| Published: 04 December, 2023

In the words of Muhammad Yunus, the founder of Grameen Bank, "Human creativity is unlimited. It is the capacity of humans to make things happen which didn't happen before. Creativity provides the key to solving our social and economic problems." This statement encapsulates the essence of social entrepreneurship and its transformative impact on societies around the world, including India.

Traditional economics, which primarily focuses on growth, often has a myopic view of progress. It measures growth based on output, production, and consumption. This limited perspective fails to account for critical factors such as environmental degradation, pollution, and their consequences. Social entrepreneurship, however, seeks to redefine progress, introducing a broader perspective that considers the well-being of both people and the planet alongside profitability.

Rethinking Economics for a Sustainable Future

Kate Raworth, the author of "Doughnut Economics," emphasizes the need to continuously adapt economic models to serve evolving human values, contexts, and goals. Social entrepreneurs are at the forefront of this paradigm shift, as they aim to merge transformative approaches to profit generation with innovative business models to address societal issues. This approach goes beyond mere problem-solving, adopting a holistic systemic view of economic and social change.

Understanding Social Entrepreneurship

The definition of social entrepreneurship has evolved over time, reflecting the dynamic nature of this field. Zahra et al. (2009) define social entrepreneurship as "the activities and processes undertaken to discover, define, and exploit opportunities in order to enhance social wealth by creating new ventures or managing existing organizations in an innovative manner." Unlike conventional entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship is deeply committed to creating lasting and positive societal changes.

Characteristics of Social Entrepreneurship

Social entrepreneurship is characterized by innovation, initiative, and the pursuit of opportunities that have a positive impact on social wealth. Whether through the creation of new ventures or the transformation of existing organizations, social entrepreneurs are driven by a mission to address pressing social issues.

Social Entrepreneurship as an Agent of Change

Social entrepreneurship is a powerful force for change, bridging the gap between profit-driven business and social impact. Governments and stakeholders are increasingly recognizing the potential of social entrepreneurs to drive positive change in society. Governments often face limitations in terms of funding and logistics, making the efforts of social entrepreneurs crucial in addressing complex social challenges.

Impact Areas of Social Entrepreneurship in India

Job Creation and Social Inclusion

Social entrepreneurship is making a significant impact on job creation and social inclusion. It addresses issues like gender inequality, physical disability, and racial discrimination by fostering a change in mindset. Organizations are actively integrating marginalized groups into the job market, promoting inclusivity and gradually shifting societal norms.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) acknowledges the role of social enterprises as intermediaries that bridge the gap between unemployment and the labor market. Several examples illustrate this positive change, with organizations employing disabled workers and promoting gender diversity in traditionally male-dominated industries.

Financial Inclusion and Microfinance

Financial inclusion is a pressing issue in many countries, particularly India, where a substantial portion of the population lives below the poverty line. Social entrepreneurs have addressed this challenge through microfinance, providing credit to those who lack collateral, financial literacy, or access to traditional loans. Organizations like Grameen Bank in Bangladesh and SKS Microfinance in India have played pivotal roles in uplifting the economically disadvantaged.

Addressing Climate Change

Climate change, a result of resource over-exploitation and environmental degradation, is a global crisis. Social entrepreneurs have taken a proactive role in tackling this issue by promoting sustainable practices, innovation, and collaboration. Examples such as Poonsap Suanmuang's work in Thailand, which focuses on preserving nature through sustainable practices, demonstrate the potential of social entrepreneurship in mitigating climate change.

Healthcare Access

Healthcare access is a fundamental human right, yet billions of people lack affordable, quality healthcare. Governments often struggle to provide solutions due to financial constraints. Visionary social entrepreneurs, like Bill Gates through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, have channeled their resources to address critical healthcare issues, such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. However, a holistic approach to healthcare is necessary, emphasizing prevention over treatment.

The Urgent Need for Social Entrepreneurship

Social entrepreneurship is not a luxury; it is a necessity. Our collective future depends on adopting regenerative approaches to business and economics. The challenges we face today, from climate change to healthcare disparities, require immediate action. Social entrepreneurs are leading the charge, but they need support, especially from the younger generation.

The Role of the Youth in Social Entrepreneurship

The younger generation holds the key to a better future. Their enthusiasm, commitment, and innovative ideas can drive positive change. The entrepreneurs of tomorrow must strike a balance between profit and a mission to achieve global prosperity and harmony. By embracing social entrepreneurship, they can be the change agents the world desperately needs.

How ISDM is changing the landscape of social entrepreneurship?

The Indian School of Development Management (ISDM) offers a unique opportunity for individuals to advance their careers in the social sector. ISDM's flagship Post Graduate Program in Development Management is tailored to the specific needs of this vital domain, blending the principles of business management with the challenges and opportunities of development projects.

In conclusion, social entrepreneurship is a powerful force that is reshaping how businesses and economies operate in India and around the world. With a focus on holistic progress, it addresses pressing societal issues and offers solutions that traditional economic models often overlook. The younger generation has a pivotal role to play in this movement, and institutions like ISDM are ready to equip them with the tools and knowledge needed to make a real impact in the social sector. By embracing social entrepreneurship, we can create a more inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous future for all.

