[caption id="attachment_2900" align="alignleft" width="515"]
Partha with his Hope Medal[/caption]
“Photography, running, entrepreneurship – I pursue different interests perhaps, but they all tied by one common thread – the desire to help someone else reach a goal. I've always wanted to do something creative and loved the idea of starting something of my own, but I've always maintained that you must give back to society.Running a marathon? Start your campaign on Milaap and run for a cause. I came across Milaap when I was browsing through the Internet and their model struck me. They worked on loans, not on donation. It drew me and so I decided to do my bit. Right from the start I signed on as a champion, not as just a lender. Having made the first loan, I called all my friends and knew that by spreading the word, we'd be able to make a huge impact.My first campaign was for water – which is special to me. I see people who have water wasting it and people who don't struggle for it. I thought through my campaign I could raise awareness and bring water to those who needed it. A lot has changed since that first campaign though.Firstly, this time, I'm dedicating a marathon towards raising funds for former Devadasi women who want to start their own businesses. This is not the first time I'm running a marathon. In fact, how I got into the marathon experience is quite an interesting story.Sometime back, I was having a hard time. I was clinically depressed and things were a mess. So my therapist and I came up with a plan: and I decided to run the Bangalore Ultra Marathon. That time, I was running for my life. When I got the finisher's medal, it was like I was awarded a medal of Hope. I had fulfilled my aspiration.So this time, I'm running to bring a medal of hope into the lives of a deserving entrepreneur. These women are special, and this will definitely mean a lot to them.I would just tell people out there who are hesitant or don't know where to start that it's not difficult to be a champion. Choose a cause that resonates with you. Make sure that the cause is bigger than you, and then it will gather its own momentum. Use the simplest media – like Facebook – to tell the most powerful stories. It's surprising how much you can use an everyday tool like that to leverage support. Present your dream to people while firmly believing in your cause – they will believe too.”
Partha with his Hope Medal[/caption]
“Photography, running, entrepreneurship – I pursue different interests perhaps, but they all tied by one common thread – the desire to help someone else reach a goal. I've always wanted to do something creative and loved the idea of starting something of my own, but I've always maintained that you must give back to society.Running a marathon? Start your campaign on Milaap and run for a cause. I came across Milaap when I was browsing through the Internet and their model struck me. They worked on loans, not on donation. It drew me and so I decided to do my bit. Right from the start I signed on as a champion, not as just a lender. Having made the first loan, I called all my friends and knew that by spreading the word, we'd be able to make a huge impact.My first campaign was for water – which is special to me. I see people who have water wasting it and people who don't struggle for it. I thought through my campaign I could raise awareness and bring water to those who needed it. A lot has changed since that first campaign though.Firstly, this time, I'm dedicating a marathon towards raising funds for former Devadasi women who want to start their own businesses. This is not the first time I'm running a marathon. In fact, how I got into the marathon experience is quite an interesting story.Sometime back, I was having a hard time. I was clinically depressed and things were a mess. So my therapist and I came up with a plan: and I decided to run the Bangalore Ultra Marathon. That time, I was running for my life. When I got the finisher's medal, it was like I was awarded a medal of Hope. I had fulfilled my aspiration.So this time, I'm running to bring a medal of hope into the lives of a deserving entrepreneur. These women are special, and this will definitely mean a lot to them.I would just tell people out there who are hesitant or don't know where to start that it's not difficult to be a champion. Choose a cause that resonates with you. Make sure that the cause is bigger than you, and then it will gather its own momentum. Use the simplest media – like Facebook – to tell the most powerful stories. It's surprising how much you can use an everyday tool like that to leverage support. Present your dream to people while firmly believing in your cause – they will believe too.”
