Describe a Person Who Contributes to Society Cue Card

How do you know him/her?

In the year 2020, I got an unexpected opportunity to meet him at a conference. I approached him to get assistance in improving the infrastructure of the chemical-free village's programme. Though he was so big in status, he listened to my cause very humbly and patiently and sanctioned a huge sum for the programme.

What type of charity work does he do?

He had been donating Rs. 10,000 each year for ten years for the Gokhale’s Servants of India Society’s work for the upliftment of the lower sections of people in India. He has been a supporter of essential needs like education, health, and rural development. It is known to me that Mr Ratan Tata is associated with famous Green NGOs that work to protect the natural environment.

Why do you think he/she contributes to society?

It is very interesting to know that about 65% of his shares are invested in fulfilling the cause of charitable organisations. Here is an example. Tata Education and Development Trust has a $28 million Tata Scholarship Fund to provide financial assistance to undergraduate students from India who are willing to study abroad at Cornell University. In 2010, the Tata group of companies donated $50 million to Harvard Business School to construct an executive centre. In 2014, they gave $950 million to IIT, Mumbai. In the end, I can confidently say that Mr Ratan Tata is a true generous philanthropist, who contributes to the well-being of society.

How do you know him/her?

I came to know him during the corona pandemic. At that tough time, he announced to provide food and shelter to the affected labourers who were working away from their hometowns and were not able to go back as the transport facilities were not operational at that time. In such a bad condition, he arranged many buses for them. He is highly active on social media to help the needy.

What type of work does he do?

He is known as the “Messiah of Migrants” as he helped a lot of migrant workers during the Corona Pandemic. He has founded the Sood Charity Foundation to help people across all categories. In May 2020, he helped thousands of migrant workers to reach their homes far away from their working places. In 2020, he arranged a chartered flight to bring about 1500 students from Kyrgyzstan to India.

Why do you think he/she contributes to society?

In July 2020, he sent a farmer’s family a tractor after finding their daughter ploughing a field like a bull with a yoke on her shoulders. In 2021 he provided a number of oxygen plants for Covid patients across India. He has launched a website and an app, Pravasi Rojgar, to find suitable jobs for migrant workers. He has launched Ilaaj India to provide free health services to the needy. He distributed a number of bicycles to thousands of school-going girls. He is a supporter of Aao Gaon Bachayein's campaign to help village communities. So, he is a great example for other rich people to understand the plight of the poor and needy and become true social workers.

How do you know him?

I came to know him when I read a column about him in a famous newspaper. Azim Premji Foundation nearly doubled donations to over Rs.2000 crore to help to fight against Covid-19 in India. After knowing this I did research into his charity works.

What type of work does he do?

In 2001, he founded a non-profit organisation called Azim Premji Foundation. He has founded the Sood Charity Foundation to help people across all categories. In 2010, he pledged to donate US$2 billion to improve the standard of school education in India. He transferred 213 million Wipro equity shares to the Azim Premji Trust. It has so far been the largest kind of donation in India. By 2013, he had already given 25 per cent of his wealth to charity.By 2015, he gave away 18% of his stake to Wipro Ltd. In 2020, he collaborated with research institutes in India to speed up research work in discovering medicine to fight against coronavirus.

Why do you think he contributes to society?

In July 2020, he sent a farmer’s family a tractor after finding their daughter ploughing a field like a bull with a yoke on her shoulders. He became the first Indian to sign up for a campaign, founded by the world’s great billionaires like Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, called the Giving Pledge. This is meant to encourage people to give out most of the wealth of billionaires for philanthropic causes. So, I can definitely say that he is making a very great contribution to the cause of the poor and needy in society.