In Memory of his beloved daughter Spandana Eda

By T Usha Giri

Dr Samuel Reddy Eda lost his only daughter Spandana, an MBA graduate who just turned 25 and committed suicide in a fit of emotion over two years ago on January 2, 2020. May 22 is Spandana’s Birthday.

Like any other father, he too was devastated by the tragedy. But, like only a few brave, he quickly realized his call of duty and resolved that no youngster should resort to the same step that his daughter took and that no parent should suffer like him and his wife, Nirmala.

As a result came Spandana Eda International Foundation (SEIF) within days of his daughter’s demise. Starting with only a few close friends of Dr Samuel Reddy, now this SEIF is a movement, as hundreds of volunteers working for it and thousands of students and youth attending its programmes in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Samuel Reddy is committed to spread it all over India. 

And what? In these two years, his efforts saved as many as 250 persons from the brink of suicides. Here is a quick take on SEIF.

A Journey, a mission:

Spandana Eda International Foundation, an NGO is working day and night dealing with its callers, for a great cause to save lives to build a suicide free India, it is the moral responsibility of every individual to save human life. It strongly believes in its vision & mission to be successful in achieving suicide free India.

Dr. Samuel Reddy and his family can never fill the loss, may God give them energy, the painful father with great struggles in his life has taken responsibility to serve the youth, to transform their thinking process as he strongly believes thoughts produces words and words produces actions, his vision to transform minds into positive actions to build a society of human values.

SEIF organized 130 events of awareness in two years. Which could reach all districts of Andhra Pradesh and in Hyderabad, connecting people from fifteen profession is it is an honor to have 300 volunteers working

Spandanafor 24 hrs. and 3,000 coordinators and has support of lakh of people appreciating the work of spandana Eda International foundation.

SEIF could save nearly 250 persons from its awareness programmes and through interviews of Dr. Samuel Reddy it reached nearly to more than 10.5 lakh viewers in one year and few might be saved. 

A  few events in 2 years

“Life is precious, Value it” – completed more than 100 virtual sessions inviting guests from various professions & motivational speakers it could reach lakh of viewers uploading it into its YouTube channel spanadanedainternationalfoundation and it has motivational songs, which are heart touching.

1. 8 Elements of Wellness – for degree students virtual program presented by eight great motivational speakers from different professions IAS, Doctors Educationists & Psychologist.
2. SPEAK (Suicide Prevention Education Awareness and Knowledge) – An Intellectual Summit more than fifty speakers from more than fifteen professional’s participated, Honorable Governor Sri Bandaru Dathatreya, Haryana connected on zoom to inaugurate the physical programme
3. World Suicide Prevention Day (Massive action in 13 Districts of A.P and Hyderabad in Telangana) – A remarkable event it is a history to bring awareness on suicide prevention, physical programme at 14 connecting to fourteen venues of degree colleges through zoom.
4. TREAT (Teens Responsibility Enrichment and Attitude Training) – To develop Positive attitudes in the Teens with six eminent speakers virtually.
5. TREND (Teacher’s Relationship in Education for Nation Development) -involving teachers in nation building. Nearly, 1,200 teachers of all districts of AP and Hyderabad were felicitated. Teachers have come voluntarily to support SEIF.
6. International Volunteers Day -Laudable acts being Recognized & felicitated 250 volunteers
7. SEED (Spandana Education and Enrichment Deed)-To enhance skills in High School Students to reach out all schools in AP & Telangana continuously for six generation’s
8. PRISE (Psychologist Role and Initiative step in Success Education) – For Psychologists, Psychoanalysts, and other therapists 250 delegates attend.
9. PRIDE (Parent’s Responsibility in Delivering Excellence) – For the art of Parenting 3 great guest speakers an IAS officer, an eminent author & a retd. Educationalist, couples attended it.
10. Women’s Wing – Overcoming all kinds of barriers as a woman, celebrated womens day honouring NARI spandana awards to 1oo women who stand unique.
11. Self Defence-Fostering confidence levels in Girls.

As an experienced trainer of personality development at his business meets, Dr Samuel Reddy developed a simple, practical strategy that helps the students to grow multidimensional, to groom up with positive personality, and mould, oneself to the core aspects of life – Patience, Practice & Perseverance to maintain resilience.

In past 2 years. Dr Samuel Reddy and his team working rigorously to identify the root causes for suicidal tendencies and the various factors which triggered it e.g., Breakup of relations, poverty, academic failure & love failure etc.

139,123 Indians committed suicide in 2019 and the national suicide rate was 10.4 (calculated per lakh of population).

Statistics.

According to data love affairs it is standing high at 4.5  per cent.

Depression is a common mental disorder with over 280 million people of all ages, an estimated 3.8 per cent of the population suffering from it globally, as per the World Health Organization (WHO). It is expected that in the next ten years, depression will put more burden on nations than any other disease, as per WHO.

If we narrow down the focus to India, the last and the latest study available is “The Burden of Mental Disorders across the States of India: The Global Burden of Disease Study 1990 – 2017” which was published in The Lancet Psychiatry on December 20, 2019. As per the said study, in 2017, 197.3 million people were suffering from various mental disorders in India that is one in seven or 14.3 per cent of the population.

To defeat depression SEIF designed various plans for future, the research team counselled many students and observed that most of them were lacking motivation. Guidance & skills, along with student awareness programmes, Dr. Samuel Reddy planned to support the society with a psychological research center & Wellness center. For research, counselling, and healing under one roof. The project is the first kind in south India.

Estimated project cost is around 25 crore. Which will be dedicated to the society, memberships & contributing are welcomed, for details kindly visit our website spandanaedaeif.com

Wellness center provides, all wellness aspects under one roof yoga, meditation, music, dance therapy with beautiful surrounding of greenery with greater positive vibrations, one can attend the sessions and workshops for spreading the human values to live the gift of life complete with kindness, peace, and love.

Creating a Healthy Nation.

The overall awareness gives a well-set trait for your unnecessary fears’ and increase the power of decision making which strengthen the power of positive thoughts for prosperity of Human living, for much better life in the world with full of joy and Happiness in the society.

(T Usha Giri is a Hyderabad based psychologist & Freelance trainer and is a Coordinator of  Spandana Eda International Foundation)