Keep Doing Good in Society
TRANSCEND MEMBERS, 29 Nov 2021
Dr. Ravi P. Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service
While all sorts of violence, cruelty and inhumanity fills the headlines of newspapers and the social media, some people keep working for the good of the society. These people are not just formal philanthropists or rich persons, but ordinary human beings who are driven by a passion to do good by their unusually humanitarian deeds.
There are quite a few such examples in the world, but I shall briefly refer to some such goodness in India — a country that is replete with wealth, comforts, power, pelf on one side and poverty and deprivation on the other. India is an example of extreme diversities both economic and geographical. Some regions in the capital city and neighborhoods, Bombay and others, are peopled by wealthy people, but states such as Bihar, Jharkhand and others are lacking in basic facilities.
A photo has appeared in a newspaper today showing an award being given to a poor woman, Tulsi Gowda, for planting thousands of saplings in the rural regions of the Southern state of Karnataka. What adds to the award is the fact that she is standing barefoot in her old sari in front of the Indian Prime Minister and another minister. There is another photograph alongside, but this one shows the Indian President presenting an award to a well known Indian woman badminton player.
Another heartwarming event is based on the tragic murder, a few months ago, of a young teenage girl who was pedaling towards a coaching institute in the state of Bihar. She was murdered by some men on the road itself. These men were arrested later. Her Father was mentally devastated, but he took the bold and unusual decision of resigning from his job as an engineer and started working in the coaching centre for giving tuition and academic guidance to the several students, many of them female.
He would say, ‘I see my daughter in the faces of these girl students’.
Many students come from long distances to get coaching for appearing in different examinations including those of their school. What a laudable step this man took to teach in the coaching centre.
One hopes that other people follow his footsteps.
While I was driving today, I saw an old lady begging on the street near the traffic lights. A person driving his bike gave her some money which probably was more than a few coins generally offered on such occasions. She saw the currency note and uttered the words in Hindi: ‘May God give you prosperity and long life.’
I felt so happy hearing these words of blessing from an old beggar lady.
One hopes that others also do good in the society and get blessings for their behaviour.
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Dr Ravi P Bhatia is a member of the TRANSCEND Network for Peace Development Environment, an educationist, Gandhian scholar and peace researcher. Retired professor, Delhi University. His new book, A Garland of Ideas—Gandhian, Religious, Educational, Environmental was published recently in Delhi. ravipbhatia@gmail.com
Tags: India, Inspirational
This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 29 Nov 2021.
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