My GIRL

It couldn’t have been a better platform to reach out,create awareness,interact and impact. “Because the core idea is to transform the lives of people,” Sheetal Mehta,Executive Director,KC Mahindra Education Trust cites her reason to join hands with Star Plus for Project Nanhi Kali. “The trustees of KCMET have always valued education and Anand Mahindra incepted Nanhi Kali in 1996 as he believed that educated and literate female population would result in many benefits for our country. Nanhi Kali is a national sponsorship program that supports the education of underprivileged girl children by providing them with not only academic support,but also material support in the form of uniforms,school books etc,” she adds that the partnership with a channel like Star or with media on the whole has a very important role in influencing attitudes,mindsets and beliefs in society. “Star has always portrayed their characters as strong,independent women,and we therefore felt partnering with it for their new serial,’Sabki Laadli Bebo’,would send out the right message for Nanhi Kali,” she says.

While this initiative will be a series of events held over the year,Zee TV,in the meanwhile too has joined the bangwagon and in its bid to save the girl child,has tied with Dr. Kiran Bedi’s Navjyoti India Foundation to promote Girl Child Welfare through their show,’Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo’. The show has already created waves across the country for showcasing a prevalent social evil in society – ‘selling the girl child in the midst of utter poverty to raise money for the rest of the family’. Addressing this very issue,the channel has taken a step further and joined hands with Dr Bedi’s foundation and started a campaign titled “Save Laali”.

“This is an initiative by Zee TV to help and encourage every ‘Laali’ who has been a victim of circumstances. This association between the channel and Navjyoti India is a mirror of our belief in being a socially conscious entertainment channel. Our alliance corroborates the channel’s belief that we can make a difference by showing relevant and socially aware TV content. We have placed donation boxes in about 100 outlets of Vishal Mega Mart. The money collected will be used to curb the evils against the girl child in the midst of utter poverty through Navjyoti India Foundation,” comments Nitin Vidya,COO Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. & Business Head,Zee TV. “I am a staunch supporter of any initiative that claims to help the girl child,especially since even today the evils meted against her exist,” adds Dr. Kiran Bedi,General Secretary,Navjyoti India Foundation. People can also make donations by sending an SMS to 57575.

As for Nanhi Kali which kicks off on April 13,the show Sabki Laadli Bebo will see kids from Project Nanhi Kali spending time with Bebo (Shivshakti) and Kuku Narang (Kanwaljeet). There will be a contest for viewers during the Laadli week on Star Plus from April 13 to 17,wherein they can send an SMS for their daughters by typing Bebo (message) to 57827. The best messages will be shown as a ticker on the show during the week,and the viewer that wins will get an opportunity to have his daughter featured Sabki Laadli Bebo.

Tune in!