#SpreadTheVibe: Varun Pruthi’s Inspirational Videos Bring Cheer and Learning to the World
Media and larger social narrative thrives on the negative and the gory. Very few stories survive without a villain. Hardly any epic can be worthy without a war or battles. In this world of anger, war, fighting, rape, murder and abuse, it is often a breath of fresh air when you find someone taking time, energy and money out to pursue the best that humanity has to give. Such examples aren’t common in broader media. That is why when someone does such an uplifting work, he or she should be recognized.
Over the past one year, for a Facebook and Youtube buff like me, one person’s work has stood out. Actor Varun Pruthi. This guy has gone in different cities and interacted with kids, old men and women, and young folks, and in his own way has not only contributed to the lives of many through meagre (for him and most of us) investments but substantial income for those involved. Many small vendors were given seed money, many old people who worked hard in heat and cold had their day’s sales taken care of in one transaction and many other small gestures which might seem inconsequential in the longer time frame. He however connected with many and inspired them too to take up similar efforts and back his work up.
For the campaign to share the positive stories by Youth ki Awaaz, I could not think of a better person than Varun Pruthi and his monthly videos that inspire many of us to delve into our humanity – often against all odds. Varun’s efforts have now become part of a larger “Bring Humanity Back” movement that he is leading. Learn more from his website BringHumanityBack or his Facebook page and watch his amazing videos at the YouTube page.
Here are some of the beautiful examples he showed through his work.
12 year old works weekends to pay his school fees
He came across a 12 year old who works to sell tea in Connaught Place so he can earn to pay his school fees. How many of us have had that inspiration in us to take up such initiative? Admittedly, Varun doesn’t do much by monetarily helping the kid, but he focuses our attention on him so we could help him (and many like him) when we come across the “kid in CP selling tea”. But even more importantly, he is helping us all by bringing out the value of work.
A 5 year kid who sells pens goes to McDonalds for the first time
Varun found this 5 year old kid looking through the glass window of McDonalds in CP Delhi and took him inside for a meal. Bought two burgers, one of which, the kid saves for his sister. His mother has fever and father is no more. When asked if he would like to go to school, he asks Varun a question innocently that left him and will leave you and I dumbfounded – “If I go to school, how will I eat?” Even if for one day, the little kid got to enjoy his day. And left us all with a learning of how we need to look at the world.
3rd Grade pass 76 year old man gives wisdom on Importance of girl child
In a country where female infanticide is so high that the sex ratio of the population is completely skewed, it is always heartening to hear someone discuss why a girl child is not just important but indeed critical to the very basis of human kind! Kudos to Varun for focusing on this issue while talking to an old man.
Net Neutrality and the Internet cost to the public
The debate on net neutrality and how the internet will be priced for the public has been raging in India for the last year or so. To bring out the full dimension of the issue in an easily understandable way, Varun used a common scenario of buying oranges from a fruit vendor. Through this sale transaction he explained the complexities in a very simple way. Again, Varun was able to educate the public through his videos.
In Delhi’s Summer Heat wave, Varun does a Social Experiment
Delhi is known as the city where hardly anyone helps those who have fallen or hurt. Here one guy from Varun’s team does a simple social experiment where he falls unconscious in the middle of park in CP Delhi. Suddenly, we see – contrary to the image of Delhi’s heartless population – everyone rushing to help the guy in whatever way they could! And, with that, Varun sends two messages – one, how to help each other; and two, how in that heat wave helping someone in time could be crucial!
Old people working hard to keep living
Life is not always kind to people. When life throws a curve ball at you – at any age, it is important that you fight it out. It is easy when you have youth and age on your side. But when you have become old and the best years of your life have been left behind, do you have in you to fight back? These three videos teach us something immensely important about the value of work and effort in our lives!
Do become part of his movement and contribute what you can to the larger effort of touching the humanity in all of us!