Monday, October 2, 2017

International Older Persons Day - IDOP - Hyderabad HelpAge 2017

IDOP in Hyderabad – HelpAge India Meeting – 1st Oct 2017

As usual HelpAge India AP/TS regional office celebrated International Day of Older Persons on  1st October 2017 in Hyderabad.


Sri Raza Mohamad, Chief of HelpAge AP/TS, welcomed all. There were several senior citizens SHG members from Chottu Uppal, Patancheru, Shamshabad etc representing rural poor. He  explained the activities of HelpAge in protecting respect of elders through SAVE program – intergenerational sensitization of school children.

Sri Uppula Gopala Rao said that State Govt must implement NPOP & MWPSCA properly. Food, respect, money should be provided to all indigent senior citizens. He also spoke about donations he made to Voice of Senior Citizens – Monthly, HelpAge etc.

Sri SN Reddy Secretary of Telangana Recognized School Mgmt Association assured full support to HelpAge in sensitizing school children in caring for the elderly in 12000 schools, under his purview.

Sri BR Madhusudhan Rao, Member Secretary Telangana State Legal Services Authority was the chief Guest.  TSLSA offers free legal help to senior citizens through hundreds of para-legal volunteers and service minded advocates. Their Helpline number is 151500, toll free.  Several cases of Elder Abuse, Neglect and victimization, learnt through newspapers, have been taken up for mediation, counseling and settling issues.

Sri G Muralidhar, Chief Mentor Akshara, Guest of Honour for the day, said that basic needs of the elderly  must be met by the govt. He advised senior citizens to go ahead and enjoy life without postponing their desires or wishes; they should not transfer property to children when alive; be actively engaged with grand children friend etc.

It is a pity that none of the speakers touched the theme for IDOP viz Fighting Ageism, though every participant was given a badge reminding us of the theme for the year!

In the next part of the meeting several senior citizens were honored -  all members of State Senior Citizens Council, those who won sports competitions held by HelpAge.  Some, whose names I remember are:   Smt Nagachandrika Devi, Sri P Kishan Rao, Sri Sridhar, Dr G Nageshwar Rao, Sri Uppula Gopala Rao, Sri Peddi Sudhakar, Sri Prabhakar etc. I missed being felicitated,   as I had to leave early due to another urgent engagement, I learnt later on.

Lunch packets, water, cool drinks, biscuits etc were distributed to all.  Efforts put in to celebrate International Older Persons day yielded satisfaction to all – elderly participants, speakers, NGOs, SCAs, media etc.





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