Gaurav Shah | Published: 24 November, 2023

The last 8-12 months have given me a fabulous opportunity to interact with a lot of young, bright individuals studying different streams in some of the best colleges in the country, working as fellows and staff in the many social fellowships being offered today and especially those who have applied to ISDM’s 11-month Post Graduate Program in Development Management.

I realized that a lot of such interactions ended with a common question from the participants on why they should really consider working in the development sector, almost hinting that it would be akin to a sacrifice if they were to do so! Responses to questions like this would at times almost become a sales effort to convince people to join this sector so very soon into this journey I decided to flip the format in these discussions. I would start by asking people why they wanted to work (if at all!) in the development sector. The answers were diverse, interesting and very enlightening:

The Country Needs Me: With a worldwide rank of 131 out of 188 countries on HDI, 97 out of 118 countries on the Global Hunger Index, 76 out of 168 countries on Corruption, 114 out of 132 countries in stunting amongst children aged less than five years etc. there is no doubt that our country needs the brightest people to solve these most complex problems. But this call to action from the nation to its citizens is true for millions of other people and does not answer the question of why that person should be you. Work in this sector requires the ability to be patient, to deal with immense ambiguity/complexity and to have the mindset of looking at change over a long term. For people to be able to last in this space and actually create sustainable change, the reasons to be here need to be more personal and internal!

Personal Guilt: “I have got so much in life, I should give back to society as well”. Seemingly a good enough reason and for many it lays the foundations of being a good human being – at least you don’t have the sense of entitlement that a lot of people live with! While this reason can work from a philanthropy/charity standpoint (because it’s the easiest and most non-invasive form of giving back), this logic might break down in the face of adversity and challenges while working full-time in this sector. At some point, people tend to fall back on the realization that the “Ovarian Lottery” which has resulted in them being born in favourable circumstances is really not their fault and is nothing they should feel guilty about!

Social Power: The term “Giving Back” has a certain inherent hierarchy to it – There is a giver and there is a receiver. As for everything else in this world, the giver is always bigger than the receiver! This is the attitude that most funding and aid agencies have towards implementation organisations. If this is the reason one wants to work in this sector then at some point or the other it will lead to personal arrogance. The question one needs to ask oneself is have the people we are trying to give back to really reached out to us individually for help? Or was it our choice to do something for them?

Personal Happiness and Satisfaction: In my experience, the only sustainable reason to work in this sector is that it does something for you as an individual – it gives you satisfaction or a sense of happiness that you were struggling to find elsewhere. The reason therefore is selfish and has a lot to do with benefiting yourself rather than others. This has an eerie similarity to Adam Smith’s concept of self-interest (of course used in a very different context!)

Given the magnitude of social issues facing our country, we definitely need bright, passionate, empathetic individuals to take a deep dive into understanding these problems and devote themselves to solving them. Insights into the self to understand the reasons behind doing the same would go a long way in ensuring longevity, effectiveness and personal happiness.

Tias Dutta, Christie Maria James and Souparno Chatterjee | Published: 16 November, 2023

Not an IIT, IIM degree, but it’s the right mix of skill and will that a development sector aspirant should mandatorily possess

A fulfilling career in the social sector necessitates the right mix of academic knowledge and practical experience. Academic knowledge, gained through formal education, provides a strong foundation of theories, concepts, and research methodologies that can inform and guide one's work in addressing social issues. This equips professionals with the analytical skills to understand the root causes of problems and the ability to develop evidence-based solutions. However, practical experience is equally vital, as it offers a real-world perspective, enabling individuals to bridge the gap between theory and application. It allows them to develop a deeper understanding of the communities and individuals they serve and build the interpersonal and problem-solving skills essential for effective intervention.

In a first-of-its-kind conference, Dialogues on Development Management (DoDM 2023), organised by ISDM to dive into the need for nurturing management for social change organised on 20 Sept 2023 in New Delhi, the house led by Rajesh Tandon (Founder-President, PRIA (Participatory Research in Asia)) and Wilma Rodrigues (Founder-CEO, Saahas Zero Waste) unpacked the prerequisites for a successful career in development sector.

The conversation emerged during the session Growing with Purpose: People at the Core presented by ISDM and PRADAN (Professional Assistance for Development Action). While ISDM believes in creating a generation of passionate Development Management professionals equipped with management skills, knowledge and experience for delivering social impact at scale, PRADAN brings educated professionals as catalysts to work alongside rural communities to empower vulnerable populations as drivers of change towards a decent life.

According to the speakers, practice takes a precedence in order of importance. While ‘skill’ comes from degrees, ‘will’ comes from experience and practice. Rajesh also indicated the role of COVID-19 in changing the perspective towards labour in the sector. He mentioned that, unlike earlier, COVID has made us realise that labour and work in the frontline is no less. They just lack a formal degree but excel at execution.

Wilma mentioned how an organisation can achieve this mix among young professionals starting off. She said that young people must be trained professionally for the right skills. However, the willingness and empathy for a cause come through exposure. They need to be exposed to and experience the problem first-hand. “You cannot promote participation without empathy,” she said. Alternatively, she pondered that hiring people directly from the community can be achieved when they have access to the right education and skill sets. Adding on to this, she said “A professional should do his work unsupervised, which cannot be achieved until someone is exposed to the complexities of the issue.” Saahas Zero Waste, which works towards sustainable waste management, advocates for putting young professionals in villages without toilets to understand the intensity of the problem.

