To those who think employees are not given means to improve, here is a news item which I did for my newspaper a few days back. What is not included in this item is the comment by the VPHR that the disabled will be favourably considered for promotions, if they performances merrit it.
Bangalore, Nov 29: These are exciting times for Ankit Jindal and Ranjini Ramanujam. A few months into their jobs with Infosys BPO, the duo enjoys their work. And their disabilities never get in the way. "I feel a lot more motivated now," says Ankit, who is visually challenged. "Getting a good job used to be my concern at college and working with one of the well-known names was like dream. Most of all, the fact that I could learn several new things is quite intriguing and is helping my confidence a great deal," says the 21-year-old Process Executive. Champion in Badminton for the hearing impaired and a chess buff, Ranjini also sees her job as the best opportunity to learn. "Competing with able-bodied people is a challenge I am learning to tackle," says the 28-year-old Rajyotsava awardee (2001), also a Process Executive at the BPO. As the world disability day approaches, the giant strides Ankit and Ranjini have made in their few months at the BPO dominate talks here. Infosys is one of several BPO's who have adapted equal opportunity initiatives, which has turned their campuses more accessible and their attitude towards disability more positive. "It all began with a full review of our system and see how conducive it can be made for persons with disability to work in it," says Nandita Gurjar, Vice President HR at the BPO. "That not only meant putting up ramps and wide entrances for wheelchairs, but also things like the teams learning sign language so as to co-ordinate with our hearing impaired employees." She accepts when the BPO began the initiatives, attitude among some officials were anything but positive. "They (senior executives) used to find it difficult accepting disabled employees," Nandita explains. "But, as they start to work with them, most of them are happy about it and in fact, have no complaints if persons with disabilities are assigned to their team." She also insists equal opportunity doesn't come at the expense of quality: "Our service to customers is non-negotiable. We make sure persons with disability get whatever facility it takes to work efficiently -such as using special software or converting all voices into text-but we must say that nearly all of them either live up to or exceed service requirements." In the last 18 months, the number of persons with disability working here has exceeded a hundred, a sign that the organisation is largely happy with the outcome of the equal opportunity initiative. Technology, coupled with receptive employment policy at IT and ITES industries, has indeed made independent and dignified life a reality for many like Ankit and Ranjini. L Subramani-0515 pm. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of rakesh kumar gupta Sent: Saturday, December 02, 2006 11:45 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [AI] Good news. Hello Vetri, First of all, thanks for providing us about the important information regarding to US-system and its positive aspects and attitude about the blind persons / employees. As for concern to our India specially in broad perspective about the approaches and attitudes of employers towards the ability of the blind persons are mostly negative, narrow and contradictory. If the blind employee performs good from his own efforts then well. But if he needs of some new means and equipments for his better performance in his works, mostly his demands are ignored. So, in our country, we need of some great changes at grassroots level in this regard. Thanks, Rakesh. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Vetrivel Murugan Adhimoolam" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, December 01, 2006 5:57 PM Subject: Re: [AI] Good news. > Hi Rakesh, > > There are hardly any such awards available here in the United States and > Even at the level of job interview we face the panels like any other > candidates and the issue of disability related accommodation arise only > after our appointment. Of course it can have positive as well as negative > impact. Because the US doesn't have protective discrimination in favor of > the socially disadvantaged people, it is up to the employer to decide > whether he/she wants to higher you or not and that's what becomes a major > tool in discriminating people with disability. At the same time there are > at > least some employers who are able to overlook disability while recruiting > people. For example when I attended interview recently at the Ramapo > college > (NJ) for an interview to be an adjunct professor, disability was hardly an > issue. Instead the focus of the panel members was primarily to learn about > my research interest, teaching philosophy/methodology and so on. So that's > where we fall behind US. But fortunately we have the protective > discrimination which can be a major tool in recruiting visually impaired > people. But it stops only at the level of recruitment and it is up to the > employer to see whether a person with visual impairment deserves to be > nominated for the best employee award or not. So it's really hard to put > both the systems in a black and white perspective. > > Vetri. