INDIA. Mumbai: A new episode of Transcontinental Times’ 360-degrees Live Show invites an inspiring young woman from India, Zarine Manchanda, who is an entrepreneur, model and CEO of the NGO Zarine Manchanda Foundation.
Zarine travelled to Mumbai, India to become an actress, but in 2018, she started her foundation to enhance the lifestyle of poor people from some areas in Mumbai.
“Becoming an actress sounds like a fairytale, but that is not true. Going ahead you realise it is a lot of hard work. My father is a politician, so I also want to get into that field, apart from that starting my own production house was also on my mind. But it was my mom who said — do good to others and it will circle back. So society welfare came in that sense to me, and there are a lot of things we can do in India in that aspect,” Manchanda said.
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Excerpts
Manchanda’s foundation contributes to health, food, and education. During Covid, distributing food and essentials was the biggest challenge.
“In my society, due to Covid restrictions, people would call the police because I would conduct programs and gather people to give them food, then the police would try to stop me or threaten me, saying this could spread coronavirus. I had to visit the police station so many times to sort it out. Despite all that we managed to conduct 250 programs in Andheri West — giving them food, medicines and clothes. With all the work we did during the pandemic we were recognized by the media and even overseas. We also got calls from London, Russia, South Africa and other countries, saying why didn’t we bring our foundation overseas. I always say that goodness is an investment that never fails. When you put goodness into your life, into the world, you create happiness for people, that is when miracles start happening in your life.”
Manchanda’s foundation also plans to expand their services to ambulances, and medical centres.
“We don’t have an ATG yet, so we get a lot of donations but not on a high scale, for which an ATG certificate is required. We have got a 12A, and are waiting for the ATG, which is coming soon. So we can extend to ambulances, hospitals, orphanges and old age homes once the ATG happens, as such services will require lot of funding.”
Sailing well in many boats
“I myself don’t understand how do I manage so many careers, I think God is managing it for me. When people ask me what do I do — so I have say entrepreneur, philanthropist, I am into modelling, I have an interior company, a production house, a luxury catering company, I have a cafe, I am making another cafe. So I don’t understand what to say, it is not just one profession. But I think a lot of things happened in my life through social work. That is why I always say that if you want to succeed in life, be kind, don’t do everything just for yourself. The whole world is your family and it is your duty to do something, not for the whole world, but start with your servants. Do small things, it is your duty. And if you are not doing your duty, God will not be very kind to you.”
