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About The Book This candid and thought-provoking memoir follows PushpaSundar, a brilliant young officer who, driven by circumstance, resigns from theelite Indian Administrative Service (IAS) to navigate life as a homemaker andsupportive wife of a successful IAS officer. Yet, she doesn’t settle for thesidelines; she boldly carves her own path as a passionate advocate for Indianphilanthropy. Through her own life experiences, she sheds light on thechallenges faced by a nation in transition from the early years of Independenceto the present day, illustrating how personal journeys can parallel andinfluence the collective movement toward progress. Inspired by her work atrenowned organisations like FICCI and the Ford Foundation, along withexperiences in London and across Southeast Asia, Sundar is dedicated tofostering a culture of giving in India, viewing philanthropy as strategicaction rather than mere charity. With a refreshing honesty, Beyond theHeaven-born Service challenges common misconceptions about the IAS and what itmeans to step away from such a prestigious career. Her story, rich in detailand often sprinkled with humour, shows that fulfilling paths exist beyondtraditional expectations, especially for women in a changing yet stilltradition-bound India. Introduction As I write, the laburnums lining the road outside my houseare in bloom again, their delicate fragrance scenting the early morning andnight air. From my window, I see only a canopy of yellow blooms and soft petalsscattered across the road in gentle drifts. The golden wonder flits past myeyes like a slide show, while the green of the nearby park is speckled with ascattering of canary hues, forming an ever-changing kaleidoscope. Most peopleoverlook the fragrance of laburnum because it is so gentle, unlike the strongperfume of night jasmine, the raat ki rani, or the heady perfume of the mogra(jasmine). But to me, the laburnums are a metaphor for my life-nothing flashy,not too grand or spectacular, yet rich and meaningful in its own quiet way.Just as the laburnums subtly enrich the landscape, my life has contributed tothe world around me in my own way. I have worn many hats throughout mycareer-from an officer in the highly esteemed Indian Administrative Service(IAS) to a writer, development specialist, and civil society activist. Myjourney has taken me across India and the world, driven not by ambition nor byan inclination to be a rolling stone, but by circumstance. Through it all, I’vetackled diverse challenges and believe I have earned a commendable report card.While I often had to seize opportunities as they arose, I longed for a missionthat would fully engage me. My prayers were answered later in life when I foundmy calling in philanthropy. My career path through the IAS, the FICCI, the FordFoundation, and the Gujarat government provided valuable insights, contacts andskills, each role serving as a stepping stone to my ultimate destination: thestudy and promotion of Indian philanthropy. hilar my book Beyond Business: FromMerchant Charity to Corporate Citizenship (Tata McGraw Hill, 2000), I recountmy initial naivety about philanthropy. I was almost, if not quite, like thecharacter in a promotional video made by the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy.Asked for her views on philanthropy she says, ‘Gee, isn’t that something to dowith stamp collecting? Or is it the study of language?” Then purely bychance, I found myself drawn into the world of philanthropy. As a ProgrammeOfficer at the Ford Foundation in Delhi, I often heard grantees expressingfrustration at their inability to secure alternate funding once theFoundation’s support ended. Government funding was difficult to access, and thestringent Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA) made securing funds fromforeign donors equally challenging. Inexperienced fund-seekers, especially fromrural areas, faced significant communication barriers. I found myself wonderingif there could be another alternative. From my vantage point at the FordFoundation, I became aware of private philanthropy the love of humankindexpressed through charitable giving to promote societal welfare. It had playeda significant role in advancing Western societies, with corporate funding oftenhighlighted as a crucial component. I wondered about its position in India,where it was rarely discussed in academic or public discourses. Thus began myexploration into indigenous, non-governmental sources of funds for charitableand developmental work. A stint as a Senior Fellow in Philanthropy at Johns About The Author Pushpa Sundar is a former IAS officer and a passionateadvocate for philanthropy, dedicated to raising awareness of giving for socialchange in India. With a career spanning the IAS. FICCI, the Ford Foundation,the Gujarat government, and the Nand and Jeet Khemka Foundation, she focuses onsocial development and funding strategies, drawing from her experiences inIndia and abroad. She was a Senior Fellow in Philanthropy at the Johns HopkinsUniversity in 1995, and the moving spirit behind establishing the pioneeringIndian Centre for Philanthropy in 1996, to enhance understanding of andparticipation in philanthropy. Her books include Giving with a Thousand Hands:The Changing Face of Indian Philanthropy (OUP, 2017), Foreign Aid for IndianNGOs Problem or solution? (Routledge, 2010), and Beyond Business: From MerchantCharity to Corporate Citizenship (Tata McGraw Hill, 2000). Her work hasgarnered international recognition.