Advocating for the role of a qualification or a degree, Rajesh mentioned that engineers and management graduates are equally crucial for the sector. “Technology does not replace humans but it increases efficiency,” he mentioned. Solutions in the social sector need contextualisation to the socio-economic and cultural factors. Tech know-how and management exposure help professionals adapt solutions to the context. This expertise also helps understand the laws of the land better to ensure smooth operations. Considering India’s complexity and federal structure, an organisation must be wary of local and national legalities to function. One also needs to understand politics, business institutions, and communities that primarily influence the design and modes of interventions.

Speaking of the changing context of attracting and retaining talents, Rajesh and Wilma mentioned the increasing demand for professionals in the sector; however, adapting them to the organisation's specific needs remains a challenge. While many organisations like PRIA had to expand their physical presence to remote areas in the past to attract and keep talent closer to the ground, nowadays, peer pressure and pay force young people to look for opportunities in cities. To bring in the right mix of skill and will among the social sector aspirants, colleges offering degrees for professionals should have a compulsory ‘credit-based community immersion’ programme to acquaint the talents with the expectation vis-à-vis the realities and whether they want to sign up for this for a long haul. Policy studies should be linked to policy implementation, which can only be achieved with on-ground exposure.

During the second session of the fireside chat, Mathew Cherian (Global Ambassador, HelpAge International), Ajaya Samal (Integrator, PRADAN), and Aakash Sethi (Founder-CEO, Quest Alliance) focused on people’s perspectives on how an organisational culture can and should stay unchanged when organisations scale. Mathew mentioned that in the voluntary sector, compensation is not commensurate with what IIT and IIM graduates get elsewhere. Therefore, growth and scale-up must happen voluntarily and be driven by ethics and values. Talking about scaling organisations by design, Aakash pointed out whether one or two leaders or cascading a leadership architecture across the board should be involved in designing. He reiterated that leadership development is not equal to training programs but more about organisation making. Driving change becomes a practice of leadership, shaping the organisation's culture.

"As organisations grow, whether people inside also grow becomes a question of the core," added Aakash. He emphasised that the performance management system is also about knowing about career trajectories and possibilities to set growth opportunities. He espouses the idea that the individuals rather than the organisations should own individual growth possibilities and selection of the growth path.

Responding to how value and culture play a role in leadership, Mathew pointed out that ethical leadership needs accountability and transparency. Respecting the staff and partners is extremely important. The way the lowermost person is treated reflects an organisation’s culture. If there is participatory leadership, leaders should also know when and how to listen to their staff actively. Half of the job is done when people’s contribution is ensured in an organisation’s growth and it's an integral part of the culture. Adding to this, Aakash mentioned that people, despite their designated roles and hierarchies, must be facilitated to participate in decision-making. There needs to be a space for dissent, significantly narrowed down by power and role hierarchy now.

Ajaya pointed out the other aspect of people’s perspective in an organisation’s development- grooming of young development professionals should consider them to be at the core, at the centre, to carry ahead the development action in the future and among the organisation leaders. The teams or the individual work units can provide the environment necessary to nurture an individual’s leadership abilities. They should be supportive and mutually helpful like members of the same family, physically and psychologically.

About authors:

Tias Dutta (Communications Manager, Dissemination and Publication Centre, ISDM)

Tias is a development communication professional with over 10 years of experience in reputed Government and Non-government organisations. Her expertise lies in ideating and developing content for all communication channels, end-to-end execution of communication products, simplifying information into consumable content and executing engagement platforms and events. Tias also provides communication training to various stakeholders. Her strength lies in strategising communication based on audience behaviour and needs. Tias is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC).

Christie Maria James (Manager, Program, Global Knowledge Hub, ISDM)

With over 7 years experience as a development professional, Christie has extensively worked in the field of gender. With a focus on women’s health rights, awareness on gender based violence, livelihood enhancement etc, Christie has worked with varied organisations where she has implemented and managed projects.She has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi, and a Master’s Degree in Social Work (Criminology and Justice) from Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai.

Souparno Chatterjee

Souparno is the Team Coordinator of the Resource Mobilisation, Communications, and Partnerships unit at PRADAN, a national NGO focusing on rural development. He specialises in Development and Corporate Communications and has anchored PRADAN's communications initiatives over the past eight years. Souparno is based out of Delhi NCR.

It was June 2001 and I had arrived in life. Or so I thought! Students had landed up at IIMC with various objectives – to learn, to build their CV, to get an amazing job, to build careers and even to get a great spouse (not necessarily in that order)! I had landed there more through a process of elimination than one of selection.

Post Engineering, an MBA seemed the next logical step in this (seemingly unending?!) exploration called life and so after a fair bit of effort and toil here I was at the hallowed portals of the premier Business School in the country.

