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Inspiration

Applauding every initiative of a Govt, Society, Corporate or an individual which is for the betterment of Economy, Environment and Living Beings

Inspiration

‘Mother of orphans’ Sindhutai Sapkal

by Team Conscious Carma April 4, 2023

written by Team Conscious Carma

Sindhutai Sapkal, better known as ‘Anathanchi Maye’ or ‘Mother of orphans’, never had an easy life, yet she surpassed all the adversities and became mother to thousands of orphans.

Conferred with Padma Shri in 2021, her story is one of incredible grit and determination to fight adversity. Born in a poor family in Wardha, Maharashtra, she was the unwanted child in the family and probably this step child treatment at her own home made her realise that every child needs to be treated with dignity.

At the age of 12, she was married off to a man who was twenty years elder to him. At 20, when she was nine months-pregnant, she was kicked, beaten and left to die in a cowshed. Her daughter was born in that semi-conscious stage and she cut the umbilical cord herself and went away with her daughter to try and survive.

She started begging in trains and on the streets to feed her child. It was during her difficult times that she came in touch with orphan children and wanted to do something for them. It wasn’t an easy journey for her, but Sindhutai went on to build multiple orphanages, nurtured over 1,000 children and gave shelter to innumerable women who were destitute and abandoned.

She even gave her own daughter to an orphanage, so that she could remain fair to all the other orphans adopted over the years. And even forgave her husband and took care of him. The selfless spirit for her

Sindhutai won several national and international awards for her social work. In 2010, a Marathi biopic of Sapkal titled Mi Sindhutai Sapkal Boltey was released in Maharashtra.

Sindhutai Sapkal breathed her last in Pune in the year 2022, at the age of 74. The life of Sindhutai Sapkal is an inspiring saga of courage, dedication and service.

“A mother can never be defeated. A woman can never be defeated. But she needs to keep her heart strong and learn to forgive.”
– Sindhutai Sapkal

April 4, 2023 0 comment

Inspiration

Sminu Jindal – The STEEL Lady

by Team Conscious Carma December 23, 2022

written by Team Conscious Carma

Sminu Jindual, the lady at the helm of Jindal SAW Ltd, the undisputed leader in India’s tubular pipe industry, and Founder Chairperson of accessibility organisation Svayam, has fought against all odds to emerge a winner.

The granddaughter of legendary industrialist O.P. Jindal, Sminu met with an accident at the age of 11 which left her wheel chair bound. But this didn’t deter the aspirations of a young girl, who wanted to make a mark for herself in the world. An alumnus of India’s premier institution, Shri Ram College of Commerce, Sminu also holds an MBA from the Fore School of Management.

She joined the family business as a young trainee and worked her way up the corporate ladder, proving her mettle as the first successful woman in the predominantly male bastion of steel, oil, and gas. Jindal SAW has grown manifold under her leadership by continually innovating and evolving. She has also been instrumental in the company’s foray into sustainable energy and rail infrastructure sectors.

Getting accustomed to life in a wheelchair required several adjustments, both physical as well as mental, but she was undeterred. In fact, the seeds of her passion project, accessibility organisation Svayam, can also be traced to the period following this. The multi-awarded, multifaceted, woman of steel who says her purpose in life is to leave the world a better place for all.

An indefatigable crusader for Accessibility for All, Jindal was the first to train the spotlight on the need for accessibility in the built environment, dissociating it from disability, as a basic universal necessity.

Her relentless pursuit of an accessible world has turned Svayam into a movement. Today Svayam is India’s only not-for-profit accessibility pioneer that focuses on creating a barrier-free world for all. Whether in its campaign to make World Heritage Sites such as the Qutub Minar in Delhi and Fatehpur Sikri Group of Monuments including the Taj Mahal accessible or paving the way to make the disabled count by successfully calling for the addition of a key question on disabilities in the Census 2011, Svayam has kept the interests of people with reduced mobility at the forefront.

Svayam is working to change the perception that only people with disabilities need accessibility. Svayam believes that accessibility in the built environment benefits all, whether it is the differently abled, pregnant women, the elderly, the sick or injured, people with temporary disabilities, victims of terrorism, war veterans, or children.

December 23, 2022 0 comment

Bachpan Play School Establishes Awareness of Plastic Use with Paper Bag Day

by Team Conscious Carma December 10, 2022

written by Team Conscious Carma

New Delhi, September 06, 2022: Bachpan Play School, the largest preschool provider in the country, has joined the movement to minimize plastic usage and emphasize the environmental damage it causes by promoting Paper Bag Day, during which they urged their 1.5 lakh students to make paper bags.

The government began penalizing anyone who defies the ban on single-use plastics in early July. Furthermore, plastic usage results in environmental debris. Over 1000 Bachpan Play Schools joined more than one lakh students in creating paper bags and taking part in this great cause. The award-winning play school believes that childhood is the appropriate period to establish good habits in kids, and early childhood teaching methods are the greatest means imaginable of doing the same.

