As Diwali approaches and our communities are illuminated by the warm glow of countless diyas, families across the world will come together to celebrate the Festival of Lights.
There will be vibrant colour, glittering fireworks, wonderful food, dedicated prayer and plenty of celebrations. But beneath all of this sits a message that has endured for generations: light has the power to overcome darkness. That message carries a reverence far beyond the festival time.
Diwali is a time to celebrate prosperity, to renew hope and for new beginnings, but it is also an opportunity to reflect on what we do with the blessings we have received. How can we use our experience and our opportunities to make life better for others? Because, perhaps, the most meaningful way to celebrate light is to help someone as they find theirs.
The values of Diwali are not confined to our celebration. They speak to how we choose to live our lives. The principles of generosity and service – of Daan, giving, and Seva, selfless service – remind us that prosperity and experience carries a responsibility to look beyond ourselves.
When my wife Moni and I founded our Randal Foundation, we set out clear values around which our work would focus. As I reflect now, these are in fact intertwined with Diwali’s values of Sathya (truth), Dharma (righteousness), Shanti (peace), Prema (love) and Ahimsa (non-violence). At our Foundation, we believe that light is waiting to be found, for those in greatest need.
To achieve our mission, we proudly partner with organisations that make a tangible and lasting difference to people's lives – whether that means saving a life today, significantly improving someone's quality of life, or perhaps creating the opportunity for them to build a better future.
Our vision is to directly save and significantly improve one million lives in the UK and around the world.
Diwali for me, is more important today than ever before, in a world where global needs continue to rise, while humanitarian support is often stretched beyond its limits. In a fast-paced and constantly changing world, instead of despair, we can choose to focus on enduring good. We can find this in the compassion, generosity and kindness of humanity, the strength of community and the care of our neighbours. Diwali reminds us to find and to celebrate these qualities - everyday.
The power of partnership
One of the most important lessons I have learned through my business career over 35 years and through our Foundation is the difference that can be made when organisations - large or small - bring their strengths together, around a shared ambition.
None of us can tackle the biggest challenges alone. That is why partnership sits at the heart of our work at Randal Foundation. By bringing together expertise, resources and networks, we can deepen our impact and extend our reach.
An example of this is our strategic partnerships with Community Foundations, serving communities all across the UK. These invaluable partnerships connect us to networks of grassroots charities and voluntary organisations that are often working quietly, but powerfully, at the heart of communities across the UK. They hold and share deep knowledge and connections with the communities they serve.
Dr Nik Kotecha Eastern Eye
Flickers of light across the UK
For our family Foundation, that local intelligence is incredibly valuable. We bring our ambition, resources and strategic priorities and Community Foundations bring their network and knowledge of place, to connect us with these community heroes. Together, our partnerships are far more powerful than either party could achieve alone.
Over the past 2 years we have proudly worked with multiple Community Foundations who in turn have connected us with over 170 incredible grassroots charities. Each and every one is making a real difference in their communities. I liken it to hundreds of beautiful flickers of light all over the UK, collectively dispelling darkness, helping, caring and serving. Enabling communities to become stronger and more resilient.
Perhaps that is another powerful message at the heart of Diwali – that a single light can brighten the darkness, but when thousands of lights are brought together, they can illuminate all our communities.
Let every light count
Making a small difference is important. Our goals don't have large-scale or extraordinary to matter. Seva begins simply by looking beyond ourselves; asking what we can do to help others.
We all have something to give — our time, skills, experience, resources, or simply our attention or just a smile. Each single diya doesn't try to illuminate the whole world. Its purpose is simply to bring light to the darkness around it. If each of us brings a little light, by bringing kindness, compassion and service into the lives of those around us, our collective light will be something far greater.
This is why the message of Diwali remains so powerful. It reminds us that darkness does not have to be permanent, that change is possible, and that each of us has a role to play.
So this Diwali, perhaps the question is not “What can I give?” but “What can I do?” Because every act of Seva, however small, has the potential to bring light where there is darkness and hope, where it is needed most.
(The author is the founder and chairman of the Randal Charitable Foundation)