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "rakesh kumar gupta" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, December 02, 2006 4:05 AM > Subject: Re: [AI] Good news. > > >> Hello VETRI, >> I think, the person is selected for the nomination for this "award" from >> all blind employees, not from general employees. However, the concerned >> institution should surely clarify this fact that what's the actual >> position >> of Best Blind Employee in list of most efficient general employees. >> Please tell us about actual position of American blind in USA. >> Thanks, >> Rakesh Kumar Gupta. >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Vetrivel Murugan Adhimoolam" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: <[email protected]> >> Sent: Friday, December 01, 2006 3:35 PM >> Subject: Re: [AI] Good news. >> >> >>> Many many congratulations to MR. JADHAV for this achievement and I am >>> sure >>> that we all get inspiration from this. At the same time I would like to >>> draw >>> the attention of the list towards the nature of the state and it's >>> attitude >>> towards the socially disadvantaged people. While the acknowledgement of >>> MR. >>> JADHAV's ability undoubtedly deserves appreciations, the award is being >>> given to him as the best blind employee. Now the question is: If the >>> concern >>> institution wants to recognize his diligent and commitments towards the >>> work, then why not give him the award for the best employee in general? >>> This >>> too is an attempt on the part of the state and other institutions to >>> segmentalize the capabilities of the visually impaired people. So let us >>> celebrate MR. JADHAV's achievement with the critical eye on the existing >>> structures including the state. >>> >>> Vetri. >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: "rakesh kumar gupta" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>> To: <[email protected]> >>> Sent: Saturday, December 02, 2006 1:53 AM >>> Subject: Re: [AI] Good news. >>> >>> >>>> Hello Suhas Karnik and MR. CHARUDATT JADHAV, >>>> At very first, thanks to Suhas for informing us about this great good >>>> news >>>> and finally, my heartily congratulations to MR. JADHAV for nominating >>>> this >>>> national award with best wishes and also hope that all the blind >>>> employees >>>> will surely be inspired from MR. Jadhav to perform best in their work. >>>> Thanks, >>>> RAKESH KUMAR GUPTA. >>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>> From: "Suhas Karnik" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>>> To: <[email protected]> >>>> Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2006 9:20 PM >>>> Subject: [AI] Good news. >>>> >>>> >>>>> Hello friends. >>>>> One of our members Shree Charudatt Jadhav is nominated for this year's >>>>> National award in the category of best blind employee. The said award >>>>> will >>>>> be given at the auspitious hands of the jpresident of India His >>>>> exelency >>>>> dr >>>>> A.P.J. Abdul qalam at Vidgyan bhavan on Sunday the third December 2006 >>>>> on >>>>> the occasion of world disabled day. >>>>> >>>>> Charu is working as a project leader with GTL limited Mumbai which is >>>>> a >>>>> leading company in the field of software development. >>>>> Heartiest congratulations to charu for the national award. >>>>> Amities. >>>>> Suhas Karnik. >>>>> >>>>> _________________________________________________________________ >>>>> Get up-to-date with movies, music and TV. Its happening on MSN >>>>> Entertainment >>>>> http://content.msn.co.in/Entertainment/Default >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> To unsubscribe send a message to >>>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>>> with the subject unsubscribe. >>>>> >>>>> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >>>>> please visit the list home page at >>>>> >>>>> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i n >>>> >>>> Send instant messages to your online friends >>>> http://in.messenger.yahoo.com >>>> >>>> >>>> To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>> with the subject unsubscribe. >>>> >>>> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >>>> please visit the list home page at >>>> >>>> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i n >>> >>> >>> To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> with the subject unsubscribe. >>> >>> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >>> please visit the list home page at >>> >>> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i n >> >> Send instant messages to your online friends >> http://in.messenger.yahoo.com >> >> >> To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> with the subject unsubscribe. >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >> please visit the list home page at >> >> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i n > > > To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i n Send instant messages to your online friends http://in.messenger.yahoo.com To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i n To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
