IndianOil’s motto ” Pehle Indian Phir Oil-Chairman IOCL

October New Delhi: IndianOil extended its Parivartan – Prison to Pride initiative, to train inmates in select sports, to 17 prisons across ten states. The initiative was inaugurated in a physical event held at Tihar Jail in New Delhi and virtually at eight locations by Mr Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, Chairman, IndianOil, to coincide with Gandhi Jayanti celebrations. Simultaneously, the coaching camp went underway at another eight locations.The Parivartan initiative aims to help prison inmates build a better life, boost the participants’ self-esteem and confidence. The program will help inmates overcome the stigma associated with imprisonment and aid in smooth reintegration into society upon release.

Mr Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, Chairman inaugurated the Parivartan at Tihar Jail, New Delhi along with Mr Sandeep Goel, IPS, Director General (Prison), Delhi in the presence of IndianOil, Mr Mukesh Prasad, IAS, Additional Inspector General (Prison), Delhi, Mr Shyam Bohra, Executive Director & State Head, Delhi State Office, IndianOil, Mr Sunder Bora, Superintendent, Central Jail No. 5, Tihar and other senior officers of IndianOil and Prison Department of Delhi.  IndianOil is providing coaching facility in six sports – Basketball, Volleyball, Khokho, Badminton, Chess and Carrom for three months besides augmenting sports facilities in Tihar Jail.

Motivating the inmates at the inaugural function held at Central Jail No. 5, Tihar Jail Chairman, IndianOil Mr Shrikant Madhav Vaidya said that the young inmates should use their energy for positive purposes. He further said that this initiative will not only keep inmates physically fit but also drive their energy for constructive endeavors. He assured that IndianOil is always there to extend all possible help to promote sports and skill development as it is IndianOil’s motto ” Pehle Indian Phir Oil”.

Speaking on the occasion, Director General (Prison), Delhi Mr Sandeep Goel said that this is matter of happiness as IndianOil took this initiative for the benefit of jail inmates. Addressing the young inmates, he said that at your age adopting and learning new things is very easy.  With your dedication and interest, you can learn sports and various other skills. He further added, as jail administration imparts training on skill development as well for jail inmates for enabling them to lead a good life after their release. During the training, over 1000 inmates in various prisons will be coached in the basics of the sport, enabling them to participate in local competitions, besides recreation. IndianOil will also provide the equipment and kits to the participants of the program.

Thanking the Prison Authorities from all over India for coming forward to collaborate on this special project, Mr. Vaidya added, “I am confident that this program would enhance inmates’ overall physical health quotient and boost their mental health by helping them tackle depression, stress, and anxiety. Parivartan also aims to facilitate the complete social rehabilitation of the inmates by inculcating strong social values like self-esteem, autonomy and companionship.”The participating prisons in the second phase of Parivartan are Central Jail, Tihar, Delhi; Yerawada Central Jail, Pune; Kolhapur Central Prison; Central Jail, Patiala; Lala Lajapat Rai District and Open Air Jail, Dharamshala; Central Jail, Indore; Central Jail, Bhopal; Central Jail, Ahmedabad; Central Jail, Vadodara; Adarsh Karagar, Lucknow; Central Jail, Varanasi; Naini Central Jail, Prayagraj; Central Jail, Guwahati; Central Jail, Dibrugarh, Central Jail, Dimapur.

International-level sportspersons from IndianOil will steer the program. The coaches include Manjusha Kanwar (former national champion), Abhinn Shyam Gupta (Arjuna awardee), badminton; Women’s Grandmasters Esha Karavade, Soumya Swaminathan & Grandmaster SS Ganguly; tennis player Rushmi Chakravarthi (national champion), TT Arjuna awardee Soumyadeep Roy, and renowned carrom players Yogesh Pardesi, Mohd. Gufran, Kajal Kumari, Ramesh Babu. In its first phase, Parivartan was launched in Chanchalguda Central Jail (Hyderabad), Puzhal Central Jail (Chennai), Poojapura Central Jail (Trivandrum), Special Jail (Bhubaneshwar), and Circle Jail (Cuttack). The valediction ceremony was also organised at these locations, and participants were provided with a certificate for their successful completion of the program. Currently, IndianOil employs prison inmates and people who have finished their prison term as customer attendants at 30 retail outlets in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.