Hats off to T.O.I !!
It was a Sunday evening and a national holiday (October 2, 2011) to boot - and they could have all preferred to be somewhere else. But these V.I.Ps turned up because they believed in the cause that the Times Social Impact Awards sought to espouse and champion. They made it a very special occasion where Page 1 seamlessly blended with Page 3 and every other page in a newspaper.
It was a celebration of real tasks performed by India's real heroes and they - India's A-list leaders from every colour of the political spectrum from PM Manmohan Singh to L. K Advani to Sitaram Yechury, top corporate bosses (Kumar Mangalam Birla, Shashi Ruia), activists-academics (Sunita Narain, Madhu Kishwar) and artists (Dolly Thakore, Prasoon Joshi) - all came to the Taj Palace Hotel. Their presence at Durbar Hall underlined India Shining's commitment to India Invisible - a reaffirmation of the idea of India itself.
Two events of the evening will stay forever embossed in the memory, said renowned Magsaysay Award-winning social activist Ela Bhatt. "I really appreciate the concept of linking the beneficiary with the winner. It was a great gesture to make the beneficiaries give away the awards. It sort of completes the cycle," said the founder of SEWA.(TOI, Tuesday,October 14, 2011)
I have nothing to add except to again and again admire the timely and thoughtful action of the Times of India group for having acted differently.
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