Vruksho Rakshathi Rakshithaha

It was a great privilege conducting community day for Citi GDM AAS with a theme "Go Green" and helping everyone involved in Green work. Following is the text of the speech delivered as a CSR lead of Citi at Community day function organised at Eco-Watch's site near All India Radio station at Haskote around 25 kms away from Bangalore.

Dear Rajiv Bhapna, MD, Citi GDM AAS, Manoj Piplani, Site Leader, Bangalore, Suresh Heblikar, Chairman of Eco-Watch and my dear colleagues-Welcome you all to our AAS Annual community Day 2010. The day is all set to provide you an opportunity to contribute to the community and celebrate together. The day in turn will also provide you a sense of fulfillment, inspiration, enthusiasm and new energy for good initiatives.

Friends, Indian civilization is one of the most ancient civilizations in the world. Indian civilization has a unique cultural and spiritual fragrance which has been gifted to us over generations by great seers, saints, kings, acharayas and visionaries who with their exemplary life styles, actions and literary genius became universal phenomenon and their timeless advices and findings are enshrined in the Ancient Indian Scriptures.

In such ancient scriptures, it’s mentioned “Darmo Rakshathi Rakshithaha” which means that Dharma, righteousness will protect the man kind only if man kind tries to protect the Dharma. Following certain morals and ethics will protect us and once we ignore such important aspects of life, mankind will collapse. Attaching similar kind of importance as Dharma for the sustenance of this world, our ancient scriptures said “Vruksho Rakshathi Rakshithaha” which means that only if we are kind to the tress and the nature then alone the nature will protect us. If we try to disrespect this law of nature, we know what can happen. Some of its symptoms are already being seen in our daily lives. Floods, severe droughts, rising temperatures, various kinds of breathing related diseases are all a result of degradation of environment Protection of environment being such a crucial step for sustenance of life on this planet, we thought we will set “Go Green” as theme for this community day.

The same also reflects your interest and passion. Recently three months back, when Sankalp, the volunteering wing of our AAS was initiated, we conducted a survey to find what kind of community work interests you. The survey has clearly shown that environment protection and education to kids are the things that you are passionate about. Education being the primary focus for the last two community days, we thought we will choose “Go Green” as theme for this year’s community day as per your choice.
If we are celebrating our community day with a “Go Green” theme, what else can be a better partner than Eco-Watch in Bangalore? The moment we have finalized the theme, we contacted Eco-watch and Eco-watch has agreed to involve us in their green initiatives and provide us an opportunity to contribute to environment. Eco-Watch has been responsible for creating Urban Bio-Parks at various locations in Bangalore and other regions. Eco-Watch is putting lot of efforts to convert hundreds of acres of land into green belts.

As a part of the community day in association with Eco-watch, we are going to get involved in awareness sessions on environmental protection and in tree plantation. India has rich traditional knowledge and wisdom in the conservation of nature and natural resources. Religious beliefs and culture have together treated nature and environment with sanctity. Conservation and protection of environment and love for nature have always been part and parcel of Indian ethos and culture. I hope that we get reminded and reemphasized about the love and concerns we share for our environment through this activity on our community day. Wish you a very happy time at these green fields far away from Bangalore involving in tree plantation.