'Pranab Mukherjee Foundation' to help improve quality of life of people launched

A foundation named after former president Pranab Mukherjee that will initiate, support and execute projects aimed at improving the quality of life of people was launched today.

The foundation was launched at a function at the former president's official residence where Mukherjee and Tata Group patriarch Ratan Tata jointly inaugurated its operations.

Sharing details of the "Pranab Mukherjee Foundation", its Director Omita Paul said that the organisation will initiate, support and execute projects that will improve the quality of life in rural, semi-urban and urban areas.

It will also undertake research and consultancy projects to strengthen India's Constitution, Paul said.

The foundation will work to find the "lasting solutions" to the challenges being faced by communities in India.

Mukherjee, in his remarks, called for preservation of papers related to those who devoted decades in public life.

Such papers and collections, apart from having individual value, also have a historic value as they help in understanding the time and situation in which those people served in, Mukherjee said.

He also said that certain memorials have been made but papers related to Prime Ministers and Presidents have not been properly maintained as is done in many other countries.

Appreciating Mukherjee for his role in the public life which spanned for over five decades, Tata said Mukherjee rose from humble beginnings to become 13th President of India.

"He has always encouraged and supported the initiatives which serve the interests of the down trodden and under privileged and I hope this foundation will give him the opportunity of continuing his work in this area. I wish this foundation all success," Tata said.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra and BJP veteran L K Advani were also present at the event.