Invitation: XLRI's Intiative for "Joy of Giving Week"...21st Aug - Unveiling Ceremony

From Prof. Shukla:

Hello folks!

I am writing this mail to invite you for the Unveiling/Launch Ceremony of the Joy of Giving Week ( http://www.joyforgivingweek.org) @ Jamshedpur, which XLRI is planning to celebrate, participate in and anchor across Jamshedpur during Sept 27th- Oct 3rd, 2009.

As some of you may be aware, the Joy of Giving Week is a unique event - or movement, one can say - which will be celebrated across the country - and has received wide support from

- celebrities like Sachin Tendulkar, Nandita Bose, Farah Khan, AR Rahman, etc.

- corporates like Google, Apollo Hospitals, Taj Group, etc.,

- business leaders like Azim Premji, Narayana Murthy, Adi Godrej etc.,

- organisations ranging from Mumbai Dabbawalla to Chennai Auto Union etc.

- govt bodies such as Delhi Govt, AP Tourism, etc...

The purpose of this nation-wide initiative is to create a "Festival of Philanthropy", and to encourage the spirit of volunteerism, that can, over the years, become a part of the Indian ethos, with the event being celebrated every year covering Gandhi Jayanti.

According to one news item in Indian Express (http://tinyurl.com/JGW-2croreIndians) 2 crore Indians are going to be part of this event... and naturally, XL has to take a lead to facilitate this for Jampot.

To share our plans and to seek your support - and your endorsement/inputs - we are organising the Unveiling Ceremony for the event on August 21st (Friday), 6:00pm at XLRI (Fr Prabhu Hall, Learning Center).

Besides the CEOs of local companies, Principals of schools and colleges, NGO bodies, our own students and faculty, etc., two people who will be participating in this ceremony are:

1. Film director, Mr Imtiaz Ali (of Jab We Met and Love Aaj Kal fame), and who is also one of the Brand Ambassadors for the Joy of Giving Week)

2. Ashoka Fellow Mr Anshu Gupta (Founder Director of Goonj - http://www.goonj.info/). Anshu was also one of the winners of CNN--IBN Real Heros Award earlier this year - and as you may perhaps know, XLRI has a partnership with Goonj to run a Cothes Bank at XLRI.

It would be great to have you with us, when we launch/unveil this initiative - as our minor contribution to this event/movement from XLRI. Needless to say, we will need all the help from XL alumni to "make it happen"!!

ciao

madhukar