by Er. Rajesh Pathak, Bhopal
Movie icon Akshay Kumar recently gained attention for his contribution to the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram (VKA), a social organisation engaged in the service of marginalised and economically weaker tribal communities. Akshay donated ₹1 crore in memory of his late mother, Aruna Bhatia, towards the construction of a hostel for tribal girls in Udaipur by the VKA. Earlier, too, he had donated towards the construction of a hostel for tribal boys at Kherwada in memory of his father.
Akshay Kumar, however, is not alone. More notably, Sachin Tendulkar has also funded the development of 70 playgrounds across the Bastar region in association with the My Desi Foundation. Under the initiative, facilities for 13 different sports have been made available to aspiring young players. Notably, this forms part of the various initiatives undertaken by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to prevent tribal youth living in socially isolated and remote forest areas from falling prey to Maoist tactics of misleading them and turning them against the nation.
The larger challenge posed by Maoism and urban Naxalism must be understood in order to appreciate the wider significance of such initiatives at different levels. Notably, it was the Maoists who allegedly played a role in the closure of the Vedanta Sterlite Copper Plant in Tuticorin amid widespread protests and law-and-order disturbances. As a result, copper production in the country reportedly fell by 46.1 per cent. While India was among the world’s top five copper exporters in 2017-18, by 2020 it had become a copper importer.
The controversy surrounding the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant was no different, according to this line of argument. Demonstrations, public protests and agitations were organised in an effort to prevent the project from being completed. The then Union Minister of State in the Manmohan Singh-led UPA Government, V. Narayanasamy, had alleged that two NGOs had received ₹54 crore in connection with the protests. Ultimately, however, the project was completed and the nuclear plant became operational.
Similarly, the incident involving the destruction of property by an agitating mob at the Wistron mobile manufacturing unit in Narasapura near Bengaluru occurred three years ago. Here too, some of those arrested were reportedly found to have links with elements associated with the same ideological ecosystem, one of them being a well-known student leader.
To be capable, successful and suave as an individual is not enough. It is only when society as a whole moves collectively towards achieving desirable standards of living that the country can ensure a bright future. Through their initiatives, Sachin Tendulkar and Akshay Kumar have conveyed this message to the country. Their efforts will strengthen among the younger generation of tribal communities the feeling that they are no different from young people in other parts of the country and deserve equal opportunities to develop their talents.
It is worth remembering what Swami Vivekananda said about social service:
“Why should we do good to others? Apparently, to help others; but really, we help ourselves—to help ourselves reach nearer to the eternal bliss of higher life.”
On another occasion, he wrote:
“All this world is very beautiful, for it gives us time and opportunity to help others.”
