Today is a special day, there are two special
days i.e International Youth Day and World Elephant Day.
The Citizen Advocate Summary: Declaring
April 11 as Safe ePay Day
Proposing April 11 as Safe ePay
Day to mark UPI’s pilot launch on April 11, 2016, by NPCI with 21 banks,
initiated by Dr. Raghuram G. Rajan in Mumbai. This initiative celebrates UPI’s
seamless integration of banking and merchant payments.
April 11 – Declare ‘Safe ePay
Day’,
Yes, April 11 is vacant in the UN
Observance Day calendar
UPI
10th Birthday -April 11
Two Causes, One
Celebration: August 12 World Elephant Day + April 11 Safe ePay Day
Date: August
12 (World Elephant Day) & April 11 (Safe ePay Day)
*Embrace protection – from majestic pachyderms to our digital wallets!
1. World Elephant Day — A Global
Call for Elephant Protection
- Established on August 12, 2012,
co-founded by Canadian filmmaker Patricia Sims and Thailand’s Elephant
Reintroduction Foundation, the day unites hundreds of conservation
organizations and individuals worldwide in their efforts to protect
elephants (Wikipedia).
- It raises awareness about the dire challenges
facing African and Asian elephants—now classified as Vulnerable and
Endangered, respectively—due to poaching, habitat loss, and
human-wildlife conflict (Wikipedia).
2. Safe ePay Day — Celebrating
UPI’s Digital Revolution with Safety in Mind
- April 11 marks the pilot launch of UPI
(Unified Payments Interface) in 2016 by NPCI, a groundbreaking milestone
in India's fintech legacy (Medium).
- Safe ePay Day
encourages users to honour this legacy by embracing digital hygiene—like
enabling two-factor authentication, verifying transaction details, and
staying alert to phishing or fraud (Medium).
3. Elephants in the Cultural
Fabric of Tamil Nadu & Kerala
Tamil Nadu
- The Yaanai Thiruvizha (Gaj Utsav)
campaign has become a cultural highlight—combining art, dance, shadow
puppetry, and expert dialogues—to celebrate elephants and foster habitat
conservation across elephant corridors in Tamil Nadu (wti.org.in,
dtnext).
Kerala
- Elephants are deeply revered in Kerala’s
traditions—part of temple rituals, festivals like Thrissur Pooram
and Arattupuzha Pooram, and rituals such as Aanayoottu
(ceremonial feeding) at Vadakkunnathan Temple (Wikipedia, Sahapedia).
- The state is home to Kottur Elephant
Sanctuary, aiming to be the world’s largest elephant rehabilitation
centre—spanning 176 hectares and housing multiple state-of-the-art
facilities to support elephant welfare (Wikipedia).
- Modern innovations are changing traditions:
Kerala temples have now started adopting mechanical elephants—realistic
animatronic replicas—to reduce psychological and physical stress on live
elephants and prioritize welfare (The Times, The
Times of India).
4. Combining Themes: Protection,
Culture & Digital Security
- For Elephants: Just
as elephants shape ecosystems and cultures, they require continuous
protection—through conservation camps, initiatives like Yaanai
Thiruvizha, and rehabilitation centres.
- For Digital Payments:
Similarly, our growing reliance on UPI and digital payments demands
constant vigilance—security, user education, and awareness to keep
fintech safe.
- Cultural Connection:
Imagine a campaign image—vibrant caparisoned elephants from
Kerala’s Poorams and Tamil Nadu’s rituals alongside a stylized secure
UPI shield. Tagline:
“Protect What’s Precious — From
Sacred Giants to Digital Gold”
5. What You Can Do —
India-Forward Celebrations
|
Elephant Protection
(August 12) |
Safe ePay Support
(April 11) |
|
Attend or promote local
elephant festivals or cultural programs in Tamil Nadu and Kerala |
Host simple digital literacy
workshops or share secure payment tips—like using two-factor authentication |
|
Support elephant corridors,
sanctuaries (like Kottur or WTI campaigns), and ethical festivals |
Celebrate UPI’s strengths in
fintech—while urging caution and secure habits among friends and family |
|
Share stories of festivals such
as Yaanai Thiruvizha, Thrissur Pooram, and Aanayoottu—showcasing elephants as
heritage icons |
Post and promote awareness with
hashtags: #SafeEPayDay, #UPISafety, #DigitalProtection |
In essence: On August
12, we stand by elephants; on April 11, we stand for secure
e-payments. Together, they teach us that what’s precious—be it wildlife or
our finances—deserves our protection and respect.
- Appeal for Safe ePay Day 🌟
## Call to
Action
I urge
governments, financial institutions, businesses, and communities worldwide to
join hands in declaring April 11 as **Safe ePay Day**.
Let’s
celebrate UPI’s milestone by making **Safe ePay Day** a global movement for
secure, innovative fintech.
Together, we
can build a future where financial access is universal, and every e-payment is
safe—starting with **Safe ePay Day** in 2026.
No Vada Pav, not even one bite,
Till SafeePay Day takes off in flight.
Quirky vow with a Mumbai flair—
Announce the date, and I’ll be there!
Disclaimer: - The only Joy is
Safe ePayments. Nothing More – Nothing Less.
