India accounts for the highest number of maternal deaths and a quarter of all child deaths in the world. It also has the largest number, and the largest proportion, of malnourished children in the world
The country has over 400 million children below 15 years of age, bigger than the entire population of the US. Most of them enrol in school but by class VIII about half of them drop out, and only about 38% make it to class X. Among tribal children, almost 80% drop out by class X. India also has the highest population of illiterate adults in the world—- about 257 million people above 15 years, who are beyond school going age, cannot read or write
Over 93% of India’s labour force is employed in the informal sector, where wages are low and work conditions onerous. Employment has expanded in the organized sector by only 0.05% per year between 1994 and 2008. Women workers with independent incomes constitute only 15% of the labor force, a pointer to the immense waste of productive capacities. Only 3% of the people in the working age group have any kind of technical training, and they are unable to utilize technologies for setting up enterprises
An estimated 60% of cultivated land suffers from soil erosion, waterlogging, and salinity, and about 5-10 billion tonnes of topsoil is lost annually from soil erosion. Groundwater tables are falling fast. Some endangered species are in danger of extinction: just 1,400 tigers remain in the wild. More than half of the 130 cities being monitored for air pollution are at critically polluted levels and small towns are emerging as pollution hotspots
These are dismal statistics, and cast a long shadow across the ‘India Story’, which essentially, and perhaps conveniently, focuses on high GDP growth, burgeoning billionaire and multimillionaire population, rising foreign investor interest, and our status as an emerging global superpower.
We can choose to ignore our vast ill and illiterate population as we speed along our 16-lane expressways to El Dorado. Or, we can throw up our hands and say, “What can we do?” Or, we can acknowledge that the ‘India Story’ will remain incomplete till we can shine a light into the nation’s dark underbelly.
Fortunately for India, there are amazing people and organizations who have been battling enormous odds and making great personal sacrifices so that those born without a spoon in their mouth-let alone the proverbial silver spoon-can hope for a better tomorrow.
The Times of India has decided to institute ‘The Times of India Social Impact Awards’, in partnership with J P Morgan, to acknowledge and honour these unsung heroes of India. This paper, which has over the past few years launched such initiatives as Teach India and Lead India, believes it has a responsibility towards this nation, and its people, that goes beyond merely reporting the news of the day. In addition to our own efforts, we have tried to build awareness for others who are doing inspiring workthrough columns in the paper such as ‘City of Angels’, as well as our support for programmes like ‘Teach For India’ and ‘Joy of Giving’.
Besides recognizing the often-unpublicized efforts of those struggling to bring developmental justice to the deprived and underprivileged millions, we hope that the TOI Awards will help focus greater attention on five critical spheres: education, healthcare, livelihood, environment and advocacy/empowerment. For all our successes, we will have failed as a nation if we cannot provide the less fortunate with at least the expectation of a dignified life.
The Times of India hopes to inspire through its Social Impact Awards—and make a significant difference to as many lives as is possible. Because we want to credit outstanding contributions from different sections of society, there will be three awards in each of the five spheres—a non-governmental organization (NGO); a corporatebacked organization; and a government body at the state or district level. There will also be a Lifetime Achievement Award, and an Award that’ll recognize the contribution of overseas (of foreign or Indian origin) individuals and organizations to the cause of social and economic uplift in India.
Widespread and tangible impact, which has the quality of changing lives forever, is the key criterion for these awards. This could be through providing education or affordable healthcare to communities, or it could be through such income-generating, job creating initiatives that make families become economically self-reliant. Innovative and self-sustaining measures that have the potential of bringing about far-reaching efficiencies will be given preference. The awards will also recognize work for environmental conservation, which has become all the more urgent given the increasing pressure on natural resources.
Recognizing Work In:
t Education t Healthcare t Environment t Livelihoods t Advocacy and Empowerment
l In each category, Awards will given to: NGOs, corporatebacked organizations, and govt bodies at state/district levels
l In addition, there will be a Lifetime Achievement Award, and an Award for International Contributors Social impact awards: Focus on equity
This will include biodiversity conservation, checks on greenhouse gas emissions, and prevention of pollution and erosion.
Nominations and applications in various sectors will be evaluated for promotion of social justice and equity so that sections that are usually bypassed by conventional development efforts-like women, dalits, tribals and minoritiesare kept in focus.
TOI proposes to invite online applications and nominations through a dedicated website. These will be screened and evaluated by a collegium of eminent experts from each of the five sectors. A shortlist will be prepared that will go to a jury of top minds from different walks of life for final selection.
The website, to be launched shortly, will be developed as an interactive forum with space for debate on various developmental issues. Nominations will also be available for discussion and voting.
A big awareness campaign is planned across the country so that the real heroes of an emerging India are discovered. Powerful print and electronic media channels will be harnessed for the search. Online tools, including social networking sites, will also be involved in the campaign.
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