Manoj Bhargava, richest Indian in US commits 90% earnings to charity

[jbond197]

Park your paranoia. I stated that I believe all these designer drinks are bogus -- nothing specific to this product.

See my signature, which I have had before this thread ever got started.

What ever you think? If they are bogus they wouldn't have been so successful.. Now what could be the reason, among all the people only you are able to figure out that this product or others are bogus? What educational qualification do you have, for making such wild claims? Or you think people in FDA like in IRS are just bunch of fools??

 

[Developereo]

What ever you think? If they are bogus they wouldn't have been so successful.. Now what could be the reason, among all the people only you are able to figure out that this product or others are bogus? What educational qualification do you have, for making such wild claims? Or you think people in FDA like in IRS are just bunch of fools??

Commercial success has more to do with marketing than anything else. Do you know that Red Bull was a total flop in the US when they first launched?

As for the FDA, energy drinks are a dietary supplement, so their regulation is relatively lax. The FDA will only get involved if they are deemed to be actually harmful. Other than that, these drinks' claims are vague: they boost energy. Wow, big deal! Any stimulant will do that. Eat a donut, drink coffee, they will also stimulate you.

Anyway, like I wrote, that's a different debate. People are free to spend their money on whatever marketing gimmick ropes them in. I have never needed an energy drink because the same effect can be achieved by will power.

 

[jbond197]

Commercial success has more to do with marketing than anything else. Do you know that Red Bull was a total flop in the US when they first launched?

As for the FDA, energy drinks are a dietary supplement, so their regulation is relatively lax. The FDA will only get involved if they are deemed to be actually harmful. Other than that, these drinks' claims are vague: they boost energy. Wow, big deal! Any stimulant will do that. Eat a donut, drink coffee, they will also stimulate you.

Anyway, like I wrote, that's a different debate. People are free to spend their money on whatever marketing gimmick ropes them in. I have never needed an energy drink because the same effect can be achieved by will power.

You failed to put forth the good reasons/ statistical analysis that you got to call the product/s bogus.. Anyways, I am not here to defend his product but my intent is only to laud his good-will and I can clearly see it needs two hands and a good heart to clap for people like him..

 

[Speaker]

@Developereo: My experience in the US says people don't care where the money goes, as long as it goes towards good intentions (and does not support anti-US activities). In fact, the distorted image some Americans have of rural India will make them appreciate this quite a bit. "$1M pledged to the Horn of Africa sounds better than $1B donated to the poor in Tennessee" doesn't it? So no, I don't think I would mind the this image of Indians in the US.

Few more points:

- His charities help fund medical research in the US. Not sure if that also supports research on proving the effectiveness of energy shots.
- A perfect example of companies doing something unethical-but-legal i.e. stealing US tax payer's money is American companies that base their HQ in countries like Ireland or Cayman Islands to evade taxes. Charity is in a whole different league and cannot come under the purview of illegal/unethical. Hope this helps.

 

[jbond197]

@Developereo: My experience in the US says people don't care where the money goes, as long as it goes towards good intentions (and does not support anti-US activities). In fact, the distorted image some Americans have of rural India will make them appreciate this quite a bit. "$1M pledged to the Horn of Africa sounds better than $1B donated to the poor in Tennessee" doesn't it? So no, I don't think I would mind the this image of Indians in the US.

Few more points:

- His charities help fund medical research in the US. Not sure if that also supports research on proving the effectiveness of energy shots.
- A perfect example of companies doing something unethical-but-legal i.e. stealing US tax payer's money is American companies that base their HQ in countries like Ireland or Cayman Islands to evade taxes. Charity is in a whole different league and cannot come under the purview of illegal/unethical. Hope this helps.

Kudos!! That sums it all!!

 

[rajnikant]

Spare me the predictable rant. Address the issue or go take a nap.

The assertion was that his charity work "projects the good image of us Indians where ever they go".

Except that all he is doing is siphoning money from his American taxes and giving it to India instead. That's not very charitable at all.

There are no ISSUES at all..why should we address. you should directly contact him to clear your doubts if any..because we are no expert in IRS procedure and neither we are his accountant..so frankly speaking we cant help you here.
and yes he is projecting the right image of being an Indian..and you never know whether currently he is involved in some charity in US. we can only talk on the basis of info that we have. If he is cheating US govt. will surely do something abt it. hope it helps.

 

[jbond197]

Here's the guy himself - Watch the interview..

Manoj Bhargava: The 'billionaire monk'?

He is a Vivekananda follower and in order to mimic him, he stayed in an Ashram for 12 years.. That's plain awesome, if you ask me..

 

[kingkobra]

Money should go to those who need it...he has done a great job by donating his money in india...

 

[MilSpec]

So, the usual diatribe of "hatred", "delusions", "stupids", eh?

But nothing to refute the fact that this man, who has lived in America since 1967 and makes his fortune there, prefers to pay 90% of his tax money (and profits) to India rather than America.

 

[Lonely Hermit]