Pradeep Walia’s life is a story that may remind one of one of those Hollywood movies he would like to make someday. He went from arriving in the U.S, with $20 in his pocket to running a $20 million company, which is great, but what’s greater than that is his focus on helping others. A true survivor with a proven ability to deal with serious highs and lows, he has never forgotten that there are people less fortunate and he wants to help them.
He has always been that way. Even when he couldn’t afford to give people money, he volunteered his time. He spent some time helping Mother Teresa at an orphanage and he has helped distribute blankets to the cold homeless. Pradeep Walia tries to give of himself wherever he can. In recent years, he has turned his ability to make money to more philanthropic endeavors. Through his foundation, he has created a number of NGOs in India, like Jimba, that try to help the poor navigate capitalism in a way that brings them out of poverty. He is also trying to bring good health care to underserved areas of India, Africa and even rural areas of the United States.