CSR Foundation hosts convocation of Gandhi Fellowship Batch 15 in Delhi

Delhi, India: Piramal Foundation completed its three-day annual convocation ceremony of the 15th batch of their Gandhi Fellowship Program on June 12, 2024 in Delhi. Gandhi Fellowship is a 2-year program for the youth to work at the grassroots of India and acquire an in-depth experience across areas of Public Health, Education, Climate Change and Digitization. Continuing the theme of ‘Unfolding Possibilities’ the convocation event marked another significant milestone of nurturing 497 young change makers, empowering them on their journey towards social entrepreneurship.

The convocation ceremony hosted 600+ distinguished attendees including Gandhi Fellows, mentors, alumni, speakers, and esteemed guests, serving as a significant platform in recognizing the extraordinary endeavors of the Fellows. The convocation featured dedicated themes each day, emphasizing alumni engagement and collaborative learning with external stakeholders. This approach aims to foster a robust network among past and present fellows while promoting the exchange of knowledge and ideas with industry experts. The convocation upheld the core values of the Gandhi Fellowship Program, fostering leadership, community impact, and lifelong learning to empower fellows in driving meaningful societal change in their professional journeys.

This year, 500 Gandhi Fellows graduated after an intensive two-year program that has significantly honed their skills and broadened their perspectives. Immersed in the communities they served; the Fellows tackled pressing local challenges through various Public Systems projects. Their curriculum included activities such as Vipassana meditation to enhance self-awareness and the development of competencies in Nonviolent Communication (NVC), Individual Work Analysis (IWA), and a commitment to excellence. As they move forward, these graduates are well-prepared to become leaders in the development sector, innovative entrepreneurs, or pursue higher education, all the while continuing their mission to drive sustainable social impact.

Participants enjoyed a high-octane engagement with a lineup of thematic workshops and interactive sessions led by distinguished speakers, delving into topics ranging across various development themes. Esteemed speakers, included Mr. Amarjeet Sinha, Retired IAS Officer from Bihar Cadre; Ms. Shalu Manan, Global Talent Supply Chain & Talent Match Leader at Genpact; Dr. R Balasubramaniam, from Capacity Building Commission, Govt of India; Dr. Devendra Khandait and Suneeta Krishnan both Deputy Directors at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Michelle M. Lang-Alli, USAID/India Director for the Office of Health; Dr. Reuben Swamickan, Deputy Director, Health at USAID/India along with Dr. Amar Shah and Dr Neeta Rao. The Keynote address was delivered by Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman of Capacity Building Commission, Govt of India. These speakers offered valuable insights across domains. Alumni from diverse backgrounds, including entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, those pursuing higher education and from the creative field shared their stories with the highly interested Fellows who are now venturing forth into the world to make their individual mark.

The evenings were filled with fun and music adding to the celebratory note. Overall, the attendees had ample opportunities for networking and collaboration, fostering meaningful connections and the exchange of experiences among fellows and guests that will resonate with them over time.

About Gandhi Fellowship

The 2-years experiential Fellowship provides a platform for the Fellows to directly engage with societal issues in Education, Health, Climate Change, and Digitisation at the last mile across 27 states. With over 3,000 Gandhi Fellows and alumni working across diverse areas, driving significant change across the country, the Fellowship has set the path for the formation of ‘Sewa leaders’.

For the last 15 years, Gandhi Fellowship has empowered young women and men to groom themselves into change leaders who go on to create large-scale social and public systems change, where each fellow is fueled by the philosophy of “Build Self, Build Nation”. Today, Gandhi Fellows are sparking change across sectors – such as chief ministers’ advisors, social entrepreneurs reshaping the globe, and members of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list.