Philanthropy, an age-old tradition in India, has recently become an institution with billionaires spending fortunes on donations. While Gates strives to eradicate AIDS from Asia and Africa, Premji donates crores to improve school education in the country. But effective giving is not about capital only. As R.M. Lala shows, whether it is Buffet or Tata, each of these shrewd entrepreneurs made the crucial choice to give, a choice that superseded their quest for wealth. All of us do not have similar resources, but we can each learn to lend a patient ear to a person in need. And if we want to donate but do not know how, this book, replete with information on charities and trusts in India, is meant to serve as a guide. Finally, Widening the Circle is about spreading the word and widening the circle of people willing to reach out to others, for nothing else but for the sheer joy of giving.