The next 2 years were a bit of a whirlwind and amongst the best days (or daze?) of my life. Looking back I definitely learnt a lot at B-School but more than the subjects I learnt how to work in teams, hold my own amongst some of the best brains in the country, work under pressure (time and performance) etc. We had some outstanding professors and under their guidance we developed a fairly holistic understanding of how business happens and how successful organisations are built in the corporate sector. Somewhere along the way, with the hoopla we have created around the IIMs, we also started believing that we were the best in the country (of course life has a way of showing us a mirror!)

IIMs have been criticized for the disproportionately high focus on placements versus learning. Our brand at some level is derived from the nature of jobs and salaries our students get. While this is great, it also puts a lot of undue societal pressure on the batch to get the top jobs and salaries. As luck would have it the economy was in a downturn, 2002 and thereafter 2003 were really pathetic years for placements. It was a struggle even getting the entire batch placed and in that backdrop I was fortunate and blessed in landing up with a Day 0 placement at one of the top FMCG companies in the world. I had now truly arrived! (or so I thought).

The next few years were spent working in sales and then consulting across the world from a Raipur and Jabalpur to New York and Tokyo. From expanding the distributor branch network in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, to ideating on reengineering ideas for business units across the world to recommending manpower rationalization for one of the largest third party lingerie manufacturing units in Sri Lanka, the breadth of work was exciting, challenging and multi-dimensional. There was a time when I was only travelling business class, on international sectors and so early in life. Corporate life taught me a lot about structured thinking, taking accountability, keeping focus on the outcome (more than the process), communicating and presenting effectively etc. The commonality of purpose (profit, growth) was remarkable in its (unquestioning?) acceptance across the hierarchy within an organisation and across different organisations. But there was something missing, at least for me. I didn’t know what it was at that time but in retrospect I think I was missing a soul, a purpose and a larger life vision. When I saw what I would be doing 5-10 years down the line it just did not excite me. Most people I’ve met in life really want to do something useful in life, add value and make a difference to this world. Different people find this purpose in different sectors and areas of work. For me it was clearly not in the corporate world.

So what took me so long to come to this realization. It wasn’t a sudden, I woke up in the morning a new man, kind of epiphany. It was a thought process which evolved over many years and through a lot of experimentation. For a lot of people, the societal definition of success (money, power, fame etc.) may not match with their personal definition of success (what makes them happy, what they want to be remembered for). We continue doing things which don’t necessarily give us happiness or satisfaction because we place more weightage to what society expects from us or defines as success for us. The day we decide to flip this balance is when we are finally able to make the move. And this day comes at different life stages for different people (if at all), some at the beginning of their work life some towards the end of it.

While taking the decision to move from the corporate to the social development sector was really liberating, I hadn’t the foggiest idea of what I really wanted to do in the development sector, which particular sub sector (health, education, livelihoods, etc.) was I really interested in, what kind of work would I be good at etc. So like a true blood consultant I started by doing some secondary and primary research, doing pro, con analysis etc. trying to understand the sector and understand myself a little bit better (While technical and B-School education focuses a lot on understanding the external landscape, people would definitely benefit a lot more from spending time understanding the self – would help in making more informed and appropriate decisions in our lives and careers!). And as a true blood consultant I started engaging with the sector by doing a variety of projects – in financial inclusion / microfinance, HIV and Nutrition, Impact Investment, education etc. I was doing what I knew best (structured problem solving, data crunching, budgeting, program management, communication, goal focused output orientation). I worked on turning around the supply chain of a HIV nutrition project to ensure minimum food wastage for a low shelf life food product and ensure ontime food availability for the children who needed it. It was satisfying like nothing I had done earlier. Building project implementation plans, I realized that I was able to look at things more holistically and identify relevant elements to go into such plans which other ‘technical’ folks were not able to do with as much ease. Clearly my management background was helping me approach things in a different way and helping me create a niche for myself! Was I finally arriving in life? Don’t know but I was surely on the right path and getting close…

Over time, however, I started feeling the need to understand the development sector a little better from the inside. It almost felt like I was just swimming on the surface and engaging with things at a very superficial level. There were many questions which came to mind and differences between the corporate and development sector started becoming more and more obvious