Bachpan is known for implementing similar initiatives as part of their play school teaching methods. It improves the creativity of youngsters and gives them a lot of opportunities to study and grow as well. Therefore, Bachpan Play School made it an interesting activity for the youngsters on World Paper Day, which turned out to be a tremendous success. Each kid was given old newspapers, coloured paper, and basic crafting supplies including scissors, glue, pencils, and ribbons with which to make their own unique paper bags.

The activity not only engaged them but also educated them about the importance of using paper bags for themselves and the environment as well.

Adding his wise thought on this, Mr. Ajay Gupta, CEO and Founder of Bachpan Play School commented, “Childhood is that stage of our lives when we are just beginning. So, it is quite easy to inculcate in any child the much-needed attitude and way of living. I am sure we all are familiar with the global crisis of climate change. Plastics contribute greatly to that crisis. We saw a great opportunity in World Paper Bag Day to make our Bachpanites aware of the ill effects of plastic bags and encourage them to use paper bags. Hence, this is what we accomplished in our Bachpan Play Schools across India. We wish all our Bachpanites to be fully aware global citizens.”

December 10, 2022 0 comment

Authored Articles Inspiration

Three generations of Women in the service of creation

by Team Conscious Carma July 26, 2022

written by Team Conscious Carma

A young widow, Vimal Kumari (70) from Jammu, not only raised her 3 children single handedly, but also instilled in them the moral values and encouraged them to follow the path of Guru.

Vimal toiled hard to earn as well look after the home and the children, fulfill their every need and desire, gave them the best education and the best ethics. She worked in education department and spent the rest of her time with the kids.

All this while, she yearned to find a Guru and could finally find one in Yogi Ashwini of Dhyan Ashram. Once her kids were settled, she started visiting Dhyan Ashram in Delhi regularly and immersed in servicing the injured, abandoned and rescued cattle in Dhyan Ashram’s guashalas all over India. At present, she is taking care of more than 500 cattle in Moharipur gaushala in Tripura. The only lady handling … labour and taking care of food and treatment of all the cattle and other tasks at a remote location. In its more than 50 gaushalas across the globe, Dhyan Foundation (DF) takes care of more than 50,000 cattles and its progeny. They are either injured, sick, non-milking or being rescued from traffickers.

Inspired by her mother, Suraj Katotra (48), the younger daughter of Vimal, accompanied her to Ashram to learn Sanatan Kriya from Yogi ji and as soon as Suraj’s children went to armed forces, she followed her mother’s footsteps. She’s been taking care of more than 1000 cattle in Devipur gaushala of Tripura which is just 1 km from Bangladesh border and is surrounded by border from three sides. It’s a remote jungle area notorious for cattle trafficking. “Recently 2 bulls were stolen from our gaushala but we ran after the thieves and saved our bulls from the mafia”, says the fearless lady. “A housewife who had immersed herself in household chores and raising 2 kids, I travelled alone for the first time in my life, boarded flight for the first time, to reach Devipur. With Guru’s Kripa, not even once I feel scared of being all alone in this jungle”, says Suraj.

Her typical day starts at 5 am in the morning and ends at 11pm, but at times, she’s seen working as late as 2 or 3 am. A typical housewife, Suraj is seen driving tractor on the fields at the gaushala, apart from taking care of the entire place.

Suraj’s daughter, Tanya Bhardwaj (23), followed the footsteps and made Yogi Ashwini her Guru and learnt Sanatan Kriya from him. At present, she is part of the T&T (Tigers and Tigresses) team at DF of under 25 age group and teaches Sanatan Kriya. DF is committed to the cause of spreading awareness about the authentic path of yog, as laid down by Sage Patanjali 4,500 years ago. DF, follows the ancient Guru-Shishya Parampara and traches where Sanatan Kriya (Patanjali Ashtang Yog in its original, undiluted form) free of cost a today at its centers across the world. There are thousands across the globe who have benefited physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually from the practice of Sanatan Kriya.

July 26, 2022 0 comment

Inspiration

Sandhya Dhar wheeling the change for disabled

by Team Conscious Carma April 8, 2022

written by Team Conscious Carma

Sandhya Dhar, a specially abled woman from Gangyal, Jammu, was conferred the prestigious “Nari Shakti Puraskar” by President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhawan recently for her contribution and dedication towards the rights of under privileged and disabled persons.

Her family stood by her

Sandhya who is confined to wheel chair since the age of 3, did not allow her disability to become an impediment in her life, instead worked hard to carve a niche for herself in the society. With undying support and love from her family, she not only completed her studies but took up a job and from her earnings started helping other disabled people and later founded founding JIGER (Jammu Institute General Education and Rehabilitation) in 2015. She has a Masters Degree in Commerce, P G Diploma in Business Administration and BCA in Computer Education.

Her inspiration

Sandhya belongs to the clan of Mata Roop Bhawani, a spiritual saint of medieval Kashmir who started a revolution in education over 400 years back in Kashmir and this inspired her to dedicate herself to education of differently abled children. JIGER is working for inclusive education of disabled and underprivileged children and at present educating and rehabilitating over 400 children in her institute as well as other institutes being supported by JIGER.

