As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, HAL, Helicopter Division handed over a colour Television set, blankets, mattresses and bed spreads to the residents of Gandhi Home for the Aged, Channarayapatna, on Thursday. General Manager, Helicopter Division, Sri M S Srinath handed over the items to the residents of the Old Age Home at a simple function held at the premises of the Old Age Home, B N Road. Sri M S Srinath handed over a LCD TV Set, 25 mattresses, 25 blankets and 25 bed spreads. .

Speaking on the occasion, Sri Srinath said that “HAL has 19 production units and 9 R &D Centres spread across all over India. HAL has the expertise on a diverse range of military and civil aircraft, providing self reliance to India’s aerospace capabilities. HAL, Helicopter Division was established in the year 1974 and has produced more than 600 Cheetah, Chetak helicopters. The Division is also credited with manufacturing more than 100 Advance Light Helicopters (ALH)-Dhruv”. Stating that, “the Company’s Order Book position is strong, he said the work on producing 159 Advanced Light Helicopters to be handed over to Indian Army is in full swing in Helicopter Division. The Company is also focusing on producing Weapon System Integrated (WSI) ALH to be handed over to the services and the work in this regard was at different stages”.

Further, he informed that “HAL had handed over 7 ALHs to Border Security Force (BSF), which is being used for the anti naxalite operations. Thanks to ALH, thousands of lives in the Naxal affected areas have been saved”.

As part of its overseas commitments, he said “HAL had successfully handed over ALH’s to Ecuador, Mauritius and Maldives”. Chief Manager (HR), HAL, Helicopter Division, Sri K Chandrakanth, Second Vice President, HAL SCT/ST Association Sri A Subramani, Assistant Secretary, HAL SC/ST Association, Sri T Kabilan, General Secretary, Vidyaranya Education and Development Society Sri M C Ramesh and others were present on the occasion.

Other CSR initiatives

As part of its ongoing other CSR initiatives, HAL, Helicopter Division is in the process of digging bore-wells, constructing toilets, in the needy schools of Gauribidanur taluk and Kolar district. Providing Computers and Projectors to the needy government schools are other activities for the year 2011-12. Helicopter Division in association with B W Lions Hospital has also conducted a free eye camp for the needy at Kollegal town of Chamarajanagar district recently. More than 100 people were screened during the camp, out of which 45 were operated upon.