HYDERABAD: How does it feel not to have a vision? What does one go through when one can see, but finds it tough to type something on the  cramped smartphone keypad? Microsoft India hosted Confluence, a annual diversity and inclusion conference in Hyderabad on Friday. It had a host of events and sessions to help its employees understand shortcomings of people, be sensitive towards them and be more perceptive towards all.

Confluence was a platform for employees to engage with the company’s leaders, industry experts and public personalities and discuss the power of diversity and inclusion in driving innovation, growth and societal impact. Interactive workshops, panel discussions and the many inspiring stories were the highlights of the day-long conference attended by 500 Microsoft employees from across India.

“For example we have a session called Yuva Katha, an informal interactive session where an attempt is made to understand the  needs and aspirations of the younger employees,” said Madhu Khatri, Associate General Counsel of the company. “Microsoft prints its business cards in Braille and that perhaps shows our commitment towards inclusion and diversity,” she added.

Anjum Chopra, Captain, Indian women’s cricket team, and Shabana Azmi, eminent actor and social activist interacted with participants and shared work and life advice. Veteran Bollywood actor and social activist Shabana Azmi also spoke at the event. “Till the age of nine, I lived in a commune, which was actually a large flat in which eight families were living. They all had a room which was just 225 sq.ft, and a strip of a balcony which my mother had converted into a kitchen. And there was one toilet for eight families. So I think inclusion and diversity I absorbed through a process of osmosis,” she remarked.

While Antarchakshu was an immersive workshop that gave participants an insight into the world of the visually impaired,  He F(or) She was about gender sensitisation and Yuva Katha, was an experiential workshop addressing generational work styles.

Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/Where-Equality-Meets-Diversity-and-Inclusion/2016/04/23/article3394701.ece