Her message to people with disabilities

“Tell people about your inbuilt qualities. Don’t hide. Build your confidence. In 2014, I visited my brother at Melbourne alone. I travelled within the city alone, using the public transportation and came back home at 3 am. For the first time I experienced what an independent life is. That motivated me to start JIGER”

April 8, 2022 0 comment

Inspiration

Tulasi Gowda, the Tree Goddess

by Team Conscious Carma January 31, 2022

written by Team Conscious Carma

The barefoot worder woman, encyclopedia of the forest, barefoot ecologist & tree goddess, etc. are a few of the names given to the humble and timid 72-year-old Tulasi Gowda. An illiterate tribal woman from Karnataka, India, Tulasi was honoured with the Padma Shri Award, the country’s fourth-largest civilian award in the year 2020 for her immense contributions towards preserving the environment. Her deep knowledge of trees surpassed all the formal education of the world, which she gained while working with her mother since the age of 12. Having lost her father when she was just 2 years old, Tulasi could not receive formal education and had to start earning at a young age.

Belonging to the Halakki indigenous tribe in Karnataka known for their knowledge of medicinal plants which they mostly utilize to prevent disease than for cure, Tulasi can identify more than 300 medicinal plants. She is also renowned for her ability to identify the mother tree of every species of tree in the forest no matter its location.

Tulasi has planted more than 30,000 saplings and worked as a daily wager with the forest department for 35 years before she was offered a permanent job looking at her dedication and hard work.

Barefoot and dressed in traditional attire, she received India’s fourth-highest civilian award from President Ram Nath Kovind. Her simplicity and modesty touched everybody’s heart and the social media was abuzz with her praise. Gowda, however, said that she is very happy that she got the Padma Shri, but she “values the forests and trees more”.

Today, even after her retirement, she continues to nurture plants and share her vast knowledge with the younger generation about the importance of the forest as well as how to find and care for seeds.

January 31, 2022 0 comment

Community Inspiration

EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021

by Team Conscious Carma November 3, 2021

written by Team Conscious Carma

Key Highlights

WITH AN ANNUAL DONATION OF INR 9,713 CRORE, AZIM PREMJI,76, RETAINS ‘INDIA’S MOST GENEROUS’ TITLE FOR THE SECOND YEAR RUNNING. HE DONATED INR 27 CRORE PER DAY!

PREMJI IS THE ONLY LIVING INDIAN TO FEATURE IN EDELGIVE HURUN INDIA PHILANTHROPISTS OF THE CENTURY.

HCL’S SHIV NADAR, 76, RETAINS THE SECOND SPOT WITH AN ANNUAL DONATION OF INR 1,263 CRORE

WITH A DONATION OF INR 577 CRORE, INDIA’S RICHEST MAN, MUKESH AMBANI,64, CAME THIRD IN EDELGIVE HURUN INDIA PHILANTHROPY LIST 2021

HURUN RESEARCH FINDS 11 INDIVIDUALS IN INDIA, WHO MADE AN ANNUAL DONATION OF OVER INR 100 CRORE, 20 OVER 50 CRORE AND 42 OVER 20 CRORE

AM NAIK, 79, GROUP CHAIRMAN OF L&T, DONATED INR 112 CRORE TO ENTER THE EDELGIVE HURUN INDIA PHILANTHROPY LIST 2021 AND IS INDIA’S MOST GENEROUS PROFESSIONAL MANAGER

B PARTHASARADHI REDDY & FAMILY (67), OF HETERO DRUGS INCREASED HIS DONATION BY 300% AND DONATED INR 67 CRORE

WITH A DONATION OF INR 50 CRORE, THE BIG BULL, RAKESH JHUNJHUNWALA STORMED INTO THE EDELGIVE HURUN INDIA PHILANTHROPY LIST 2021 AND IS THE MOST GENEROUS NEW ENTRANT

GIVE IT BACK LIKE INFOSYIANS – NANDAN NILEKANI, ROHINI NILEKANI, CHRIS GOPALAKRISHNAN AND SD SHIBULAL DONATED INR 183 CRORE, INR 69 CRORE, INR 50 CRORE AND INR 35 CRORE ARE RANKED 5, 14, 19, AND 23 RESPECTIVELY

BOLLYWOOD SUPERSTAR AKSHAY KUMAR, 54, WHO DONATED INR 26 CRORE, DEBUTS THE EDELGIVE HURUN INDIA PHILANTHROPY LIST 2021

ZERODHA’S FOUNDERS, NITHIN KAMATH, 42, AND NIKHIL KAMATH, 35, DEBUT THE LIST WITH A DONATION OF INR 25 CRORE

NIKHIL KAMATH, 35, IS THE YOUNGEST PHILANTHROPIST ON THE EDELGIVE HURUN INDIA PHILANTHROPY LIST 2021

17 NEW ADDITIONS TO THE LIST; TOTAL DONATIONS BY NEW ADDITIONS AT INR 261 CRORE

9 WOMEN PHILANTHROPISTS FEATURE ON THE LIST

WITH A DONATION OF INR 69 CRORE, ROHINI NILEKANI,62, IS THE MOST GENEROUS WOMAN PHILANTHROPIST ON THE LIST; FOLLOWED BY LEENA GANDHI TEWARI AND ANU AGA WHO DONATED INR 24 CRORE AND INR 20 CRORE RESPECTIVELY.

