CHENNAI: Starting September 28, do not be surprised if you step into a State Bank of India ATM and find the machine asking you, “What good deed have you planned to do today?” As part of the Joy of Giving celebrations, SBI ATMs all over India will not have the usual sunflower, but will carry the orange logo of the celebrations.At a press meet organised to kick-start the events, J Chandrasekaran, Chief General Manager of SBI Chennai circle, said, “This message will reach seven crore people. If each of them do a good deed, our world will be a much better place.”This message was echoed by Meenakshi Ramesh, a volunteer, who said that each small deed was a way of giving back to society. Many NGOs and business houses have joined the initiative. Oriental Cuisines and the Centre for Social Initiative and Management have organised a series of events in Chennai, entitled Cooking for a Cause. These food-related events include making of a 100-metre eggless photo cake, which will celebrate 75 years of Tamil cinema.“Starting from 'Pattinathaaru' in 1936, to 'Mankaatha', the photos will be complied by Film News Anandan and director Jayendran. The photos will be printed on edible paper and with edible ink,” said Boopesh Pichaimani, a French Loaf bakery chef.The cake is set to weigh around 1,000kgs and each kilo will cost Rs 1,500. This cake will be on display on October 6 at Express Avenue Mall. It also aims to be the longest cake in its category.Battle of the Buffet, a charity dinner to be held at the Chennai Trade Centre on October 9, hopes to raise funds for over 100 NGOs in Chennai. M Mahadevan, chairman, Oriental Cuisines, says, “It is very difficult to convince people that it is not the food they are paying for, but for the cause.” Each plate is priced at Rs 5,000, and many corporates have booked tables worth `1 lakh, as their contribution for the cause. SP Balasubramaniam will perform at the dinner, which will be hosted by Suhasini Maniratnam. A T-shirt signed by Rajinikanth and saris worn my many heroines will be auctioned.Noted classical singer and founder of Samudhaaya Foundation, Sudha Ragunathan, will perform for the inmates of various charitable institutions and five Corporation schools. Closely associated with the Joy of Giving Week since its first edition in 2009, Samudhaaya is also planning Sahaay, a fundraiser. This will raise funds for the treatment of children suffering from cancer at Ramachandra Medical College Hospital, and for Prema Vaasam, an NGO for the mentally challenged.Besides these, numerous small events have been organised. Nina Reddy, Executive Director of Savera Hotel was also present at the press conference.
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