One of the fundamental failures of Indian Capitalism is the absence of focus on Charity. Though there has been a recent shift to favour sustainable businesses over promoting the dynasty, the overriding goal appears to be dynasty and nothing else. Dynasties produce smart heirs and dumb & incompetent heirs as well. And  the wealthy (competent and incompetent) sadly lack a focus on charity. And in the absence of leadership, the middle class shows no charitable inclinations either.

When I had just arrived in Mumbai and had talked about how Mumbai citizens had learned to ignore the pavement dwellers, one of the businessmen I met remarked that I was behaving like a foreigner. Worrying about Indian poverty was only for foreigners! It is four years since I came but every time I drive through the streets of Mumbai, I am stuck by the starkness of the poverty of the pavement dwellers who you cannot miss at all. Driving your car is not as enjoyable when you are constantly watching our for the safety of children playing on the pavement. Most of the Mumbai citizens have learnt to ignore the pavement and not see the pavement dwellers. But for a newcomer to Mumbai like me, the pavement dwellers are stark reminder of underlying social tension - how long before one of the children throw a stone at my car. Actually they do but mostly very small pebbles which do no damage but when I send my kids to school in the car, I worry. I am surprised that nobody else does. Maybe I am worrying too much and the pavement dwellers are happy to be in the great city of Mumbai and pavement dwelling is better than whichever village they had left behind. However, on a seflish basis, wouldn"t we all be happier  if a solution can be found for pavement dwellers and we dont have to wonder if ever the pavement dwellers will riot.

The point I am trying to make is that Charity is good from a selifsh point of view. Charity has to be a priority for those of us who are fortunate to be blessed with an education, opportunity to make a good living and the wealthy. Every year I try and make charitable donations as a defined percentage of my annual income and I know of nobody else who does that. Most contributors who donate to charity do on a one off basis. Some organisations try to get a monthly charity contribution especially by promoting the concept of "psuedo-adopting a child" for a monthly payout of INR 100-500 but that is it. We dont have a Rockefeller Foundation or a Gates Foundation that systematically gives out a great percentage of family"s wealth. Nor do we have the concept of contributing a percentage of our income to charity.

Charity is important and has to be distinguished from alms. Organised Charity focuses on providing an opportunity for life to people left behind by society and people affected by natural disasters. Organised Charity reduces social tensions and promotes belief in society among the poor and the dispossessed. Otherwise, the poor and the dispossessed will resort to violence, riots or Naxalite revolution. Next time, a charity organisation contacts you for a donation, please find a few minutes to contribute. Dont postpone it saying that you will do it another day. Even better, make a resolution that you will contribute a percentage of your income (whatever be the number that makes you comfortable) to charity every year. You can sleep better knowing that you are doing your part in reducing social tensions.