Receipients of State
Awards on 2-10-2012 at Hyderabad from Department of Disabled Welfare and Senior
Citizens, Government of Andhra Pradesh
1.
Sri Kolla Bhaskara Rao:
Sri Bhaskara Rao is an
adage for old age homes. Inspired by late Prof. Turaga Somasundaram, a national
award recipient, and himself a resident of old age home, he understood the
problems of the construction, maintenance and also residing in the homes. Having been recommended by his mentor, he is
currently monitoring the affairs of Matapitharula Seva Sadanam, Ibrahimpatnam,
Rangareddy district and trying to
develop the same into a model home for seniors.
2.
AASARA -
GHMC:
A non-government
Organisation with the coordination of
local government -- AASARA jointly with
GHMC is the first of its kind in the
Country. An idea born to pacify the incessant and strong efforts of one Sri DRK
Paramahamsa – a senior citizen activist who went on questioning the quantum of
work done for senior citizens –by GHMC to meet the constitutional responsibility
of the third level government. A civilian committee with the Municipal
officials as the stem was formed with the blessings of Sri
J.Harinarayana, the then Chief Secretary
and Sri CVSK Sarma the then Municipal
Commissioner.Helpage India came up with a helping hand in all the matters
initially.The first thing was to provide helpline. Emergency helpline No.
1253 was provided to take distress calls
from / about senior citizens Then identify the Senior citizens in the Municipal area – thus came out the
idea of issuing free identity cards to all senior citizens The number is
nearing 80 thousands now.- later the
idea was adopted by Government to issue
cards at District level. Then came the direct assistance to elders in health matters by conducting health and eye camps almost in
all wards when the local hospitals participated freely.Forming Senior citizens
Associations – now in hundreds in
Hyderabad – and providing them with Day
Care Centres wherever possible –now more than 100 to meet the recreational
needs.
A list of generous Old age Homes was prepared
for admitting stray old people in distress. Sometimes wonderful work was done
in this direction. Legal assistance was provided. Geriatric care training was
given. Bedside training was planned and accorded to some volunteers. Volunteers
were trained in ARDSI, Institution Building, meeting of senior citizens with local police was planned, computer
trainings were taken up for internet was also conducted. The list is not
exhausted and still long.
When the city was expanded
with 5 zones, 18 circles and 150 wards, the constitution was amended to suit
the expanded area and extended activity.
AASARA has been a wonder body with marvellous
performance. It has attracted the
attention of Government of India for giving away National Award in the year
2011.
Government of Andhra
Pradesh has expanded the AASARA concept to other Class I municipalities of the
State, thus now the activities are taken up in different Municipalities.
AASARA –GHMC is a model institution for other municipalities
3.
FEDERATION OF ANDHRA PRADESH SENIOR CITIZENS
ORGANISATIONS (FAPSCO)
Soon after the Government
of India published the National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP) in 1999, FAPSCO
came into existence with about 1000 representatives from all over the State
congregating in Baghlingampally, Hyderabad,
with the main impetus from the capital. With Dr. Rao Chelikani at the helm of
affairs, (he is the honorary Chairman
now) the Apex Body, Registered in 2002, has been successful in taking up with
the Government, participating in the
activities and also sharing the burden to some extent wherever the senior citizens issues are involved
with the Government.
Since then Celebration of
Elders Day has been marked on the Government Calendar at State Capital and
now at District level also. The curtain raiser in Hyderabad had been successful
in enlisting the support of the then existing senior citizen organisations and
spreading the mantel to other districts where they are now very active. FAPSCO
has come up with the idea of forming District Committees in all the Districts
to take up programmes with Government etc. This has been useful in districts
specially where more than one organisation have come up.
Issue of identity cards to
senior citizens in the Districts has been successfully taken up with the Government.
Now the score is in lakhs. FAPSCO has collected and published the list of elder
homes (Old Age Homes) in the State, now a reference book. Formation of AASARA, its constitution,
activities in the early stage and even now are under the advice, consultation
and coordination of FAPSCO as and when required.
