| Most
of us are aware that there are a large number of individuals
and institutions spread over throughout the country serving
their fellowmen, under very difficult conditions in their
self chosen task of acting as good samaritans.These individuals
and institutions faced many hardships, physical or otherwise,
apart from the fact that there are not many who are willing
to come forward to encourage and assist them. A large number
of people redicule them as mere do gooders chasing recognition
and rewards. Our countrymen, as a rule, are slow to recognise
merit or initiative let alone reward them. In the circumstances
it is not at all surprising that those who are engaged in
serving their fellowmen, without any consideration of rewards,
feel disheartened and more often then not discontinue the
good work.
This
apart, others who may be inclined to undertake similar projects
for helping the needy, feel discouraged and give up the idea.
The result is that there are still large areas in the country,
not only in the remote areas, which continue to be neglected,
the population therein suffering for want of basic facilities
in the social sector namely education, public health, good
drinking water and the like. Even the existence of the institutions
and individuals serving their fellowmen rarely come to the
knowledge of the public or governmental bodies.
Shri N. Sugalchand Jain and a few of his friends
felt that something should be done to ensure that this clan
of good samaritans are identified, nurtured and encouraged
not only with a view to focus public attention on their activities,
but also to encourage others to take up community and social
services as a worthwhile exercise. This initiative took concrete
shape in the form of the setting up of the Bhagwan Mahaveer
Foundation as a public charitable trust by Shri N. Sugalchand
Jain and the institution annual awards, namely the
Mahaveer Awards to be given away to individuals and institutions
whose service to the needy sections of the humanity met the
exacting standards of evaluation prescribed by the Foundation.
Shri
N. Sugalchand Jain has also with the active co-operation of
his associates, sought and developed avenues for utilising
a substantial part of his wealth for improving the lot of
the poor. He has set up a number of Charitable
Trust such as
>
Jains India Trust
> Singhvi Charitable Trust
> Jadavbai Nathmal Singhvi Trust |
