Milind Makwana, who passed away in July 2023, was the leader of the Hindu faith community within PayPal’s broader Faith Employee Resource Group – . Milind was also the founder of Dharmatoys.com – a website catered towards offering faith-based toys, games & apparels. Milind authored two kids books, his first book is  “A Day in Life of a Hindu Kid” is highly rated and his second book was recently launched on Kickstarter.  Milind held a Bachelors Engineering degree in Electronics & Telecommunications and completed his Advanced Program management course from Stanford.

In a June 16, 2022, interview, Milind answered questions of David Brenner, AI and Faith’s Board Chair, about his work and what drove his leadership within PayPal Believe: Read the interview.

Join us in an enlightening conversation with Brian J. Grim, the leading expert on the vital connection between economic sustainability and freedom of religion or belief. As the founding president of the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation and global chairman of Dare to Overcome, Brian’s passion for this topic is unparalleled. Listen (interview starts at 1:30 minute mark).

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Above, watch today’s virtual discussion by top experts from SAP, the EEOC, Vettd and the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation on how faith and belief can contribute powerful ethical tools to navigate the AI revolution. The discussion was cohosted by the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation and the SAP Interfaith Alliance.

Companies are implementing Al in their business processes at a quickening rate. One of the areas for potential concern is Al’s use to facilitate Human Resource decision-making. If such uses are not carefully overseen by real people, the consequences can be destructive.

Question is: Who should have a seat at the table in designing oversight and tracking mechanisms? Who should companies consult as they consider the possible dangers that should be guarded against?

Click here for a summary of the Mentimeter results from the participants collected during the virtual discussion.

On March 28, 2023, more than 1,000 tech executives and Artificial Intelligence (Al) experts published an open letter calling for reflection and a pause before continuing to develop powerful Al systems. More than 33,000 have since signed the letter.

They said, “Powerful Al systems should be developed only once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks will be manageable.”

Companies are implementing Al in their business processes at a quickening rate. One of the areas for potential concern is Al’s use to facilitate Human Resource decision-making. If such uses are not carefully overseen by real people, the consequences can be destructive.

We contend that faith-related perspectives can add a lot of value in this hugely important arena. This year’s Dare to Overcome Conference in Washington DC also included an expert panel discussion (watch) to spotlight the challenges of using Al in HR and illustrate how diverse perspectives of faith and belief can contribute to the needed reflection.

By Kent Johnson

This is a reminder to register and join us MONDAY at 11am EST for a free, informative and interactive online discussion of the intersection of faith, artificial intelligence, and human resources.

On Monday, July 31st at 11:00 EST, we will co-host a virtual discussion by top experts from SAP, the EEOC, Vettd and the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation on how faith and belief contribute powerful ethical tools to navigate the AI revolution.

Companies are implementing Al in their business processes at a quickening rate. One of the areas for potential concern is Al’s use to facilitate Human Resource decision-making. If such uses are not carefully overseen by real people, the consequences can be destructive.

Question is: Who should have a seat at the table in designing oversight and tracking mechanisms? Who should companies consult as they consider the possible dangers that should be guarded against?

I hope to see you on Monday for this timely and informative discussion!

By John Huân Vũ, PayPal Product Manager and Global Interfaith Prayer Chair @ PayPal Belief

On Wednesday, July 19, 2023, I woke up to the news that my dear coworker (and friend), Milind Makwana, unexpectedly passed away. His final message to me was 12 hours beforehand.

Milind made a huge impact within PayPal and outside of PayPal embodying a full life that was gone too soon. For me, knowing Milind personally, professionally, and spiritually has elevated my love for him and I will always be thankful for those memories.

Since Milind was our PayPal Believe Hindu faith chapter leader, I envisioned that several employees will need resources to process, grieve, and heal. That morning, I called for an emergency meeting of the PayPal Believe interfaith employee resource group steering committee. As each of us processed our shock and sadness, we had to turn our thoughts and prayers into action.

We know the faith of Milind was so important that that he even wrote a book called “A day in the life of a Hindu Kid” to help children learn about their faith and to ensure all profits would be donated to a non-profit organization benefiting local communities. Milind even represented PayPal at the 2022 “Dare to Overcome” Faith@Work conference hosted by the Religious Freedom and Business Foundation touching the lives of every person he met regardless of their faith and background.

In my role as the PayPal Believe Global Interfaith Prayer Chair, I was invited to prepare and host two Interfaith Prayer Services at our company. Alongside PayPal Believe Global Co-Chairs, Becky Pomerleau and Neetu Dhaliwal, MBA, Archana Nindra and I led the service in our respective prayers before opening up to employees to share stories and find comfort with each other. We had over 200 employees attending and it was only successful thanks to the support of Sri Shivananda (CTO, EVP, Believe Executive Co-Sponsor), our employee advocacy partner, Jamie Black, and our corporate communications partners, Madeline Bielski and Lenore Feder.

