Ruhaan Mahindru
Motivation
A few months ago, I had a rather concerning conversation with the educational NGO that I volunteer at. The NGO workers disappointedly reflected that the Covid-19 pandemic had seriously damaged the financial capability of the organization. As a result, not only were teachers and staff leaving or being let go, but day-to-day operations were becoming unimaginably difficult. And in this vulnerable time of need, alarmingly, the NGO was simultaneously struggling to acquire CSR grants. Shocked by the NGO’s distressed circumstance, I started researching the issue diligently. When I observed that this issue was nationality prevalent with CSR funding dropping by 64% in 2021, I decided to pursue my research project, the aim of which was to explore the trends and obstacles in CSR grants towards NGOs in the Indian context.
My Experiences (Research and Service)
My research paper titled "Exploring CSR for Indian NGOs" was an explanatory study that spanned over 4 months. Through semi-structured interviews with national NGOs as well as the CSR teams of major Indian companies, I deduced the financial and logistical impediments faced by CSR implementing agencies. This paper was later published in the International Journal of Economics and Management Studies (IJEMS) and awarded the CREST Gold, while I was also given the chance to present the same at the Innosphere High School Research and Tech Conference (Sigma Xi Explorer Club) where I won the second prize. I also had the prestigious opportunity to present the findings of my paper to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, simultaneously providing recommendations based on the same.
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Equipped with the knowledge derived from my conversations with relevant stakeholder, I set out to work with 2 small NGOs, improving their CSR grant-proposals based on the tips provided by the corporates. I also informed these NGOs of the necessary forms and processes required to be eligible for CSR, and guided them through their proposal presentations too.
University Social Responsbility
As a research intern at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad Endowment Fund, I worked, initially, towards the goal of exploring CSR in the higher education sector. In my research, I happened to stumble upon University Social Responsibility, a promising concept that incorporated a similar framework to that of CSR. USR posits that universities should align their functions with the needs of society. Inspired by this idea, I worked with the IIMA Endowment Fund's team to create various suggestions for IIMA events and activities based on USR principles. Using international examples such as University of Pennsylvania or University of Manchester as references, I built my knowledge about community engagement through educational institutions. I was later invited to present my suggestions to the CEO of the Endowment Fund at the IIMA campus