FELICITATION OF SHRI KUMARAMANGALAM & SMT RAJASHREEJI BIRLA

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FELICITATION OF SHRI KUMARAMANGALAM & SMT. RAJASHREEJI BIRLA

Speech delivered by RID Ashok Mahajan on 10 March 2008

A man’s stature is measured by his dreams, by the love he is able to show, by the value he respects, by the happiness he is able to share, by the truths he is able to express, by the help he is able to give, by the life he leads and by the destiny he dreams of Honesty and Integrity, Faithfulness and Sincerity, Love and Devotion, Austerity and Simplicity, Purity and Propriety, Truthfulness and Trust-worthiness, Modesty and Nobility together with the crowning spirituality make Smt Rajashreeji Birla and Shri Kumaramangalam Birla an embodiment of sterling character.

They are the doyens of industry with immense interest in all the acts and deeds of helping others. In spite of an extremely busy schedule and the great onus of responsibility on their shoulders, they always find time to indulge in those acts of generosity that are directed towards assistance to the needy.

In fact, the entire organization of Aditya Birla Group of Industries is often at the helm of Service. To salute such great personalities, it is indeed an honour for Rotary and Rotary feels obligated to those shining stars for their readiness to be available for help.

Smt. Rajashree Birla, Patron of the Birla Group of Companies, has for long been a trusted friend of Rotary in India. A humane person and philanthropic to the core, she has graciously endorsed and financially supported many of Rotary’s humanitarian initiatives all through these years. Polio immunization programme of Rotary has received her particular attention and benefited a lot from the kind support of the Birla family.

Some seven years ago, her group contributed Rs. 1 crore to Polio activities in the country. Ever since, the employees of the Birla Group of Companies have helped in administering of Polio drops to more than 2.5 million children every year and during the different Polio immunization rounds in the country.

They independently organize Polio Immunization Centers at Gateway of India, Mumbadevi Temple, Victoria Gardens, Byculla Railway Station, Tarapurewala acquarium and Chembur and travelled along with the Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) staff to these areas during the house-to-house Polio campaigns. Before Immunization rounds in Mumbai, they have also taken out car rallies to spread awareness on Polio and helped in social mobilization.

Recently, when I had the opportunity to discuss with Smt. Rajashreeji about our ongoing Polio eradication efforts, I expressed Rotary’s concern about the increasing threat of Polio to children in Bihar.

And friends, when I shared with her Rotary’s plans to address this threat in Bihar and inquired if she could be of help to Rotary in protecting children from Polio in Bihar, she at once offered to extend her help. Thanks to her, we are now preparing the blueprint of a plan which when accepted will be implemented in Bihar with the help of Birlas to tackle the current Polio scourge.

I am sure that not only will this plan become a success with the help and patronage of the Birlas but that this support will set an example for other corporate houses to join our battle in eradicating Polio from our country.

TRF has recognized her with “The Polio Eradication Champion Award”. In the past the recipients of this prestigious award have been former US President Bill Clinton, former UK Prime Minister John Major, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, President Musharaff of Pakistan, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh.

To have money is common; To spend money, too, is common; But to spend for others is un-common – as rare as three leaf clover. When such rarity is displayed, we must recognize this and applaud the stars who have shown such a rare attribute.

Rotary is replete with stories of men and women whose main concern is “OTHERS”. “Put yourself in the second place” urged a famous Greek Philosopher. That is great advice but we must also know what to put in the First Place. The answer obviously is “OTHERS”. These two personalities have put others in first place so that these “others” have a better life. Kudos to the Birla Family for showing us all a lesson to follow and emulate.

Service is the work involving the use of the head, the heart and the hand for the welfare of others, irrespective of their status, caste or creed. It relieves the economically underprivileged through personal commitment to selfless service.

It contributes to the works of development through physical labour. Service explores the potentials lying dormant in persons through education.

Service is concerned about the needs of others. It offers ample opportunities for the development of one’s character and personality. Service prompts us to give selflessly without expecting anything in return.

Service can be cultivated through:

· doing good to others in a spirit of selfless service;

· working for those in need by rendering small service ;

· helping, consoling and counseling others;

· volunteering to help;

· sacrificing personal needs and comforts to help others;

· being available to others;

· helping out in times of difficulties;

· helping the poor and the needy;

· visiting the institutions such as homes for the aged , the blind and the orphanage;

· being ready to serve the Nation;

Shri Kumaramangalamji and Smt.Rajashreeji have shown us the path to Service. Let us learn this lesson from them. “Pursue the path to reach the goal. You cannot reach your goal by sitting on somebody’s shoulders”

Let us therefore, be motivated to spring into the arena of Service and be just not bystanders.

It is not only service to the community which is close to their hearts but the entire group believes in high ethical standards in all its dealings.

For those who are not aware, let me inform you that Aditya Birla Group has earned the distinction of being the Best employer in India and one of the best in Asia ( ranked # 16 ) in the best Employer Study 2007 conducted by Hewitt Associates in partnership with Economic Times in India and the Wall Street Journal of Asia. This study had 230 participants in India and 750 in Asia.

These two personalities, live to do good and leave behind a monument of virtue that the storms of time can never destroy. They write their name in kindness, love and mercy on the hearts of thousands they come in contact with year after year and they will never be forgotten. Their names and their good deeds will shine as stars of heaven.

Rotary leans on the compassionate hearts of others. Though this compassion is expected of Rotarians, when we find such people outside Rotary, we not only recognize them and applaud them, but we recognize them for their efforts to ease the lives of the needy.

Though not in Rotary, they are “TRUE” Rotarians. We are indeed blessed to have two such towering personalities here today and we bow our heads in recognizing their contributions.

May the road rise to meet you;

May the wind be always at your back;

May the sun shine warm upon your face;

May the rain fall soft upon your fields;

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hands.

Ashokmahajan.com

Service above Self

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