• What does ‘development’ really mean? what are the various ways of looking at it, what are the values underpinning development etc. Different people have their own take on ‘development’ and the elements it encompasses – economic, social, cultural, emotional, spiritual, moral, political – and that gives rise to a lot of debate, discussions and arguments to even begin to understand what the other person is really talking about.
• Things weren’t as clear in terms of defining the ultimate goal or output (compared to profit or growth) and the way to achieve that. While most people agree that ‘good’ education’ is a key factor for social development, there are multiple viewpoints on what constitutes a ‘good’ education and thereby many different interventions for making that a reality. While output parameters for an intervention can be identified easily, chalking out a clearly defined theory of change which translates that into relevant outcome and impact parameters is by no means easy
• I started realizing that this sector has a fairly different ethos, culture, identity compared to what I was used to. Humans are no longer looked upon as ‘resources’ (human resources, like physical resources) but as people who have agency. Financial incentives and perks are no longer the primary factors drivers for performance, there are deeper reasons for people to be working here (in higher proportion than in the corporate sector). Decision making and culture creation in social organisations needs to be based on values arising from this outlook on human beings (less hierarchical, more democratic, driving consensual decision making).
• In this entire issue of defining and attaining outcomes, the process also becomes really important and therefore goal orientation needs to be supplemented with an insight into the appropriate and acceptable way of getting there. Given that we are dealing with people and lives, how do we engage and keep people involved at every stage of the work. We were once designing a capacity building programme for Government School Head teachers in one of the northern States in India. As a consultant, I had suggested that we should design the programme internally and roll it out to the government since it would give us the best chance of designing something first rate. The team lead told me that he was actually happy with a 50% programme developed out of a collaborative process since it would have a higher chance of acceptance rather than a 100% internally developed programme which would be a non-starter. It took me a while to accept the wisdom in this statement.
• The problems themselves required a fairly non-linear and multi factor problem solving thought process and approach (“Wicked Problems”). One needs to be able to take a systems thinking approach to define issues and evaluate solutions in this space. Simplistically, I can solve the issue of harmful effluents from my factory by disposing it in the nearby river (a common practice in the corporate space), but taking a more holistic systems approach will tell you that this is just unacceptable as a solution as it will create many more problems for the stakeholders around you!. Or, you work really hard to solve the ‘quality of education’ issue in a village / block to suddenly realize that people with better education have higher/different aspirations and they start migrating out to cities for better life options. So working on one issue has given rise to another where cities are not equipped to deal with this influx and villages are dying out.
• Since this sector corely / directly deals with lives and deaths of people, is there a chronology to a social change intervention? What do we do first and what later? How can we look at social change more holistically rather than in a silo’ed sectoral manner. After all, an individual cannot be broken up differently into education,, livelihood, healthcare etc. He/She is one whole person.

I started realizing that as a consultant, I was able to engage and provide inputs in fairly peripheral areas but if I had the ambition and aspiration of actually building world class social organisations to deliver sustainable social impact at scale then I definitely needed to understand this sector better and also understand how to build appropriate organisations, design and deliver sustainable and scalable interventions and build collaborative ecosystems to make the right kind of change happen and stick. Given the magnitude of issues at hand and the number of lives at stake, god knows we need to be much more collaborative and systems driven.

This is how the idea of actually setting up a world class educational institution devoted to reimagining how we should look at leadership and management for this sector actually came about – an institution which could act as an anchor to catalyse the creation of entire ecosystem around Development Management and help establish it as a discipline with its own unique body of knowledge derived from working on the ground with practitioners and over time as an aspirational profession.

The 1 year full time PGP in Development Leadership is being designed by the sector for the sector and will help produce leaders who can straddle both the worlds (field and funding) – people who understand development and can build strong, robust social organisations with the appropriate strategy, structure, process, systems and culture so as to deliver good quality sustainable social impact at scale. 

I feel that I have now (finally…phew!) started arriving in life…!

To find out more you could visit our website (www.isdm.org.in) or write into me ([email protected])

by Mridul Upadhyay | Published: 02 January , 2024

The Driving Force for India's Future

In the vast landscape of India's societal evolution, the role of millennials stands as a pivotal force that can shape the future trajectory, especially in critical sectors like education, philanthropy, healthcare, livelihood, and women empowerment. The question that echoes is whether this burgeoning population of millennials can constitute an efficient and effective workforce capable of executing the ambitious roadmap laid out for a nation of 130 Crore individuals. The answer lies in recognizing the unique positioning of millennials, both externally in their developmental stage and internally in their capacity to contribute meaningfully to societal goals.

Embracing the Era of Possibilities

Unlike the generations before us, millennials are not constrained by the sole objective of survival. The prevailing notion of insecurity, perpetuated by societal norms, is a falsehood that seeks to limit our potential. Instead, we find ourselves in an era where the pursuit of basic living standards and human rights for all is a tangible goal. This shift in perspective allows us to explore careers that not only offer financial stability but also a profound sense of contribution to a greater purpose. As the perception of security takes root in our lives, the preference for a meaningful career becomes the norm.

Passion as the Driving Force

In the realm of achieving extraordinary feats, it's the passionate individuals who leave an indelible mark. The adage, "whatever was easy to do has already been taken up and done, only the hard one is left," holds true. Passion fuels the relentless pursuit of knowledge, skills, and attitude necessary for significant accomplishments. Millennials, armed with passion, possess the potential to bring about transformative change, provided they receive the right guidance and exposure to essential elements like knowledge, skills, attitude, and values.

A Critical Examination

While the passion of the millennial workforce is undeniable, the question arises: Are they receiving adequate guidance? A critical examination of the National Youth Policy 2014, a comprehensive document addressing 600 million young people in India, reveals an imbalance. The policy emphasizes education, skills, and employment extensively, with 106, 72, and 46 references, respectively. Surprisingly, the term 'Harmony' garners a mere five mentions, and 'peace' receives zero acknowledgment throughout the document. This raises concerns about the guidance provided to the youth and the priorities set for their holistic development.

The Need for Specialized Institutions

In addressing these concerns, we must ponder whether institutions dedicated to the development sector, comparable to the prestigious IIMs, exist. If they do, why haven't issues like the aforementioned policy gaps been raised? The absence of a robust approach in guiding the nation's 600 million youth for the past five years demands a shift toward systems thinking, reflective practices, and a visionary approach. This shift is crucial to providing the right direction, training, and leadership development to the youth, steering clear of negative unintended consequences.

