“Goodness is the language which the deaf can hear and the
blind can see” – Mark Twain

AWhen was the last time you stepped out of your home and didn’t dread the commute?

Did a fellow commuter knock you off balance as you tried to enter a Metro rail coach, or a motorist overtook you from the wrong side, without even blinking an indicator? Did you end up swearing at the chaos unleashed at a traffic intersection by unruly motorists?

Despite all this, do you still go out of your way to drop a neighbour’s kid to his exam centre, or find a good school for your fruit vendor’s daughter? You do your bit for the environment, feed the neighbourhood strays, or leave a water bowl out for birds in the searing heat of an Indian summer? Maybe take care of the old trees that have given shade for decades? Do you instinctively stop to help an accident victim without a second thought?

Yes, you are a good person!

We are looking for good people.

Tell us about it so that we can share your acts of kindness and inspire other Good Samaritans. It is not about us endorsing you goodness, but your own heart asking you to make a difference.

Do you feel your goodness should reach more people, but lack a support group, a community? Here is where we step in. We are a community that aspires to rediscover our Indian-ness that appears to be more accentuated when meeting guests from overseas, even if they are strangers, but disappears into thin air when meeting fellow Indians.

The foreigners go back to their countries raving about India’s warm hospitality, “the open hearts and doors to homes”, our generosity, and largesse. When it comes to fellow Indians, however, it is a different story all together. We suddenly become stingy, abrasive, apathetic, and even unkind.

The stories of neighbours like family, and friends as close as siblings that you may have heard of from your parents and grandparents, now seem to be a thing of the past, or perhaps even fiction to many who face bitter rivalry and harassment at the hands of a neighbour.

Do you feel this and find that no one cares? We are listening.

A people who celebrated the success of a boy known to them passing his matriculation exam by dancing to dhol beats and sweets, are now consumed with jealousy when someone in the neighbourhood gets a swanky new car.

The generation that grew up believing that ones neighbour is the first port of call in an emergency is horrified to see normal frictions of living in close proximity leaving bruised egos. An argument in the parking lot can lead to fisticuffs and concussions, broken bones, or even a bullet injury. No one believes in turning the other cheek anymore and fights don’t fizzle out with a few heated words.

In a society consumed with status, income, and trappings thereof, your worth and the treatment you receive is decided by the size of your paycheck. Teachers were never among the best paid professionals, but they commanded respect in society because of their knowledge and education.

Today, a social media influencer can get millions of views doing something obnoxious, or pointless, and garner commercial collaborations to the tune of millions. They get unmitigated adulation for their “swag and rizz”, expensive shoes, cars, and the “hot women” hanging on to their coat tails.

Abusive content is now widely accepted by youngsters as dank comedy, or memes. This is rewiring the brains of our future generation when it comes to respect, ethics, a sense of responsibility, and dignity.

The habit of speaking politely to everyone regardless of social stature and the value of your “zubaan” (word of mouth), which defined your self-worth, is a lost cause. The so-called “hustle culture” of our Metro cities is fast percolating from Tier II-III cities to smaller towns and villages.

Do we even spare a thought about the labourers, rickshaw-pullers, and plumbers working hard in the sun, and at least treat them with respect? Do we offer them something every human being should retain – their dignity?

We need people who talk to the less-advantaged with basic human courtesy, and make them feel valued for the hard labour they do.

Mental health is the biggest epidemic threatening the world at the moment as per the World Health Organisation (WHO). And the lack of a defining purpose to one’s life is leaving many young people with a sense of aimlessly drifting in life.

Finding your niche in society, your quiet spot, and your community of fellow Indians who want to do good can give you that sense of purpose many of us miss in our day jobs.

The citizen, who looks beyond their own happiness, is the kind we are looking for. You are a pillar of strength for your community. Get ready to make a greater and lasting impact on society and share your strength and kindness with all.