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	MOKSHA
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	Special Cover on Impact India's Lifeline Express

	Impact India’s Chairman, A.H. Tobaccowala, displays the Special Cover and Cancellation Stamp A Special Cover and a Cancellation stamp by the Indian Government’s Department of Posts & Telegraphs to commemorate the 100th project of Impact India’s Lifeline Express, the world’s first hospital train, was released on April 26, 2008 at Atgaon Railway station in Shahapur, Maharashtra by A.H. Tobaccowala, Chairman, Impact India Foundation. Congratulating Impact India on this momentous occasion Adnan Ahmed, Director, Postal Services, Mumbai handed over an album containing cancelled Special Covers, a folder and a leaflet depicting the Lifeline Express. Students of Atgaon Vibhag High School and the tribal Adivasi Youth Group, Palghar performed dances and were enthusiastically joined by the dignitaries on the stage. A. H. Tobaccowala congratulating Impact India’s team led by its dynamic CEO Zelma Lazarus remarked, “We have two reasons for rejoicing today. Atgaon Vibhag School students stage a dance drama Celebrating with the Adivasi Youth Group, Palghar The first is achieving the 100th project of Impact India’s Lifeline Express, and the second is that on October 2nd this year we will have completed 25 years of our existence. The small start that we made has grown today into a worldwide fellowship of 18 IMPACT organizations. I feel proud and I am amazed at how that little seed has blossomed into trees all over and flowered.” He went on to say, “There are 70 million disabled in India. Disability has two implications. One is that the disabled need to be supported by other members of society. And the second is that because of the disability they are not able to contribute to the society. To me the problem is to look at the despair, the broken homes, the plighted lives of those disabled, the worries they have. We have to look at the challenge not in terms of economics; we have to look in terms of compassion. ….Gandhiji taught us not the importance of monetary wealth, but the importance of compassion.” Talking about Corporate Social Responsibility A.H. Tobaccowala stated, “It’s a debt that business houses owe to the people who they are helping. It is not the debt that the people owe to them. And we would like to see that happen.” He appealed to the Rotarians, business leaders and others present to join with Impact in implementing the Community Health Initiative, a pilot National Rural Health Mission project, affecting 1.4 million tribals in Thane District, Maharashtra. Dignitaries in the audience Col. R. S. Vishwen, CEO, Lifeline Express delivered the welcome speech, thanking all supporters. He said, “In this long journey I’d like to mention that approximately 500,000 people have medically benefited through this train with the help of almost eighty thousand surgeons, nurses, paramedical staff and volunteers. It is because of their voluntary effort that we have succeeded in carrying out 75,000 surgeries.” Others who addressed the gathering included J.K. Tandon, Director Projects JSW Steel Limited, Peter Offer, President Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland (RIBI) 2006-2007 and David Walker, Chairman U.K. Impact Foundation. The 100th project of Impact India’s Lifeline Express has been sponsored by RIBI while JSW Steel has provided local support. Impact India’s CEO, Zelma Lazarus, with the decorated Lifeline Express Peter Offer inaugurated Impact India’s third Lifeline Express Mobile Clinic largely supported by the Rotary Club of Bournemouth North, U.K. The Clinic is equipped with Vision and Hearing Testing equipment. David Walker released a Health Game, created by Impact India in Marathi to promote important health practices, and presented it to T. Hire, Headmaster Atgaon Vibhag High School. Anand Jaiswal and Sangita Kharpade, young beneficiaries of surgeries conducted on the train, concluded the festivities by inaugurating Impact India’s 100th Lifeline Express project. (For more information, please read Moksha, May 2008 -- PDF :: ZIP)


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