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Press Release

Vice President, Venkaiah Naidu's call to focus attention on uplifting the poor, farmers, weavers and craftsmen to achieve real growth

Nov 19, 2018

150th Birth Anniversary Celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi


NEW DELHI, 19 November 2018: Mr M.  Venkaiah Naidu, the Vice President of India, today called upon the people to re-dedicate themselves to the task of nation building by focusing attention on the uplift of the poor, illiterate and the victims of caste and religion-based discrimination. Real growth and development will happen when the focus is turned on the plight of the farmers, weavers and craftsmen, he said while speaking at the 150th Birth Anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi, organised by FICCI and the FICCI- Aditya Birla CSR Centre for Excellence.

Mr Naidu said, "Share and Care' is the core of Indian philosophy and it was incumbent on all to make everyone partners to partake of the fruits of development".

The Vice President lauded the Aditya Birla Group for adopting the values of trusteeship in the conduct of its business. 

This event was under the aegis of a specially constituted Steering Committee chaired by Ms Rajashree Birla to blaze forth the message of the Mahatma. The overarching objective is to create various business platforms over the year based on Gandhiji's narratives, his vision and philosophy of embedding the ethos of ethics in business with the philosophy of trusteeship at its core, finally leading up to a grand culmination event later next year. 

In his remarks, Mr Parameswaran Iyer, Secretary, Ministry of Drinking water and Sanitation, said that Mahatma Gandhi was the biggest votary of sanitation and cleanliness. He said Mahatma Gandhi's dream of a clean India will be realised on October 2, 2019 when India will achieve Open Defecation Free Status.

Mr Sandip Somany, President-Elect, FICCI, in his welcome address, said that Mahatma Gandhi had laid the foundations of a new and resurgent India; where the fruits of developments reached the poorest of the poor. FICCI, he said, has always stood for the common good of all and taken p various socio-economic and affirmative measures to come closer to the goal.

Ms Rajashree Birla, Chairperson, Committee for Celebrating 150th Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and Chairperson, FICCI Aditya Birla CSR Centre for Excellence said that Gandhi Ji upheld the values of truth, ahimsa and brotherhood and stands tall as a timeless leader.

She recalled that Mahatma Gandhi regarded the legendary industrialist and philanthropist, Mr. G D Birla as his guide and mentor to whom he could turn to for sane advice.

The Vice President of India also handed over a cheque of Rs. 32 Lakh for sponsoring 202 'Charkhas' to Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) Chairman, Dr. Vinai Kumar Saxena, on behalf of Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives &Rural Development.

Speaking at the occasion, Dr Saxena, said that the growth in khadi sales had shot up to 37% in the last four years compared with a growth of 6.8% during 2004-14. This had also led to empowerment of people in large numbers.

Dr Sudershan Iyengar, Former Vice Chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapith, Ahmedabad, said that Mahatma Gandhi was of the firm belief that 'Dharma' and commerce were inseparable. Commerce without morality was the bane of today's business, he said and called for embracing trusteeship as the guiding principle in conducting business.

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