I got married to Rashmi on 13 Dec 2009. And with plans from me and Rashmi and help from our families and friends ,we executed few simple-yet-effective social care solutions in our marriage. Following are the details :
1)With residents of an old age home : Initially we thought that we will invite some guests from an old age home at the reception of the marriage. Rashmi is a physiotherapist by profession and she used to give volunteer service at one old age home , so we got the place naturally. But when we had a word with the admin people from old age home we got to know that , as there are a lot of restrictions about food for the residents and not easy commutation , it was not a good idea to do that. Hence Rashmi's father decided to arrange for a single time food for them at their place only. And it was good that one of the resident came to marriage too.
2)Demo of http://www.akshayapatra.org : In the reception ceremony we had estimated about 800 + guests and i thought that they spent quite a lot of time there and hence some social message can be easily shared with them.My friends coordinated and prepared an informative flex board of size around 6 feet by 3 feet and we displayed that like one of the stall (with no food and only social message). Akshaypatra is a organization which is working on the aspect of mid-day-meal in india. They provide excellent food to more that of 10,00,000+ school going kids on daily basis.They have automated kitchen where they cook food in large scale and then distribute it. Please read more details in my other post at this blog at :
The idea was successful also as multiple people got the information about this organization and donated for 1 year expense for many kids through it.
3)Return gifts to from social care organizations : Initially i was thinking that we will put a donation box in the marriage ceremony for some social cause. I had a word with my sister and she gave an idea of we ourselves should donate some thing , but i wanted some solution which would connect to all the guests also .Hence finally we decided that we will go to some social organizations like blind schools , schools for physically and mentally challenged kids and will buy some small articles made by them. My friends helped in this for packing each and every article in a beautiful packing to be distributed to 800 + guests. Also we wrote and printed one letter with all the detailed addresses and summary about Akshaypatra. We packed each of those gifts with one letter.Those articles were candles, small woollen pouch, woollen table mates, hand made paper envelopes and small purse. All were hand made by those students. And costing about 15-25 INR per article only. My friends organized this distribution of gifts to all , when ever some one came to greet me and Rashmi on stage , we had word with them about this return gift also. There was no need to talk a lot as we had the letter in each gift with details.
All went well and one of friend worked hard to get all this printed in one of the newspaper with a picture too. News paper is quite a famous one and having circulations in millions and i am sure all those read it as it was one the front page.
Before i attach the picture of the news and the address of the organizations , i want to say that we only tried to find a simple solution. It was not a huge investment of either money or time. Still with all helping us , we are very sure that we found some thing worth replicated in society.
1)Kothrud Girls Blind School
36/3 Kothrud, Near Gandhi Bhavan , Pune 411038
Phone : 020 25389131
2)Kamayani (Training centre for mentally challenged kids)
270/B Gokhale Nagar , Near Symbiosys Collage , Pune 411053
Phone : 020 25673529 , 25651588
3)Savli (Training centre for mentally challenged kids)
13 Bhosari Colony , Near kothrud depot , Pune 411038
Phone : 020 25282379
4)Aakansha ((Training centre for deaf and dumb kids)
Scheme No. 71, Behind Ranjit Hanumaan Temple , Indore
Phone : 0731 2383559 , Cell : 9826485803
