Sheriff in action, Indu Shahani busy with the helpline project.

Within two months of her appointment Mumbai’s sheriff Dr Indu Shahni has many aces up her sleeve. Her kitty of social-assessments is overflowing with various projects that she has kick-started within a short span of time. Right from launching a helpline for women to youth partnership for clean up Mumbai campaign, Dr Shahni seems to be all set to take up social causes.

Dr Shahani’s, who is the Principal of H R College of Commerce and Economics, initiated her chain of project with first one being a helpline (1298) for women in distress. She joined hands with 20 leading NGOs to provide support and counselling to the women facing sexual harassment and domestic violence. Recently, the service of the helpline has been extended to e-mails and now women in distress can e-mail on call1298@rediffmail.com and also sms ‘Help’ to 573333. Dr Shahni aims to strengthen the women helpline by recruiting more trained counsellors and social workers, who can follow-up the cases on individual levels. “I do not want to begin a project that comes and goes with passing Sheriff. And that is why we are putting in meticulous efforts to strengthen the helpline. For financial assistance I plan to get corporate funds, which will make this helpline a partnership between NGOs, corporate houses and prominent citizens.”

Dr Shahni, who has more than three decades of teaching experience on her side, is the first academician to be appointed as the Sheriff. She feels that Sheriff’s position has given her a bigger canvas to work with people. She elaborates, “Sheriff’s post given to a teacher is more of a tribute to the entire teaching fraternity across the country.”