A traces the journey of selflessness, empathy, and innate happiness. The joy derived from giving is not contingent upon the magnitude of the gift but
rather on the sincerity of the gesture.
The act of giving encapsulates the essence of generosity, kindness, and empathy. Whether it is in the form of donation, service, emotional support, or sharing resources. Kindness and generosity come for free. You just have to pass it on!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
With a heart as warm as the idlis, 86-year-old Kamalathal (aka Idli Amma) has been orchestrating a culinary treat for the people of Coimbatore for over 30 years. She sells around 1,000 idlis every day for Re 1 only. Idli Amma’s motto in life is simple:
“Give back to society and feed the poor in your way.” The currency for each of these is unparalleled to the satisfaction of her patrons.
SMALL ACTS, BIG IMPACT
Contrary to the notion that giving requires deep pockets, it is often the small, everyday acts of kindness that leave an indelible mark. The 88-year-old
cartoonist cum water crusader of Mumbai, Aabid Surti took the city’s water leakage issue under his wings.
Armed with a plumber and volunteer, Aabid goes around fixing leaky taps and faucets across the city for free. Aabid says, “True happiness lies in transparency within, not cheating, bemani, and fraud. The Drop Dead Foundation is in a way a ‘joy of giving’ for me. It gives me maximum joy when I try to conserve water.” Unlike pursuits driven by personal gain, the act of giving is inherently altruistic, and focused on the well-being of others. This selflessness brings a unique form of satisfaction — a satisfation that transcends material acquisitions and taps into the profound sense of harmony and community building.
PICKLED WITH LOVE
Guntur Uma Sundari (68), a former teacher and a resident of Kondapalli, Andhra Pradesh finds her true happiness in not just making pickles but distributing the cloth-sealed jars to her near and dear ones. “We give a sample to our friends and neighbours. We believe in the concept of annadanam (happiness). Everyone
should come and be offered to taste the pickle.”
Sundari prays over the glass jars as they believe that Laxmi (wealth) enters the house when you make pickles. She learned the tradition of making pickles from her grandmother. The act of giving is beyond its inception period, the secret ingredient to her mouth watering pickles is – mother’s love.
CONNECTION AND EMPATHY
The joy of giving is deeply intertwined with the ability to empathise with others. Madhu Kargund (35), founder of Tengin was an engineer who quit his high-paying job in 2018 to help farmers in his village. The Karnataka native founded his startup Tengin in Bengaluru. The engineer-turned-farmer uses his
engineer brain to help these farmers and use coconuts to produce virgin coconut oil, barfi, soaps, candles, sugar, chips, crockery shells, coir dish scrubbers, and more.
Madhu says, “I came back from IT and convinced farmers about the idea of working locally with raw materials to earn a living. That’s the most joyful thing
for me. Every day when I go and meet women, the respect they give and the trust with which they share their life’s stories, give me innate
happiness.”
Madhu believes that happiness is a legacy that one carries to their grave. At Tengin, they
donate a huge chunk of their revenue for rural development and helping society — like offering menstrual cups, free education, working with the upliftment of rural schools etc.
In a world often fixated on personal success and individual pursuits, the ‘joy of giving’ emerges as a timeless and universal source of happiness. As individuals embrace the joy of giving, they contribute to the collective well-being of humanity, creating a world where empathy, kindness, and generosity are the guiding principles that bind us together.
