‘I don’t seek absolute perfection anymore’

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Thursday , August 23, 2007 at 0042 hrs When you meet S Sandilya, chairman Eicher group for the first time, there are a couple of things that strike you at once. The first will be the complete absence of arrogance or “airs” as one would expect of a group chairman. It will only take you another look to figure that his eyes are taking in every detail and his brain is quickly analysing your words to come up with witty remarks. All are delivered with a gentle smile or hearty laughter as he gives answers to all that you ask. We meet him at the SOS Children's Villages of India's Faridabad premises. The not for profit organisation takes care of underprivileged children and has been operating in the country since 1964. Sandilya joined the organisation as its president in July this year taking over from Padmashree JN Kaul who stepped down after over 44 years of service. He is also the first president from outside the organsation. Always the professional, he says that he chose the organisation impressed with the systems it had put in place.

SOS takes in even two day old children and places them under the care of a mother who looks after around ten children at a time. She has a proper house where the children grow up with their siblings, are sent to premium and quality schools. The child is even married by the organisation. The children and mother relationship carries on after the child leaves the organisation. “Some children call the mothers to come and live with them and have even taken them abroad, while some children still come to the village to spend time and stay with their mothers for a few day. I am impressed by the absolute family system these people have been able to put in place. It is not an ad hoc effort but one that has been logically thought through and promises to give these children an opportunity to experience normal childhoods,” says Sandilya.