Letter from Pooran Pandey, Director-Times Foundation.

Dear Jerry,

Thanks so very much for your mail and kind words. I appreciate the gesture greatly. I am also thankful to you for nominating my name for KVP for the year 2008 and also knowing its acceptance with the jury / committee is a quite satisfying.

You have always been there to witness whatever little I could do over the last 5 years' period in the development sector trying to impact both voluntary sector through policy initiatives and creation of community assets for people in particular. The journey was challenging but invisible motivators like you always made the path easy inch by inch. I feel good at the end of the day though, more at a time when I have been involved with CSR arm of country's largest media house and working very closely with its Chairman, who also founded the Times Foundation 8 years back. She is the fountainhead of all such initiatives and continues to inspire for raising the bar in development sector that has potential to impact lives of people positively and builds a more equitable, sustainable and just world around us.

Teach India, a Times of India initiative, will always remain a very special project of my life as I was associated with the project from the day one and could play an interesting role of bringing various stakeholders including NGOs, corporate houses in addition to bringing on board UN to support the initiatives. Now while we see things change for needy and underprivileged children, we also find the positive acceptance and ready reception of public of the initiative. I am also happy to inform you that the initiative has also been appreciated in writing by those who matter and have world view on critical issues of development. I am pleased to share that UN Secretary General has hailed the program as one of the biggest volunteering initiative by a private sector. Additionally bi-lateral donor like Oxfam, media behemoth like the TIME Magazine and multi-lateral donor like the WORLD BANK are on record to have appreciated and liked the initiative. This along with people especially the youth who reposed their faith in the Teach India makes it very special to me.

RIGHT EVERY WRONG in fact captures the very spirit and vision with which the imitative was think tanked and implemented with vigor, innovation and speed. In this background, Teach India will always remain a hallmark of my professional career.

I know the award would raise expectations from all quarters; I would do everything possible to live up to the faith reposed in me.

As advised, I will be happy to present myself during the award ceremony and have an opportunity to meet you, Meenu and other ICONGO colleagues, who extended all their support and co-operation in helping me complete all formalities of the awards and also in making my day on 26th a very special one.

Best regards,

Pooran, Director-Times Foundation