#PeopleOfDonatekart: Meet Pranay Vora

“Everything I am today is because of the numerous sacrifices my parents have made when I was growing up. My mother would not only work but also make sure she was always there for me. Every time the last school bell rang, I would see her standing at the gate, smiling. But my parents struggled a lot every day — to manage day-to-day expenses, to send me to school, to give me a normal childhood… I still remember the day my mother had to pay Rs. 250 to send me on a school trip. At that time she had only Rs. 300 saved with her, but she didn’t think twice. She paid the 250 and also bought me whatever snacks she could. She had nothing left after that. But watching me happy was everything to her.

During this time, a lot of people around me told me that if I don’t make a name for myself, then no one will ever want to talk to me or have anything to do with me. I was only a child, so I took it to heart. It made me extremely shy — so much so that people around me thought I was arrogant. I wouldn’t talk to anyone. I had only one dream — to make my parents proud and give back all the love and support they had given me. So I did my MBA and started working at Donatekart soon after. What started as a 13 person team, has now grown to several departments and teams. I’m so grateful to be a part of this journey and to have the opportunity to grow here. My favourite part of my job? When NGOs come back to us to tell us how many people they were able to help because of our work. That motivates me to do more every day.

I do have my low days though. That’s when my wife, my support system, tells me about the preachings of the Bhagavad Gita and I find my strength once again. I’ve found solace in spirituality thanks to her. When I look back, I think I have come a long way from that person who was too scared because he thought no one wanted to talk to him. Today, I’m all about making connections with people. I’m independent and my parents often tell me how proud they are.

All I wanted was for my parents to be happy, and now, watching them smile is everything to me. I feel like I’m closer to my dream than ever before.”

- Pranay Vora, Senior Manager-Operations and Vendor Relations