WITH A DONATION OF INR 19 CRORE, THE PHILANTHROPY COUPLE, AMIT CHANDRA (52) AND ARCHANA CHANDRA (50), ARE THE ONLY OTHER PROFESSIONAL MANAGERS IN THE LIST

NO. OF PHILANTHROPISTS WHO HAVE DONATED MORE THAN INR 10 CRORE INCREASED BY CIRCA 100% OVER THE LAST 3 YEARS, FROM 37 TO 72 THIS YEAR

ANAND MAHINDRA, 66, OF MAHINDRA AND MAHINDRA DONATED INR 63 CRORE AND IS RANKED 16^TH

SANJIV GOENKA, 60, OF CESC DONATED INR 33 CRORE, GAINED 14 RANKS AND IS CURRENTLY RANKED 24

RONNIE SCREWVALA, 65, OF UNILAZER VENTURES DONATED INR 23 CRORE AND IS RANKED 37

KOCHOUSEPH CHITTILAPPILLY, 70, OF V-GUARD DONATED INR 22 CRORE AND IS RANKED 39

WITH A DONATION OF 15 CRORE, DILIP SHANGHVI, 66, DEBUTS THE EDELGIVE HURUN INDIA PHILANTHROPY LIST 2021

BIG B AMITABH BACHCHAN, 79, WHO DONATED INR 15 CRORE, DEBUTS THE EDELGIVE HURUN INDIA PHILANTHROPY LIST 2021

BINNY BANSAL, 38, WHO INCREASED HIS ANNUAL DONATIONS BY 155%, DONATED INR 14 CRORE, MOVED UP IN RANKING BY 52 SPOTS

VINOD KUMAR AGARWAL (57) OF AGARWAL COAL CORPORATION INDORE, DEBUTS THE LIST WITH A DONATION OF INR 11 CRORE

DRIVEN BY PANDEMIC, DONATIONS TOWARD DISASTER RELIEF SHOT UP FROM 3% LAST YEAR TO 13% OR INR 1,556CRORE

WITH 72 PHILANTHROPISTS CUMULATIVELY DONATING INR 9,659 CRORE, EDUCATION IS THE MOST FAVOURED CAUSE. WITH 60 DONORS, DISASTER RELIEF & MANAGEMENT REGISTERED A 433% INCREASE IN CUMULATIVE DONATION, FOLLOWED BY HEALTH CARE, WHICH HAD 65 DONORS, REGISTERING A CUMULATIVE DONATION OF INR 859 CRORE OR AN INCREASE OF 14%

56 SELF-MADE PHILANTHROPISTS

THE AVERAGE AGE IS 67 YEARS OLD, 1 YEAR OLDER THAN LAST YEAR

BASED ON PLACE OF RESIDENCE, MUMBAI LED WITH 31% OF THE LIST; FOLLOWED BY NEW DELHI, ACCOUNTING FOR 17% AND BENGALURU AT 10%

THE PHARMA INDUSTRY HAS THE LARGEST NUMBER OF PHILANTHROPISTS ON THE LIST, ACCOUNTING FOR 20%, FOLLOWED BY AUTOMOBILE AND AUTO COMPONENTS AT 11%, AND SOFTWARE AND SERVICES AT 10%

HURUN REPORT, THE WORLD’S LARGEST RICH LIST COMPILER, AND EDELGIVE FOUNDATION, THE PHILANTHROPIC ARM OF THE EDELWEISS GROUP, RELEASED THE EDELGIVE HURUN PHILANTHROPY LIST FOR THE 8TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

EDELGIVE and HURUN INDIA release EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021

Hurun India and EdelGive released the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021. This is the 8^th annual ranking of the most generous individuals in India. This is their attempt to highlight India’s remarkable givers and to capture the growing importance of individual givers in India’s philanthropic landscape towards nation-building. Donations were measured by the value of their cash or cash equivalents from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021. This is the eighth year of the list and it follows on from the Hurun India Rich List, a ranking of 1,007 richest individuals in India, released in September 2021 for the tenth year.

EdelGive Foundation has partnered with Hurun India towards creating this report to understand philanthropic giving in the country from a data and evidence point of view. The report is not only significant in understanding data of giving but also throws light on the sectors and geographies that are at the receiving end of this giving. Through this report, we aim to bring to notice the strength of the social sector and access areas which require further growth.

This year’s EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021 features individuals who have donated INR 5 crore or more during the period under review.

“EdelGive Foundation and Hurun India have been collaborating on the EdelGive Hurun Philanthropy List for the last 3 years, during which time, both organisations have had the privilege of documenting and analysing the constantly evolving patterns of philanthropic giving in India. This year, the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021, provides us with yet another important opportunity to gain profound insights into the mindsets and motivations that drive philanthropy in India as it emerges from a paradigm-shifting Covid-19 Pandemic.” – Vidya Shah, Executive Chairperson, EdelGive Foundation.

