Finding solutions to social issues possible with sustained adherence to policies of Corporate Social Responsibility – Dr Raman Gangakhedkar

Pune, 20 March 2023: “In today’s times, it is important to treat people from lower strata on equitable footing and help solve social health issues. While we do this, we should try to implement sustained policy initiatives within the ambit of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR),” opined Dr Raman Gangakhedkar, former head of department of epidemic and contagious disease at the Indian Council of Medical Research.

He was speaking at the valedictory and prize distribution session of the second edition of CSR Film Festival organised by social organisation Socio Corp India at Hotel Ramee Grand, Apte Road. Advocate Chetan Gandhi, President of Socio Corp India, Saraswati Mehta, Director, Balasaheb Zarekar, Satish Kondhalkar, Vijay Kulkarni and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

Films made by NGOs, corporates, foundations and individuals on issues touching social awareness were screened in the festival. As many as 52 films on social issues, health, environment and education were screened. Awards were given to 19 of these films in various categories.

“I started working on the problem of AIDS when I saw the horrible state of affairs in Mumbai’s Kamathipura red light district,” Dr Gangakhedkar said, adding “If the patient has to cure fully, he must get help to enable him / her to be self-reliant. Such help can come out of CSR programmes of corporates. You are indeed doing great work, however you must keep in mind that sustained policy initiatives will leave a mark on social health. ”

“A single platform to learn about the work of social service organisations and how they are approaching various issues was felt necessary. We therefore made available this platform where citizens are familiarised with social issues through art form,” said Advocate Chetan Gandhi.

The following is the list of films that received awards in different sections

Best Social Awareness Film – Kash (Dir. Junaid Imam)
Best Skill Development CSR Film – Lakshya ( Dir. Rushikesh Shedge)
Best CSR Film on Rural Agriculture Development – Call of the Hills (Dir. Kanu Bharti)
Jury Mention Best Health Care Excellence CSR Film – Winning Against Malnutrition (Dir. Shanti Menon and Paresh Vora)
Best CSR Film on Community Development – Shiva 1996 (Dir. Ruchi Sharma)
Best Covid 19 Humanitarian CSR Film – Vaccinating The Villages (Dir. Shubhrasmita Sandilya)
Best Film on Child Labour Awareness – Nishaan (Dir. Arvind Bhosale)
Best Mental Health Social Awareness Film – The Dark Side of Moon (Dir. Dr Sagarika Golder)
Best CSR Film on Comprehensive Development on Disbaled – Project Bindu (Manjiri Gokhale- Joshi)
Best Film on Empowering Women – Horizon: When Dream Touches Sky (Dir. Apsil Ajosh)
Best Waste Management CSR Film – Sustainable Village Waste Management (Sudarshan Chemical Industries Limited)
Best CSR Documentary Film on Rural Economic Transformation – Transforming India (Global Vikas Trust)
Best Health Documentary Film- The Saviour of Masses (Dir. Shyama Garg)
Best CSR Activity and Community Development Film – Moving Ahead Together (CSR Team HDB Financial Services & Couch Potato Media)
Best Social Awareness Film on Children – My Hand Like a Bird (Dir. Betina Drumond & Hortense Brassart)
Best Health Care Excellence CSR Film – Sarika (CSR & CC Dept. Balco)
Best CSR Film on Women’s Digital Transformation and Social Impact – Women Transforming Lives With Technology (Dir. Sriman Biswajit, BOI)
Best Digital Financial Literacy CSR Film – Digital Sakhi (CSR Team, L&T Finance Holdings)
Best Patriotic Song – Leharayega Tiranga (Dir. Arvind Bhosale)