NEW DELHI: Retired airman CBR Prasad, 74, has donated almost his entire life savings to the ministry of defence.
"After 9 years I left the Indian Air Force (IAF) because the Indian Railways offered me a good job. Unfortunately, I did not get that job. I started a small poultry farm for my livelihood. Fortunately, I did well," he told ANI.
"After fulfilling my family responsibilities, I thought I should give back to the defence whatever I got from there. I decided to give Rs 1.08 crore to the defence forces," added Prasad.
He met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday and handed over the cheque to him. He said, "I worked for 108 months in Air Force, so as a return gift I wanted to give Rs 1.08 crore to defence."
Prasad started poultry farming and worked hard for 30 years. With the aim of helping society, he has also set up a sports university.
Asked if his family approved the idea, the retired air-warrior says, "Absolutely, no problem. I have given my daughter 2 per cent of my property and one per cent to my wife. Rest 97 per cent, I am giving back to society."
Despite donating his entire life saving, he tries to underplay it.
"Rajnath Singh was happy to see that such a small sepoy was giving his entire savings back to the defence," he says.
So, how did he get the idea to donate his savings to the Defence Ministry? It is a big story, he says.
"When I was 20 years, and I was working in the Air Force, my officers called one gentleman GD Naidu from Coimbatore as a Chief Guest. He said that India was a great country because our sages thought that we should give back to our society, once our family responsibility is over," he said.
"You should not take back anything because you did not get anything while coming. Give that minimum needed to your family and the rest to the society and rest of the life work for the society," he added.
Recalling his days of struggle, he says: "I left home with Rs 5 in my pocket and earned 500-acre land with my bare hard work. I have given 5-acre to my wife and 10-acre to my daughter and rest everything, I am utilising for the society," adds the retired IAF man.
Prasad says that once he dreamt of winning an Olympic medal but could not do so. So now, he was training kids.