Commenting on the launch, Anas Rahman Junaid, MD and Chief Researcher, Hurun India, said,

“6 times in 5 years. The cumulative donation in EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List has grown from just under INR 2,500 crore to more than INR 14,750 crore today. Considering the current wealth creation velocity in India, in 5 years, I expect the cumulative donation to grow to at least INR 30,000 crore. The stories of the entrepreneurs on the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List, help tell the story of modern philanthropy in India today”

“Entrepreneurs from Pharmaceutical and Software & Services sectors, which are the top wealth creators in Hurun India Rich List 2021, have interestingly secured the top position in terms of the cumulative value of donations too. Some of the tech entrepreneurs, who I have interacted, are in the process of finalising substantial “giving back” plans to cause ranging from education to climate change. For instance, the Kamath brothers of Zerodha have plans to give back INR 750 crore over the next 3 years. I expect to see more such new wealth creators turned givers gaining a spot in the future editions of EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy Lists.”

“I am very stoked that more young entrepreneurs are venturing into philanthropy. Last year’s best news was Binny Bansal being the first philanthropist under the age of 40 to enter the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List. This year, Nikhil Kamath, 35, is the youngest on the list. I hope this will inspire more young wealth creators to not only donate but also to speak more about their donations.”

“Another promising trend is the increase in private donations. 80% of the cumulative donation on the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021 constitutes personal philanthropy, that is, the donations that are in excess of stipulated mandatory CSR spend. Number of personal philanthropists on the list has increased by 85%, from 21 last year to 39 today. “

“C-level executives have been playing a very impactful role in Indian philanthropy. This year’s list includes AM Naik who donated INR 112 crore and Amit Chandra and Archana Chandra who have donated INR 19 crore. This is impressive considering the fact that they are amongst the top 100 philanthropists in the country – ahead of more than 900 individuals who featured on the Hurun India Rich List. Some of the other professionals who are serious philanthropists, but have not yet featured on the list, include KP Balraj, VT Bharadwaj and so on.”

“The preferred cause of India’s top philanthropists has been Education, although on the back of Covid-19, Disaster Relief has grown dramatically to become the second most popular cause this year. I hope the EdelGive Hurun Philanthropy List can help people understand the mindset of some of India’s most successful entrepreneurs and philanthropists, as well as inspire future generations to give back.”

“One of the core objectives of Edelgive Hurun India Philanthropy List is to highlight more stories about philanthropists who have donated in their personal capacity. If we were to add the taxes paid on the dividend payout, which was allocated towards philanthropy, the value of private donations would be even higher.”

“Although only 9 women have entered this year’s list, it is important to highlight the role played by women when it comes to running the family’s charitable trusts. For instance, in most of the family-run businesses that are featured on the list, the spouses of the entrepreneurs are at the helm of the charitable trusts.”

“The sense of philanthropy deeply concurs with our Indian ethos and is widely evidenced by some of the industrialists from our previous generation. For instance, In June 2021, Hurun Research and EdelGive Foundation released the 2021 EdelGive Hurun Philanthropists of the Century, a ranking of the world’s most generous individuals from the past century. With total donations value estimated at US$102.4bn, Mumbai-based Jamsetji Tata (1839-1904), was the world’s biggest philanthropist of the last century.”

“With India boasting of the third largest billionaire population in the world at 237 billionaires and the fastest-growing one at that, we believe that we truly have the power to lead the change. Indian wealth creators have the potency to enable philanthropic structures, systems and processes for overall nation building. It is important to speak about these inspiring philanthropic stories and incite motivational action auguring India’s pace of ‘giving back’ to the society. We need to create forums to celebrate such efforts so that it percolates down to every level of the community and encourages us to embrace the spirit of altruism and humane-living,” concluded Anas Rahman Junaid, MD and Chief Researcher, Hurun India.

Top 10 Philanthropists

There was only one new face on the India Top 10 this year, despite the cut-off being up 54%.

Three individuals still make the India Top 10 after five years, led by Shiv Nadar and followed by Mukesh Ambani and Bajaj & family.

Table 1: The Top 10 in the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021 is shown below

Rank	Name	Donation (INR Cr)	Change %	Primary Cause	Company	3yr Donation (INR Cr)
1(-)	Azim Premji & family	9,713	23%	Education	Wipro	18,070
2(-)	Shiv Nadar & family	1,263	59%	Arts, Culture & Heritage	HCL Technologies	2,884
3(-)	Mukesh Ambani & family	577	26%	Education	Reliance Industries	1,437
4(-)	Kumar Mangalam Birla & family	377	47%	Healthcare	Aditya Birla	732
5(+2)	Nandan Nilekani	183	15%	Societal Thinking	Infosys	546
6(+2)	Hinduja family	166	25%	Education	Hinduja	351
7(+3)	Bajaj family	136	83%	Healthcare	Bajaj	341
8(+1)	Gautam Adani & family	130	48%	Disaster Relief	Adani	302
8(-3)	Anil Agarwal & family	130	-40%	Disaster Relief	Vedanta	458
10(+24)	Burman family	114	502%	Healthcare	Dabur India	151

Source: Hurun Research Institute; EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021

With a donation of INR 9,713 crore, Azim Premji & family, 76, the founder chairman of Wipro, tops the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021. The Azim Premji Trust owns 10.7% of the promoter’s shareholding in Wipro and has the right to receive all money earned from promoter shares. In June 2021, The Azim Premji Foundation nearly doubled its allocation towards the pandemic from INR 1,125 crore to INR 2,125 crore to expand work on vaccination across ten states, with a commitment to increase this further if the need demands.

