“People have to be emotionally attached to work for the elderly. They are our resources and we have to cherish and respect them, said Hon'ble Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh. Shri Rajnath Singh was speaking at the inauguration of the Cancer and Pneumonia awareness programme in Gandhi Smriti on April 25, 2018 at a joint programme organized by the Samiti in association with Healthy Aging India as part of the initiative of the Department of Geriatric Medicine AIIMS. About 500 enthusiastic elderly individuals from various old-age homes and people from remote areas of Delhi NCR took part in the programme.
Shri Rajnath Singh further said, “The ancient sages and saints have devoted their life for the service of humankind and have laid down certain principles for the society for us to follow them”, adding, “If we follow them, we will surely not deviate from the path of righteousness”.
He further encouraged the younger generation to make the life of older adults and not so privileged school students better. He said, “We have come to a stage where we need to introspect as to why we are not able to keep our parents with us and serve them”, adding, “We must remember that parents are not satisfied with any form of service to them other than which their children give them when they are old”.
He applauded the efforts of Healthy Aging India in generating the will force and expertise of the senior citizens to aide and educate the poor school going, children. He said, “They (senior citizens) have retired from government service, but not retired or tired from their life”.
“A place where work on moral education is provided to the children, employment to the youth, medicine and service to the older generation that is an ideal society”, he concluded.
Shri Ram Bahadur Rai while appreciating the efforts of HAI said that one should learn how to use one’s life for the good of others. He further narrated
The other speakers on the occasion included Chairperson of IGNCA, Director General of AIIMS, Dr. Randeep Guleria, Prof. G K Rath, HOD Oncology AIIMS; Shri Dipanker Shri Gyan, Director GSDS and Dr. Prashun Chatterjee, HOD Dept of Geriatrics, AIIMS.
On this occasion, Shri Rajnath Singh released a publication of the HAI showcasing their activities and work. A book on “Champaran Ki Dastaan” authored by Shri Dipanker Shri Gyan and Shri Pankaj Chaubey was released and dedicated on the occasion to the centenary celebrations of the Champaran Satyagraha.
Earlier, during the day, about 400+ elderly people from old-age homes and remote areas of Delhi and NCR were given vaccination against pneumonia and cancer screening was also conducted. It was a one-of-a-kind programme which was an attempt on the part of HAI and GSDS to reach the significant number of elderly people.
School children from Purva Madhyamik Vidyalaya Sector 12 were awarded for their outstanding result in the Intergenerational Learning Centre (IGLC) that was launched by the HAI and GSDS together in July 2017.
The elderly educators were also felicitated for their contribution and encouraging the positive change for the socio-economically disadvantageous children, resulting in outstanding performance. Helpage India representatives were also felicitated on the occasion. IGLC educator Shri Chander Shekhar and Smt. Archana Prabhakar was also felicitated on the occasion.
