Who is Ravi Kalra?
Ravi Kalra is showing us what it means to be human: compassion, empathy, good will – it’s what makes him one of the biggest difference-makers in the world today. But before his grassroots efforts caught larger attention, he came from humble beginnings and arguably a reflection of some of the people he now aids.
In an interview he gave for TEDx Youth at AISGurgaon, he spoke candidly about his childhood. “I would wear torn clothes, short pants, and going bare feet on the railway tracks for miles and miles…” he said. It would take many years before Kalra’s luck would drastically change as he travelled with the U.S. forces to hundreds of countries, meanwhile experiencing all the “comforts” he could have only once imagined.
In 1987 he acquired his level four Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo Martial Arts – an accomplishment that eventually led him to become the President of Indian Amateur Taekwondo Federation, and go on to training soldiers.
Nevertheless, Kalra says it wasn’t what he wanted in life as he recalls wondering, “what will happen to the people who don’t have food to eat even once a week?”
The Beginnings of his Philanthropy:
Then, in 2007, the sight of a poor boy and stray dog eating food out of a garbage changed his life indefinitely, leading him to a life of public service.
In 2008, he founded The Earth Saviours Foundation, which looks after homeless, mentally and physically disabled and abandoned and sick individuals. Through his work, he offers food, shelter, access to basic amenities, as well as medication to treat various ailments.
Kalra provides food to around 450 people daily. He also pledges to donate his useful organs to the needy, and his body for medical research.
Kalra appears to be rooted in deep faith and conviction surrounding beliefs on his higher purpose. It took several attempts before he was able to successfully endeavour into his humanitarian work. Still, it didn’t stop him and he believes it was “God’s way of testing me.” He recalls pleading with God to give him an opportunity to serve people in need, and the angst he experienced when he felt unable to.
Perhaps one of the most striking things about Kalra is that his work revisits some of the tragedies he’s experienced as a young boy without much money, who grew up in a home that often “didn’t have electricity.” For most people, acquiring wealth and status can often take them away from their humbler roots, but it’s this very truth that motivates his desire to give back.
Kalra can be seen changing bandages, carrying the sick, or feeding those in need at the center. His hands-on approach is rare but crucial in helping disseminate misconceptions surrounding the people he treats.
“I once met a homeless man who I later found out was a Judge. His children stole all of his money and he was left on the street, without having taken a bath for two years,” he explains in a speech he gave last year.
Kalra is definitely someone to look up to! Check out the link for the Earth Saviours Foundation if you want to learn more: https://earthsaviours.in/
Related:
How You Can Help The Earth Saviours Foundation
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