Philanthropy must focus on building sustainable institutions to create lasting changes in communities. I grew up in a middle-class family in Mumbai, and my parents taught us the importance of giving back to the community. Our success only mattered when we helped others.
The Role of Institutions in Social Change
As a teacher, I realized that the greatest gift of a teacher is not just knowledge, but the confidence and capabilities awakened in a child. Mahatma Gandhi taught us that serving others is one of the highest forms of fulfilling life. He emphasized the importance of the welfare of all and uplifting the marginalized.
Read more: Pope Leo XIV Visits France for the First Time
The ultimate goal of philanthropy is to make itself unnecessary. To achieve this, we must turn acts of kindness and generosity into sustainable changes. Communities shape their future through institutions like universities, hospitals, and schools.
Turning Talents into Opportunities
Across India, I have encountered talented doctors and nurses, teachers and artists, farmers and volunteers who do extraordinary things when given opportunity and support. This belief guides me in my work as the head of the Reliance Foundation in India. We have built institutions ranging from higher schools to global universities, providing millions of artists and artisans in India with opportunity and dignity.
The prominent individuals I have met usually do not ask for help but seek opportunities to learn and contribute. When a community consistently provides such opportunities, lives change, and institutions make this possible.
Building institutions requires patience. These institutions are a gift for those who inherit them and may ultimately create things that the founders never imagined. I always think about the world that our children will inherit, and I hope it will be healthier, kinder, and more creative.
The Sanskrit phrase "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" reminds us that the world is one family. I believe that building institutions is one of the purest manifestations of this philosophy and should be our shared responsibility.
Read more: Retired Michigan Senator Takes Leadership of Policy Center at USC · Politics of Fear in America May Come to an End
