Sikkim Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya honours senior citizens at World Elder Abuse Awareness Day event

Sikkim Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya extended a warm welcome to 40 seniors during the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day program organized by the Hemant Yadav Foundation. This annual event, observed globally on June 15th, underscores the critical issue of elder abuse—a pervasive problem affecting millions of older adults worldwide.

Elder Abuse Awareness Day aims to shed light on various forms of elder abuse, including physical, emotional, financial, and neglect. The day is dedicated to raising awareness, mobilizing communities, and inspiring actions to protect seniors from harm. Physical abuse involves inflicting pain or injury, emotional abuse causes mental distress, financial abuse exploits an elder's resources, and neglect occurs when caregivers fail to meet basic needs, leading to severe health and safety issues.

The event, held in collaboration with NSS Sikkim University and Nar Bahadur Bhandari Government College, took place at the college's auditorium. Governor Acharya honored 40 individuals aged 65 and above from diverse fields such as agriculture, service, astrology, social service, medical, engineering, and sanitation. Each honoree was presented with an Angavastram as a token of respect.

In his address, Governor Acharya emphasized the inevitability of aging and the importance of fostering moral values within families to instill respect for elders. He called upon the youth to actively address the challenges faced by the elderly. Professor Snehalata Jaswal, the keynote speaker, highlighted the issues and solutions related to elder care, while Dr. Hemant Yadav, the program's organizing secretary, stressed the need for ongoing efforts and the involvement of social institutions. He pointed out the paradox of social media's influence, leading to increased antisocial behavior on a personal level.

Distinguished attendees included Deputy Mayor of Gangtok Municipal Corporation Ms. Tshering Palden Bhutia, Padma Shri Khandu Wangchuk Bhutia, Dr. V.K. Prasad, Vice President of Samlik-Marchek Shri Bhaskar Bhattarai, Major Sandeep Mishra, Dr. Shyam Narayan, Satya Devi Adhikari, Ex-Panchayat President Buddhiman Rai, and Retired Deputy Director of the Animal Husbandry Department Mr. Kalu Singh Rai. The event also saw participation from retired officials, volunteers from the National Service Scheme, students from Nar Bahadur Bhandari Government College, and NCC cadets.

Dr. Anju Verma conducted the program, which began with a welcome address by Dr. D. Purohit and concluded with a vote of thanks from Dr. Hemant Yadav. The event highlighted the importance of respecting and protecting the elderly, reinforcing the need for societal vigilance and proactive measures against elder abuse.