Dear All,
There has been discussion going on for some time on CSR wherein much
is talked about the Social Side of Tatas. Having been with the house
of Tatas for the last 25years, an most of the time in the flagship of
the Tata Group Company, viz.; Tata Steel, here are my inputs on the
CSR subject.
Background to the subject:
Just prior to his death, Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata, the Founder of
the Tata Group, wrote a letter to his son Sir Dorab Tata. He was
wanting to build a Company producing Iron & Steel for the nation. He
said, the Pillar at New Delhi near Kutub Minar is the finest example
of having an excellent Iron & Steel Industry in India. Where did it
vanish? The Iron Pillar, most of you must have seen is a classic
example of the quality of Iron & Steel we used to produce. He wrote
"Iron & Steel Industry is essential for growth of Nation and that
whoever controls Iron Mines will have Gold Mines in their hands". His
vision has come true when we look at the role of Iron & Steel in
building Infrastructure in any country.
CSR Concept:
"What comes from Society must go back to Society. I don't want merely
a factory making Steel. Let there be Schools and Colleges, Parks and
Gardens, Recreation Centre, Temple, Church and a Mosque and Hospital
and Market place." He thus had a vision of setting up a township which
in form of Jamshedpur has come up.
Tatas have put in a lot of money for CSR activities. In-fact, there is
something called Tata Steel Rural Development Society famously called
TSRDS that conducts social service programmes on large scale in
Jharkhand, Orissa, Chhattisgarh etc. Same is the case of various group
companies. However the ideology behind conducting programmes is NOT to
gain mileage, but to really extend help and increase Standard of
Society we live in says the mission statement. I was actively involved
in one of their biggest projects called Millennium Programme - Journey
to Self-discovery in January, 2000 at Jamshedpur. Through this
programme, Tata Steel has invited 1500 college students from various
colleges that include medical, engineering, IIT, IIMs etc. One Student
each from one college was more or less the rule, thereby attempting
involvement of students across nation. The key factor was those
students who intend to serve and build our nation with Leadership and
visionary qualities.
Tata Steel invited 15 Big Personalities from 15 different profession
who can be considered as icons in their profession. Five Speakers each
on every day used to address students in the XLRI Campus Auditorium in
the programme and at noon students would have class room sessions with
these speakers. Students were given freedom to attend the class room
session as per their liking. In the evening there used to be a
performance by artists like Ustad Amjad Ali Khan with his two sons
Amman Ali & Ayyan Ali, OR Sonal Mansing talking about Classical Form
of Dance by followed by her performance OR Noted Film Producer &
Director Sai Paranjape taking students through the journey of Indian
Cinema.
Guests Speakers participated were the then Finance Minister Mr.
Yashwant Sinha, Zee Supremo Subhash Chandra, Dr. R. A. Mashelkar,
famous scientist who fought case of patent of "Haldi" Mr. Karia Munda,
Hon'ble MP from Jharkhand, Geet Sethi, Mallika Sarabhai, Vijay
Tendulkar, Medha Patkar and a few more. Tata Steel never gave dosages
of patriotism but tried to charge these students with the same
feeling and creating a desire in their mind that you are future of
India and you can be tomorrows Dr. Mashelkar OR like these icons.
Result
TSRDS was wanting to set-up a 40bed Community Development Centre in
one of the most backward areas of then Bihar and has appealed these
students to contribute two years of their lives after they finish
their studies may it be MBA or even MS in some cases. TSRDS thereby
created a concept of Social Worker Manager and was prepared to pay the
Corporate Salaries. They also felt that even if they get positive
response from 40students, they are happy and achieved the target.
In-stead, they got an overwhelming response from over 600students
prepared to give two years of their life.
This is yet another classic example of CSR. Tata Steel thereby created
an urge in students fraternity that you are future leaders of this
nation. There was lot of media stories of this concept, however, TATAS
have NEVER done beating their drums. CSR should be like that. I know
some business houses who deed CSR activities of some lakhs, but tried
to fetch media coverage worth crores which was im-proportionate to the
activities undertaken by them. This should NOT be the attitude in CSR.
Tata Steel has exemplified a great case study in the CSR activities by
undertaking the aforesaid programme.
