Press Release
The 23rdEdition of the Tara Ali Baig Memorial Lecture throws light on Modern Day Parenting
The Lecture organized by SOS Children’s Villages of India offers new insight on
“Parenting Challenges in 21stCentury India”
New Delhi,8August 2012:As part of its efforts to keep the memory of Late Smt. Tara Ali Baig alive in the minds of the people, SOS Children’s Villages of India today organised the 23rdedition of Tara Ali Baig Memorial Lecture.The Keynote Speaker for the day, Dr. Vijay Nagaswami, Psychiatrist, Marital & Corporate Psychotherapist & columnist for The Hindu, spoke on the “Parenting Challenges in 21st Century India”.Mrs. Poonam Natrajan, Chairperson, National Trust for the welfare of persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, and Multiple Disabilities graced the occasion as Chief Guest. Ms. Natarajan is actively involved with policy making at the National level and was also a member on the Committee for the New Law on Disability to be enacted, to harmonize with the UNCRPD.
The occasion marks the birth anniversary of Smt. Tara Ali Baig, a versatile personality with diverse interest and deeply committed to social issues; who is remembered for the pivotal role she played at the policy and implementation level of the country’s social agenda. Also present during the occasionalong with other board members of SOS - India wasShri. S. Sandilya, President SOS Children’s Villages of India who said that, “all of us, the staff and children of SOS Children’s Villages of India will always remain indebted to this great woman who was responsible for giving a new life both to SOSCV in India as well as thousands of abandoned children.”
Dr.Nagaswami,who was the Deputy Director of Schizophrenia Research Foundation (India), till 1991 also served as a consultant to the World Health Organisation and the International Labour Organisation. He has also written several best selling books on Individual, Marital & Corporate Psychotherapy. In his lecture,Dr. Vijay Nagaswami explained that, “Usually the teenage years are the most difficult, for parents feel they have to negotiate not just hormonal minefields, but keep their children on track for those dreaded twin events – board exams and entrance exams. As a result, they generally have less time or energy to consider their role in expanding their children’s horizons, which are often left to untrammelled interventions from teachers, television and the Internet.”
Every year, SOS Children’s Villages of India hosts this memorial lecture, in order to commemorate the birthday of Late. Smt Tara Ali Baig. The event, witnesses children from SOS Children’s Villages and other members of SOS family paying tribute to their Dadi, as Tara Ali Baig is fondly remembered. The much cherished event began with a welcome address & introduction by Mr. S.Sandilya, President,SOSChildren’s Villages of India. This was followed by a narration of“What my SOS Family means to me” by Dr.Surekhafrom SOS Children’s Village, Pune. A Ph.D in Microbiology and a researcherat the University of Pune, Dr.Surekha narrated how the warm and encouraging environment at her SOS family gave her the opportunities to live her dreams.
The event also witnessed a tribute by Shri Murad Ali Baig and a heartening speech by Mrs. Poonam Natrajan.The annual event concluded ceremoniously with the presentation of mementos by Shri. S. Sandilya and a vote of thanks by Shri. Rakesh Jhinsi,Secretary General, SOS Children’s Villages of India, who said, “ with every year we try to relive what Smt.Tara Ali Baug really stood and fought for all her life i.e. a life of dignity and love for all children. We hope that our endeavours will create a more just society where every child is loved and has a right to a bright future”.
About Tara Ali Baig:
Born in Mussoorie on August 08, 1916, educated in Darjeeling, Switzerland and Dhaka, Shrimati Tara Ali Baig was one of India's most eminent social workers. She began her public life in 1937 when she was appointed to the first Planning Committee as Convener of a group to examine the social and economic disabilities of women. She held the post for 5 years, and was the first Asian and the first woman to hold the post. She was President of the SOS Children's Villages of India for 22 years (1967 to 1989). From 1968 onwards she was Vice President, SOS Kinderdorf International, Austria. During the 22 years Smt. Baig was President, SOS Children's Villages of India, the organisation grew from a small nucleus to a large effective child welfare organisation. She was very keen that grown-up children in SOS Children's Villages in India should develop in themselves an attitude of self-help and self-dependence. Many grown up boys and girls very fondly remember her as Dadi.
About SOS Children’s Villages of India:
SOS Children’s Villages of India is a non-government, voluntary organization, committed to the care of children in need. The aim & objective of the SOS Children’s Villages of India is to help children in need by giving them a family, a home and a strong foundation for an independent and secure life. Since its inception in 1964, SOS Children’s of India India has expanded its services for children in need at a rapid pace. Today, there are 33 SOS Children’s Villages including the new projects under establishment and 122 allied projects like Kindergartens, Schools, Social, Medical, Vocational Training Centres and Outreach Initiatives spread across the country reaching out to many thousands of children. SOS-India is a member of SOS-Kinderdorf International, operational in 132 countries. For more information please visit website
For more information, please contact:
Shreshtha Kumar, Asif A Mazumder
Communicators India (On behalf of SOS Children’s Villages of India)
M: +91-9873077438, 9582041352
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