The Times of India’s unique initiative, ‘Times Hyderabad Heroes’, launched to honour the city’s do-gooders has received overwhelming response. To evaluate these entries and draw a final list of Good Samaritans, who will be featured in these columns, TOI has put together an eminent jury comprising four prominent citizens from Hyderabad.
On this panel are: B V R Mohan Reddy, executive chairman of Cyient and chairman of the board of governors at IIT-Hyderabad; Sangita Reddy, joint managing director of Apollo Hospitals Group; Pullela Gopichand, chief national coach of the Indian Badminton team and Swati Lakra, inspector general of police (women’s safety), Telangana. Apart from being celebrated professionals, each of these jury members are known for their contribution to society in the field of education, healthcare, sports and women’s safety.
Mohan Reddy’s Cyient Foundation that runs an Adopt-a-School programme, extends financial, infrastructural and social support to over 18,500 children in 28 government schools. The foundation also imparts digital literacy in India through 67 Cyient Digital Centres.
Committed to building an inclusive and sustainable healthcare ecosystem in the country, Sangita Reddy launched Apollo Reach, which aims to build a string of secondary care hospitals in rural areas across India. Her Apollo Philanthropy arm encompasses multiple programmes: Save a Child’s Heart Initiative, SAHI, CURE and the Billion Hearts Beating Foundation.
Alongside churning world champions from his own academy, Gopichand also plays an active role in the Gopichand-Mytrah initiative a collaboration between Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation and Mytrah Foundation that extends training facilities to aspiring athletes from economically weaker sections of society. It takes care of 32 athletes apart from other sportspersons in various disciplines.
Known for a force to reckon with, within the police department, it was during Lakra’s regime as ACP (Crime) that two major initiatives for women’s safety were rolled out: SheTeams and Bharosa Centre. Thousands of women and children — victims of sexual assault and domestic violence find legal and social support through these platforms. Given its success, the Supreme Court even suggested that the Bharosa Centre be replicated across the country.
