The catchy phrase from the cricket lingo ‘Second Innings’ got an entirely different meaning when an ambitious student- teacher duo from The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara launched a website called ‘Second Innings’ exclusively for the very hardworking and sincere crop of the elderlies for whom retirement did not mean an end to working and taking up responsibilities.
Being founded by Dr. Avani Maniar & Shivani Mehta, the now well- established website started out as a college project. Besides being the ‘first-of-its-kind’, it has also been well- received by the senior citizens and has already gained the ‘umero uno’ position among the competitors in the market.
The object with which the website was launched was rather social in nature. As Shivani puts it, “The objective behind launching this website was unique as it was to contribute towards developing a healthy ageing society and helping elderly citizens to involve in community related activities.”
It was her masters studies that enabled the development of the website which now successfully caters to the fulfillment of the needs of the elderly citizens of the country, recounts Shivani, who holds a Masters degree from the Faculty of Family and Community Sciences.
A vivid characteristic of ‘Second Innings’ is the fact that it has been developed in a simple-to-use and extremely user-friendly manner. It enables the users to access the website with ease and provides a common platform for the employers and employees. It is just a matter of registering with the site and uploading your profile which includes your personal and professional details. This ensures establishment of a healthy network of the to- be employers and employees.
Within a limited timespan of approximately three years, the website has to its credit a userbase of 400 registered senior citizens. Apart from its core offering of providing jobs, the website also incorporates forums for interactions, messages, networking and other resources.
Dr. Maniar recollects that the most important aspect at the time of execution of the idea was to identify the elderly citizens who were interested in working even after retirement. This was taken care of by preparing a questionnaire and distributing them among the elderly citizens of Baroda who were interested in working after their retirement in order to collect their personal and professional details (Biodatas).
The idea finally saw the light of day with the website being developed with the help of Larsen and Toubro Limited (L&T) and registered with the help of T.V.S Central.
The biggest achievement in her endeavour, according to Shivani, is the over-whelming response from the elderly citizens and the accomplishment of their goals with Second Innings playing the mediator.
There is no end to the dedication and enthusiasm of this bubbling duo when it comes to creating a self-dependent, hardworking and a content Indian society.
Way to go, Second Innings!!
