Billionaires Bill Gates, Ratan Tata and Azim Premji held a brain-storming session in Bangalore on June 1 with other billionaires and millionaires on the need to integrate philanthropy and social service for societal development.
“At the initiative of (Wipro Chairman) Premji, about 40 philanthropists and business leaders from India Inc and abroad met over an extended luncheon session to discuss issues related to societal development through philanthropic activities,” a spokesperson of the Azim Premji Foundation said.
The ‘Billionaire-turned Philanthropic Club’ exchanged ideas and endorsed a consensus view that philanthropy and social service were integral to the development of any society.
“They focused more on social work in areas of education, health, water and agriculture than on making or announcing pledges (funds) on this occasion,” the spokesperson said.
Acknowledging that India had a hoary tradition of philanthropy and social service, the articulate group was of the view that there was vibrant thinking and action on philanthropy across the country.
The peer group also discussed the need to set up a pan-India foundation to facilitate more Indian firms to work together for the betterment of humanity and society.
After visiting Lucknow and New Delhi, Gates arrived in the Garden City for enlisting as many billionaires and millionaires to take up philanthropic activity for improving the quality of life and improve living standards with affordable education and health care, housing and jobs for the less deprived and the vast millions of people in the countryside.
The meeting was convened as part of ‘The Giving Pledge’ initiative of Gates and billionaire Berkshire Hathway Chairman Warren Buffett in New Delhi in 2010.
The US-based global non-government and philanthropic organisation beckons billionaires and millionaires in the Americas to pledge a substantial share of their wealth in achieving the ‘Millennium Development Goals’ through local societies.
India Abroad News Service