The Role of Specialized Academic Institutions

The need of the hour is academic institutions as formidable as IIMs but exclusively dedicated to social sector leadership and workforce development. These institutions should instill a systems thinking approach, emphasize reflective practices, and nurture visionary leaders capable of addressing societal challenges at their roots. The curriculum must go beyond traditional management teachings, fostering a passion for meaningful change and providing a practical approach to turn that passion into optimal impact.

Human Rights and Collective Responsibility

Delving into the wisdom embedded in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), particularly Article 29, underscores the importance of duties to the community for the free and full development of one's personality. The interconnectedness highlighted by phrases like "human family" and "spirit of brotherhood" emphasizes our collective responsibility toward each other. As free and equal beings, we are born with the inherent ability to distinguish right from wrong and should act toward others in a spirit of friendliness. These principles serve as compelling reasons for the youth to actively contribute to the well-being of their motherland.

Nurturing Change for a Better Tomorrow

Our peace and happiness are intertwined with the collective experiences of those around us. The lack of a viable alternative to our motherland and the inaccessibility of habitable spaces like Mars and the Moon underscore the need to address issues at home. The imperative lies in proving that despite sharing genes, we can break free from harmful habits that have led to adverse situations. This pursuit is not merely for personal gain but to craft a narrative of positive change to share with future generations. It is our chance to face the future with pride, having contributed meaningfully, rather than succumbing to the guilt of inaction.

Bhagat Singh's Legacy: A Call to Action

As we reflect on our purpose at the age of 25, 30, or 32, Bhagat Singh's legacy serves as a poignant reminder. A 22-23 year young revolutionary, he wasn't mad; he was driven by a profound sense of purpose. Now, as individuals in our mid-twenties and beyond, we must ask ourselves: What do we have in our lives to be proud of, or what are we working towards? The answers lie in our ability to contribute meaningfully, to realize India's potential for positive transformation.

Concluding Thoughts: ISDM and the Path Forward

In concluding this exploration, the relevance of the Indian School of Development Management (ISDM) becomes evident. ISDM stands as a beacon of hope, illuminating paths for socially conscious leaders who understand the nuanced complexities of societal challenges. By shaping change agents capable of dismantling systems that perpetuate injustice, ISDM plays a vital role in the collective journey toward realizing India's true potential. As we navigate the future, let ISDM be the guiding light that empowers individuals to contribute meaningfully, creating a future where every citizen is treated with dignity and equality.

by Aalika Anne Peres | Published: 22 January, 2024

My name “Aalika”, is a combination of the names ‘Aaliya’ and ‘Mallika’. Aaliya means ‘sublime’, while Mallika means ‘Princess’, and clearly choosing between the two was harder than my parents had envisaged. The life they gave me too, was a combination of these two words- that of an ‘Exalted Princess’, in many ways. Having lived a childhood of sheer privilege, insulated from the hardships that a majority of children from our country (perhaps even the world) face, there’s almost little or nothing I could complain about. Perhaps, what I thought were hardships were sluggish wifi, a cold pizza upon delivery or at worst a lost cell phone!

After having recently completed the 2-year Teach for India Fellowship, wherein I taught 72 children from less privileged families at an under-resourced municipal school in Goregaon West, Mumbai, I found myself having a lot more to thank God for. I had to revisit and alter the very definition of the term ‘hardship’ as I had previously known it. I saw mothers wait in queues for hours to fetch water, children attempt to do their homework in the absence of electricity and alcoholic fathers slap their 8 year old daughters for making irregular shaped rotis...

My days were busy and tiring. And to be without electricity, no access to clean toilets, on my feet all day and projecting my voice beyond my limits was not easy, given my otherwise comfortable and sophisticated life. Yet, I was extremely thrilled in my new environment- I gained valuable insights into the lives of people starkly different than myself and I grappled with difficult situations in the classroom and in the nearby communities. To quote Robert Frost, “two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” While the street foods tested my immunity, a handful of students tested my patience regularly. But these life lessons were extremely enriching and will surely hold me in good stead.

At the end of each school day, I longed to get back to the comforts of my Grandmother’s home in South Bombay- her warm presence, delicious non-vegetarian food, beautiful apartment, my bedroom with clean linen and en suite toilet. But after a good night’s rest, I woke up refreshed and excited to get back to my bubbly bunch of 72, who taught me to live each moment with utmost simplicity, humility and most importantly-maximum contentment.

It was as if I had one foot in the ‘faraway land’ of Cinderella and the other busting it out. I sometimes wondered how long I’d be able to live this paradoxical life and if either world would make me irrelevant and unfit to live in the other. This dual life that I led, surprised many as it sometimes did even raise questions in my mind. But never once did it raise questions in my heart. Every toothless innocent smile, every tinyshiny face and high pitched scream of my students, reaffirmed my choice to join the social sector.

As I boarded the 10:32 am Bhayandar fast local train from Churchgate to Goregaon each morning in my churidar-kurta, I slowly slipped into my “teacher avatar” eagerly waiting to reunite with my kids. And on the 7:16 pm train back to Churchgate, all I could think of was my hot water shower and the delicious hot dinner that awaits. The train rides back and forth transported me literally and metaphorically from one of my worlds to the other. One ascribed to me by birth and the other consciously chosen by me. I’m truly blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful people in both these spheres- it enables me to be understood, relevant and authentic in either context.

