In a unique heartwarming gesture, a subsidiary of Indian Railways making train coaches has honoured its entire 12,000-strong workforce- irrespective of their ranks and profiles — through a unique family-tree on its premises.
The one-of-its-kind initiative, undertaken by the Chennai-based Integral Coach Factory (ICF), is drawing much applause and serving as a great "morale booster" for the staff which is on its way to develop new sets of various models of train coaches like Anubhuti, Humsafar and Tejas besides the most-awaited Train Set 2018.
The metallic 'ICF Family Tree', with images of all its employees either adoring the branches or pasted on the administrative building's walls serving as the backdrop of the tree, is now the most-visited corner of the ICF.
The brainchild of the incumbent ICF General Manager Sudarshan Mani, the Family Tree -resembling a huge banyan tree spread across a 10x15sqft room-is the first such initiative by an Indian company, private or public, Railway officials pointed out.
The ICF administrative building in Perambur also exhibits a heritage gallery highlighting over six decades of history of this unit.
"This is perhaps a unique and rare tribute to honour the entire employees and staff of a production unit. It has all the staff without any positioning of the hierarchy of the factory. So far, we have only come across the succession list of top officials but I am glad and I appreciate the good work by ICF," said Chairman Railway Board Ashwani lohani, who visited the ICF last week.
lohani, who himself took into restoration of heritage sites of railways and its class steam engines, appreciated Mani for remodeling the ICF ambience. He said that such officers take pleasure in giving back to the society and culture with innovations even while working for the organization.
Talking about his idea and vision to beautify the ICF colony alongwith strengthening the rail's production unit, Mani said he believes that the ICF Family Tree could be the first time that such a tribute has been showered on employees by an organization.
Mani, an art connoisseur, also has some others aces up his sleeves. He is well-read, has authored a couple of books on art, created a heritage gallery, got the Chennai Rail Museum renovated a restored a huge lake belonging to the Southern Railway.
During his tenure at the Rail Wheel Factory, Bengaluru, he developed an art gallery which has now taken the shape of a book. He started an Art Movement titled Rs Safar' way back in 2011 and which is being emulated all over Indian Railways' network now. He has authored two titles- Art and Railways, A Banaglore Saga and Reinventing the wheel, Another Bangalore Saga.
The ICF heritage gallery exhibits the visit of luminaries like Jawaharlal Nehru, the Dalai lama, Queen Elizabeth and the milestones of ICF.
In another gesture, Mani has directed that all the new inaugurations at ICF have to be done by its employees. Mani is an officer of the Indian Railways Service of Mechanical Engineers and has served in important positions within Indian Railways system.