and Ulhas Vairagkar don’t believe that
philanthropic support should be pub-
licized. “However, we are persuaded
that our pledge may possibly influ-
ence some more to think and maybe
act in a similar direction,” they say.
“#LivingMyPromise isn’t an NGO. It
does not collect or grant money. Each
pledger makes an individual decision
and offers a public declaration of their
commitment to donate a sizeable
portion of their wealth,” explains
Batra. The core group emphasizes
that this is for ordinary people who
lead a ‘normal’ life, but have decided
to make a difference nonetheless. And
to help those who have the mindset,
LMP offers advice on legal, financial
and other practical aspects. Reader’s
Digest met a small bunch of these
‘middle-class Azim Premjis’ to bring
to you their stories.AMITH PRABHU,Gurugram
Growing up in Mangalore, Karna-
taka, Amith Prabhu and his brother,
had a “semi-luxurious life”. But strong
middle-class values and a culture of
generosity were drilled into them. “We
got whatever we wanted, but we were
taught never to be greedy and to give to
others,” says Prabhu, 39, a Gurugram-
based public-relations professional.
Prabhu’s mother earned around
`5,000 monthly but always kept away
a couple of months’ salary to offer as
interest-free loans to the needy. His
father, a professor, served mid-dayto give away at least half their wealth
over the course of their lives, or in
their wills as a posthumous donation,
to causes close to their hearts.
By August that year, the campaign,
dubbed #LivingMyPromise (#LMP),
went online and news began to
spread. Venkat Krishnan N, founder
of the non-profit GiveIndia, and
among the first to take the pledge,
and five more donors from DaanUtsav
came on board. Today, a total of
27 signatories from across India
have signed up, including actor,
director and philanthropist, Rahul
Bose. “Asking Indians to commit to
something like this would have been
preposterous earlier,” says Bose. But
this, to him, is an indication of where
philanthropy has reached in India.
“This is not first level; this is talking
to those who are a few steps in the
journey, where they are willing to
make this a way of life,” he says.
What indeed ties the pledge
takers is not their enormous fortunes,
but their big, giving hearts. Most of
them have grown up in average, mid-
dle-class homes, where frugality was
tempered with generosity and social
responsibility. Having learnt from
strong, positive role models in their
own lives, they have continued on the
path of giving—donating funds, time
and services to serve the needy.
While most of them shy away from
the spotlight, even the most reluc-
tant see value in making their pledge
public. Delhi-based signatories SmitaReader’s Digest
60 august 2019