A CSR Initiative With A Difference

Tata Interactive Systems’ (TIS) annual Tata Interactive Learning Disability Forum (TLDF) that commenced in 2006 is the first global symposium of its kind in India, where leading experts in learning disabilities (LD) can meet to create awareness and enable progress in remediation activities for children with special education needs.

TIS has extended its support to this cause beyond the limitations of purely financial contributions. The guiding principle at TIS has been to leverage its capabilities, extend the work done in the past, and capitalize on its key assets—knowledge, skills, and core competencies to steadily widen the ambit of our LD initiatives, each year building upon the gains of the past.

The TLDF adopts a “think global, act local” strategy. It aims to share the latest global knowledge and advances in LD on a local platform. It seeks to improve the awareness of LD, promote remedial measures, increase the active participation of schools, incorporate LD in medical and B.Ed. syllabi, and induce changes in government policies.

TIS has been providing support to Mumbai’s Sion Hospital LD Clinic since 2001, both financially and in terms of developing software, generating awareness, partnering to create a special book, ‘Brain Teasers’ for LD students and their parents, improving and streamlining the certification process, and helping define special educator courses etc.

In the year 2007 itself, 925 children received LD certification, and 225 new schools have registered for the certification, with a total of 3300 students and 480 schools in all, so far. LD has also been made a part of the MBBS syllabus in Maharashtra. TIS employees and their families are further helping this progress by volunteering to screen a short LD awareness film—created by TIS in Hindi and English—at schools in their vicinity.

In 2008, the TLDF worked towards gaining and providing an in-depth understanding of LD. TIS facilitated research organizations and the Sion Hospital’s LD clinic to explore and analyze various aspects of LD – including medical findings and life after certification. In addition, the event was held at Mumbai and Kolkata, to help spread our message to other cities as well.

The year 2009 takes the TLDF another step ahead with the theme ‘Building their tomorrows, today!’. The 2009 forum urges educational institutions and families to work towards detecting and providing remediation to LD children at a younger age, thereby enabling them at an earlier phase in their lives.

We are constantly adding to our list of volunteers. If you would like to make a difference, contact us on:

[t] +91 22 6643 8000
[f] +91 22 6643 8800