Reaching out to the community is a core value at Tata Steel, which was fortified by Bharat Ratna JRD Tata’s belief and convictions. JRD Tata was an ardent advocate of social welfare, community development and family planning. He emphasised in one of his speeches that “The country’s health and family planning programme must be treated as a basic national objective, involving all policies and plans, directly and indirectly, affecting the people”.

Tata Steel has always been in tune with the national goal of healthy existence of its people. To commemorate the 100th Birth Anniversary of Bharat Ratna JRD Tata being celebrated this year, the Company has decided to focus its social activities in the community on the 29th of every month.
On March 29, 2004, the following initiatives were undertaken:

1) Women’s Health Camp at Bansa village

Tata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS) organised a Health Camp for Women at Bansa situated 25 kms from Jamshedpur. Dr. P.C.Mahapatra, Hony. Jt. Secretary, TSRDS, while inaugurating the camp said that a “ Healthy women can create a healthy family and healthy society.”

The camp was attended by 200 women and adolescent girls who were examined, counselled and provided free medicines. The significance of this event was multiplied with the involvement of village opinion leaders, youth clubs and school teachers.

Doctors from M/s. Usha Martin and frontline workers of Maternal and Infant Survival Project, Tata Steel also contributed to the camp.

2) Tata Steel’s Iron Mines

The Kotgarh village, around 10 Km from Noamundi Iron Mines, saw villagers of all ages assembled to participate in the JRD Tata centenary celebrations. The celebrations were inaugurated by Mr. Avinash Prasad, GM (OMQ), Tata Steel. Addressing the gathering, comprising school children, college students and villagers, Mr. Avinash Prasad detailed the significance of these celebrations and thanked the villagers for the all round development in the village calling upon them to strengthen the village economy. He distributed ten paddy fans among the villagers and donated a hand pump to Rengarbera village.

The celebrations started with a Prabhat Phery in which 200 children went around the mines to create awareness on malaria control. A health check-up camp for women saw a turnout of over 100 women and a workshop on adolescent issues for youths saw more than 150 youth participating.

At the Mahadevnesa village near Joda Iron Mines a similar celebration was organised with a Prabhat Phery on malaria control, health check-up camp for women and a workshop on adolescent issues for youths.

3) Tata Steel’s Collieries

At Tata Steel’s Jamadoba Collieries, the day was marked with a special initiative entitled “Healthy Women Healthy Society” which provided the audience of 125 rural women with consultations, information and education. Children below five were administered a check-up as well. An HIV/AIDS awareness programme saw the active participation of around 150 villagers.

4) JRD Tata Inter-Bustee Football Tournament at the Indian Steel & Wire Products (ISWP) grounds

The Indian Steel & Wire Products (ISWP) is a new subsidiary company of Tata Steel. Two teams of youth residing in ISWP colony participated and vied for honours among a host of other teams in Jamshedpur.

Celebrating the birth centenary year of JRD Tata, imbibing his true spirit & as a mark of respect, ISWP commenced its community development activities with this tournament in their township with due support from Community Development Department of Tata Steel.

The Chief Guest at the inaugural ceremony was the Managing Director of Tata Steel, Mr. B. Muthuraman who kicked off the tournament. In his address, he stressed the importance of the “creation of wealth” and community development as the objective of business, and that this was not possible without a healthy financial position and profitability. He encouraged the organisers to arrange similar tournaments in cricket, badminton and hockey.

Also present as Guest of Honour at the ceremony was Mr. Rakeshwar Pandey, Union Leader of ISWP and Mr. Nimu K. Punwani, CEO, ISWP.

The friendly yet highly competitive tournament lasted the whole day and saw the teams from Kitadih in the senior event and Sitaramdera in the junior event victorious. The closing ceremony of the tournament was held at 5:00 p.m. at which Mr. U.K. Chaturvedi, Vice-President (Long Products), Tata Steel and the Chairman of ISWP awarded prizes to the teams.