Impact Areas
Collective Changemaking
When we come together to make change, the possibilities are limitless.
My journey has taken me into the realms of changemaking that I have described below. However boundaries cannot be drawn between issues or thematic areas. Time and again we are reminded how the intersectionality of issues matters. It is when we endeavor to understand this overlap, our ability to enable sustainable change grows. Empathy in action emerges.
Safe Water Access
Water is arguably the most important cross-cutting issue. From gender-equity to economic prosperity to health, and now climate change, the biggest issue facing humanity is water or the lack thereof. I have worked on the issue of equitable access, last-mile connectivity, public-private partnerships to ensure access to safe water and innovative solutions to overcome some of the barriers to access.
Safe Water Network, Karnataka Project
Social Entrepreneurship
As we see all kinds of problems around us, it is time we developed a “solutions” lens as opposed to a “problems” lens. This is the key message my mentor and founder of Ashoka, Bill Drayton gave me and all those who have been and continue to be a part of the global Ashoka community. When I started working with communities I did not call myself a social entrepreneur. But today I do. I have learnt and gained from the hundreds of social entrepreneurs I have met, journeyed with, had meals with and just sat and talked about life or changemaking.
“Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry.”
Philanthropy & Diaspora Engagement
Almost everyone in the diaspora community wants to “give back”. My path has crossed with extremely accomplished and extremely generous members of the Indian diaspora community. They give. They engage. They advocate. And then they create the multiplier effect by bringing other members of their family, friends and professional contacts to be a part of the giving.
Thought Leadership
Be it a career column in a leading newspaper, or speaking at universities across the world, I have sharpened my sense of changemaking by engaging with diverse people all over the world. This has translated into op-ed pieces, book publications, co-authored write-ups and journal articles. This base of knowledge has also enabled me to curate seminars, workshops and knowledge events.
Community Development
Convening like-minded people as well as divergent groups to rally around an issue or a cause has been a constant theme in my career. From Bangalore to Boston and from Philadelphia to Pune, I have convened the leaders of industry, philanthropy, civil society, government and concerned citizens to come together to share, learn and take collective action.
