Very few know that many of the members of the YMCAs (Young Men Christian Associations) in India hail from non-Christian background and they identify themselves with the values of compassion and justice espoused by this organisation in the cause of serving the poor of society.
Mr. J. Alexander, former IAS officer (1963 batch) from Mangad village in Quilon, and presently the National President of National Council of YMCAs of India, has occupied several distinguished positions but has not lost the ‘common human touch’ as revealed during a recent interview. Beginning his career as a lecturer at Fatima College, he entered the coveted administrative cadre in Karnataka in 1963 and lately served as Tourism Minister for the State of Karnataka under the former S.M. Krishna government. “Behind every dusty file, there is a human face and the challenge of the bureaucrat is to see the face hidden behind the file,” he says, characteristically revealing his approach to issues in public life. If in his early days, he had to bow before the authority of the petty panchayat official, he had also wielded enormous power under the IAS cadre but remains unaffected by such baggage. Recently, during one of his trips to the national capital, Mr. J. Alexander shared some of his thoughts with MPK Kutty on the role of the YMCA, one of the largest NGOs in the world, in terms of spread, movement and activities, in the nation’s development.
Q: How large is the network of the YMCA in the country?
A: YMCA, India, is the second largest national movement in the world, with over 500 affiliated units, next only to the United States of America. However, YMCA, India, is the largest in the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs that comprise over 22 nations. In keeping with the pluralistic nature of our society, a large number of our members are from non-Christian background. For instance, the Bangalore YMCA has over 10,000 members but only 250 of them are full members owing allegiance to the Christian faith. The rest of the members are those who share similar values.
Q: What makes membership of YMCAs attractive?
A: YMCA is a membership organisation open to everyone regardless of sex, race, religion, caste or national origin. Not so much on the lines of a club membership, by becoming a member of YMCA, one becomes a part of a worldwide movement engaged in community development, whose goal is to help individuals attain their greatest possible potential. By becoming a member, one not only makes an investment in the local social activities taken up by the YMCA, but also, one makes a sound investment in oneself. YMCA attempts to help a member reach the goals he has established by providing a wholesome atmosphere and the opportunity to meet and make new friends. Thus, by becoming a member, a person will not only be benefiting oneself but will also be supporting a noble cause. Based on the Christian faith, we extend love and compassion to needy groups such as street children, empower youth through imparting skills and education in areas such as management, encourage sports activities and promote self help schemes among the poor and engage in community activities intended to promote communal harmony.
Q: Is it right to characterise its activities as religion-related?
A: While the basic philosophy of action of YMCA is based on the Christian faith, its activities and goals are not in conflict with other faiths. We base our approach on love, compassion and justice – values that are integral in all religious beliefs and faiths. YMCA is inspired by the love and compassion shown by Lord Christ and it reflects on all its social activities that are intended for the benefit of communities irrespective of creed, caste or religion.
