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INTERVIEW - Mr. R. Seshasayee,
Managing Director, Ashok Leyland |
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| "More than a social responsibility,
HIV/AIDS issue is a business challenge" |
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| How / what do you feel about the gravity
of HIV/AIDS epidemic in India |
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| According to available statistics, nearly one per cent of
the adult population in India is estimated to be infected with
HIV. That translates to approximately one in 150 adults! Alarming
statistics. |
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| How do you see the future of India in the
context of an expanding epidemic? |
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| India has woken up to the starkness of the issue. The challenge
is huge in a populous country of predominantly young people
where large sections of the society do not yet have access to
education and paid communication. The social, psychological
and moral dimensions of the issue pose their own challenges
to a traditional society like ours. |
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| What do you think needs to be done expeditiously? |
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| Needless to say, awareness porgrammes should
reach all sections of society. The economic and social cost
of the epidemic makes prevention a much better option. We need
to de-stigmatise the issue. |
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| What role can the private/corporate sector
play to help fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic? |
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| Organisations have to draw up concentric circles covering
different constituencies and select the zones for action. The
core circle covers the internal audience, of employees and their
families. Organizations have to draw up an employee policy so
that in the event of an occurrence, all concerned know how to
react. The policy should protect individual rights and the atmosphere
in the workplace. |
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| The next immediate circle will cover business associates in
the markets it operates and its neighbouring communities. Then
there is a society at large. Each organization has to choose
its areas for action. Given the sensitivities, it makes sense
to partner specialists. Industry associations have a potent
role, of persuading and offering - at a fee or from outside
- a resource pool which will come with economies of scale. |
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| Are Indian companies demonstrating sufficient
Corporate Social Responsibility [CSR] in HIV/AIDS? |
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| More than a social responsibility, the issue is a business
challenge. Companies need to proactively work on their approach
to the issue: by means of a distinct policy that leaves no grey
areas and by inculcating a no-holds-barred approach to all issues
arising out of a possible situation. |
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| Has your organisation undertaken any HIV-related
initiative. If yes, could you please elaborate? |
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| Our attitude to HIV / AIDS is shaped by realism - and the
realization of the grave emotional and economic threat it poses
to individuals, families, organizations and the country. Disregarding
the general stigma, we have not hesitated to communicate to
employees on the subject, right from the mid-90s. |
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| AIDS awareness has been part of the wholesome curriculum at
our Driver Training Centre near Salem in Southern India, where
we train drivers 'for the road and off it'. Since its inception
in 1995, this model institution has trained over 90,000 drivers.
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| Through employee volunteerism, we have been able to reach
across to sections of the driver community with telling effect.
What they have achieved is invaluable, by saving the lives of
children who would, otherwise, have been born HIV positive,
to short lives promising only suffering. |
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| Do you have any immediate plans on HIV-related
work? |
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| Currently, the task is to sensitize the entire Company so
that the HIV / AIDS status of an employee, per se, does not
alter his / her rights and privileges as an employee, or the
attitude of the Company or colleagues to him / her. |
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| About
R. Seshasayee |
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