activities that included a tour of IIMB, breakfast at the college canteen with IIMB students, a painting competition, and lunch with the chief guests.
The Jaipur Foot Camp was set up in the Central Pergola of the IIMB campus and around 23 patients from various parts of Karnataka were fitted with custom-made prosthetic limbs. The entire cost for the each of the prosthetic limbs was borne through generous donations from professors and students of IIMB. More than 350 people visited the Camp and witnessed the miracle of Jaipur Foot. The blood donation camp held at the Management Development Centre (MDC) saw student donors coming forward in good numbers.
The official inauguration of Prayaas in the afternoon featured three noted social luminaries - Mr DR Mehta of Jaipur Foot, Dr Balasubramaniam of Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) and Dr S Aravind of Aravind Eye Care. While all three were unified by strong sentiments to serve society, it becomes even more inspiring to note that they gave up chances of leading comfortable lives in order to seek a higher purpose for their existence. IIMB Director Professor Pankaj Chandra welcomed the audience and spoke unequivocally about the need for Indian management institutes to work closely with NGOs and provide expertise in running them efficiently. All three guest speakers touched upon the genesis and inspiration which led to each of these organizations and how they continue to uphold their core values of social responsibility, in spite of challenges on the financial and human resources front.
Mr DR Mehta talked with passion about how BMVSS values and enacts its core policy to ensure that no patient has to go back without adequate treatment at any time of the day. When queried about his constant drive to help people stand on their feet, he urged the audience too to "Join the fraternity of those who bear the scars of others".
Dr Balasubramaniam from SYVM talked about people sitting on the fence when it comes to joining social sector full-time vis-a-vis doing their bit on a regular basis. He requested such people to visit social institutions frequently and see for themselves about where they could contribute significantly. Dr Aravind, the young and modern face of Aravind Eye Care, educated the audience on not trying to mimic the western healthcare system and rather focus on building unique healthcare systems suited to the needs of developing nations. The guest speakers wanted IIMB to work with them on a regular basis in terms of studying their organizations from a management perspective.
The lasting images of the day were not just the videos which showed the joy of people who got back on their feet with a little help from Jaipur Foot Clinic, but also the satisfaction written on the faces of the patients who benefited from the clinic and the kids from Suroyadaya boys' hostel.
The students of the Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management (EPGP) at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) organized "Prayaas: A Social Responsibility Initiative" at the IIMB campus on October 16, 2010.
The inspiration for this event came from the Social Entrepreneurship elective offered at IIMB by Professor Trilochan Sastry which prompted the students to start an annual social responsibility event which would enable contribution to society through different activities. The inaugural year featured many events - The Jaipur Foot Camp, in association with the Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti, Jaipur (BMVSS) and a Blood Donation Camp, in partnership with Rashtroyothan.
The day's agenda also featured 20 students from Suroyadaya Boys' Hostel who were hosted by EPGP volunteers and their spouses along with the Vikasana Student Club at IIMB. The kids were engaged the entire day in different activities that included a tour of IIMB, breakfast at the college canteen with IIMB students, a painting competition, and lunch with the chief guests.
The Jaipur Foot Camp was set up in the Central Pergola of the IIMB campus and around 23 patients from various parts of Karnataka were fitted with custom-made prosthetic limbs. The entire cost for the each of the prosthetic limbs was borne through generous donations from professors and students of IIMB. More than 350 people visited the Camp and witnessed the miracle of Jaipur Foot. The blood donation camp held at the Management Development Centre (MDC) saw student donors coming forward in good numbers.
The official inauguration of Prayaas in the afternoon featured three noted social luminaries - Mr DR Mehta of Jaipur Foot, Dr Balasubramaniam of Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) and Dr S Aravind of Aravind Eye Care. While all three were unified by strong sentiments to serve society, it becomes even more inspiring to note that they gave up chances of leading comfortable lives in order to seek a higher purpose for their existence. IIMB Director Professor Pankaj Chandra welcomed the audience and spoke unequivocally about the need for Indian management institutes to work closely with NGOs and provide expertise in running them efficiently. All three guest speakers touched upon the genesis and inspiration which led to each of these organizations and how they continue to uphold their core values of social responsibility, in spite of challenges on the financial and human resources front.
Mr DR Mehta talked with passion about how BMVSS values and enacts its core policy to ensure that no patient has to go back without adequate treatment at any time of the day. When queried about his constant drive to help people stand on their feet, he urged the audience too to "Join the fraternity of those who bear the scars of others".
Dr Balasubramaniam from SYVM talked about people sitting on the fence when it comes to joining social sector full-time vis-a-vis doing their bit on a regular basis. He requested such people to visit social institutions frequently and see for themselves about where they could contribute significantly. Dr Aravind, the young and modern face of Aravind Eye Care, educated the audience on not trying to mimic the western healthcare system and rather focus on building unique healthcare systems suited to the needs of developing nations. The guest speakers wanted IIMB to work with them on a regular basis in terms of studying their organizations from a management perspective.
The lasting images of the day were not just the videos which showed the joy of people who got back on their feet with a little help from Jaipur Foot Clinic, but also the satisfaction written on the faces of the patients who benefited from the clinic and the kids from Suroyadaya boys' hostel.