Since you’ve come into this world…

There is a quote my father used to tell me in my younger days. It is attributed to Swami Vivekananda, the great Indian philosopher, and goes as follows:

“Since you’ve come into this world, leave a mark behind.

Otherwise what is the difference between you and the trees and the stones.

They also come into existence, decay and die.”

My early years were spent at a Catholic school in Bombay. We were graded and competitively ranked in class. I remember getting what would be the equivalent of Cs in almost every subject, and appearing somewhere toward the bottom of class rankings. My father asked Mrs. Gonsalves, one of my teachers, to work with me. She changed my life’s trajectory. I went from getting Cs and Ds to becoming a top-ranked student within a year. While Mrs. Gonsalves’ techniques can be the topic of another blog, she made an indelible mark on me, and several other kids, throughout her years of teaching. Mrs. Gonsalves’ legacy as a teacher lives on through her influence on some very grateful children.

Gururaj “Desh” Deshpande is a very successful serial entrepreneur. After founding several multi-billion dollar technology companies, he turned his attention to helping non-profits scale to address large problems. One in particular he focused on is a charitable organization based in India called Akshaya Patra. As part of a commitment he made to President Clinton and the Clinton Global Initiative, Desh helped Akshaya Patra build the systems and processes to allow it to feed over 1.4 million school children every single day. He funded the Akshaya Patra kitchen in his hometown of Hubli and got like-minded people on board to support the program. The children, coming from very poor backgrounds and at risk of dropping out of school, now attend school to get an education and a wholesome meal. Desh’s involvement has made a positive impact by getting underprivileged boys and girls into schools and grow to become productive citizens of tomorrow.

Mohnish Pabrai decided some years ago to do something for impoverished kids in India who had the mental ability but not the financial means to get into India’s top engineering schools. He created The Dakshana Foundation to put together the resources and teams to tutor and house these children, prep them for college entrance exams, and almost ensure their success in life. More importantly, each child who gets into an engineering school helps his or her family break out of a cycle of debilitating poverty when they graduate and get well-paying jobs. Mohnish is making a meaningful difference in the lives of the children he is helping.

Like Mrs. Gonsalves, Desh and Mohnish, are you making a difference through your life? It doesn’t matter how “big” or “small” the scale of work is. What matters is – did you make the world a better place for those around you and those who will follow you? Think about a time when you, through your words or deeds, had an impact on someone. Did you leave a mark behind? Share your “Leave a mark behind” story.