Actor Shilpa Shetty may be known as a glam diva, but she is also a philanthropist. How else would you explain the actor’s initiative Shilpa Shetty Foundation wherein she actively works towards habilitating and supporting orphaned children? Says her husband, Raj Kundra, “It’s something we both are part of. It’s our way of giving back to society. The core objective is to locate orphanages that aren’t running well. In those cases, we take them over and fund the organisation that is running it.” Shilpa apparently created this foundation in 2007. The objective, back then, was to help terminally ill patients, but due to her busy film schedule, she could never concentrate on the cause.

Some time ago, the couple took over the functioning of a school in Belgaum, Karnataka for kids suffering from AIDS. “They couldn’t go to regular schools because when parents find out, they object. So, we are helping them out by paying for their education and medicines among things,” says Raj, who’s preparing for the launch ceremony of Sanjay Dutt’s and his Mixed Martial Arts championship, Super Fight League, on March 11.

Despite his busy schedule, Raj is a stern believer in the fact that time has to be devoted to philanthropic activities. “You have to. When it comes to charity, one must do his or her bit. We are thankful to God that we enjoy a good life and it’s important that we pay back whatever little we can. Like Shilpa keeps saying, ‘if you can’t take out time for God, he too won’t make time for you.’”