HCL Technologies founder-chairman Shiv Nadar & family, 76, retains the 2^nd spot on the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021. As of 2021, Nadar has invested almost a billion USD through the foundation to impact over 30,000 students directly. In 2021 alone, the Shiv Nadar foundation donated INR 70 core towards COVID relief.

With a donation of INR 557 crore, Mukesh Ambani & family, 64, of Reliance Industries, occupies the 3^rd spot in EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021. RIL produced over 1000 MT of medical-grade liquid oxygen per day or 11% of India’s total production and supplied over 55,000 MT of medical-grade liquid oxygen across the country free of cost.

With a donation of INR 377 crore, Kumar Mangalam Birla & family, 54, ranks 4^th on the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021. The Aditya Birla Group donated INR 400 crore to the PM CARES Fund and INR 50 crore to FICCI-Aditya Birla CSR Centre for Excellence. Birla has also allocated INR 50 crore for supplying N95 Masks, PPE’s and ventilators in India.

With a donation of INR 183 crore, Infosys’s Nandan Nilekani, 66, ranks 5^th on the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021. Nandan Nilekani donated INR 138 Cr for Societal Thinking in FY 2021. Nandan Nilekani & Rohini Nilekani signed the Giving Pledge in 2017 and committed to donating half of their wealth towards philanthropy.

The Hinduja family ranks 6^th rank on the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021 with a donation of INR 166 crore. Established in 1968, the Hinduja Foundation focuses on Water Stewardship, Healthcare, Education, Rural Development, and Arts & Culture.

With a donation of INR 136 crore, the Bajaj family ranks 7^th on the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021. The Bajaj family has a long tradition of generous philanthropy over 100 years. In May 2021, they pledged to donate INR 200 crore to build capability and resources to tackle the pandemic. This amount is in addition to INR 100 crore donated by the Bajaj Group in FY 21.

With a donation of INR 130 crore, Gautam Adani & family, 59, ranks 8^th on the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021. Adani Foundation works in Education, Community Health, Sustainable Livelihood, and Community Infrastructure Development in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals. The Foundation donated INR 122 crore to support COVID-19 related relief efforts across the country.

With a donation of INR 130 crore, Anil Agarwal & family, 68, shares 8^th position on the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021. In July 2021, the Anil Agarwal Foundation announced the INR 5,000 crore ‘Swasth Gaon Abhiyaan’ to provide end-to-end healthcare solutions across the rural landscape covering 1,000 villages across 24 districts and 12 states in the country.With an INR 114 crore donation, the Burman family made it to the 10^th spot on the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021. The Dabur Group established ‘Dabur Care Fund for COVID-19’, to protect lives and livelihood, and support those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

November 3, 2021 0 comment

Community Inspiration

“Second Meals” by Celebrity Chef Davinder Kumar

by Team Conscious Carma October 29, 2021

written by Team Conscious Carma

A coffee table book on meals by food scrap

The Coffee Table Book “Second Meals ” which is prepared by the food scrap is authored by Celebrity Chef Davinder Kumar & has been published by Shubhi publication was unveiled at Le Meridien, New Delhi recently.

The hidden ingredient of this book are the food scrap, yes you heard me right, food scraps. The book depicts the art of Cooking through food scraps in a unique way and style. It will definitely encourage cooking and eating every single part of vegetables and fruits.

Chef Davinder Kumar said ‘The art of Cooking with food scraps is a way and style that encourages cooking and eating every part of vegetables and fruits. It is the key to maximizing nutrition and minimizing food wastage. The recipes in the Second Meals promote mindful thinking besides being environmentally friendly and provide innovative options to use food scraps’

Sanjay Arya Founder Shubhi Publication said ‘Saving Natural Resources will help to sustain life for many more years as destroying them will create doom for mankind’. This book is an effort to save the environment by using food scraps which otherwise being burnt pollute the environment and this book will also help in solving the food problem for the developing countries like us and others with nutritive values.

About the Author

Chef Davinder Kumar’s experience goes way beyond words. He is not only well known for his great culinary passion, he is also an adventurous food connoisseur, who has travelled around extensively and regularly seeks the opportunity to explore the different kinds of cuisines while developing his gourmet knowledge. An aficionado in the fine art of cooking to the gourmet’s delight, Davinder Kumar has been in this profession for more than five decades. He was the sole Indian representative in the International Cooking Festival held in Tokyo, Japan, in 1983 and was awarded a medal for his presentation of Indian cuisine. Presently Chef Kumar is Vice President – F&B (Production) at Le Meridien, New Delhi and he is the President of Indian Culinary Forum, India

About the Book

The book includes delicious ways to maximize nutrition and minimize food wastage which results in a reduction in food wastage besides being environmentally friendly. All the recipes in this book have been written in a manner that makes them easy to follow. Each recipe has been tried out personally to ensure that it is accurate and perfect. To make preparation simple/easy, the ingredients in this book have been listed in the order in which they are to be used.