A bright cord is the bond
of smooth relation with Helpage India.
FAPSCO lent its name and table to the
birth of Organisations like FEDHAP, (Federation of Senior Citizens Homes in AP),
THODU-NEEDA, an organisation for lonely senior citizens to come together. Application
of The Maintenance of Parents Act, formulating the rules and regulations for
implementing the Act and involving the senior citizens in the implementation
including monitoring the Old Age homes is due to the –not insignificant – efforts of
FAPSCO.
Elders Mela conducted for
the second year in succession is also borne there. FAPSCO – KUKKATPALLY
Chapter deserves a separate chapter with its great achievements for Senior
citizens there – own premises library,
Day Care Centre , Physiotherapy unit and a mobile physiotherapy unit etc., all
mainly due to the efforts of Sri Vuppala Gopala Rao, Oranising Secretary of
FAPSCO. TARANAKA TIMES – a monthly from the same Secretariat gives publicity to
the Senior citizens news, advances, and achievements.
4.
Andhra Pradesh Senior Citizens Confederation
(APSCCON)
Started as an apex body at
State level in 2008, APSCCON spread
its roots into village /Mandal level in many districts and reaches upward to
AISCCON, an All India body. AISCCON is
honoured with the National
Award for this year. Sri R N
Mital, the founder president of APSCCON
and the current president of
AISCCON is presently at New Delhi to receive the award.
APSCCON, though fighting
for senior citizens on many counts, had mainly devoted to the health and medical problems of senior
citizens; the very first Organisation for successfully getting concessions to senior citizens from
the private corporate hospitals
and medical shops. One can see this concession is now offered in almost all the medical shops. In addition APSCCON deserves the credit
for encouraging medical shops of generic
medicines where the cut is anywhere between 40 to 70% on branded
medicines. Sri Parameswara Reddy, President is loud and vehement in spreading
the message on Generic Medical Shops and
making them popular.
Immediately the Maintenance
of Parents Act is published, APSCCON has seen its implementation in some places
even before the rules are published. APSCCON has succeeded through AP Human
Rights Commission so that the senior
citizens residing in Old age homes get
Ration Cards at their door step.
To be practical this APEX
Body has adopted an Old Age Home MATAPITARULA SEVA SADANAM in Ibrahimpatnam, about 30 KM
from Hyderabad, and donated Rupees
2 lakhs for construction purposes. This old age home supports 30 free
residents along with other payment residents on equal terms.
APSCCON has always cooperated with other bodies, viz., AASARA, HELPAGE
INDIA, FAPSCO etc whenever common issues are involved. APSCCON is always ready
to approach the Government with the
rights of the senior citizens and facilities to them, which are generously
provided in other States and are neglected here. Prof. Visweswaraiah, Associate
President and Sri V.Nageswararao, Secretary, now readily take the grind. A
monthly magazine ‘BLAZING TWILIGHT’ is published by APSCCON for senior citizens, covering their
activities and achievements
5.
Old age Welfare Center, Seri Lingampalli, RR
District.
The Old Age Welfare Cenre
provides shelter for aged people (60+)
providing food, clothing, medical check up and medicines, dental and eye care
including surgeries to the needy. Physiotherapy is provided for the residents
wherever necessary. More important self
confidence and satisfaction is instilled in the residents with the peaceful and friendly atmosphere.
Detachment, diversion and determination is developed through spiritual
knowledge
6. Sri Yogananda, aged 75, a retired Municipal Commissioner is
the Founder President , Arsha Vidyakendram, Kurnool, teaching traditional and
ancient technology in meditation. He has published books on the subject. He is
serving senior citizens as a para legal volunteer and through the
Asssociation of senior citizens.
7. Sri Nagulapalli
Seetharamaiah, 97 years Mudinepalli in
Krishna District This centenarian has
been a freedom fighter, a versatile personality with distinct contribution in
several fields of rural development,
social justice and social
mobilization for Gandhian ideology. He founded a high school in his
village and worked for 37 years. During the last four decades he is organising
Sramdan camps and youth training camps in various places of Andhra Pfradesh.
