A 23-year-old visually challenged Karan, a native of Dipka mines area in the tribal belt of Korba in Chhattisgarh, cracks this years CAT exams with over 97 per cent and bags interview calls from IIMs irrespective of their suffixes. How often do you get to see such a lead when you wake up to your morning newspaper? That way, it was a kind of refreshing for me yesterday.
Once in office, I casually asked one of our fellow colleagues, also a visually challenged, if he also read the story. To my surprise, he not only read it, but he had nurtured partly the story to happen.
Mukesh Jain, an assistant in our legal section of HR Department in NTPC's Korba Super Thermal Power Station, has been the eye-witness to the story of Karan since the latter was in his high school at Dipka.
"It was almost 7-8 years back that he met me while in his mission to gain some technological assistance to perform better in his study. The nearby computer shop in Jamnipali that he landed up to obtain some software had apparently tipped him to meet me as I was known to be having regular updation on technological innovations such as Jaws, scanning software etc which are quite helpful for the visually challenged," adds Mukesh.
Subsequently, Karan learned to use technology and dumped the earlier method, when his mother used to read his study material aloud and record everything for her son to follow. On meeting the NTPCian, the recording on tape became redundant, thus helping the school-goer to come out as a topper in 10th Board. He was so happy with the result that one fine day he landed up to thank his mentor with a branded pair of apparel, inviting some words of wisdom from the otherwise shy and reticent Mukesh.
"I told him not to feel the baggage and rather move on with lots of positive feelings and keep on sharing the knowledge in future," sumps up Mukesh with a sense of satisfaction.
Today, when I revisit the entire episode, I too feel some sense of belongingness. There are opportunities when we can help our society in small small ways, which may in the long run translate into Karan-like success stories. Corporates should also follow the same sense of belongingness in order to translate their much-hyped CSR briefs into some success stories, even in bits and pieces.
Sadly, according to a recent survey by Charities Aid Foundation and market research agency IMRB (as reported in Business Standard), we Indians believe in giving, when it matters to the cause of Religion than anything else. Giving for the sake of giving is a big No, even today.
The thinking must change. There is no confusion in me that we all must take care well of ourselves, our families, our parents, spouses, sons and daughters, brother and sisters, our neighbours, then our extended neighbours. If I am not sensitive to the sorrows of my neighbour, shame on me, my profession, my organisation, my education....!!!
If we all at our individual level take care of such little little things, the company, the society and the nation can do wonders, in CSR, collectively.
Tail piece : Always remember, "Thy need is more," said my schoolteacher in one occasion.
Once in office, I casually asked one of our fellow colleagues, also a visually challenged, if he also read the story. To my surprise, he not only read it, but he had nurtured partly the story to happen.
Mukesh Jain, an assistant in our legal section of HR Department in NTPC's Korba Super Thermal Power Station, has been the eye-witness to the story of Karan since the latter was in his high school at Dipka.
"It was almost 7-8 years back that he met me while in his mission to gain some technological assistance to perform better in his study. The nearby computer shop in Jamnipali that he landed up to obtain some software had apparently tipped him to meet me as I was known to be having regular updation on technological innovations such as Jaws, scanning software etc which are quite helpful for the visually challenged," adds Mukesh.
Subsequently, Karan learned to use technology and dumped the earlier method, when his mother used to read his study material aloud and record everything for her son to follow. On meeting the NTPCian, the recording on tape became redundant, thus helping the school-goer to come out as a topper in 10th Board. He was so happy with the result that one fine day he landed up to thank his mentor with a branded pair of apparel, inviting some words of wisdom from the otherwise shy and reticent Mukesh.
"I told him not to feel the baggage and rather move on with lots of positive feelings and keep on sharing the knowledge in future," sumps up Mukesh with a sense of satisfaction.
Today, when I revisit the entire episode, I too feel some sense of belongingness. There are opportunities when we can help our society in small small ways, which may in the long run translate into Karan-like success stories. Corporates should also follow the same sense of belongingness in order to translate their much-hyped CSR briefs into some success stories, even in bits and pieces.
Sadly, according to a recent survey by Charities Aid Foundation and market research agency IMRB (as reported in Business Standard), we Indians believe in giving, when it matters to the cause of Religion than anything else. Giving for the sake of giving is a big No, even today.
The thinking must change. There is no confusion in me that we all must take care well of ourselves, our families, our parents, spouses, sons and daughters, brother and sisters, our neighbours, then our extended neighbours. If I am not sensitive to the sorrows of my neighbour, shame on me, my profession, my organisation, my education....!!!
If we all at our individual level take care of such little little things, the company, the society and the nation can do wonders, in CSR, collectively.
Tail piece : Always remember, "Thy need is more," said my schoolteacher in one occasion.
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