Pune couple donates all earnings for betterment of nation

By Devina Karnik

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” -Winston Churchill

It is said that actual wealth is measured by how much a person gives, not how much a person possesses. Mr Prakash Kelkar, a 72 year old retired cotton expert from Pune and his wife, Mrs Deepa Kelkar have pledged to donate their entire wealth for the betterment of the nation. 30% will go to Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, 30% to Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, 30% to jawans in the Indian army and 10% to 5 NGOs who are working effectively.

A native of Ahmednagar, Mr Kelkar recalls his childhood household as a place where there were no barriers in terms of caste and religion and people of all backgrounds were welcomed warmly and treated equally. The willingness to do something better for society, to help others in need without expecting anything in return was embedded in the family since the very beginning. Mr Kelkar’s late father, Mr R B Kelkar played an important role in inculcating this. He was a renowned artist and the founder of Pragat Kala Mahavidyalaya which was originally founded  to give the students from less fortunate families the opportunity to learn art. “All are same in Kelkar’s house”, says Mr Kelkar.

It was during Mr Kelkar’s tenure in a cotton company where he first came in contact with farmers. Mr  Kelkar’s direct contact with these farmers exposed their struggling lives and the hardships their families went through daily. Mr Kelkar also recalls that at least one male member from these families served as a jawan in the army. His personal conversation with the members of these families reminds him of the members sharing the grief they felt when their loved one was martyred in action or the distance that separated them for years.

It was in the year1996 when Mr Kelkar decided to devote his life to social work. Mr and Mrs Kelkar, being passionate about art themselves, started off by conducting a drawing competition at a blind school for girls. After receiving an extremely positive response, Mr and Mrs Kelkar extended their hands to other social activities as well. Mr Kelkar actively participated in traffic control for about a year and volunteered as a clinic located in a slum. In 2009, he selected 40 widows of farmers who had committed suicide from Maharashtra and donated them a sum of Rs 5000 each.

It was in 2013 when he first thought about donating his entire wealth for the betterment of the nation and in 2015, the will was formed along with the joint concession of his wife and the support of his two daughters who are well-settled.

“I felt like I owed to the farmers and their families and I always wanted to pass on my wealth to someone who needs it and will be benefited by it. So that is why I chose to give away my wealth to the PM and CM Relief funds and NGOs as well. It will give me a sense of satisfaction to see people being helped become successful in their lives later on.”

Mr Kelkar also has a golden message for today’s youth.

“Live by the principles of honesty, transference and sacrifice. Never discriminate on the basis of caste, religion, the region you belong to. We all are one. Never follow anything blindly, take your own decisions too. And always work hard as there is no short-cut to success.”

He also suggests the youths to save and multiply money from a young age as it will prove beneficial in the years to come.

(Devina Karnik is a student of Ferguson College, Pune.)