About Shubhi Publications

A firm believer in quality, Shubhi brings to you the best books on Indian Heritage, Art, Architecture, Culture, Religion, and Philosophy. After a decade of excellence in providing offset printing for leading publishers, Shubhi itself ventured into publishing scholarly reference books in 1998. With more than 1000 titles and the release of about 50 books in a year, Shubhi has become a name associated with the publishing academic and scholarly books of high quality and has produced several outstanding publications written by renowned authors in recent years. they encourage budding authors to publish their books also entertain scholarly and research-oriented works for publishing.

October 29, 2021 0 comment

Inspiration

The Man of the Millennium

by Team Conscious Carma September 23, 2021

written by Team Conscious Carma

Palam Kalyanasundaram, 80 year old librarian donated Rs.30 crore to the poor

The 80 year old librarian, Palam Kalyanasundaram who has donated his entire prize money of Rs.30 crores to the poor, had been donating his entire monthly salary to the orphans and even worked as a waiter after retirement to be able to continue his charity. The man who’s devoted his life to charity, who didn’t get married because he wanted to help the poor with his earnings, Palam has surely taught the world, that there’s nothing bigger than kindness, money the least.

Palam was born in Melakarivelamkulam, Tamil Nadu. After losing his father at a very young age, he recalls how his mother inspired him to serve the poor. He went on to do his Master’s in literature, and is also a gold medalist in library science, but his intent to do his bit for the society remained. He soon got a job as a librarian in Tuticorin, and has since then, contributed all his salary, pension benefits and ancestral property for social welfare. He also started the Palam Foundation to help the poor and needy.

Kalyanasundaram strongly believes in words said to him by Thamizhvanan, writer of self-improvement books, “Don’t bother about how you speak. Strive to make others speak good about you.” These words were used by the great writer to bring Kalyanasundaram out of the discouragement of his feminist voice.

He is among the first persons in the world to have donated his entire salary to the needy. The list of awards does not end from the Life Time of Service Award to the Rotary Club of India. Kalyanasundaram is among the top 10 librarians in the world. He also won the award of the best librarian in India, by the Union Government.

Kalyanasundaram is an adopted Father to the legendary actor – Rajnikanth. After 15 days of the hospitable treatment, Mr. Kalyana Sundaram requested them to let him go since he felt imprisoned and there were people who needed him.

He lives a simple life all on his own in a small house in Saidapet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

A big Salute to the man who left all the comforts, luxury, and convenience for those who don’t belong to him.

September 23, 2021 0 comment

Global Inspiration

Iceland – World’s most peaceful Country

by Team Conscious Carma September 5, 2021

written by Team Conscious Carma

Iceland, a nation of over 3.5 lakh people has been declared as the most peaceful country in the world, according to the 2021 Global Peace Index. Holding this title since the inception of this Index in 2008, Iceland is also the only Nordic country that is more peaceful now than it was in 2008.

Iceland is followed by New Zealand, Denmark, Portugal, and Slovenia. While Afghanistan is the least peaceful country in the world for the fourth consecutive year, followed by Yemen, Syria, South Sudan, and Iraq. The 2021 GPI reveals a world in which the conflicts and crises that emerged in the past decade have begun to abate, only to be replaced with a new wave of tension and uncertainty as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising tensions between many of the major powers.

Produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), the Global Peace Index (GPI) is the world’s leading measure of global peacefulness. This report presents the most comprehensive data-driven analysis to-date on trends in peace, its economic value, and how to develop peaceful societies.

The GPI covers 99.7 per cent of the world’s population, using 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators from highly respected sources, and measures the state of peace across three domains: the level of Societal Safety and Security, the extent of Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict, and the degree of Militarisation.

About Iceland :

One of the youngest landmasses on the planet, and consequently home to some of the world’s most active volcanoes, Iceland is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, located near the Arctic Circle, between Greenland and Norway. Measuring around 103.000 km² (40,000 square miles), it is about the same size as Hungary and Portugal, or Kentucky and Virginia. Iceland is the second largest island in Europe, following Great Britain, and the 18th largest island in the world. It is also the least populated country in Europe with less than three inhabitants per square kilometer. Almost 80% of the country is uninhabited, and much of its terrain consists of plateaux, mountain peaks, and fertile lowlands.

Iceland enjoys a cool, temperate maritime climate, with refreshing summers and surprisingly mild temperatures in winter. Icelandic culture has been shaped by isolation and the extreme forces of nature. These conditions have created a resilient people, where family ties are close, the sense of tradition is strong, and the bond with nature is tight.

Fisheries, Tourism and Services are the major economic sectors in Iceland. Today, Iceland is a progressive, modern society that continuously ranks at the top of measurements for quality of life, such as the United Nations Human Development Index. Its economy is one of the most productive economies in the world, per-capita, and it is annually considered to be one of greenest countries on the planet, due in large parts to its vast renewable energy resources.

