Infrastructure giant and long-time philanthropist, GVK Reddy has given back to various stratas of society—from sport to the underprivileged.
What experiences in your life contributed to you supporting charitable causes?
“I basically come from a village background and have seen the suffering of people from hunger, illiteracy, diseases, etc. I always felt that I should help in improving the health, education and basic facilities that would benefit a large number of needy underprivileged individuals and social institutions. The GVK Foundation came ino being with this objective of supporting the underprivileged in our society.”
How did the idea of starting GVK EMRI come up? What was your motivation behind this initiative?
“When one’s corporate vision ventures beyond business success, true change begins. At GVK, our inspiration comes from the knowledge that besides the value we bring in our core businesses, our commitment extends to the real difference that we can make to the world and the society around. We started operations at EMRI from 2005 with just one State, Andhra Pradesh. And during the last 10 years, we have added 14 more states including Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam, Meghalaya, Kerala and two Union Territories, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. Ever since we started operations, we have had a fleet of nearly 10,000 ambulances and have served over 3.5 crore emergencies; saved around 15,00,000 lives so far and assisted over 3,50,000 births. The numbers speak for our vision.”
What are the other charitable causes that the GVK Foundation looks into?
“The GVK Foundation supports initiatives in educating the children of underprivileged and economically weaker sections of the society. We have started an English medium school three years ago in Kothuru village near Nellore, where I grew up. It has a strength of over 500 students and is transforming the future of rural students around the area. We have a modernized government school in Chilka nagar, on the outskirts of Hyderabad and provided all facilities like safe drinking water, electricity, furniture, developing a sports ground and appointing teachers to teach English etc. The Foundation has sponsored financial assistance to 200 eligible beneficiaries under the National Benefit Scheme at Indukurupet village in Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh. The GVK Foundation grants scholarships to children of economically weaker sections. With this program, children of drivers, security personnel, gardeners and other weaker sections of society have been largely benefited.”
The GVK Foundation runs a tennis academy to encourage promising tennis players in Hyderabad. Over 150 budding tennis players avail the facility. It has sponsored a number of tennis players in the past, including tennis ace, Sania Mirza. Presently, Ms Pranjala (ITF Rank 18), Ms. Sama Satwika (ITF Rank 327) and Master M. Teertha Shashank (IATA Rank 4 (under 14 boys) are being sponsored. The GVK Foundation has been extending medical help to the needy. Medical and hospitalization expenses of a number of economically backward people are met by the GVK Foundation. Contributions are made for health check-ups, eye camps, and spectacles are distributed to the AP Welfare hostel students. Modern and sophisticated medical equipment donated to institutions like M/s. Sadhuram Eye Hospital, Hyderabad, M/s. St .Joseph’s Hospital in Nellore etc.
Rural water schemes
RO plants have been setup in four villages around Jegurupadu area in East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh.
Environmental protection
A mass tree plantation drive and cleaning activity was undertaken near the industrial development area Mallapur, as a part of the “Go Green & Grow Green” concept of GVK.
Rural housing schemes
The GVK Foundation has contributed towards construction of weaker section housing under the State Government’s. Indiramma housing scheme for about 150 houses in Indukurpet Mandal, Nellore district, A.P. The Foundation has constructed pucca houses for weaker sections in Manikhera Village, Mukatsar District, Punjab.
Other welfare activities
The GVK Foundation is sponsoring annually, the distribution of tricycles to physically handicapped under the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation Scheme. The Foundation has supported students of Vellore Institute of Technology to foster innovation, and has also contributed to educational institutions like the Vivek Vardhini Educational Trust etc. Similarly, contributions have been made to a number of welfare organisations like, Suryakumari Abraham Memorial Foundation for purchase of modern sewing machines and computers. Velugu, towards voluntary contributions of buildings for disabled children. The Indian Red Cross Society, for construction of colleges and old age homes. Sradha and Give India for child care and development. Chinmaya Seva Trust for educational and cultural activities.
Where do you see GVK EMRI and the GVK Foundation five years from now? Is there a vision you can tell us a bit about?
“We have recently entered into an MOU with the government of Sri Lanka to operate the 108 ambulance services in their country. Apart from 108 services, we are operating 60 mobile health units in different states – Dial 100 Police service is being operated in A.P., Telangana and Gujarat States. The Gujarat women’s helpline ‘ABHAYAM 181’ is also being handled by GVK EMRI. New and innovative services like the mother and child tracking system, are operational in Delhi, Meghalaya and Uttarakhand. The 104 medical helpline is operational in the state of Tamil Nadu and 2 Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. Boat ambulances are operating in Assam, while mobile bike ambulances have been launched in Bengaluru and Emergency response centres have been set up in Arunachal Pradesh. We are totally committed and focused in developing the Emergency health care in the country. We are the largest operators of ambulances in the world. Our vision is to not only operate ambulance services in all states of India, but also to extend these to the SAARC nations.”
