`We thought of helping the centre since they appealed to British Airways for aid, considering my keen interest in helping children,'' says Steel.Steel lost over 50 pounds in his latest weight loss programme. With every shot at losing weight, he found a connection with helping the needy.In 1996, he promised to lose 42 pounds between March 1 and August 31. It was for the first time he sought thehelp of British Airways employees and his friends spread globally, in sponsoring his weight loss. Six months hence, he had lost 44 pounds, two more than he had pledged, supported by 500 people from 23 countries. His well wishers collected Rs 11.93 lakh to help the Mumbai-based Indian Council of Mental Health, a project supported by Child Relief and You (CRY) engaged in helping children with mental illnesses through counselling centres and child guidance clinics.

The handsome amount helped the council add another floor at their school for hearing impaired children at Nerul, in Navi Mumbai. Aimed at making the hearing impaired and mute kids self reliant, the school prepares them to join a mainstream educational institution as soon as possible. ``We raised Rs 12 lakh through the project. It was the result of a `Breakthrough' programme held for all our South Asia managers, where each of us was required to commit to a breakthrough-this was mine,'' recalls Steel.

The multi-lingual aviation manager found himselfagain grappling with his obesity, two years hence, in August 1998. This time he made an announcement at Dhaka to lose 50 pounds again in six months. The beneficiaries now were children from an orphanage started by a British Airways stewardess at Sreepur, Bangladesh. ``Right through the six months of my weight loss programme, I approached potential donors which included our staff in India as well as across the globe; our business partners and my own friends and relatives. They were initially required to pledge a donation. Once I completed my weight loss, the money came in a kitty,'' says Steel.

How difficult or easy was it to motivate donors to pitch in for a cause as unconventional as a weight loss programme?

``I wouldn't say it was difficult. It was just a question of producing a note and a pledge form and ensuring it reaches the appropriate people. Pledges then kept coming in,'' he avers.

With a new posting in London, Steel's hometown, does he intend to keep in touch with charity efforts inIndia?

``Our Community Relations Programme is not only a corporate goal but one that is very close to my heart. I will certainly continue to do whatever I can for underprivileged children in India and across the British Airways network,'' he promises.