Expert Talk: Off the beaten track - Suja Warrier

Gandhiji's most famous quote is “Be the change you wish to see in the world”, but very few really imbibe it in letter and spirit. The March-2023 edition of Samajam's Expert Talk was

presented by Suja Warrier. An individual who has dedicated herself to serving her community through various volunteer efforts. From assisting with relief efforts in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami in Nagapattinam to helping destitute women in Vrindavan, Suja has demonstrated a deep commitment to making a positive impact in people's lives.

Suja shared her inspiring story of overcoming adversity to become a beacon of change in society. She spoke of how her involvement in social work began when she chose to volunteer in Nagapattinam, which was one of the areas worst affected by the tsunami in 2004. There, Suja engaged in ground-level volunteer work, including providing proper burials to the unclaimed dead and transporting their bodies by hand. She also relocated herself to the Indo-Bhutan border to establish trust among locals and provide ground-level relief to the tribal community there. What sets Suja apart is her willingness to start volunteering after the initial shock of a disaster subsides and the rebuilding of lives begins.

Suja also introduced the concept of "zero budget projects," which are entirely volunteer-driven initiatives that do not require any financial resources to support those in need. One such project that Suja spoke of involved providing support in kind to destitute widows in Vrindavan.

In addition to her work with disaster relief and community support, Suja also spoke about her role in the "Nation First" campaign for electoral roll registration while at Infosys in 2013. The campaign resulted in over 15,000 people directly enrolling as voters and increased awareness about voter registration.

Suja's efforts have not gone unnoticed, as she has received numerous accolades for her selfless work. Most notably, Suja was selected as one of the 101 impactful CSR leaders in the World CSR Congress in 2019.

An excellent storyteller, Suja kept the audience in rapt attention till the very end. The icing on the cake was the conclusion of the talk where Suja shared her personal story of how she adopted her child, leaving the audience choking.

Despite her hectic schedule as a Human Resources Manager at Infosys, Suja always carves out time to contribute to social causes outside of work. She encourages others to join her in her quest for giving back to society and is willing to guide anyone interested in volunteering. To get in touch with Suja Warrier please contact the executive committee of the Samajam.