Managing Trustee – Sharada Educational Trust
After spending more than 25 years in the corporate world followed by a stint of about 3 years as a startup entrepreneur, I followed my calling in the social sector. The move gave me a sense of purpose that connected me to an authentic part of my character and also inspired me to take risks in life.
I also began to realise that success is not measured in the amount of dollars we make, but the amount of lives we impact. The more people believe in accumulating wealth, not for themselves but for their next generation, creates a sense of greed and attachment. Once the detachment happens, the path towards philanthropy becomes much more clear. A life which is less dependent on others and more about experiencing the “Joy of Giving”.
The pandemic was in some way responsible for creating a sense of empathy and the urge to give back to society, among the general public. It was during this phase, that my purpose of life “to empower children, from rural areas, through education”, was fulfilled through initiatives like:
- bridging the digital divide to make online learning accessible to children studying in rural Government schools and
- setting up digital libraries in such Government schools
This was the time I came across the “Living my Promise” initiative whose objectives match my core belief. It also sums up to what Mahatma Gandhi had followed all his life – “Be the Change you wish to see in the World”.
– Arvind Kamath