While growing up, I’d hear a lot about the charitable and benevolent ways of my grandparents and other elders around me. Their retirement plans would often include “giving back to society” and engaging in community service. It was a noble thought indeed. However, it’s high time now that careers in the development sector become mainstream or even default career options for many, rather than mere retirement plans. There’s so much to be done in terms of improving the education, healthcare, livelihood, sanitation, housing, poverty and hunger situation in our country. This work is largely recession proof, there’s no retirement age and it’s insulated from the ruthless lay offsthat loom large in the corporate space today!! An authentic development professional will really never be out of work- atleast not for a long time to come.

For now however, I’m bracing myself for all the challenges and opportunities that the social sector puts before me. Over the past 4 months at the Indian School of Development Management, I have been exposed to the extent and severity of the various development issues that plague our immediate society and have seen first hand a few of these issues play out in Alwar, Rajasthan earlier this month as part of the ‘Rural Immersion Programme’. Having interacted with practitioners who have been working in the field to better the lot of people in one way or another, I have been deeply moved and inspired to act.My heart burns for justice and yearns for change. And to quote Frost again, “I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.”

Devas Boban | Published: 16 January, 2024

Menstrual leave is a type of leave where a woman has the option to take paid leave from her employer, if she is menstruating and is unable to go to work because of this. The concept of menstrual leave supposedly started in Japan in the early 20th century. History has it that in the 1920s, Japanese labor unions started to demand leave (seiri kyuka) for their female workers. By 1947, a law was brought into force by the Japanese Labor Standards that allowed menstruating women to take leave from work.

There have always been debates around policies regarding women’s rights. Going back into history, women have faced the brunt of Sati. They have also had to fight for issues like the right to cover their breasts in public, the right to widow-remarriage and against other discriminatory practices – many of which still continue in the form of unequal access to education, employment, wage parity in the workplace, etc.

Today, we do have reservations in buses and trains, maternity leaves for six months and so on. But despite all of this, women are also demanding menstrual leaves – a 1-day leave every month, in many cases. But is this really necessary? Can’t they bear with the pain for a few days? These are some of the commonly-asked questions on menstrual leave – and there have been arguments favouring both sides of the coin.

A few weeks ago, I came across an article on menstrual leaves. The first thought I had was: why are women asking for this sort of a leave? They should be able to handle the pain, right? After all, that’s how life is!

But then, I thought to myself – I have never had to experience such a thing, I have never had to bleed every month for 4-5 days. Since I don’t even know how to relate to such a pain, how can I judge the degree of pain a woman has to endure and the capacity she may have to cope with it? To engage with this dilemma, I thought of talking to some of my friends on the topic.

Most of my female friends shared stories of their misery during their menstruation cycle. On the other hand, there were a number of women who said that they didn’t feel any difficulty while going for work during their periods. Considering the dichotomy of opinions, I decided to enquire more about this issue.

Given the fact that I had access to strong views and opinions at the Indian School of Development Management (ISDM), I decided to engage with my peers.

Some of the arguments which came forth against menstrual leave were:

1. Difficulty for organisations to create alternative options for getting work done. If women take leaves without prior notice, with periods as a reason, the others in the team and the work they do will suffer.
2. With each woman taking a leave once every month, the productivity of the organisation will come down.
3. It will re-enforce negative cultural norms. For instance, in certain cultures, during menstruation, women are not allowed to enter particular places, go out of their houses, etc. It is feared that the concept of a menstrual leave will reinforce such negative norms.
4. There is always a chance for women to misuse this leave, thereby promoting escapism.
5. It’s also likely that organisations may tend to hire more men than women, because hiring women will lead to losses for the organisation, considering the number of days they’ll work.
6. There are women who can ignore the pain when they are involved in some physical activity or work. A menstrual leave does not promote this practice of healthy physical activity which many women may get at their workplace.
7. Providing menstrual leave may cause discomfort among some men, which may perhaps lead to incidents of workplace harassment.

There were also arguments which supported the provision of menstrual leave policies. They were as follows:

1. Menstrual leave does not make women weaker. Men and women are biologically different. A few women may not be uncomfortable during their menstruation. However, accepting this fact should not lead to the exclusion of the majority women who really struggle during their periods.
2. Many organisations lack an adequate number of toilets, while some have common toilets for men and women. This makes the situation more miserable for menstruating women.
3. Productivity levels actually go up according to the state of mind women have towards their employer.
4. Menstrual leave is optional. But it’s definitely an equitable approach, considering the biological difference between men and women.
5. It will encourage the participation of more women in the country’s workforce.
6. Contrary to popular perception, it will actually reduce menstrual taboos by addressing it. Many women feel uncomfortable even while discussing it. On the other hand, this policy will enable women to ask for menstrual leave.
7. Some of the people taking part in the conversation stated that in most cases of women taking menstrual leave from companies, the work is divided equally among the other men and women employees. So, the point that only men suffer seems to be a bit presumptuous and invalid.
8. The argument that women will misuse this particular kind of leave also seems to be a bit skewed. In that sense, every leave, including a sick leave, can be misused by men and women. Ultimately, the organisation has to trust the employee that she won’t be taking this leave for her leisure
9. A menstrual leave is not a sick leave. Menstruation is not a sickness – it’s a biological function unique to women.
10. There are always critics when it comes to policy changes, especially when it comes to women’s rights or an issue as basic as maternity leave. Regarding men who feel uneasy with women being granted menstrual leave, they need to respect the biological differences between men and women – as do we all.

