"We care for the Hungry Children on the Globe"
(A Programme Initiated by CFTRI Alumni Association)
Under the guidance of Prof. Ram Rajasekharan, Chief Patron and Director, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysore, a team of CFTRI Alumni Executive Members consisting of Dr. Indrani (President), Dr.H. B. Sowbhagya (Vice President), Dr. Iboyaima Singh (Hon. Secretary), Mr. Srinivasa. M. A (Joint Secretary) and Dr. Sashikala.V.B (Treasurer) visited an urban Anganawadi Centre (AWC) called Chamalapurahundi-3 at sector 0806, Nanjangud, Mysore District on 7th May 2015 to donate a Pureit Water filter of 23 L capacity and a Water Storage Container of 50 L capacity (Stainless Steel).
Nanjangud Taluk has the highest number of children with nutritional deficiencies in Mysore district. There are 53 and 102 severely malnourished children in 0 to 3 years of age and 3 to 6 years of age respectively in the district. There are 550 Anganawadi centers in Nanjangud, started as part of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program to combat child hunger and malnutrition.
This particular AWC (Chamalapurahundi-3) was started in 1991 with an idea to improve the nutritional and health status of children in the age group of 3-6 years, with financial support from central and state governments. There were about 40 children in the age group of 3-6 years.
We CFTRI Alumni team selected this AWC and privileged to donate drinking water purifying unit and water storage container.
During the visit, we could meet the parents of the children and explain to them the importance of hygiene during preparation and serving of foods for their children. We also displayed a slide show about the importance of safe drinking water and consequences of many water borne diseases.
At the end, biscuit packets were also distributed to the children.
It was a joy to see their happy faces
The Alumni Association was privileged to provide food to the inmates of the Bapuji Children's Home at Mysore on 21st October 2001,
which coincided with the Foundation day of CFTRI. With the initiation of Dr. V. Prakash, Director, CFTRI and Chief Patron of our
association, an interaction began with the Bapuji Children's Home and the program on "Caring for the Hungry Children on the Globe" took off.
The choice of Bapuji Children's Home was because of its unique features, which the Association found attuned to its own ideals of the societal mission.
The Bapuji Children's Home was founded in 1975 at Mysore to care for the abandoned infants, street children and the destitute who are lost
to the world. Some of the inmates of the Home have been 'salvaged' from utter squalor and even death-trap, like for example, the infant girl
found in a dustbin with her right foot eaten away by the stray dogs and her scalp badly disfigured by crows and the beggar girl who was unwanted
in society. The Home nursed these children and scores of others at similar conditions of hopless-ness back to a dignified living by meeting
their physical and emotional needs. Currently the Home has 52 orphans mostly girls and a few boys.It was a joy to see their happy faces and entusiasm,
evidence of what the Home has done to them.
Alumni members will be happy to learn that the program on "We care for the hungry Children
on the Globe" has been initiated at Mysore. Members view and suggestions are welcome.
FELICITATION TO MS. VASEEMA RAHIM AND DR. P. HARIDASA RAO
ON THEIR RETIREMENT FROM CFTRI SERVICE
On dais from left : Mrs. Sridevi, Dr. K.K. Sakariah, Dr. P. Haridas Rao, Ms. Vaseema Rahim, Dr. V. Prakash,
Dr. K.S. Chang and Mrs. Chang
Ms. Vaseema Rahim, a senior Scientist in the HRD Department has the
unique distinction of teaching every batch of students of M.Sc. (Food Tech.) course which was started in 1965. Dr. P. Haridasa Rao, Head of
the Department of Flour Milling, Baking and Confectionary Technology belongs to the 1969-1971 batch and is presently the Secretary, CFTRI
Alumni Association. On July 2, 2001 a felicitation meeting to honour Ms. Vaseema Rahim and Dr. P. Haridasa Rao was organised by Alumni
Association at the IFTTC auditorium, CFTRI, Mysore with the Director, Dr. V. Prakash in chair, he himself being an Alumni and also has
the cosiderable distinction of being batchmate of Dr. Haridasa Rao and student of Ms. Vaseema Rahim.
The meeting was well attended by the current first and second year M.Sc. (Food Tech.) students and the Alumni in Mysore. A most pleasant
surprise was the presence of Prof. K.S. Chang and his wife who had come from Korea on a visit to CFTRI. Prof. Chang belongs to the 1970-72
batch of M.Sc (Food Tech.) and is currently in the Department of Food Science Technology, College of Agriculture Chungnam National
University 220, Gung - Dong, Yuseng - GU, Taejon, 305 - 764, Korea.
Dr. R. Joseph, President, CFTRI Alumni Association, extending a warm welcome mentioned that retirement is an
important landmark in a person's life, but the word is not applicable to those who will be doing something different in life that may be as
meaningful or more meaningful than what they have been doing so far. He expressed the hope that both Dr. Haridasa Rao and Ms. Vaseema Rahim
will now find more time to play important roles in the Alumni Association.
Mr. Abhishek Singh, Mr. Vikas Gupta, Ms. Monika Verma
and Ms. Vasudha Modgil, M.Sc. (Food Tech.) students in their speeches paid rich tributes to Ms. Vaseema Rahim and Dr. Haridasa Rao.
Dr. Haridas Rao being felicitated by Ms. Bindi Shukla M.Sc. II year Student. Dr. V. Prakash and Dr. Chang are seen in the background.
Ms. Vaseema Rahim, while replying touched everybody's heart in the audience. She talked about her rich experience
as a teacher and how she was endeared to students. She expressed gratitude to all the students, past and present, and took great pride in the
fact that two of the past students are occupying very high positions: Dr. V. Prakash as Director of CFTRI, Mysore and Dr. A.S. Bawa as
Director of DFRL, Mysore.
Dr. Haridasa Rao's reply was equally touching. It was also a lively narration of his experiences at CFTRI,
Mysore. Prof. Chang in his speech was all praise for CFTRI's achievements. He recalled nostalgically his student life at the Institute.
Ms. Vaseema Rahim receiving the bouque from Ms. Bindi Shukla M.Sc. II year Student. Dr. V. Prakash and Ms. Ritu Taneja are also seen
Dr. V. Prakash expressed happiness at the stature that CFTRI - Alumni Association is gradually attaining and
wished the Association further growth and greater accomplishments in the future. He mentioned how an important event in his student life seeded
an idea, which was later proposed by him as the programme "we care for the hungry children on the globe". Dr. Prakash also mentioned that he
succeeded in facilitating students to enroll themselves on a regular basis each year for the Masters degree course in Biotechnology and Food
Engineering at the University of Manchester, Institute of Science and Technology, U.K. through the fellowship which the university offers today
to the CFTRI M.Sc. (Food Tech.) Students every year. The gathering applauded the news and the two M.Sc. (Food Tech.) II year students Ms.
Vandana Goel and Ms. Oormila Chandrashekar who are admitted to this course in U.K. this year. Dr. Sridevi Annapurna Singh, Joint Secretary
of Alumni, proposed the vote of thanks.
The felicitation meeting was unique in that such a programme was organized for the first time by the Alumni Association.
The evening of July 2, 2001 formed a wonderful setting for a relaxed and amiable interaction among the Alumni of different generations and the present
students of the M.Sc. (Food Tech.) course.
A Keep Sake Compendium
A Keep Sake Compendium of the CFTRI Alumni Association was brought out on the occasion of The Golden Jubilee of CFTRI in 2000. Copies
are available to the members of the Alumni Association on payment of Rs. 200 (for the Alumni in India) and $ 20 (for the Alumni living abroad).
Please write to us for the copy indicating your name, address and batch when you have studied.
