Page 16 - Seniorstoday April 2022 Issue

failure. Some said they are just at the way on the pretext that it is an indirect
beginning of their careers and need to focus
on ensuring their own future and their
family’s wellbeing and hence charity is not
really top of mind for them. They can think
of it only when they are in their 50s and
secure. Some said they donate sporadically
on requests and not really married to
any singular charitable cause. One, in
fact asked me pointedly, if I had donated
regularly when I was 30. I did tell him that
I had and that leprosy and education were
my preferred causes at that time. He was
rather surprised to hear this, but set him
thinking nevertheless. Almost everyone
saw donation/charity as a monetary
outflow from their savings kitty, few said
anything about contribution in kind in the
form of giving their time and expertise to
worthy NGOs. Very clearly, charity as a
desirable and a worthy act is not a priority
or anywhere in their near radar.
I remember organisations like Give India
approaching organisations years ago to
inculcate the habit of monthly donations
in the employees by deducting from their
salaries. If I remember it right, at least in
the organisations that I had worked at,
it had very few takers. I suspect that it
would have been so in most companies.
No employee wanted to commit or be
pressurised into donating in a structured
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coercion and their causes are different.
Nevertheless, in a few NGOs that I am
involved with closely, I continue to suggest
to them that approaching employers and
making a presentation to the employees
may pique their interest and tug their
hearts enough to make at least an annual
donation, if not monthly or quarterly.
Perhaps, like EMIs and SIPs and savings,
shares and mutual funds that are being
actively evangelised and made by-words
amongst the working and privileged
class, the eco system needs to introduce
a concept of EMDs and SDPs and social
investing. Simply put, I am suggesting
establishing a system of Equated Monthly
Donations, Systematic Donation Plans and
social investing. Similarly, akin to CSR for
companies who are mandated to contribute
2 per cent of their post-tax profits for
social causes, high earning individuals
above a threshold limit could be similarly
mandated, say 1 per cent of their post-
tax income. For sure, there will be a hue
and cry and legality issues, but at least
it will prod active social awareness and
voluntarism.
There is a concept of ‘idam na mama’ in
the yajna (offering or oblations to fire)
practices amongst the Hindus and I am
reasonably certain that similar precepts
pervade other religions as well ( thank the
Supreme that in thought and spirit, all
religions are syncretic ). ‘Idam na mama’
essentially means that ‘this is not mine’.
Our mortality implies that we are mere
custodians of our wealth and beneficiaries
due to acts of others. So, donating our
wealth is not an act of charity, but more
a repayment of an obligation or an
expression of gratitude towards the life
forces.