New Delhi, June 21 The summer issue of Town & Country, America's leading general interest magazine, has featured Nita Ambani and the Reliance Foundation among the top philanthropists of 2020 "who are saving lives and our sense of hope" given the circumstances of Covid-19.
The coverage spotlights Ambani for leading Reliance Foundation's efforts in feeding frontline workers and the poor, its financial contributions, and for setting up India's first Covid-19 hospital.
She is the only Indian in the list that features prominent global individuals, such as Tim Cook, Oprah Winfrey, Laurene Powell Jobs, the Lauder Family, Donatella Versace, Michael Bloomberg, Leonardo Di Caprio and more.
Town & Country is the leading American lifestyle magazine and the oldest continually published (since 1846) general interest magazine in the US.
It dedicates one full issue annually to the philanthropists who impress with their commitment, ingenuity, and largesse. "This year's list has an added sense of urgency: Under historic circumstances, these people are saving our lives, and our sense of hope, right now," the magazine noted.
"We've seen it time and again: In the aftermath of terrorism, tragedy, and trauma, the generous and the just respond with speed and flexibility to help those most affected. This agility and responsiveness make philanthropy unique... and it makes philanthropy a vital public good, in these times and all times.
"Philanthropy is a word. From the Greek, it roughly translates as love for humankind. But it also is an idea. Philanthropy brings light to the darkness, hope in moments of despair, and in moments of crisis, relief and response and resolve. It translates generosity into justice for all."
Recognizing the effort of Nita Ambani and the Foundation, the magazine stated: "The Reliance Foundation - the philanthropic initiative of Reliance Industries, founded and chaired by Ambani-distributed millions of meals and masks to frontline workers and the poor, set up India's first hospital for Covid-19 patients, and donated $72 million
to an emergency fund."
Nita Ambani, Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, said: "Crises almost always demand immediate and urgent attention, of relief, of resources, of ingenuity and most importantly of compassion. Over the years, we have equipped ourselves at the Foundation and at Reliance Industries to respond to crises with immediate, multi-pronged as well as systematic and calibrated responses to make our effort impactful and sustained. We are pleased and humbled that our initiative is being recognised at the global level. Our philanthropy is committed to support our government and our community whenever the need arises."
Reliance Foundation, under Nita Ambani's leadership, stepped up its efforts to address the health and the humanitarian crises that the nation faced due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In one of the first initiatives in the country, Reliance Foundation worked with local authorities in Mumbai to build a 100 bed Covid Hospital in less than two weeks in the month of March.
The facility, that started taking Covid patients by end of March, was further expanded with Reliance Foundation's support to more than 220 beds in April.
In response to the fast-developing humanitarian crisis related to loss of livelihoods for millions, Reliance Foundation started a nationwide food service called Anna Seva which has served 50 million meals so far and has become the world's largest corporate meal programme.
Reliance Foundation has also continued its multi-pronged efforts including starting online medical assistance for people, home quarantine facility for Covid patients in Mumbai, support to rural communities and food and healthcare for pets, strays and livestock animals across the country. Reliance Industries also commenced manufacturing of masks and PPEs and has contributed to the country achieving self-sufficiency in production of these critical items in the fight against the pandemic.
( With inputs from IANS )