Giraffe Heroes [persons who stick their neck out at huge personal risk on sustainable basis for public good] India Program (GHIP) an affiliate of Giraffe Heroes Project-US, website www.giraffe.org aims to bring Giraffe vision, strategies and tools for change for the positive, to the 1.3 billion people on the Indian subcontinent – making it potentially by far the largest Giraffe global affiliate, launched to date.
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| B.V. Rao, Editor of the magazine Governance Now; Giraffe Hero Bunker Roy; John Graham, Director of Giraffe Heroes International; and Giraffe Hero Vijay Saluja – now Director of Giraffe Heroes India. |
Saluja was honored in 2004, for his courageous 20-year stand against the mismanagement and unfair and unethical practices in the New Delhi City Government, where he himself worked as a senior engineer. That experience makes him perfect to direct an operation whose purpose is to move more and more citizens to stick their own necks out, working to help solve important public problems ranging from poverty, corruption and discrimination against women to injustices still remaining from India’s traditional caste system as well lend helping hands & actionable ideas/ positive thoughts to the policy makers/implementers & civil-society, to make Better India.
Like all Giraffe operations, GH India will tell the inspiring stories of the country’s heroes, motivating others to become heroic too. GHIP will also offer practical tools to all the stakeholders i/c citizen/ activists to succeed, as well as introduce Giraffe civic engagement programs in schools, helping young people build lives as courageous and compassionate citizens & thus making a vibrant Delhi/ India.
Saluja and Graham visited dozens of India’s leaders in government, business, media, education and the world of NGOs, seeking their advice and support. Everyone they talked to was very enthusiastic and offers of help have been pouring in. A two-hour meeting with the Maharaja of Jodhpur was important, & meaningful but the Giraffe idea seemed to resonate among Indians of all ranks, who see the need for building more of the public-spirited courage necessary to take on the country’s daunting challenges.
They were gratified by the offers of support and Graham went back very enthused & excited by what he saw, and by the energy that Saluja and he were able to generate even in a short time. One of the many high points for Graham & Saluja was meeting with traditional village leaders (sarpanches) in the Rajasthan desert, explaining to them, how bringing into their villages stories of Giraffe Heroes—people from all over India solving the kinds of problems they all face—could help them generate enthusiasm and action for local change. Saluja and Graham gave many public presentations, combining Saluja’s inspiring story of his own anti-corruption fight with Graham’s stories of thirty years of working with and learning from Giraffe Heroes.
They were gratified by the offers of support and Graham came back very excited by what he saw, and by the energy that Saluja and he were able to generate, even in a short time. Some of the many high points for Graham was meeting with traditional village leaders (sarpanches) in the Rajasthan desert, explaining how bringing into their villages stories of Giraffe Heroes—people from all over India solving the kinds of problems they all face—could help them generate enthusiasm and action for local change & meeting & interacting with various members of the civil society, NGOs & students et al .
A solid beginning was made with Delhi’s major media, including well-placed articles in major newspapers and offer of support from Governance Now, a prestigious news magazine that has agreed to carry the stories of Delhi’s Giraffe Heroes when they would be ready. & many others.
It is a matter of great privilege, pleasure & satisfaction for Dwarka Parichyay to associate with this noble cause/ venture.
Invite to the citizens for sending nominations as per the criteria for Giraffedom [available at website www.giraffe.org] for the prospective `Giraffe Heroes from India`, from Mr Vijay K. Saluja Director Giraffe Heroes India Program.
Event will be Promoted by: Dwarka Parichay-
Pioneer Media House of Dwarka, New Delhi.
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| Giraffe Heroes India – Baba Amte , Dr. Mabelle Arole, Jaya Arunachalam, Chandi Prasad Bhatt, Ela Bhatt, Neha Gupta |
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| Giraffe Heroes India- Sunitha Krishnan, Usha Narayane, Bunker Roy, Vijay Saluja, Govindappa Venkataswamy |
