Tata Communications Partners With First Book to Promote Children’s Literacy

Press release (Sept. 13, 2011) — Tata Communications and Tata Sons North America announced a gift of 10,000 new books to Bay Area kids in need. The books will be provided by First Book, a nonprofit organization that distributes new books to children from low-income families. The donation was announced during a reading celebration at the San Jose Giant’s Municipal Stadium.

Volunteers from Tata Communications gathered at Municipal Stadium, home of the San Jose Giants in San Jose, Calif., along with representatives from the Vice Mayor’s office, the San Jose City Council, Tata Sons, the San Jose Giants Foundation, Reading Partners and Mount Pleasant Elementary School to celebrate the donation and read with 60 second-graders from Mount Pleasant Elementary School.

The students participated in reading circles and other activities, including running the bases of Municipal Stadium. Each student received two brand new books to start their own home library.

Staff from Tata Sons, Tata Communications and First Book joined Louansee Moua, Chief of Staff for Vice Mayor of San Jose; Marisa Melo of Council Member Donald Rocha’s office; Jose Gonzales of Mount Pleasant Elementary School; R. Gopalakrishnan, Director, Tata Sons; Cassandra Hofman of the San Jose Giants Foundation; Nichole Gangitano of Reading Partners and others.

Commenting on the occasion, Tata Sons Director R Gopalakrishnan said, “our support to improve the education opportunities for children in the communities in which we serve is embodied in the core values of the Tata group of companies. We are delighted to partner with First Book to bring brand new books to children in the Bay Area.”

“I am proud to see the enthusiasm that Tata Communications’ employees have brought to volunteering at this event,” said Dave Ryan, Tata Communications’ Senior Vice President, Americas Region. “Through our unique partnership with First Book, we have been able to reinforce Tata’s values of giving back to the communities in which we operate.”

“As members of the San Jose community, we are delighted to be able to join Tata Communications, Tata Sons and First Book to support our local schools,” said Ms. Hofman. “With our partners, we are happy to help host this celebration of both National Literacy Month and the generous donation from the Tata Communications volunteers.”

“We’re proud to stand with these outstanding organizations,” said Kyle Zimmer, president and CEO of First Book. “Their support will make it possible for us to provide new books to thousands of children in the Bay Area.”

Since December 2007, Tata companies have developed a robust and sustainable partnership with First Book. With the help of First Book, Tata has donated more than 100,000 books valued at well over $1 million to children across the United States.