Sruti Neelakantan was one of the two students selected to represent India in the British Council (Canada) organised expedition to the Arctic supported by Capefarewell. There were about 28 students from all over the world who went on a 13-day expedition to the Arctic in September 2008 board the AKADEMIK SHOKALASKY, covering Angamassalik, Greenland, Kap Mosting, Prins Christian Sound, Paamuit, Isblink, Nuuk (Greenland) Broughton Island, Kekertuk, Cape Dyer, Baffin Island and Iqaluit.
When the ice cap gets into defrost mode
Changes in the Arctic can influence the global climate through three major mechanisms.
The amount of the sun’s energy reflected back to space due to the snow and ice decreases as snow and ice melt, leading to a more intense surface warming.
The melting of Arctic ice and increased regional precipitation can add freshwater to the oceans, and potentially affect ocean currents in the North Atlantic which would have a ripple effect on climate in the rest of the world.
As warming progresses, more greenhouse gases could be released into the atmosphere by the thawing of the permafrost.
By 2100, melting of Arctic glaciers alone will have contributed to a sea level rise of roughly 5 cm out of the projected 10-90 cm total rise for this century.
The young climate champions were groomed to champion the cause of ill-effects of climate change to the Arctic and the rest of the world by scientists and artists. They were divided into four groups - climatology, bio-geography, geomorphology and oceanography with specific roles assigned to each. The group conducted their study and recorded their observation. Interestingly, they also had special art sessions to capture the visual perceptions of the students. “Science is a reason, art is an expression”, “science tells people facts, art touches the soul”. The youngsters were armed with knowledge through reason, their perceptions altered through visual stimulus, a first hand experience of the world’s virgin appeal and the positive mindset that it’s not too late, there is hope. The climate champions are now released back into the world to spread their message. (Sruti Neelakantan is the daughter of K V Neelakantan of The Sanmar Group)
N Kumar with Thangam Thennarasu, Minister for School Education - Inauguration of Rolls Royce.
N Kumar as Chairman – Tsunami Task Force, Confederation of Indian Industry, spearheaded the rehabilitation project along with other members, bringing industry, government and affected communities together to shape a holistic and structured programme that benefited the tsunami-ravaged communities. Since 2005 till 2008, reconstruction of the tsunami affected areas and the lives of people has been going on tirelessly and is complete.
The tsunami wrecked havoc in the lives of those who lived, reducing to debris the economic and cultural fi bre of entire communities. There was utter chaos but no dearth for helping hands and no dearth for funds. What was needed was a single force to channelise it all into meaningful action that would directly benefit the shattered communities, help them get back on their feet again.
The relief measures were undertaken in a methodical manner. Phase 0 was the immediate rescue and relief operations to provide food and supplies. The CII Secretariat at Nagapattinam, Kanyakumari, Cuddalore and Karaikal swung into direct relief operations. Two warehousing centres were set up at Chennai to sort, re-pack and transport materials to the districts.
Rehabilitation Phase I was the restoration of livelihood to the two primary sectors – fi shing and agricultural sectors. The relief work involved getting the fishermen back to sea. 775 engines were serviced, 226 boats repaired and 25 new boats and engines were donated. The disaster had rendered the agricultural land uncultivable. The farmlands were made cultivable (in all 1067 acres) and about 130 ponds were created, 1200 salinated ponds de-silted to facilitate irrigation. At the end of this phase, some amount of normalcy was restored on the occupational front.
Rehabilitation Phase II involved capacity building and restoring normalcy in community life. CII in partnership with the industry set up 5 citizen information centres, 2 primary health centres, 1 trauma care centre, 3 community centres, 2 schools, 4 fish auction centres, 3 desalination plants and 3 deep bore wells with agricultural equipment. 1200 youth received vocational training and micro-finance schemes were arranged for some to assist in business ventures.
