A wedding reception with a difference

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 14

Making a charitable start to their married life, newly-weds Karan and Harleen have donated ‘shagun’ of over Rs 5 lakh to the Chandigarh-based Umeed, an NGO, involved in the welfare of special children.

In fact, it was a wedding reception with a difference for Karan and Harleen at a resort on Chandigarh’s periphery last night with Karan’s parents, Suresh Sharma and Samidha Sharma, politely guiding the guests eager to give ‘shagun’ to a counter set up by Umeed.

Umeed volunteers accounted for each envelope containing cash even as curious guests took photos and selfies with the banner put up at the entrance, which reads: “Whosoever wishes to give shagun may please hand it over at the Umeed counter. Thank you very much for your wishes and gracing the occasion.”

Suresh Sharma told The Tribune that the idea of donating the ‘shagun’ money for the noble cause was a collective decision of the family as they wanted to do something different for society on the auspicious occasion of their son’s marriage. “It is our humble effort to sensitise society to do something for the underprivileged sections on auspicious occasions such as marriages,” Sharma, who, as the CMD of the Allengers Medical Systems Limited, is the brain behind Allengers Care Foundation, engaged in several charitable initiatives in Chandigarh.

Dr BS Chavan, Director-Principal of Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh, who was one of the guests at the reception, said the unique gesture of donating ‘shagun’ money to the non-government organisation (NGO) committed to the welfare of the special children would send a right signal to society to come forward for noble ventures.

Umeed is a joint venture of the Government Institute of Mentally Retarded Children (GIMRC), Chandigarh, and parents of the special children. It runs a chain of food outlets across Chandigarh in which special children are employed after vocational training.