Friends Across Globe Celebrate Prof Natarajan Lockdown Birthday by Donating INR 15K to Akshaya Patra COVID-19 Relief

When one's birthday clashes with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, staying at the crease is not easy but fact remains that one hits and runs while other pats and walks and that makes Prof Natarajan aka Dean Nattu entirely different. For the last 10 years, on 24 Apr every year Facebook traffic shoots up phenomenally because it happens to be Prof BR Natarajan birthday. But 2020 was different because the COVID-19 crisis continues to loom all over and the Government of India took a strict combat measure by directing a compulsory 21-day lockdown of the entire nation.

At this great hour of need, the Akshaya Patra Foundation which needs no introduction, in close coordination with State Governments & District Administration stepped in to provide relief by providing food to thousands of people across the country. By adhering to all safety and hygiene measures, Akshaya Patra began its relief service by providing meal or packed grocery kits to the marginalized and low-income segment of the society comprising of daily wage workers, migrant laborers, construction site workers, and needy people at old age homes and night shelters.

Presently, the Foundation is providing food relief in many states of India which include Rajasthan, Karnataka, Telangana, Gujarat, Maharashtra, NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Tripura and West Bengal. While support from State Agencies, District Authorities and citizens has been encouraging, and enabling the foundation to make a difference in these tough circumstances. The cost of each cooked meal is INR25 and the cost of each grocery kit is INR825. Each grocery kit contains rice, pulses, oil, spices, and vegetables that can serve 2 people with 42 meals for 21 days.

Prof Natarajan gave a clarion call to his friends worldwide to make his lockdown birthday special by donating to Akshaya Patra's COVID-19 Relief Service. Proud to be BITSians who are alumni of institution of Eminence in India Today Birla Institute of Technology and Science - BITS Pilani rallied to make it happen. Notable among them include BITS Pilani alums Ani Ghosh (Data Scientist Coursera/IBM/ UC San Diego), Jayant Kumar (Facebook California), Satheesh Narayan Mukundan (Polymath Bangalore), Sahi Tya (Texas), Atul Gupta (Head of Alliances Digitate TCS Santa Clara), Prateek Mishra (Identity & Security Architect Peekskill Newyork), Sankalp Goyal (Boomi California), Lakhpat Rai Jain (CPO Bharat Petroleum Mumbai).

To complete the target, Proud BITSians Lalit Rawat (SCADA Executive Leap Green Energy Jodhpur), Divya Nawale (Antarctic Mission 2041 adventurer Supporting Renewables and Energy Efficiency programs at ADB Manila Philippines) chipped in when the deadline was nearing. Special mention also must be made of NTTF Alumnus Amit Kulkarni (Principal Consultant ADC Rig Inspection Malaysia) who treats Prof Natarajan as his Dronacharya.

Not to be outdone, current students of Prof Natarajan at NAAC A++ Second Best women's university in the world as per Times Higher Education in global rankings rose to the occasion in innovative ways. Ms Aditi Agarwal led a team of third year chemical engineering students sitting in different cities in lockdown to organize a customized video to celebrate the birthday. This effort can very well be a case study in Project Management in Ivy League institutions.

Rati Bhardwaj (third year), Khusboo Chilwal (fourth year) and Bhavya Tripathi (MTech Final year) also made special videos to mark the occasion. Ms Neeharika Agrawal fourth year coordinator, Ms Abeena & Ms Harshita coordinators second year and Ms Manvi Tomar first year coordinator coordinated the countless messages from the students. Colleague Sandeep Patel and his wife Mona Patel made a special birthday cake and favorite dish of the professor sevaiyan kheer for a surprise treat. Birthdays may come and go but this one will remain forever etched in Prof Natarajan's memory.

Smt Booma Natarajan
Principal
JMA Pilani 333031 Rajasthan
booma_pilani at yahoo.co.in

Pilani Chronicle covers news about happenings in Pilani including achievements of Proud to be BITSians who are alumni from institution of eminence BITS Pilani spread across all latitudes, longitudes and altitudes.

This release was published on openPR.