The communities showed great resilience and openness and benefited immensely with this intervention which brought about upgraded systems and practices in their vocations and in the infrastructure provided. 4 years since, the coastal villages once broken, today stand on a rebuilt foundation, stronger than before.
The systematic manner in which the projects were carried out and the transparency and accountability of these projects (The project report was audited and certified by an audit firm) makes this initiative a ready to use disaster management model.
School in use - Rolls Royce Energy Systems India Pvt. Ltd
Health Sub Centre by Samtel
Fishermen at work in the Fish Auction Centre by Ford India
The interior of Water Desalination Plant - KPMG
Community using the Water Desalination Plant by PepsiCo
Community Centre - Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd
Rice distribution at Chithirapet, Cuddalore.
Rice distribution at Semmankuppam, Cuddalore.
Hurricane Nisha swept across Tamil Nadu inundating cities, towns and villages. In the aftermath of the floods, Chemplast Sanmar distributed rice packets providing means to a square meal till the waters abated and the villages in Cuddalore and Vanjore (Karaikal) could get back on their feet. About 240 families in Vadakku Vanjore, Karaikal and 3500 families in the villages - Chithirapet, Nochikadu, Naduthittu, Thyagavalli, Sangolikuppam, Sonan Chavadi, Poondian Kuppam and Semmankuppam located around Cuddalore, received free rice packets.
Rice distribution at Vadakku Vanjore, Karaikal.
Gandhi Park in Nagore, Karaikal, is maintained by the T R Pattinam Commune Panchayat. Chemplast Sanmar renovated this park, provided amenities like lighting, park benches, garden watering facilities and other basic infrastructure. The park has been in existence since 1948, and has a statue of Mahatma Gandhi. The fully renovated park was handed over to the Commissioner,T R Pattinam Commune.
The Institute of Neurological Sciences, Voluntary Health Services (VHS), Chennai,
organised the First Mrs Madhuram Narayanan Endowment Lecture and delivered by Prof Howard A Ring, University of Cambridge, UK on “How brain activity influences human behaviour – Lessons from Epilepsy”, on 22 November 2008. The lecture is part of the research of the Neurosciences India Group. The VHS’s Mrs Madhuram Narayanan Vascular & Autonomic Function Unit, supported by The Mrs Madhuram Narayanan Charitable Trust, is a philanthropy initiative of The Sanmar Group. This unit is dedicated to research and diagnostics in the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). The unit conducted research under the aegis of the Mrs Madhuram Narayanan grant, and is subsequently engaged in providing ANS assessment service to about 4000 patients who visit TINS-VHS each year. The unit has plans to conduct a study of autonomic dysfunction in stroke patients as a part of a case control study.
This endeavour by the Mrs Madhuram Narayanan Charitable Trust is in memory of Mrs Madhuram Narayanan, wife of K S Narayanan, The Sanmar Group.
The Sanmar Group is proud to be associated with Mrs Madhuram Narayanan Vascular and Autonomic Function Unit of VHS, which is doing commendable work in research and diagnostics related to vascular and autonomic functions. The yeoman service being rendered by father-son combination, Dr Krishnamoorthy
Srinivas and Dr E S Krishnamoorthy and their team to neurological sciences, is indeed noteworthy.
Addressing the gathering, S B Prabhakar Rao said, “ Though Sanmar is not in the healthcare industry or business, down the years,
Sanmar in its own humble way, has championed the cause of medical research and healthcare management. This endeavour is purely from a macro perspective of giving back to the society its share as a responsible corporate citizen.”
Commending the work of the institution he said, “If today, India is ready for healthcare tourism, providing affordable state-of-the-art world class healthcare facilities, it is largely due to the significant and visible contribution made by institutions, such as the VHS”.
L to R : Prof Dr Krishnamoorthy Srinivas (Chairman-Emeritus, VHS Hospital), Prof Howard A Ring (University of Cambridge), S B Prabhakar Rao (The Sanmar Group), Dr N S Murali (VHS Hospital).