Opinion: Only 13 per cent of Indians indulge in charity leaving India at 137th place in global index

The message is, when giving the hand should not get a superior position which negatively portrays one’s ego. One should always be humble while giving.

There is another saying — the left hand should not know what the right hand is giving. Some people, extend help to others without even getting directly involved. They would not even want the receiver to know from where he has received the help.

The joy of giving or ‘Dhan Utsav’ is observed every year on the first week of October following Gandhi Jayanthi. Though culturally Indians are usually involved in charity, it became a kind of celebration in 2009. Since then several programmes are held across the country only for donation.

Donations can be done in several forms - food to the poor, Vidya dhan or provide education, blood donation, helping a person to tide over health issues and so on. More than knowing which of the above mentioned charity is superior, it is important to know that timely help matters more than 

anything else.

The famous poet Thiruvalluvar in one of his works says that as our hand comes involuntarily to hold the loosened cloth round the waist, so should one come to the rescue of a friend, who is in need. A help rendered when the person is in utmost need is bigger than anything in the world.

India stands at 137th position in the world when it comes to charity. There is an International organisation in United Kingdom called Charity Aid Foundation which tracks the charity and compassion status of each Nation and how much their citizens reach out to fellow citizens.

The foundation considers three factors to accessevery nation — helping a stranger, donating money and volunteering time. World-wide there has been fall in the charity index. This could be due to global economic slow down. However, African continent has consistently improved its position in the index since the last five years.

The survey also reveals 50 per cent of the people in the world helped a stranger, 30 per cent donated money while only 21 per cent volunteered time. In south Asia, Srilanka ranks first. Globally, Pakistan ranks 85, Bangladesh 109 and Nepal 115. Only consolation for India which is ranked 137 is that China is behind ranked 141. In actual figures 16.5 crore people in India donate regularly which is 13 per cent of the population which is significant compared to many other countries.

Liberia in west Africa is the most hospitable country thanks to the innovative efforts of the first Female President in Africa Ms Ellen Johnson, who took charge for nearly ten years from 2006.

Ten top countries of the world, who excel in charity are Myanmar, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Canada, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Ireland and United Arab Emirates. Most of these countries in the list are economically advanced except for Indonesia Sri Lanka and Mayanmar.

Sri Lanka has been consistently maintaining its position mainly because of the tradition its people follow to help the needy. Indonesians excel in volunteering, while Mayanmar has a high score in donation for volunteering and also donating to strangers.

India has a rich cultural heritage when it comes to hospitality but there has been a fall in all three indices. Inability to donate money is understandable given the extent of the prevailing poverty but when it comes to volunteering and helping strangers, why should India lag behind? In Hospitality index India takes the 146th place .

Islamic countries generally fair better in charity index because it is mandatory for them to indulge in charity during Ramalan. Also, the Islamic law prohibits lending money on interest and ordains a portion of the earning, whatever the avocation be given, on charity.

There is no dearth of festivals in India. Beginning in the month of Shravan in July- August is a series of festivals ending with Holi in March. During such festivals we should make it a habit to spend a portion on poor people and this quality and compassion should be instilled in our children too. 

National Poet and Freedom fighter Subramanya Bharathi in his poem laments - what is the point in just building a shelter for poor, it would be much better if a poor person is taught how to learn and educate themselves. Vidhya dhan or help rendered to educate a person is more important.

Though Primary education is compulsory and is a fundamental right, it has not reached many of the villages particularly in tribal areas. Swami Vivekananda said, if children cannot go to school then schools should go children. Many of the Government schools in remote areas has complaints of teachers not going to schools regularly and children in those schools just remain idle in the class room. Ekalaiva scheme of single teacher school addresses this problem.

In Tamil Nadu, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur districts close to chennai have single teacher schools in remote villages are they are managed by Vivekanada Rural Community Development Trust funded by charity. The schools function from evening 5 pm to 9 pm in a rented place in the village itself. A person from the village, mostly a woman, who has minimum qualification to take classes is chosen to run the school.

About 20 children in each village attend the school after helping their parents in household chores and in the field. Syllabus for class I to V is taught to the children and they are also given value-based education on good conduct, respect for women, environment protection, respect to National assets and about our Freedom struggle. They are also told about the ill effects of liquor and drugs.

There are about 700 schools and nearly 20,000 children, who are benefitted by this set up. The children are sufficiently motivated to pursue education in the regular government school from Class VI. These single teacher schools have become popular among villagers. This is evident from the demand of other villagers for starting a single teacher school in their village.

Also, organ donation is yet another noble cause and none can forget the kind gesture of the parents of road accident victim Hithendran, who came forward to donate his vital organs to give life to needy patients. This one noble act motivated so many others in organ donation. Tamil Nadu ranks first in the country in organ donation and organ transplant thanks to the excellent team of doctors both in government and private hospitals.

Man is born free and when he dies, he cannot take anything with him. But his good deeds will remain. Charity and compassion will live forever.