tiswomen

“What’s in a name?” This maxim holds true for TISWISH – Tata Steel Women Inspired to Serve and Help. When the ladies of Tata Steel’s officers Colony in Kurgoan Colony, Tarapur decided to come together in January 1989 to form a Mahila Samity to help the underprivileged Adivasi women and children of the area, they really did not have a name in mind for themselves. It was only much later when they married emotion with mission, did they decide on the name. But both the name and its acronym more than adequately convey the intentions of those behind it with TISWISH, which came into being as a trust in 1995.

TISWISH, itself was the inspiration of Mrs Urmila Dev Prakash, the wife of the then Managing Director of Tata Special Steels Limited, Mr Dev Prakash. With her as the “wind beneath the wings”, TISWISH got off to a flying start with its very first project, the Gram Panchayat School, Kurgoan. The school was adopted by TISWISH, which immediately provided toilets, fans, desks, benches, tiles and water tanks to upgrade the facilities in the school. All of this was achieved due to the untiring efforts of a dedicated team of helpers, which included Mrs Unni Krishna, Mrs Sunit Deskmukh, Mrs Lata Jain, Mrs Renu Saxena and Mrs Uma Vishwanath.

The strength of the foundation and the belief that the ladies developed in themselves saw them take on a mega project with Mrs Desiree Punwani in charge then. TISWISH established an assured supply of clean drinking water in five villages around the area, benefiting a population of over 1000. A pipeline was laid upto Dahisai village and bore wells sunk in the other villages.

The ladies had from very early on, due to their dedication and commitment, ensured that they found willing sponsors and supporters for their work. Such was the commitment that work never slowed down, even if they had to dig into their own resources, which they very often happily did. Over the years, as many as seven schools for underprivileged children have been provided equipment for their playground, air conditioners installed in the Burn Ward at the TMRCT Hospital, Boisai, Hepatitis B immunization provided to over 500 children and a Cancer detection camp held for the ladies of the Adivasi villages.

With each chairperson the Trust has gone from strength to strength. During Mrs Mausami Sengupta’s tenure the ladies extended their help to the Ghatage Baba Ashramshala School, Vangaon, where they promote better health and hygiene. To impress on children the need to ensure better health, they sponsored bathrooms and toilets in the school. Fans, lights, books for the library and cricket equipment

An immunisation camp sponsored by TISWISH in progress

provided by TISWISH have made this school a haven for the marginalised children it serves.

“Water and education will continue to be the focus of attention,” says Mrs Shruti Pathak, the current chairperson and the wife of Mr Harish Pathak, EIC, Wire Division. Its 55 members plan to sink a bore well at Shigaon Adivasi Village in Boisar, provide educational aids to 175 students at two Zila Parishad schools and extend their commitment and concern to yet another section of society, which is getting increasingly neglected – the elderly. “We hope to provide for the medical and sanitary needs of the old people at the home run by the Missionaries of Charity at Borivali,” Mrs Pathak indicates.

From a small fledgling, TISWISH has grown, spread its wings and now provides hope and succor to many. It has proved that trying to return to society a small part of what each one of us receives, can appear to be a daunting a task for an individual but when one comes together as a group, much can be achieved. Tata Steel News certainly wishes them well in all their future endeavours.