'Indian women hold more Gold than 10 countries combined': Anand Mahindra wonders if they would donate like they did during 1962 war with China

Industrialist Anand Mahindra on Thursday took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a nostalgic memory from his childhood — when Indian women selflessly donated gold and jewellery to support the country during the 1962 war with China.

Mahindra’s post came in response to a tweet highlighting that Indian women collectively hold more gold than women in 10 countries combined. The original post listed the figures:

• India (women): 25,488 tonnes
• USA: 8,133 tonnes
• Germany: 3,351 tonnes
• Italy: 2,451 tonnes
• France: 2,437 tonnes
• Russia: 2,332 tonnes
• China: 2,279 tonnes
• Switzerland: 1,039 tonnes
• Japan: 845 tonnes
• Netherlands: 612 tonnes
• Poland: 448 tonnes

Reacting to the statistics, Mahindra wrote, “Impressive statistic. It brought back to me a vivid childhood memory.”

He recalled, “Back in 1962, during the war with China, the government created a National Defence Fund and appealed to citizens to donate gold and jewellery for the defence effort. From information available online, gold worth thousands of crores in today’s value was collected. Punjab alone, reportedly, contributed around 252 kg of gold.”

Mahindra shared a personal anecdote from that time, saying, “I clearly remember, as a seven-year-old, standing on the street in Bombay (now Mumbai) with my mother when government trucks drove by with megaphones, urging citizens to donate jewellery for the nation’s defence. I can still picture her quietly gathering some of her gold bangles and necklaces, placing them in a cloth thaila, and handing them to the volunteers on the truck.”

Reflecting on that memory, the Mahindra Group Chairman wondered if such large-scale voluntary acts of patriotism and trust could still happen today. “Would voluntary acts of that scale, spirit and trust still happen in today’s world?” he asked.

Mahindra concluded, “That memory of 1962 reminds me that a country’s national resilience ultimately depends not just on policy tools, but on the collective will of its people.”



The post drew emotional reactions from users. One user commented, “No sir, that kind of trust will not be there. Most donations would be looted and figures manipulated. For example, during the 1999 super cyclone in Odisha, much of the relief material meant for the poor never reached the people.”

Another wrote, “Powerful memory. That kind of voluntary, selfless contribution shows the deep bond between citizens and the nation. Today, with growing cynicism and distrust, acts on that scale feel almost unimaginable. But it’s a reminder that true national strength lies not just in armies or policies, but in the shared will and trust of the people.”