TATA STEEL CONTINUES TO BRING A ‘SMILE’ ON MANY MORE PINKYS

By Sanjeev Shekhar

Ranchi-
While the Indians celebrate the winner of Oscar of the noted documentary film ‘Smile Pinky’, I’m immediately reminded of the yeoman service of the corporate house, Tata Steel that has been successfully carrying out the ‘cleft lip’ operations for nearly a decade now.

The film nominated along with four others stood victorious in the short documentary category. Smile Pinky revolves around a six year old girl with a lip deformity living in Dabai village of Uttar Pradesh directed by the American director Megan Mylan. It won Oscar in Los Angeles.

Scores of social organizations as well as the corporate houses are carrying out the cleft lip operation for years together but the attention of the international media never came to an extent that could be recorded either in India or abroad. Even I, as a journalist, have personally covered the event organized by Tata Steel. The company stationed ‘hospital on wheels’ with the support of the Railways wherein the mobile train went from one place to another and successfully treated cleft lip operation of several boys and girls. The mobile hospital also conducted surgery of various diseases and the team of doctors from the Tata Main Hospital personally monitored such cases; thereby bringing about smiles in innumerable faces. Such developments should form the part of integral journalism practice.

The recent was the company’s endeavour with the Operation Smile Mission, a worldwide children’s medical charity conducted a camp at Tata Main Hospital in the last week of February. This was an effort by Tata Steel to bring smiles to faces of children born with facial deformities through cleft lip and palate operations. Tata Steel is the first corporate house to collaborate with this mission for a project of this nature.

The purpose of penning this on record is to make people aware about the noble task & give due recognition to such activity that is done for social upliftment and for the benefit of the society.

This was Operation Smile’s first international medical mission in Jamshedpur. Cleft lip operations were conducted in Jamshedpur from February 22 – February 27, 2009. The screening of patients had begun on February 19, 2009. After screening 240 cases in Jamshedpur, a total of 182 cleft lip operations were carried out at the camp from February 22 to February 27, 2009. On an average 25-30 cases were handled everyday in TMH and the patients were mainly children in the age group of 6 months to 15 years and a few adults.

The entire funding for this project has been done by Sir Dorabji Tata Trust. All the medication to patients during their stay in hospital has been taken care by the group. In addition to this, medicine packets with instruction in their local language have been given to patients when they were discharged from the hospital. Speech therapy also organised for the patents as a part of the mission. A follow up check up for these patients has been arranged in TMH on March 7, 2009.

This is the first time that Tata Steel has collaborated with Operation Smile Mission which started in India in 2002. Tata Steel had entered into a MoU with another international organisation called Smile Train in 2002 and along with Smile Train more than 3000 children have been operated till date. The MoU with Smile Train is valid till December 2009. In the year 2000 and 2001, Tata Steel was able to bring smiles to 63 cleft lip cases with the voluntary effort of Dr R Bharat (the then plastic surgeon of TMH who has recently retired from TMH) and the Indian Red Cross Society of Jamshedpur. Kudos to all such bodies for their inavluable service...

Sanjeev Shekhar
Media Consultant/Journalist/PR

Parvati Omnakuttam resolve to win contest has been realised

Miss World first runner up Parvati Omnakuttam-2008 with Miss India Earth-2008 Tanvi Vyas in Jamshedpur. The ladies had stolen the show during the ramp

By Sanjeev Shekhar
When Parvati Omnakuttam became the Miss World runner up, I was one of the happiest one to learn about it. The reason being when I had met her in Jamshedpur fashion show in the month of May 2008, I had written in my blog (refer my post dated May 9, 2008), “though she has already accomplished the feat in the nation’s top platform (winner of Femina Miss India runner up), no matter the show will go a long way for her.”

This has been proved today when she is already making headlines in the fashion industry & crowned Miss World first runner up recently. “I had a dream and always aspired to become the model. I’ve already put the right step forward. But this is still the beginning, as I have a great responsibility when I’ll be representing my country at the International Miss World pageant in October this year,” informed Parvati during a chat at Jamshedpur. It may be noted that the 58th Miss World Final was held at Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa on December 13, 2008. Hence the date mentioned earlier in my blog regarding the competition stands rectified including the place of event.

Russia's Ksenya Sukhinova was crowned Miss World 2008. India's Parvathy Omanakuttan finished first runners up at a glittering African extravaganza. The second runner-up was Gabriel Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago.

Her ramp in Jamshepur is still fresh in the minds of people as she was the cynosure of the fashion show, where she cat walked into the hearts of the cheering youngsters.
“I participated in Miss Kochi and many more competitions. The Femina Miss India was the eighth competition of my life. I’m happy and lucky to have won it,” she had disclosed.The best part about her was that she did not believe in following anybody nor did she consider anyone as her role model. She was of belief to become an individual and imbibe in her the qualities to become the leader. “I want to place myself as a source of inspiration and motivation for others,” she had said without mincing words.

