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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