Corporate Lawyer treks to advance the cause of marginalized people in Chhattisgarh

Somasekhar Sundaresan, a corporate lawyer with J. Sagar Associates is attempting to summit Sudarshan Parbat (6507 metres above sea level) in the Indian Himalayas between May 20 to June 11 of this year to raise funds for Oxfam India’s health care efforts in Chhattisgarh..Somasekhar Sundaresan (pictured), a corporate lawyer with J. Sagar Associates is attempting to summit Sudarshan Parbat (6507 metres above sea level) in the Indian Himalayas between May 20 to June 11 of this year to raise funds for Oxfam India’s health care efforts in Chhattisgarh..The expedition is expected to stretch over three weeks, and will see a team of five trekkers start at Gangotri, walking past Gaumukh, the source of the Ganges, up into the Himalayas, in an attempt to scale the high-altitude peak of Sudarshan Parbat..Speaking to Bar & Bench, Somasekhar said, “In last few years I have been using my annual trekking vacation as a fund raising opportunity for education NGO. This year in particular I was very keen to do something to support work being done at the grassroots, to address issues that lie at the root of the cause of unrest in some parts of India such as Chhattisgarh. It is against this backdrop that I was delighted to recently discover that a credible organisation like Oxfam was supporting an NGO working in the area of public health in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh – the Jan Swathya Sahyog. This is an area which is not thought through by people in our circle. So I thought this is a good opportunity to use this to create awareness and raise money for this cause”..Oxfam India through its Essential Services program focuses on helping people access health care..Chhattisgarh is one of the focus states where since October 2002, Oxfam India through one of its partners, Jan Swasthya Sahyog, a NGO that works towards providing primary health care for rural women and nutrition to children between 3 to 6 years..Chhattisgarh is one of the worst affected states in India with large-scale under-development of the predominantly tribal population of the state including poor health care. It is a vicious cycle of underdevelopment, marked by total absence of income generating activity, ignorance and security-related problems that have led to lack of health care programmes. This problem calls for a quick solution..“Oxfam India is really pleased at the initiative of Somasekhar Sundaresan to raise awareness and support for the people of Chhattisgarh. Given the scale of our problems, we need many more people like him who can engage actively to solve our country’s problems” says Nisha Agrawal, CEO, Oxfam India..Somasekhar while talking about the trek said, “This year’s climb can be challenging. I hope that taking meditative steps on the Himalayas, conscious that each step could serve a larger purpose of reaching healthcare to the malnourished and the rural poor, will alleviate the physical hardship that the climb poses. Come, participate in this journey by making your own contribution to making a difference to the lives of the poor in Chhattisgarh”..We all can be part of this brilliant initiative. For details and donations please click here.