The beat goes on...

Amala Akkineni is the founder-member, and secretary at the Blue Cross, Hyderabad

IT has been almost eight years since Blue Cross has made its presence felt in Hyderabad, and over a year and a half since we began the construction of the place we are today, and when I see my attempts come to fruition, I am overwhelmed with satisfaction. Being relatively well known in the city due to my association with filmdom proved an advantage when the idea of Blue Cross was born. This helped me tremendously as I was able to generate the necessary funds to turn my dream into a reality. I suppose if I had not been so well - known, I may have had a problem achieving this.

The tragedy in India is the fact that concern for animals is looked upon as an eccentricity rather than a virtue. Abroad this is not the case. Careers in animal welfare abroad are rewarding both in terms of money and satisfaction. In India we have satisfaction, certainly; rarely do we have adequate remuneration. One of my fondest memories is donning overalls to paint the building, and spending the entire evening getting the paint out of my hair! When I see the projects that I have undertaken being appreciated, it gives me a feeling of achievement. When we release wild animals back to the wilderness they came from, it is a joy to see them blending in with their natural surroundings. In the same way it is a delight when we see the pets at Blue Cross being adopted by other families, eager to let love into their houses.

Taking on the responsibilities of a pet is something that people do quite often, but many find that looking after their pets is more than they can handle. It is pathetic to see people who are so uncaring as to discard the pets that have given so much to them. The cruelty of this behaviour is underlined only when such people abandon their old relatives, an action objectionable to Society. I feel there is no difference in either act as they both are unpardonable.

At times we are amidst raging controversies, and at that point of time what matters to me is the making the people aware of the validity and importance of the project, I feel that reacting to media hyperbole is not really something I can easily do. I often wonder why the focus of the attention is not the issue rather than digressions that are neither true nor accurate. It's sad that people get away by promising something they do not keep to. A major part of our effort goes into convincing people about what we are doing, and raising funds, donations, and grants, and I am happy to say that people are generous with their time and money.

In the end, the most satisfying feeling is that I have made a difference...and tomorrow if I am gone, I know that the beat goes on.

Amala Akkineni as told to Pratibha Gadhalay