Shillong, March 21 (Agency) Authorities of the Prison department in Meghalaya in coordination on Monday launched an initiative of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOC) to train 75 inmates of Shillong district prison in select sports. The “Parivartan-Prison to Pride” programme will facilitate training in Carrom Board and Volleyball to help improve the physical and mental well-being of prison inmates, especially during this pandemic period. This initiative coincides with Meghalaya’s 50th Statehood celebration and India’s 75th Independence Day being celebrated as Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. “The coaching camp will help to improve the physical and mental well-being of the prison inmates,” Mariahom Kharkrang, the Prison Chief of Meghalaya, said at the launching of the programme at Shillong district jail in presence of IOC Executive Director (IndianOil-AOD) G Ramesh.
“We will see that this initiative of the IOC will be carried forward to other prisons of the State. We will first start to train the inmates with Carrom and Volleyball. We won’t insist the inmates but we will make it as their choice of sports activities,” Kharkrang said. IndianOil will also provide the equipment and kits to the participants of the programme. “IndianOil has been leading a number of social stewardship programmes across the country. ‘Parivartan’ initiative aims to build confidence and improve the well-being of prison inmates through sports”, Ramesh said. “The programme is in sync with IndianOil’s core value of care and will complement our ongoing initiative of employing prison inmates and people who have completed their time in prison, as customer attendants at our fuel stations,” he said.