Problem is, people have already earmarked parts of their income for charity. They are loathe to increase that amount and they firmly consider donations to their college as charity. Some of us who live abroad have reconciled ourselves to not receiving tax exemptions for our charitable donations, since the charities we donate to are registered only in India. Others are not so sanguine -- donations to the alma mater do not lend themselves to an itemization and they are not going to give money if it won't at least help them in their tax liabilities.
The network erupted into life with people, as usual, avoiding mention of the mundane things I outlined above. Instead, they choose to approach it from a Big Question viewpoint. "Is it really right," asks one of my more philosophical classmates, "to give money to IIT when there are so many people starving?". That, incidentally, is the classic Indian mantra for not doing anything. "Give the money to AID," he suggests, so that we don't think that he is advocating doing nothing.
Another guy is less subtle. "I feel like giving," he writes, "but I am too lazy to write out a cheque." It would have been far more believable if some one else hadn't responded asking the fellow to return a five-year old loan. Any way, the network has erupted, classmates have climbed out of the woodwork and will typically take a couple of months to climb back in. Till then, we'll live with the posturing.
Me? I'm not sending any money to the college. But at least I am clear about my motives. I consider donations to the college as charity and I'm more comfortable giving my money to AID. Besides, it's tax-deductible.
