The Joy Of Giving

Reducing carbon footprint, saying no to crackers, and opting for eco-friendly gifts and sustainable clothing are some ways in which the awareness around climate change has altered age-old rituals around Diwali. While there is an increased enthusiasm around celebrating a ‘Green Diwali’, many are going a step further by lighting up lives of those who are less fortunate. We speak to five changemakers who feel the greatest gift lies in serving the community

- Radhika Sathe-Patwardhan

Enabling empowerment

Parul Mehta, founder and trustee of Ishanya Foundation, Pune, ensures that the underprivileged stand on their feet, finds Radhika Sathe-Patwardhan

For as long as she can remember, Parul Mehta, 54, wanted to give back to society. She terms it a ‘value’ she grew up with. During her college days, as part of the student council, she had been part of an eye check-up camp which required getting those in need, operated. An old lady, after her cataract surgery, approached Mehta, showering gratitude as without help, her operation would not have happened due to lack of funds. This made Mehta realise the importance of selfless acts and their impact on people’s lives. She was determined to do more for the underprivileged. This led her to pursue Authentic Leadership Development programme from Harvard Business School in 2014 post a BA in Sitar, and upon returning, Mehta was looking at what direction to take next.

It was around this time she visited several NGOs in and around Pune to understand the sectors that were being catered to. Over time, she realised that donating is not the way forward, empowering is. “It’s easy to write a cheque, but we should work towards making the underprivileged independent. If you teach them a skill, you are educating them for a better life,” she says. Thus, was born Ishanya Foundation.

The organisation conducts several outreach programmes for women empowerment, livelihood, and health and education, in and around Pune, and in villages around Taloja in Raigad District.