HelpAge India onboards Sharmila Tagore as honorary brand ambassador, launches #GenerationsTogether Campaign to Build a More Inclusive Society

New Delhi : Today on International day of Older Persons (IDOP) HelpAge India announced the onboarding of Ms. Sharmila Tagore, renowned actor and Padma Bhushan awardee, as its Honorary Brand Ambassador. As ambassador, she launched the nationwide campaign by HelpAge titled #GenerationsTogether along with ‘Young Champions for the Elder Cause,’ involving school children & youth. The campaign aims to strengthen intergenerational ties and foster an age-inclusive society.

The theme of the day was ‘Towards a Society for all Ages: Unlocking Opportunities’ under which insightful panel discussions took place on ‘Unlocking Opportunities When Generations Come Together’ and ‘Unlocking Opportunities Through Partnerships’ which involved stakeholders from various sectors such as educational institutions, private sector, media along with representations from youth and the elderly. It was held in the presence of senior citizens, schoolchildren, youth and volunteers.

Expressing her enthusiasm and commitment as the Honorary Brand Ambassador Ms. Sharmila Tagore said, “I am now at that stage in my life, where I am choosing my work, doing what resonates with me. I am committed to my role as HelpAge India’s brand ambassador, and hope that I can help make a difference and be the voice that amplifies elder concerns, raises awareness and urges people to come forward more strongly to support this cause, as we all are getting there. Today’s theme ‘Towards a Society for all Ages’ is exactly what is needed, but there has to be a systemic change, which means all stakeholders must play their part, whether it be civil society, educational institutions, corporates, philanthropists, public sector, policy makers, the youth and us as well.”

There are an estimated 140 million elderly in India today and a population of 500 million below the age of 20 years. The current life expectancy at birth is 71 years, and at age 60, it rises to 78 years. As life expectancy increases, people of a wider range of age groups are co-existing for longer periods, making strong inter-generational relations crucial for achieving an inclusive and age friendly society.

HelpAge India’s 2022 ‘Bridge the Gap: Understanding Elder Needs’ revealed that 79% of the elders felt that their family does not spend enough time with them. 40% elders want to ‘learn new things’ to feel included and be a part of society and 59% want their family members to spend more time with them. The gap between generations is evident and India faces a unique challenge that requires collective action.

“The #GenerationsTogether campaign aims to encourage interaction between generations, facilitating conversations, connections and collaborations, so we can help create a more age sensitive society. As we celebrate the International Day of Older Persons, we must reflect on the need for stronger intergenerational ties for building a cohesive society where young people can learn valuable life lessons from the elderly and the elderly learn as well from the young, for instance in keeping abreast with the ever-changing digital world. Therefore, the theme ‘Towards a Society for All Ages’ is more relevant than ever. We look forward to the opening up of new opportunities and working with various stakeholders to create a more enabling environment for elders and a more compassionate age inclusive society,” said Mr. Rohit Prasad, CEO, HelpAge India.

The campaign targeted at middle & high school children (from classes 6 to 12) also aims to encourage mutual respect across different both age groups while addressing issues like elder isolation, loneliness, and neglect. It will work towards creating opportunities where seniors & children come together, to actively participate in community programs, share their experiences, skills and knowledge with each other, addressing the generational gap. It will have broadly three elements such as Contests where children will be encouraged to participate in theme related activities such as essays, creating reels, photography etc, Workshops & Platforms which provide intergenerational learning opportunities, through digital literacy, storytelling sessions, talent sharing etc, and Celebrations across ages, that create opportunities for children and elderly to come together and celebrate festivals and mark days with each other, encouraging deeper interaction between both generations..

Emphasizing on the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships in his opening remarks, Mr. Kiran Karnik, Chairperson, HelpAge India said, “The development of multi-stakeholder partnerships is key to mainstreaming ageing. As in other sectors, ageing too involves a whole host of players: many Ministries withing Central and State governments, and local bodies. Their close collaboration with academia, public & private sector, philanthropic organizations, volunteer groups and others, is the need of the hour, as is the need for a holistic view. With an elder population of 140 million, which will balloon to more than 300 million by 2050, we need to rethink our health, social security, re-skilling, and employment policies. Government at all levels now have many policies and programmes to include concerns of older persons. The recent announcement of inclusion of the 70+ in PMJAY, as also an increase in social pension amounts by many state governments, are welcome, but we have a long way to go. In this, a multistakeholder approach, with the collaboration and active participation of all, is vital. As HelpAge seeks to work with all stakeholders, we are delighted and honored to have the help of Ms. Sharmila Tagore as our Honorary Brand Ambassador. With this, and on-going effort by the HelpAge team, I am confident our mission to build an inclusive, age-friendly society will gain momentum and the elder cause amplified.”

The day culminated with a cultural performance by senior citizens who showcased that age is no barrier when it comes to fulfilling your dreams.