April 23, 2016

 

Dear Bill,

Since our initial meeting in December 2015 in Abu Dhabi, it has been a pleasure getting to know about the Giving Pledge, the humanitarian efforts of fellow members and in particular, the scale at which you and Melinda are making an impact through your philanthropic efforts, particularly in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Your generosity, dedication and focus provide an ideal platform through which others can participate to help elevate the lives of the world’s poorest people – and it is this collaboration that I am drawn to, whereby we can collectively solve some of our society’s most critical challenges through acts of compassion, empathy and generosity. I am delighted to join you in this endeavor with my pledge to commit a portion of my wealth to society.

From a spiritual perspective, I have always believed that all of us have entered this life with nothing and someday, when our times come, we will depart this life with nothing. Hence, it is each person’s responsibility, especially those who have been blessed with wealth, to ensure that we maximize ways to help others who are less fortunate. It is this belief that has shaped and driven my passion towards philanthropy for over three decades.

My background, like many others who have made the pledge, is one of humble beginnings. In 1948, I was born into a middle class family in Kerala, India. Due to challenging personal circumstances, I dropped out of college and in 1976, at the age of 27, I left for Oman as an aspiring entrepreneur with only $7 in my pocket, with great hopes and dreams to create a better future.

With perseverance, hard work and God’s blessings, I was able to establish Sobha Group into a successful real estate and construction group at a relatively young age. By age 35, having achieved some degree of financial success, I made a lifelong decision to commit a significant portion of my wealth to society. I am now 67 and this commitment will continue as a top priority during my lifetime and beyond.

Over the past 35 years, I have designed, developed and delivered multiple CSR initiatives in Kerala, India to empower the rural poor. I am particularly focused on helping under-privileged children, parents and senior citizens, all of whom represent the poorest of the poor segment of society. By offering free education, healthcare and poverty eradication programs, tremendous impact is being made to address the financial inequities of this segment of society. Looking forward, I plan to expand my CSR efforts to include Oman, a country that formed the “backbone” of my early success.

As I reflect on the past 40 years, I have straddled my professional and personal life between India, Oman and UAE. While I look forward to increasing my philanthropic efforts within these geographies, I simultaneously hope to find ways of reducing inequities in other parts of the world. Given this objective, it is a privilege to collaborate with you, Melinda and fellow members of the Giving Pledge in the years ahead, especially since we share a common vision to help tackle the healthcare, education, hunger and sanitation challenges faced by the world’s poorest people.

I am inspired by the great work that you and Melinda do on a global scale. You have been a catalyst in the mission to elevate the lives of the less fortunate, and I am delighted to join hands with you in this noble endeavor. With my pledge, I hope to inspire others from India and all corners of the world to partake in philanthropy. Based on my experience, the act of giving creates a degree of happiness that is immeasurable, and I am fortunate that my wife and children share in this belief.

Each of us, regardless of background or financial status, have a finite time in this world. The sooner we embrace this reality, the sooner we can discover the importance of philanthropy – and the more impact we can collectively have on a global scale. Having been blessed with ample wealth and resources, I see no greater gift than the ability to give – and it is with tremendous joy that I make this pledge to create maximum positive impact to those less fortunate.

 

Best Regards,