World's Frst Hospital On Rails

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New Delhi, October 2: Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, inaugurated Impact IndiaFoundation"s lifeline Express, world"s first hospital on rails. This Corporate Social Responsibility initiative was flagged off at Haldi Road railway station by Mr. Banshidhar Bhagat, Honourable Minister of Forests and Transport, Government of Uttarakhand, and Mr. Anjanikumar Choudhari, President, Farm Equipment Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra, on the occasion of the company"s 62nd anniversary.

M&M, the State Government of Uttarakhand and Impact India Foundation have come together to support this cause to eradicate avoidable disablement. The Lifeline Express will be stationed at Haldi Road station, Pantnagar till 24th October, 2007. This hospital on wheels consists of five railway coaches equipped with sophisticated medical and surgical facilities, as well as a training centre for doctors. It provides on-the-spot diagnostic, medical and surgical treatment completely free of charge.

The Lifeline Express will attend to the needy and economically disadvantaged people of Uttarakhand. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Banshidhar Bhagat, Honourable Minister of Forests and Transport, Government of Uttarakhand said, “Avoidable Disablement is a disease that can be substantially reduced. Over the years, we have seen a gradual decrease in the number of people afflicted with this disease and I hope we will be able to fully eradicate it. I am glad that Mahindra & Mahindra has come forward to bring the Lifeline Express to Uttarakhand. I am also thankful to the doctors participating in this initiative and to Impact India Foundation. I urge those afflicted with this disease to use this opportunity to receive treatment."

Mr. Anjanikumar Choudhari, President, Farm Equipment Sector, M&M, said, “Health is a major thrust areas of Mahindra"s CSR activities and I am hopeful that Mahindra"s initiative of bringing the Lifeline Express to Uttarakhand for the first time will enable a large number of patients to be cured of avoidable disablements. By sponsoring the Lifeline Express, Mahindra, in association with Impact India Foundation and the Govt. of Uttarakhand will be able to provide treatment to those who would otherwise not be able to avail of such services."

Avoidable Disablement, as the ailment is referred to, has been on the national agenda since decades and has been highlighted as an inexhaustible suffering among the inhabitants of rural India where medical services are scarce or nonexistent. Impact India Foundation commenced this rail hospital initiative for the first time in India in 1991. Mahindra & Mahindra is partnering the Foundation for the first time.

The Lifeline Express was commissioned on July 16, 1991. Till date, the train has completed 93 projects having medically served 4,00,000 people in the remote, rural interiors of India. This has been possible by the benevolence of 70,000 surgeons, paramedics, volunteers, who have 'donated" their services to bring accomplishment to this noble cause.

Read more about the noble activities of Mahindra Group in the next page.

The US .5 billion Mahindra Group is among the top 10 industrial houses in India. Mahindra & Mahindra is the only Indian company among the top three tractor manufacturers in the world and is the market leader in multi-utility vehicles in India. The Group has a leading presence in key sectors of the Indian economy, including trade and financial services (Mahindra Intertrade, Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Ltd.), automotive components, information technology & telecom (Tech Mahindra, Bristlecone), and infrastructure development (Mahindra GESCO, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd., Mahindra World City).

With over 60 years of manufacturing experience, the Mahindra Group has built a strong base in technology, engineering, marketing and distribution which are key in its evolution as a customer-centric organization. The Group employs over 40,000 people and has several state-of-the-art facilities in India and overseas. The Mahindra Group has ambitious global aspirations and has a presence in five continents.

Mahindra products are today available in every continent except Antarctica. M&M has one tractor manufacturing plant in China, three assembly plants in the United States and one at Brisbane, Australia. It has made strategic acquisitions across the globe including Stokes Forgings (UK), Jeco Holding AG (Germany) and Schoneweiss & Co GmbH (Germany). Its global subsidiaries include Mahindra Europe Srl. based in Italy, Mahindra USA Inc. and Mahindra South Africa.

M&M has entered into partnerships with international companies like Renault SA, France, and International Truck and Engine Corporation, USA. The Group recently made a milestone entry into the passenger car segment with Logan, a product of its JV with Renault SA. Forbes has ranked the Mahindra Group in its Top 200 list of the World"s Most Reputable Companies and in the Top 10 list of Most Reputable Indian companies. Mahindra has recently been honoured with the Bombay Chamber Good Corporate Citizen Award for 2006-07.