The Hindu Business Line : Industrialists lay stress on quality education

Dr K. Anji Reddy (right), Chairman, Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Mr K. Vijay Kumar (left), Additional DGP, Tamil Nadu, and Mr L. Lakshman, Chairman, Rane Group, engaged in discussion after the inaugural session of the two-day national conference on `Linking, Learning and Livelihoods' in a Hyderabad on Thursday. - A. Roy Chowdhury

Hyderabad , Dec. 16

THE need for high quality `purposeful' education over mere literacy rates was highlighted at the inaugural session of the two-day national conference on `Linking Learning & Livelihoods in the New Economy: Ideas, Innovations, Solutions' here on Thursday.

The conference was organised by Dr Reddy's Foundation in collaboration with QUEST programme of USAID and the PESLE programme sponsored by the European Commission.

Maintaining that the manufacturing industry would inevitably grow, service sector continues its robust growth, and agriculture sector demand new knowledge and skills, the speakers highlighted the need for a well-educated and trained workforce.

Speaking at the inaugural session, Mr Lakshman, Chairman, Rane Group, said the next few decades would belong to China and India and in the medium and long-term, India would be a better bet than China.

This was predicated on the basis of the linguistic and cultural proximity to the West besides better quality institutional infrastructure and, of course, several decades of private sector led business practices in India.

Mr Lakshman stressed the need for redefining the role of industry and professional bodies and their investment plans for workforce education.

Analysing the causes of criminality in the society, Mr K. Vijay Kumar, Additional DGP, Tamil Nadu, stressed the need to keep the adolescent away from crime by providing them with adequate opportunities for better livelihood. In this connection, he cited the example of `Boys Clubs' currently being run in Tamil Nadu by the State Police in co-operation with the State Government, corporates and NGOs.

Apparently overwhelmed on the success of Livelihood Advancement Business School (LABS), the flagship programme of Dr Reddy's Foundation, Dr Anji Reddy, Chairman of Dr Reddy's Laboratories, said the LABS programme has not only spread over nine States within the country now, but has also expanded to Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

It is soon expected to reach out to China, the US, and UK. Having covered nearly one lakh livelihoods so far, the foundation hopes to touch one million by the decade-end, Dr Reddy said.

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