Lending support to those in need has been a way of life for Andheri resident Preeti Thaker Arora ever since she can remember. Back in Mumbai after having travelled the world over for work and leisure, Arora has now found her voice in using the strokes of her brush to financially support those lesser privileged than herself.
Seeds of charity
“I have always seen my parents, especially my mother, being actively involved in community development initiatives. No needy person was ever sent back empty-handed from our home. And this is something that I have naturally imbibed. Even when I was working in Malaysia, I would volunteer with an orphanage and donate clothes, money or anything that they would need,” says Arora about discovering the same charitable vein as her parents and brother in herself.
Once Arora was married and settled in Mumbai, she had an innate urge to begin utilising her talent for the benefit of others. “And that is how I came up with the idea of donating 50 per cent of the proceeds of every painting of mine for charity. I am an active contributor to Khushii NGO, the Blind Association and I also work with patients with life-threatening ailments, who are forced to grapple with financial constraints for their treatment,” elaborates Arora.
Friends in need
In the past three years, Arora has witnessed support pouring in from friends and family who have contributed to the cause by buying her work. A self-taught painter, Arora finds more comfort in painting at her own pace rather than showcasing her work via exhibitions. Noted Hindi film singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya is one such patron who shares, “I am thrilled to be part of such a worthy cause. I have got paintings from Preeti in the past too but the latest one, which is a painting of a place I have seen in Barcelona, will occupy a pride of place in my collection.”
Specialising in portraits and paintings about the cosmos and nature, Arora also showcases her work at Indian Routes, an online initiative by NDTV to showcase traditional art from various parts of the country.