CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY :: CSR - 4 ::

GATEWAY MOTIVATES MARIAM TO WIN INTERNATIONAL BILLIARDS

BY P S SUNDAR

The HODs of The Gateway Hotel, Coonoor, assembled at the hotel's conference room on the evening of January 28 for a noble and novel cause.  They welcomed their invitees -- office bearers of Nilgiri District Billiards and Snooker Association (NDBSA) and media personnel -- to a programme they justifiably sponsored.  

The event was NDBSA honouring  13 year-old J Mariam Agnish, eighth standard student of St Joseph's Girls' Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School, Coonoor, for doing proud the Nilgiris district and Tamil Nadu state by securing National No: 2 position in Billiards junior and No:3 position in sub-junior at 'National Championship 2015' recently held in Kolkata.  By virtue of this, Mariam stands to represent India in international junior and sub-junior contests.

As a TATA enterprise, the hotel, a wing of the Taj Group, has been creating a niche for itself in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It is a balance between supporting the needy with essentials like food and clothing and developing a value-added society empowered to stand on its own.  As the founder Jamsetji Tata left the legacy, this hotel lives to the concept that the 'purpose of business' is not just making profits but development and advancement of the society in which it operates.  

D Antony Gerald, Human Resources Manager of Taj group of hotels, Nilgiris, did a marvelous presentation to introduce the appreciate audience to this concept of CSR followed in the Nilgiris.     "We firmly believe in giving back to society some useful portion of what we earn.  We begin every year by sharing our first meal with under-privileged.  We taken enormous enjoyment in engaging ourselves to assist the needy with clothes, blankets and other essentials.   But, more importantly, we stand up whenever occasions come to encourage the segments of the society to build sustainable livelihood.  The society and environment are among our stakeholders.  Today, we are taking pride in congratulating Mariam Agnish of Coonoor on her taking the Nilgiris to international Billiards map.  We thank NDBSA for giving us this opportunity to motivate this young girl in the Gateway ambiance", he noted. 

Gateway General Manager R Muralidharan is himself an extra-ordinary Billiards and Snooker player with many awards to his credit over the years.   Hailing from a family which is associated with promoting Billiards, he had a different role to play at this function -- as the NDBSA Secretary-in-charge, he had to honour Mariam Agnish, which he did in professional style.  On the one hand, he presented the warm feelings of all through a massive bouquet of flowers ;  

on the other, he presented gifts and re-enacted the occasion of winning by presenting the coveted Trophy.

Muralidharan promised all possible assistance from NDBSA not only to Mariam but to all desirous and competent youths to scale new heights.   He gave an orientation on to the birth and growth of NDBSA.    "The Nilgiris has a connection with global Snooker.  Way-back, the formalised rules of Snooker were officially announced and posted on the Notice Board in Ootacamund Club.  Now, history has again been created with Mariam excelling in Snooker and Billiards games", he noted.  

“Nilgiris Collector Dr P Sankar honoured me when I won at Tamil Nadu level and now, world champions Pankaj Advani, Uma Devi, Chithra Devi and National champions Vidhya Pillai and Alok Kumar besides international referee R B Ganesh have complimented me.  Adding to this, is NDBSA on the one side and The Gateway Hotel Coonoor on the other.  I feel motivated to represent India at international contests”, Mariam said justifying the encouragement bestowed on her. 

She was honoured along with her father AJS Kumar and mother Catherene Anitha.   Kumar is working as Billiards marker at Coonoor Club but an accomplished player himself with many prizes tro his credit over the years. He is the coach of Mariam. 

They belong to a lower economic stratum and that adds credit to Gateway Hotel Coonoor for the great motivation accorded.   "This is something phenomenal.  We are grateful to Gateway for this memorable opportunity", Kumar told me. 

"But, the results are flowing in.  At this function, Swamy Iyya Trust has gifted Rs 10,000 and Champion Billiards Aacdemy Rs 1,000 to help Mariam pursue her quality games", Gerald added. 

The Gateway Hotel Coonoor has once again proved its efficiency in driving value-creation in the community it is surrounded with.