Dinesh in the UNDP: Madurai

As part of his volunteering in the Disaster Relief Management Projects of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Dinesh had the privilege of meeting and interacting with the top Civil Service officials of the Indian government and learning firsthand about disaster management in three districts of Tamilnadu, India. In this regard, he met the District Collectors of Madurai, Nagapattinam, and Trichy, for personal interviews with them. These are the officials of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the top people of the administration, and they were all gracious enough to interact with Dinesh and encourage the "UN Intern from Canada." Dinesh was able to gather a lot of information about preparedness, recovery and relief measures in the various districts, and has written a report that has been submitted to the UNDP, as well as the Commissioner of Revenue Administration (CRA), who is in charge of all the District Collectors and Revenue departments in the state of Tamilnadu.



Dinesh also addressed the officials of the nine line departments of the government, namely the Revenue Dept., the Police Dept., the Fire Dept., the Education Dept., the Public Works Dept., the Electricity Dept., the Medical and Public Health Dept., the Water Dept., and the Paramilitary Forces Department. He gave a speech on the role of children in disaster management and made recommendations as to how children could be involved in the disaster management process and not be considered merely as passive beneficiaries of aid in a disaster. Need I say he was very well-spoken and his ideas were well-received by the elite audience?!? Below are a few pictures that will tell it all!

Posing questions to Mr. Soundiah, IAS, District Collector of Trichy

The Collector listens seriously to Dinesh

Taking leave and thanking the Collector



With Mr. Muthu, Personal Assistant to the Collector of Trichy

Outside the Trichy Collectorate

Meeting at the Madurai Collectorate (With the District Collector Mr. Kamaraj, IAS,the Superintendent of Police, the State Project Officer (SPO) of the UNDP, and other officials of the line departments)

The Collector chairing the meeting

PowerPoint presentation on disasters in Madurai District

Past experiences with disasters

Dinesh getting ready with his speech

The kid among the elite officials of the administration

Dinesh confidently delivering his speech

The cynosure of all eyes

The SPO of the UNDP commenting on Dinesh's mission

Erect and alert!

A view of the audience

Yet another view of the audience

The Superintendent of Police congratulating Dinesh

Well, I suppose the pictures speak for themselves! We're really proud of the way Dinesh has conducted himself during the entire trip and the mature way he has carried himself and impressed one and all. I don't think there is any need to say anymore!!!