The GVK Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai has undertaken several initiatives to give back to society. Can you tell us a bit about these?
“The GVK Airport Foundation has been actively sponsoring and supporting numerous students. We have sponsored 58 students during 2013-14, 78 during 2014-15, and 67 students have been sponsored during 2015-16.”“The GVK Airport Foundation has been sponsoring a number of national Tennis tournaments. An under-20 Women’s National Hockey Championship was sponsored by it during 2013.”
“The Foundation has been sponsoring annually, the distribution of tricycles to physically handicapped under the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation Scheme.
It has contributed towards utensils to flood victims in the Gadwal region of Mahaboob Nagar district of Andhra Pradesh in 2009. Similarly, contributions were made to a number of social service organisations like: Velugu towards voluntary contribution for disabled children.Swarna Bharat Trust towards corpus fund. SACHi Foundation for child care and development. Salagramam Public Charitable Trust, K D Education Trust, Chinmaya Seva Trust, Jawaharlal Darda Foundation, Mayanjali Charitable Trust, Kamalni Nilmani Charitable Trust, ADAPT, Indian Head Injury Foundation, Dr. Umesh Chandra Foundation, Vimukti Sanstha, Vamsee Cultural & Educational Trust, Udayan Care, Indian Rose Federation, Hyderabad Bicycling Club, People for Animals, Prasanna Trust and Dr. Rajasekhar’s Charitable Trust for social and cultural activities.”
How can influential Indians learn more about giving back to society? Do you feel the country’s elite are still coming to terms with CSR and national charities?
“India is a country of innumerable contradictions. India has grown to be one of the largest economies of world and emerging as a global player on the one hand, and also has a large number of people living in absolute poverty. The scene that emerges is of uneven distribution of benefits of growth and is the root cause of social unrest. Large corporate houses have tried to contribute for the well being of the community and the society they influence, and on which they depend. CSR is generally understood as being the way through which a company achieves a balance of economic, environmental and social imperatives, while at the same time addressing the expectations of shareholders and stakeholders. A company’s sense of responsibility towards community and environment in which it operates 1) Through their waste and pollution reduction process 2) By contributing to educational and social programmes 3) By earning adequate returns on employed resources.
Prescribed CSR Spend: As per the companies Act 2013, W.e.f 1.04.2014, every company, private limited or public limited, which either has a networth of Rs.500 core or a turnover of Rs.1000 crore or net profit of Rs.5 crores, needs to spend at least 2 per cent of its average net profit for the immediately preceding three financial years on corporate social responsibility activities. Out of 100 BSE-listed companies that have published their annual report and where inforamtion about the CSR spending is available as on 16th July 2015, the CSR Spend is furnished below . Public sector units and public sectors banks are not considered.
Nearly one-fourth (27 per cent) of the companies spent more than the prescribed CSR spend and about two-third (64 per cent) of the companies spent less than the prescribed CSR spend. Two per cent of the companies spent zero amount from their prescribed CSR spend and nine per cent of the companies spent exactly same as the prescribed CSR amount. 39 per cent of the companies spent more than 50 per cent of the prescribed CSR spent but missed the target of the prescribed CSR spend. Out of 11 pharmaceuticals sector companies, only five companies could spend the prescribed CSR amount. Only one company managed to spend the prescribed CSR spend among 17 Banking and Finance sector companies.
It’s really a poor picture of CSR Spending. Actually speaking, the bigger a company’s profit after Tax, greater is its responsibility to commit itself to the community. It is because the seriousness of leaders of Industry will encourage others to commit themselves towards the community. Realisation is needed by the company to integrate themselves with the society and other stakeholders. Even well known companies having credit worthiness fall short of expectations of community.
The Indian Economy is growing and has the potential to be an economic power house in the next few years. Still it’s all about economy and economic growth. Questions remain unanswered as to how far Indian economy will justify social development. Economic equalities still need to be addressed precisely for being a healthy nation, and CSR can be the most effective tool to address this.”
PHOTO COURTESY (main image): Anil Ramchandani
PHOTO COURTESY (other images): GVK FOUNDATION
