Click to play videoMumbai: The world of IT isn't just about cut-throat competition and corporate rivalry, there's a softer side too.
On a Sunday morning, when the IT professionals should ideally be relaxing on their day off, Rahul, Ashish, Neha and Prasanna make their way to Kulupwadi, a small hamlet on the border of Mumbai's national park.
At a local temple there, they are greeted by a throng of 20 to 25 eager children ready to start their two-hour lessons.
The four work for an organisation called Dream India 2020.
Founded by three software professionals, their aim is to pay their dues to society by educating poor and needy children who cannot afford to think of proper education.
"We feel that it does not require much from the youth. People get scared in the beginning that you will have to devote your entire life to this but that is not what is expected at all. Considering the youth population that India has, it just takes an hour or two every week to make a real big difference," says Founder Member, Dream India 2020, Varun Rangaraj.
With a total of 170 members from companies like TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Quinnox, Amdocs, CTA and Patni Computers, the organisation has now spread across Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
The group initially spread their network through online communities like Orkut and Yahoo, but recently started their own website.
Not affiliated to any corporates, they are dependent on members and donors for funding.
The idea is to bridge the education gap between the haves and the haven'ts. Needless to say, the children enjoy the lessons.
"They teach us better here than at school. These people explain things properly and we really like studying over here," a student Gita Saini testifies.
In the next 10 years, Dream India 2020 intends to build a school for the underprivileged children. Plans for the project are already under way. India's future CEOs certainly know how to start at the grassroots.
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