Training of Mentors for IDF SLP.

Mr. Shanker Viswanath, IDF Social Ambassador (Learning and Development) made a masterly presentation and trained the the volunteers by taking them through the journey of mentorship. Mrs. Mallika Ramchandran, IDF SLP Co-ordinator gave inputs on SLP and shared the contents. The participating volunteers were presented with Certified SLP Mentor certificate. IDF thank all the mentors for coming forward to strengthen the journey of goodness. For more info - www.idf.org.in/idf-slp.html. Those interested to volunteer for two hours every Saturday may fill-up the form.http://goo.gl/forms/gmCpcFF20l

The session started with Dr. Ark Pillai and Dr. Narayan Iyer paying respects and rich tributes to Mahatma Gandhiji on the Martyrs Day (30-01-2016)

Participants - Dr. Usha Chavali, Arati Jaggi, Jaishri Kimmatkar, Zenobia Khodaiji,Namrata Thakker, Santosh Kushe, Shreya Verma and Deepthi Nair

India Observes Martyrdom Day Today !

India Observes Martyrdom Day Today !

30 January is  observed  as Martyrdom Day at the national level. The date was chosen as it marks the assassination of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in 1948..  On Martyr’s Day (also known as Sarvodaya day), the President, the Vice President, the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister, and the three Service Chiefs gather at the Samadhi at Raj Ghat memorial and lay wreaths decorated with multi-colour flowers. The armed forces personnel blow bugles sounding the Last Post. The inter-services contingent reverse arms as a mark of respect. A two-minute silence in memory of the Father of the Nation and other martyrs is observed throughout the country at 11 AM.

The martyrdom day of Mahatma Gandhi (30th January) is observed as Anti-leprosy day throughout the world.  It is also called "International Anti-leprosy day". NGOs, international voluntary agencies and government machineries observe a week-long programme starting from 30th Jan. to 5th Feb. giving scientific information on leprosy to the masses and sensitising the public on the disease. Various activities in public places are organised for disseminating message on leprosy.

SOMETIME IN 1945, Prof. T. N. Jagadisan invited Mahatma Gandhi to inaugurate the Kasturba Kushta Nivaran Nilayam building in Tamil Nadu. Gandhiji wrote back, "Get someone to open it; opening a hospital is not a big matter, but I shall come to close it.'' By this Gandhiji meant that leprosy should be soon eliminated so that there won't be any need for leprosy hospitals.

Mahatma Gandhi's cherished dream of a leprosy-eliminated India has come true. Thanks to the support of the various NGOs, national and international bodies along with the Government machinery, the number of leprosy cases has come down from 40 lakhs in 1982 to 1.27 lakh today. Since the prevalance rate of leprosy has come down to less than 1 per 10,000 population in India, the govt. has declared that leprosy has been eliminated.

Leprosy is completely curable today. An air-borne disease caused by mycobacterium leprae, leprosy was a scourge of humanity and it carried a lot of misconceptions. Leprosy is a socio-medical problem. Though the number of leprosy cases has come down, the stigma still prevails. A lot need to be done with regard to rehabilitation of persons affected with leprosy (PALs).

Social stigma continues to haunts the patients though a lot of awareness campaigns  had been conducted. We could find new cases being detected in some regions.  Medical team and social workers are on the move to reach-out to the needy people.

Indian Development Foundation (formerly Indian Leprosy Foundation) team will be covering up government schools and other educational institutions during the week disseminating scientific information on leprosy.  Students' participation in leprosy elimination programmes needs to be written in the letters of gold. IDF is committed to leprosy elimination work.

I wish you a nice day!

Dr ARK Pillai

Anti-Leprosy Day observed at Trichy

Indian Development Foundation and Sagayamatha Medical Centre jointly conducted with anti leprosy day programme at Sagayamatha Hospital, Pullambadi, Trichy on 30th January 2016. 

 

Rev.Fr.Dr. S. Gasper, Director  of Sagayamatha Leprosy Hospital welcomed the gathering and appreciated their people's participation in leprosy work. 

Dr. S. Karthikeyan, Block Medical Officer and Dr. Ms. Jeevan, gave special talk on leprosy awareness.  Mr. Devadass, Correspondent, Child Jesus Matriculation High School also spoke at the function.

Students from nursing college took part in the citizens reach-out meet.  Mr. J. Solomon Raja, IDF Development Executive, co-ordinated the public event and thanked all the participants.

The inmates thanked the organizers as they received dress materials and eats at the event.

Anti Leprosy Day

Anti Leprosy Day at Karunai Illam, Coimbatore on 29/01/2016.

Student Leadership Programme

Team CHM College, Ulhasnagar gear up to create student leaders through IDF SLP (Student Leadership Programme). www.idf.org.in/idf-slp.html

Thanks to the Mentors - Anil Shivdasan - Ram Kumar - Shanker Viswanath - Mallika Ramchandran

Salutations to the entire Schoolteam

Team Indian Development Foundation Thank and Salute Dr. Suresh Nair,, Principal, Vivek Vidyalaya & Jr. College, Goregaon (west), Mumbai for extending all support for humanitarian causes. Salutations to the entire Schoolteam for the uninterrupted support and overflowing goodness !!!

27th National Road Safety Week

Mr. Norman and Mrs. Magi from Belfast , Northern Ireland who are campaigning for road safety along with IDF and road safety club members and Principal addressing students of Badam Saroja Devi DAV School, Banjara hills, Hyderabad after the wonderful road show at KBR along with Harley Davidson bikers - 23 Jan 2016

Team Indian Development Foundation and Team Sarthak Manav Kushthashram @ Jaipur.

Discussed on Women Empowerment, Skill Development, Computers for Bal Gurukul, Eye Camp at Chhapra, Bihar and Teaching English to Bal Gurukul children through Skype.

Salutations to the Schoolteam

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's Mehta Vidyalaya supports Indian Development Foundation. Dr. Anu Tandon, Principal of the school and the co-ordinator Dr. Jyoti Rishi presenting the contributions voluntarily mobilized for leprosy work to Dr. Narayan Iyer.

(22-01-2016 - New Delhi)