Bill Gates, Ratan Tata and Azim Premji held a meeting in Bangalore attended by other billionaires and millionaires on the need to integrate philanthropy and social service for societal development.
The ‘billionaire-turned philanthropic club’ exchanged ideas and endorsed a consensus view that philanthropy and social service were integral to the development of any society. The discussion focused more on social work in areas of education, health, water and agriculture than on making or announcing funds on this occasion.
The group also discussed on the need to set up a pan-India foundation to facilitate more Indian firms to work together for the betterment of humanity and society.After visiting Lucknow and New Delhi, Gates to Bangalore for roping in as many billionaires and millionaires to take up philanthropic activity for improving the quality of life and improve living standards with affordable education and health care, housing and jobs for the less deprived and the vast millions of people in the countryside.
The meeting has also been convened as part of ‘The Giving Pledge’ initiative of Gates and billionaire Berkshire Hathway chairman Warren Buffett as in 2010 in New Delhi.
The US-based global non-government and philanthropic organization (Giving Pledge) beckons billionaires and millionaires in the Americas to pledge a substantial share of their wealth in achieving the MDGs through local societies.