8.
Smt. Nama Varalakshmi. 82
years, Khammam
Widowed in her age Smt. Nama Varalakshmi decided to migrate to Khammam
for giving proper education to her
children. Facing all odds in the society she brought up her children who are
now successful industrialists and business people. One of her son is the Member
of Parliament. Now she is charitable in her attitude. She is instrumental in distribution of
tricycles to the disabled, blankets to hostel students, drinking water to the
villages through tanks etc. She also conducts medical camps specially to the tribal population along with
financial help wherever necessary.
9.
Savarala Yesu Leela Krupavathi, Eluru, West
Godavari
With her experience of 36 years in nursing
in various capacities, she is now social activist advising pregnant women,
helping old women, arranging help from Lions, Rotarians and local doctors. She
is a staunch supporter for giving care to
old parents by the family members. She runs day care centers and
counsellor in matter of old persons.
10.
Sri Coduri Subhadra Devi – 73 years, Hyderabad.
Smt Subhadra Devi, with her long years of
teaching experience, continued to conduct Bal Bhavan programmes. She is a founder member of Uncle Babjee’s
Child Art Club for drawing competitions
in Hyderabad since 1964. She is very
important member of Laughting Club (Always Be Laughing – ABC) giving
demonstrations in various places . She is active member of AASARA programmes,
having attended courses on Dementia to help the old aged. She is very active as member of International Red Cross
Society.
11.
Sri G.S.Abdul Kareem, 76 years, Yemmiganur, Kurnool
District.
A retired Executive Engineer, is very active
in senior citizens affairs since his retirement in 1994 conducting health camps
and organising the associations for pensioners and elders. Building of a day
care centre and own building for the senior citizens is underway. Sri Kareem
has been awarded “District Award” by the Kurnool District Senior Citizens
Association for the year 2011.
12.
Sri S.V.A.Mitra Miyapur, Hyderabad.
A chartered accountant by profession Sri Mitra has been serving old age
homes, taking care of disabled and those suffering from chronic diseases. He is
taking care older persons , male and
female in rural areas with regard to health and other well being. He is also interested in welfare of children,
their health, nutrition and education.
13. Sri
M.R.K.Murthy MRK Murty, Narasaraopet
72 years, has been associated in academics for
long. He authored books for the general
public and student community special
mention may be made of Hasya Prapancham, Samaya Palana and Communication
Skills. He is the recipient of Pratibha Puraskar by Nagarjuna University
(2007) along with a cash award of Rs.31000, Vidyarattan Award by Subharam
Trust(1995) along with Rs.10,000 cash award;. As founder President of the
Narsaraopet Senior Citizens Association honoured 28 couples aged above 75 years
at a grand gala function graced by High
Court Judge Justice Sri N.R.L. Nageswa Rao and Acting Chairman of Human Rights
Commission Sri K. Peda Perireddy on Apri 5,2011. In the same year on Gandhi
Jayanthi Day persons belonging to the five and four generations of the same
families were honoured at a very grand function to the merriment of the members
of their families and also of the general public. He is very active presently
in the senior citizen affairs, conducting medical camps and release of Members
Directory with photos and biodata of members, and arranging ID cards
14.
Sri Gopisetty Satyanarayana Rao, 84 years,
Ramanayyapet, Kakinada
Sri Satyanarayana Rao, has utilized his army experience in II world
war to work as Physical training teacher
and shape himself and children as sportspersons
He was both a State and National athlete and gold medallist in Andhra
Pradesh sports meet in 100, 200 and 400 meters events.
15.
Sri S.Bhooma Reddy, 64 years, Hyderabad.
A journalist for 35 years, Sri Bhoomareddy
always took up the cause of the poor and
down trodden. After retirement he took
up the cause senior citizens by starting
“Voice of Senior citizens” which has become a household name covering all
activities of senior citizens. In
addition he is instrumental in starting a few senior Associations which are
running successfully.
This blog is
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