Her resolve and self confidence has put her on the citadel today, and she deserved to be there.
As like most of the stars, Parvati also had admiration for Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s talent. “I love cricket and like Dhoni very much. In fact this place has the potential to give out stars in many other fields,” Parvati held at that time.

Sanjeev Shekhar

Media Consultant/Journalist/PR

21-year old Labrador dog defies average life-span of 10 years

By Sanjeev Shekhar

Ranchi-
When man bites dog, it makes news. This is rightly proved in case of Goldie alias Golu putting up at Chotanagpur Dog Hostel & Training Centre at Kanke road in the state capital of Jharkhand.

Well, you guessed it right, Goldie alias Golu is a dog. This Labrador breed animal has already entered its 21st year of lifespan, thereby defying the average age of 10-11 years only.

Golu is presently the cynosure of dog lovers, who is understandably putting on airs on the arrival of any visitor in the hostel. Deep Yellow in colour, this Labrador was named Golu because of its ‘roly-poly’ body structure in it’s hey days still surviving in its inimitable ‘rough & tough’ style. This creature has defied the basic thrust of life span and is one of the proud possessions of its owner Dr Manoj Mishra and his wife Seema Mishra.

Mishras have given their best in managing and maintaining this noble animal. Manoj has given treatment through Ayurveda and Homeopath medicines to keep the animal hale and hearty. “Though it has lost the capacity to produce issues but the dog is maintaining good health, which is basically a matter of research or study when it’s survival for so long is concerned,” informed the proud owner of the animal, Manoj Mishra.

When the world is witnessing enhancement in the lifespan of human, there are cases when the same is happening with animals too. Thanks to the medical science and contemporary medicines that have made things possible.

“Though it has lost the capacity to produce issues but the dog is maintaining good health, which is basically a matter of research or study when it’s survival for so long is concerned,” informed the proud owner of the animal, Manoj Mishra.

He is possessive about his oldest possession and fear that he will lose a very dear animal as it has grown its age. “The Labrador has produced 15-16 issues till now and is still living without any problem,” said Mishra.

Apart from physical, the dog is mentally fit. It still behaves as one of the obedient ‘son or student’ & never troubles its master unnecessarily. This is one of the rare development that needs to be recorded for animal lovers, claimed the couple.

However, this animal is enjoying the attention of not only its masters but also of its neigbours presently on account ot it being the oldest surviving animal at his master’s kennel.

Sanjeev Shekhar

Media Consultant/Journalist/PR

Hostel & Nursing Home for Dog- a unique concept evolved for animal lovers

By Sanjeev Shekhar

Ranchi-
We have heard about hostels for various category vis-à-vis boys, girls, working women hostel, bachelor hostel so and so forth. But if one comes across hostel & nursing home for dogs, it surprises many.

This may sound ridiculous but it’s true if one is visiting the state capital of Jharkhand and sees things on their own to believe it. The married couple Dr Manoj Mishra (50) and his wife Seema have undertaken a yeoman task of serving the ‘loyal’ animal known for its sacrifices for their masters.

“We take the responsibility of dogs on behalf of their actual owners, who seek our services when they are going out of station or want the animal to be more disciplined in their habits,” said Seema brimming with pride.

This couple has been successfully managing the dog hostel and nursing home for more than two decades now, wherein the team of doctors is taking care of all the needs of the animal. The hostel located at Kanke road presently has nearly 15 dogs under their care, the number of which keeps varying over the year. They treat them like their children and shower love as responsible parents, which is a benchmark for all those who want to know what love can do & how it prove wonders to tame even the ‘ferocious creature’.

Manoj was fond of dogs since his childhood as he had seen his mother late Pritimay Devi of Mahisadal Raj Gharana (Bengal) love for the animal. He mother was the owner of the estate of 500 villages and had 30 Great Dane during her times. She was fond of birds too.
As young boy, Monoj drew inspiration from his mother and develop a strong penchant for dogs.

He was the first in Ranchi to have got the Harly Queen Great Dane from outside. People from various localities used to visit his place to see the royal dog. “It’s our passion and love that has eventually turned into a profession now. But the fact remains at the back of mind that these are lovely creature and deserve all attention and love for their fine behaviour,” claimed the couple.
People from far-flung areas leave their dogs in the couple’s care. Even if the animal falls sick, they are the best people to be contacted for treatment.

“We have spent almost half of our lives with these dogs as well as other animals. We enjoy being with them. We can very well read their nature and behaviour, whatever they want we can make out by looking at them as they speak through eyes,” said Manoj Kumar Mishra.

The couple have decided to expand the arena for pets and have decided to open hostel for rabbits, birds etc. The new hostel will have the capacity to house 70-90 dogs at a time. Their number keeps fluctuating depending on the needs dog lovers. They have more than 35 years old kennel for dogs.

As for the breed, they are taking care of all the best breeds here including Spitz, German shepherd, Labrador, Great Dane, Routt Valier et al. The couple is alos providing training to dogs at their training centre.

Sanjeev Shekhar

Media Consultant/Journalist/PR