Menstrual leave is controversial because it is seen by some as a criticism of women’s work efficiency or as sexism. However, menstrual leave policies have already been implemented in many places. Countries like Japan, Taiwan, several provinces in China, Indonesia and South Korea have already implemented menstrual leave policies for women.

Nike has also had a menstrual leave policy for its employees since 2007. In India, a couple of companies from Mumbai – Cultural Machine and Gozoop – have decided to provide paid leave for its women employees. Women employees in government services in Bihar can avail two days of leave in a month for this purpose, is in addition to all the other leaves they are eligible to.

Women have always had to plead for her rights from birth – not to get killed in the womb, to get educated, to get jobs and equal pay, to travel safe – and the list continues. I am not sure if the organisational design, especially the leave structure, would have been the same if men menstruated and not women.

Implementing the menstrual leave policy doesn’t take away the pain women suffer. But it will definitely make the work environment more conducive to women.

I was given a glass of water, semi-brown in colour, the very first sip of which, bombed my taste buds with all the salt and minerals it contained. What if I told you that an average woman in Alampur, a village in Alwar district, spends her early morning hours, traveling long distances, just to fetch this contaminated water used for drinking and cooking. When was the last time we had to think this much about the water we drink? We, the people of metropolitan upbringing, often don’t realise how this basic universal right is the biggest struggle for most of our population, especially those living in the rural hinterlands of our country. This situation significantly impacts other basic human needs and rights as well - be it health, education or livelihoods.

Alwar is a district comprising of sixteen tehsils, and several social structures - Meo muslims, Meena tribals, hindu rajputs, forest tribes, yadavs and baniya businesspersons. As part of the national capital region, it has a large industrial area, and also has a prominent illegal mining mafia. Alwar, is an agrarian society, which is largely dependent on water for their cattle and fields. With growing family sizes and excessive land fragmentation, there has been a significant rise in the demand for water. When asked about water, Azam Khan (name changed), a resident of Alampur, spoke about the 70s and 80s when they used to find water just by digging five feet.

It was during this time that the government had incentivised construction of tubewells and borewells. While water was available at 50-60 feet in the 90’s, today the table has dropped to over a thousand feet deep in some areas. Azam told us that he had not seen optimum rainfall (for rainfed agriculture) for over 20 years now. A resident of Thanaghazi, another village in Alwar, spoke about how he raised loans (of about two lakh rupees) to dig a bore, and couldn’t find water even at 1100 feet. He then fell into a debt trap - and has raised another loan to dig a bore at another location because he couldn’t see a faster way to repay his first loan, especially given his skillset. He is currently on the lookout for odd jobs and opportunities that can help him raise money faster. As can be clearly seen, water has several forward and backward linkages. In my opinion, this problem is an amalgamation of the lack of awareness (of appropriate technology and indigenous methods), climate change, and dearth of alternative sources of income.

Azam Khan went on to talk about the quality of water, especially that found at deeper depths. He told us that there are excessive amounts of salt, silt and other minerals at such depths, which have severe consequences on their health and livelihoods. His son, who is 12 years old, had grey hair, and was suffering from joint pains and bone deformities. These occur due to excessive fluoride content in water (found in deep water tables) which lead to fluorosis. Not only that, these minerals sediment on soil and reduce its fertility significantly. At this point, Azam reminisced the lush green fertile lands of Alwar where the agrarians enjoyed large productivity and prosperity. Nowadays, there is a visible decline in crop productivity.

Essentially, much bigger families, who are still largely dependent on agrarian occupations, have much lesser produce (especially after land fragmentation) and incomes to sustain livelihoods. Azam Khan, ended our conversation by talking about how class plays into this whole crisis. The rich have deep borewells and sufficient water access, and pay by government tariffs. Because of availability and accessibility issues, the poor are often forced to pay for tankers of water. They spend about a thousand rupees to water a third of an acre, every single time there is scanty rainfall. He said -

“Bhaiya, gareeb toh hum hain, fir hum kyun pani jaisi cheezon ke liye amiron se das guna zyada paisa dete hain?” (Translates to - Why do I, a poor villager, pay ten times more than the rich for water?

In Alwar, I saw the dire need of solving the water crisis - which has intersections with social constructs like class and gender, and hinders livelihoods, education and health conditions of its residents. Can we use appropriate and relevant technological innovations and indigenous methods to tackle the water crisis? Isn’t there a need to acknowledge and work on climatic change, both at micro and macro levels? Should we bring a cultural shift from water intensive livelihoods to water efficient ones? Could we use community sharing and participative mechanisms to replenish water resources?

Paani da rang, preferred - clear. Thanks!