TSA Trip

TSA stands for Technologists for Social Action. For the uninitiated, TSA is a group of people with an objective to give back to the society, in an attempt of mutual sustenance. It involves a range of activities from visiting Missionaries of Charity (MOC) homes to teaching the underprivileged secondary students (Sri Lankan Refugees).


MindTree happens to be a core participant of this group, the reason being that this initiative is in ideological synchronization with the organizational DNA. Social Responsibility is an essential component of the CLASS (Caring, Learning, Achieving, Sharing, and Social Responsibility) values, which are representative of the culture at MindTree.

This trip happens on the second Saturday of every month wherein the MindTree Minds and their families, friends, etc. dedicate a day of their precious weekend to the benefit of the society. Actually, anyone with a positive intent can join the trip irrespective of the organization one belongs to.

Inline with the theme mentioned, the trip started at about 9AM from the MindTree House III with a separate arrangements for the first timers and regular visitors. This bifurcation is done to educate the first timers on the objective of the trip and relevant information. I believe this is required too, to make participants understand the relevance of this initiative. Also, the first timers were also made to introduce each other in an innovative manner to break the ice and make participants comfortable with each other. As planned, the cabs reached the MOC Destitute Home at around 10 AM. A destitute home is a home for people, who are forced to sacrifice existing relationships due to the lack of love and affection, and set themselves free due to the lack of any loved ones to take care of them. It is a very disturbing scenario wherein one moves out of all family bonds and ties due to the pain one suffers being in it. The experience of visiting a destitute home is one that is unforgettable and very valuable. Each of the residents sees the visitors as their own loved one visiting them, loving them. It involves engaging with the residents, sharing time and energy with them, along with an initiative of serving lunch to them. This takes around one and a half hour and then we proceed towards the MOC Shishu Bhawan. This is a home for children and new born babies, who have been abandoned by parents and illegitimate couples due to reasons beyond the comprehension of a sensitive mind. It is poignant to feel that the children are not responsible for the fate assigned to them, it’s distressing and unfortunate. This is also an experience that has the potential to get the emotional self out of you and makes you wonder what the future of these kids are.... I just hope it’s good. We again spent around an hour with the children surrounded with varied thoughts. This was the last part of the trip, followed by the journey back to the MindTree House in a state of complete silence (Everyone was contemplating I believe).


I strongly feel that one should experience this unprivileged side of life, at least once. There are very few events that have very lasting impression on you, and this definitely has to be one of them. It opens you up to see the other side of things and suddenly the worries of your life start seeming to be so very insignificant. It does make me feel that one does not need a platform to perform socially; it’s just that you should have that intent. It also prevents misdirection in life and helps us realize that it is of utter importance that we avoid creation of destitutes in our vicinity. It is significant that we spread public awareness to make people realize the crime of abandoning a new born and children.

It is amazing to feel the potential of transformation one has, while visiting such organizations and homes regularly. Words are not sufficient to express the religiousness MOC attributes to each of these activities. It’s worth a mention that MOC has been doing a wonderful job with utmost sincerity and dedication. At least, the residents are in a much better state the counterparts straying on the streets. These are organizations that are close to divinity.

The mail seeking my participation read as "TSA is not about material involvement…It is about sharing their lives with us." I could not understand the implication of these set of words then, but now probably I know what the sender wanted to convey.