Worthy example

The donation of about Rs 8,800 crore by Azim Premji to a philanthropic foundation named after him has attracted attention not only because of the size of the donation but for the purpose for which it will be utilised. It is the highest ever amount contributed by an individual in India for a charitable purpose. The foundation is involved in the promotion of education, especially in Karnataka. It has focused its activities on school education for the children of underprivileged sections and also plans to set up a multi-disciplinary university. Its work has covered over 20,000 schools in a number of states in the country. The contribution will help to extend the activities of the foundation further and make an impact in an area which is crucial for the development of the country.

The rich in India have not been famous for charitable and humanitarian activities. This has been a matter of surprise in a country which has considered renunciation as the most important virtue and had set great store by a value system based on giving. It is a contradiction that in a society in which the idea of community has dominated individualism, personal acts of charity and compassion for the benefit of  the community have been rather noted for their rarity. The situation has started changing recently with a number of companies and individuals in the high income category setting up trusts to engage in a number of social activities. The Tatas have for long been active in the area but many new companies which have emerged majors in their areas have also started devoting funds and efforts for the social sector.

It is also noteworthy that many of these charitable enterprises have given special attention to education. Since educational facilities and standards remain poor and large numbers of children cannot benefit from them for various reasons, the role of private and non-state agencies is very crucial. The task is so big that the government on its own will be unable to meet the challenge in the foreseeable future, in spite of all the new initiatives that are being planned. Many companies have prospered as the economy has grown fast. The number of the super rich people is also increasing. They will only be discharging their responsibility to society if they pay greater attention and commit more resources to health and education which are in need of support and investment.