Factors that make Iceland the most peaceful nation

Low crime rate : Iceland has a very low level of crime . The murder rate in Iceland is zero to 1.5 a year, virtually no violent crimes, very small amount of petty crimes. Police officers in Iceland don’t carry guns and the nation has no army. Also, Iceland has no border nations, so no cross border conflicts and tensions..
Relatively high standard of living : Crime is often linked to poverty. Iceland is not without its economical problems, but it does not have real poverty. The nation has low poverty rate and low unemployment rate. Employment regulations are relatively flexible and the labour market is one of the freest in the world. They also have one of the highest literacy rate in the world
Robust Social welfare system : Iceland has an insurance-based unemployment benefit wherein financial assistance is available for those without other resources. It also has housing benefit for those with low income and family benefit which includes double the benefit for single parents, supplementary allowance to low income families. Iceland also has a universal health care and has been ranked as one of the best performing in the world, ranked 15th by the World Health Organization. According to an OECD report, Iceland devotes far more resources to healthcare than most industrialised nations. The education is fairly reasonable. For eg., The University of Iceland has an annual tuition fee of approximately 600 EUR, which is well below Europe’s average of 4,500 EUR per year.
Rich Nation with low income inequality : Iceland’s GDP per capita is amongst the highest in the World. In 2018, the GDP per capita in Iceland amounted to more than 75,000 U.S. dollars. Also, its income inequality is among the lowest. A fairly rich nation with equal distribution of income, Iceland has no social clashes.
Progressive human rights and values : There is no class system in Iceland and freedom of religion is guaranteed. There are laws strictly forbidding discrimination based on race, gender, disability or other factors, Iceland is by many standards and measurements considered a world leader when it comes to the human rights enjoyed by its people. The nation ranks amongst the most evolved in the world when it comes to gender equality, equal pay for Men and Women, freedom of expression, gay rights, and levels of democracy. Iceland is also number 1 in gender equality. Iceland was also the first country in the world to have a political party formed and led entirely by women in the year 1983.
Small town feeling : Iceland has a very small and relatively homogenous population and is a very close-knit family oriented community. Almost everyone knows everyone, and are directly or remotely connected. People feel safe and secure in such surroundings.

7. No one has a bodyguard, not even the President: This statement stresses how safe the country is: simply put, there is no reason for anyone to have a bodyguard or an entourage for safekeeping. Icelanders feel safe in their country, even if they are in a position of power.

8. Infants and toddlers take naps outside in their strollers : Having babies sleep in their strollers outside is quite an old tradition and Icelanders swear by it. No one would ever worry about their baby carriage being snatched or their baby being taken simply because it has never happened. Just proves how safe is the nation.

10. Strict Driving Rules : The strict driving regulations in Iceland contributes to the overall safety of its citizens and visitors alike. There are no highways in Iceland–the fastest you can possibly drive is 90 kmph (55.9 mph) and if you can travel at that speed, it means you are outside of town. Breaking Iceland‘s strict speeding laws results in shockingly high fines–for a strict adherence to the law.

11. Less tax burden : Iceland has relatively low taxes. Unlike most Western European countries, Iceland has a flat tax system: the main personal income tax rate is a flat 22.75%, and combined with municipal taxes, the total tax rate equals no more than 35.7%, not including the many deductions that are available. The corporate tax rate is a flat 18%, one of the lowest in the world.

12. Effective Social Security and Pension system : The Icelandic pension system is based on three main pillars: the social security system, an occupational pension system and supplementary pension savings.

Social security is a public pension system of which all Icelanders are members, with the primary objective of providing mutual insurance, income equalisation and a social safety net for pension recipients. Social security includes pensions, health insurance and disability insurance.

Everyone who has been legally resident in Iceland for six months automatically becomes a member of the Icelandic social insurance system, regardless of nationality. Social insurance in Iceland is financed by the State Treasury. Persons do not pay special premiums for their social insurance: instead, employers pay premiums to the State Treasury on all paid wages. The funds collected by these means are used among other things, to finance social insurance.

Iceland is #1 in the following

Iceland ranks 1st in gender equality.
Iceland ranks 1st in income equality.
Iceland ranks 1st in the environmentally friendly index.
Iceland has the most sold books in the world Per capita.
Icelanders produce more writers and books than any other nation in the world. Per capita, that is. 10% of Icelanders will publish a book at one time in their lives.
Iceland had the first democratically elected female.
Iceland had the first openly gay Prime Minister.
Icelanders have the longest workweek in Europe, at 43.5 hours.
100% of Icelanders have internet connections. Iceland is the only country in the world where every single home is connected.
Iceland hosts Europes’ largest glacier, Vatnajökull. It’s larger than all of Europe’s glaciers combined.
Iceland has the purest water in the world

Source : www.campeasy.com (This is the source for #1)

Sources : https://www.icelandtravel.is/blog/iceland-safest-country-in-the-world/, www,oecd.org, www.Guidetoiceland.is, www.iceland.is, www.government.is

September 5, 2021 0 comment

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