Tarina Patel dons numerous headgear. She is not only an actress and reality TV celebrity, but also a philanthropist who leads various projects to aid the disadvantaged.
Her social and philanthropic work was recently recognized in London with the Global Gandhi Awards. She was awarded the Global Gandhi Award for Generosity.
The Global Gandhi Awards celebrate, recognize, and reward the remarkable contributions made by individuals in their various disciplines across the globe.
Patel stated that it was an honor to be at the British parliament and to receive the award.
Patel’s foundations, the Dr. Ramanbhai Foundation and the Gandhi-Mandela Peace Initiative, are concerned with education and health care in Africa and India.
Patel told IOL Entertainment that getting the award was “humbling” because few people are aware of her multiple roles.
A short peek at Patel’s social media reveals just glamour, picture shoots, and her celebrity lifestyle, with no mention of her charitable activity.
Patel explained that her perspective on social media is partially to blame.
“Because of the way I have always regarded social media, the other aspects of my life do not come through as much as this one does. This aspect of my life (her charity activity) has not been invited, and this must change.
“My involvement in philanthropy is a fundamental aspect of my identity. It is a natural extension of who I am and what I do,” she explained.
Patel added that being recognized and realizing that people are aware of her work serves as a reminder that “the quality of your audience” is more important than the quantity of followers.
Patel stated that, in the future, she will publish more of her humanitarian work on her social media platforms so that more people are aware of what she does.
When popular personalities share their good deeds on social media, sometimes their supporters criticize them. This is one of the reasons, according to Patel, why she did not discuss her philanthropic work in the past.
She stated, “I didn’t want it to be a case of’she’s using her influence to push a different narrative,’ but I’ve changed my mind.”
“If people are going to say that, only a small portion of the community will do so. As my social work stems from an organic process, I am hopeful that others will recognize the work’s value.
Patel’s mission with her foundation is to continue the good work begun by her father, Dr. Ramanbhai Patel.
She added that skeptics shouldn’t have much to say because her good work has been documented and stems from an organic place, which is why it is being recognized at the “highest level.”