Lastly, I was beyond humbled to be invited to attend my first Hindu funeral (Antya Sanskara). As I prayed and witnessed the beautiful testimony and traditions, my emotions came into fruition as I witnessed the finale and cremation of Milind. I can’t imagine the anguish and tears from his wife and two children (ages 8 and 14).

To conclude my post, here was my interfaith prayer that I prepared for my colleague, my friend, and my brother Milind:
✾ Let us remember our brother, MILIND, who was committed to his Hindu faith.
✾ In Hinduism, Om (or Aum) ॐ is a sacred sound, mantra, and invocation.
✾ When we hear Om ॐ, may we remember MILIND as a Believe ERG leader among our Hindu siblings bringing all of us to prayer.
✾ When we hear Om ॐ, may we remember MILIND as the program manager whose sense of humor and hard work drove our initiatives and features for PayPal.
✾ When we hear Om ॐ, may we remember MILIND as a major figure in our Rise ERG bringing constant joy to elevate our Pan Asian community.
✾ When we hear Om ॐ, may we remember MILIND as a voice against injustice, inequality, and hate that exists within our local community.
✾ When we hear Om ॐ, may we remember the friends and family of MILIND including his beloved wife and two children, ages 8 and 14.
✾ When we hear Om ॐ, may we remember MILIND yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
✾ When we hear Om ॐ, may we remember MILIND, our colleague, our friend, and our brother.
✾ When we hear Om ॐ, may we remember the heart and soul of MILIND.
✾ Om ॐ

Original LinkedIn Post

You can see Milind participate in the joint Hindu-Sikh at 2022 Dare to Overcome below.

By Brian Grim

The conclusion of my nearly 3-week trip to the London, Doha and New Delhi and Mumbai included a wonderful meeting in London with Maurice Ostro, a 2021 Global Business & Interfaith Peace Award Winner. See the short video below to see his extraordinary work.

During our meeting, we hatched an idea for a global interfaith & business action campaign. Stay tuned for more details as it grows!

How faith and belief contribute ethical tools to navigate AI in HR

By Brian Grim

Join us on Monday, July 31st at 11:00 EST, for a live, virtual discussion by top experts from SAP, the EEOC, Vettd and the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation on how faith and belief contribute powerful ethical tools to navigate the AI revolution.

Companies are implementing Al in their business processes at a quickening rate. One of the areas for potential concern is Al’s use to facilitate Human Resource decision-making. If such uses are not carefully overseen by real people, the consequences can be destructive.

Question is: Who should have a seat at the table in designing oversight and tracking mechanisms? Who should companies consult as they consider the possible dangers that should be guarded against?

I hope to see you on Monday for this timely and informative discussion!

Registration required

Mumbai philanthropist restores major Jewish sites in India

By Brian Grim

As the adage goes, “If it bleeds it leads.” But why can’t equally important constructive news make headlines?

That was my thought as I had the opportunity to learn about the amazing work of Mrs. Sangita Jindal, the Chairperson of the JSW Foundation, the charitable arm of her family’s JSW Group, a $23 billion conglomerate — amongst India’s largest.

Among their priorities is “conserving the architectural soul of India.” In a recent interview she said, “People have asked me why I helped restore the Keneseth Eliyahoo synagogue and the David Sassoon Library and Reading Room. Are you Jewish, they ask me. I say, no, I am Hindu, but it doesn’t matter what I am. This is for the city.”

I had the opportunity to visit the Reading Room (pictured above) and visit with Mrs. Jindal at the JSW Foundation headquarters in Mumbai on Friday. Hers will be one of the stories that will be shared at our upcoming Dare to Overcome meeting in New Delhi.

If people from your business would like to attend, please let me know!

By Brian Grim

After my meetings in London and Doha, the real fun began! It kicked off with a lunch with our Indian partners, Teamwork Arts, who is producing Dare to Overcome India!

In the coming days registration will open, with international participants already slated to come from Japan, Australia, the UK, Italy, Lebanon, the US, and more! Of course the largest contingent will be business leaders and employee resource group leaders from across India.

Stay tuned for updates!

ABOUT

With India’s dynamic socio-economic rise on full display for the world during its G20 Presidency, Dare to Overcome’s next global gathering is in New Delhi October 3-5, 2023. The event’s theme is Unity in Diversity.

Dare to Overcome (DTO) is the premier global event for business leaders to share and celebrate best practices, virtues, and values in being allies of differing communities and cultures in workplaces and marketplaces, thereby building peace.

DTO-India 2023 will also the first-ever international gathering of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) committed to fostering intercultural understanding in corporate workplaces.

DTO’s signature events are the Global Business & Intercultural Peace Awards and the Business & Peace Symposium. American Airlines, the world’s largest carrier, is DTO’s official airline and partner.