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Oct 3, 2009

"If I think that I will serve society best by becoming a teacher, then I will teach. If I think I will help society best by becoming a businessman, then I will become a businessman. I will do whatever it takes." --Venkat Krishnan

The Man Behind 'Joy of Giving'

All his possessions fit in two suitcases. He doesn't earn much, he doesn't spend much. Most of his life is focused on birthing a culture of giving. In 2000, when he found out that formal giving was 0.2% of the GDP in India (compared to 1.8% in the US), he started an effort called 'GiveIndia', to promote good causes and to make their finances transparent. Millions of rupees were donated on that platform. Then, he started 'Bombay Marathon', which has raised another 100 million rupees for social change. And this year, he has launched a 'Joy of Giving' week where people around the country are celebrating small acts of generosity. Read the inspiring life story of Venkat Krishnan.