OPINIONS

By Shankar Venkateswaran Four years after the CSR mandate, here's a look at the geographies and sectors funds were directed towards; what has changed in the way companies give; and how we can address the gaps that still exist. Section 135 of the Indian Companies Act, 2013, or the CSR clause, came into effect on April...

The land of Barsana, two hours’ drive south of New Delhi, is sacred to those who practise bhakti yoga. It is home to people who have been brought up to make spirituality their life’s focus, to imbibe the qualities of selflessness and loving service. However, these very people do not have the best healthcare systems....

India regained its status as the world’s fastest-growing major economy at the end of  2017, posting a growth in GDP of 7.2%. Its population of 1.3 billion is also growing fast, as the country added 15 million people last year. Although welcome in their own right, these growth rates raise significant problems for the...

In 2014, India became the first country in the world to mandate companies to spend a fraction of their revenue on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). However, long before the Companies Act 2013, cultural beliefs in daan and good karma, have always been a deep-rooted part of India’s corporate culture. Business houses such as the Tata’s...

“You don’t have to make headlines to be a hero. The ladies from Jaridih, Jharkhand, are addressing issues of domestic violence, family feuds and unemployment through strong rural collectives, or Self-Help Groups (SHGs). IndigoReach (a CSR-initiative of Indigo Airlines) has partnered with PRADAN to empower these SHGs. Village organisations and gender leadership camps (were)...

"Money is the seed of money, and the first guinea is sometimes more difficult to acquire than the second million." Jean-Jacques Rousseau Inequality and exclusion are two of the most pressing challenges facing the world today. In recent years, policy planners have realized that development will be uneven and not wholesome if we do not address...

In his previous column, Dr Anantpal Singh talked about his experiences as a healthcare innovator in Bihar. This piece in the series explores Uttar Pradesh. The importance of this State zooms across time and civilizations. The great Indus Valley civilization and Harappan civilization are historic. Novelist Ruskin Bond once said: “I had been to other countries...

It’s almost a year now since the #metoo hashtag broke through whisper networks on sexual harassment and initiated a worldwide movement. While the initial exposés were instances of assault and misogyny by men in high places in Hollywood, subsequent revelations have come in waves from women across the world in various kinds of workplaces...

2015 was a watershed year that witnessed 193 nations coming together to form a set of 17 “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs) to address contemporary developmental challenges and ensure a sustainable future. These global goals have played a crucial role in charting out a roadmap for nations to re-align economic policies and financial systems to...

Rural women make up over a quarter of the world’s population. October 15 is commemorated as the International day of Rural Women by the United Nations. A substantial proportion of rural women has been involved in the agricultural labour force and informal work including care and domestic work within families and households. According to the...

Bihar is a beautiful State with beautiful people and a rich culture and glorious heritage. It is a state that manufactures the most academicians, IITians, doctors, IAS, IPS and IRS officers. However the ground reality is different. Bihar comprises three distinct regions, Magadh, Mithila and Bhojpur, each having its own distinct culture and history. Historically, Bihar...

"Women are not dying because of diseases we cannot treat… They are dying because societies have yet to make the decision that their lives are worth saving." – Mahmoud Fathalla, Chair of the WHO Advisory Committee on Health Research Inclusive growth is now perhaps the strongest buzzword in development discourse. We have all been talking about growth...