In the stressful times we live in, it is heart-warming to hear individual tales of giving back to the community. Hearing about the rich tapestry of love and healing that countless people weave in myriad ways makes us realise there’s still goodness in this world. These acts of seva or selfless service are both inspiring and uplifting.

The Mahindra Group’s RISE philosophy also encompasses this spirit of selfless service. And Mahindra employees have a legacy of rising to the occasion in ways both big and small. Anand Rachatte is one such employee, who stands out for his spirit of service. A Sales Manager at Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd, Mr Rachatte has logged 200 hours in community service.

One For All

Mr. Rachatte had always been a champion for driving positive and sustainable change. He had already been working to raise awareness of the need to conserve water and contributed his might to the Maharashtra government’s Jalyukt Shivar campaign. His Green Environment collaboration with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) in 2018 earned him and his associates an appreciation letter from then-chief minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis.

When the pandemic hit, Mr Rachatte invested efforts to raise awareness of how to dispose of used masks. A door-to door campaign, in collaboration with MPCB and the Latur Municipal Corporation, ended with Mr Rachatte and his friends collecting used masks, disinfecting them in a UV disinfectant chamber and disposing of the bio waste at an authorised MPCB centre. He also worked to raise awareness about of Covid in the villages around the city, which helped stop the spread of the deadly virus. Mr Rachatte and his friends also went door-to-door taking temperatures and checking oxygen levels to identify asymptomatic Covid patients, and also installed free auto-sensor sanitiser machines in public places.

It was during these efforts that Mr Rachatte came to understand the plight of the migrants labourers. He led efforts to collect information about unemployed migrant labourers from the villages in Latur district and helped them get jobs in places like Aurangabad, Nanded, Pune, etc. This effort also helped them spread awareness about plasma donation.

Clocking 200 hours is just one instance in a lifetime of selfless service. For Mr Rachatte, seva is just another word for life.