The Onset of Summer Sees Smita Pondering The Rang De team a group that loves to travel. Some of us initially did not cherish the thought of nomadic travel but gradually we have begun to enjoy.Each trip is a little adventure... more »

The Onset of Summer Sees Smita Pondering The Rang De team a group that loves to travel. Some of us initially did not cherish the thought of nomadic travel but gradually we have begun to enjoy. Each trip is a little adventure in its own way and some of them turn out to be pretty insightful as well. Work takes us to different parts of India and if some of us are lucky, we do get to travel to exotic places such as even Goa and Udaipur. Lady luck seemed to shine on me on my most recent trip. Not only because I visited the exotic city of jaipur but also met a group of energetic and passionate bunch of youngsters who all want to become social entrepreneurs. These kids (definitely were, in relative terms) were completely charged up about giving up their existing careers to get into social entrepreneurship. As I sat listening to them, I was filled with mixed feelings. Hopeful - for the future of India as we need more youngsters getting into the field, Happy - that I had the opportunity to meet them and recharge my blood cells, a tad apprehensive - because there is no institutional or family support for people who want to take a plunge. Unlike in other countries where social work and community work are upheld and those involved applauded, the 'third sector' in India still remains very much a third sector. It is because of mindsets and attitudes and lack of institutional support that brilliant ideas and young minds do not use it in a socially relevant way. Close

	Rendezvous with Mr.Yunus Smita came back from Delhi gushing like a child. She was barely coherant and tripping over her ... more »

Rendezvous with Mr.Yunus Smita came back from Delhi gushing like a child. She was barely coherant and tripping over her words and the reason for her excitement- she had met The Man himself-the Guru of microfinance, Mr. Mohd. Yunus. She has this to say: It was like a dream come true. I never imagined I could be standing next to the nobel laureate himself. That I am sure, you will agree, is a rare moment that one would cherish forever. Once Mr. Yunus began to share in his speech, the journey that Grameen Bank embarked on, it became more and more obvious what a true social entrepreneur meant and what it actually meant to create a social business. Ever since Rang De began its journey, we have been reading a little about Mr. Yunus's convictions through his books and articles ...but to see the man himself and hear him speak about it was fantastic. His emphasis on transparency and striking a balance between sustainability and social impact, I feel was a much needed lesson to all of us in the audience. The journey to create a social business is no doubt a road less travelled, yet I somehow believe that in this journey the emphasis, is on the journey itself and how many lives one can touch rather than the destination... Read more on our blog. Close

	The Jharkhand Jigsaw For Gnan, who was traveling in the North by train for the first time, it came as a surprise ... more »

The Jharkhand Jigsaw For Gnan, who was traveling in the North by train for the first time, it came as a surprise that reservations had little meaning and passengers came in and out of the train and played hide and seek with the ticket checker. Travelling through Jharkhand, as it weaves in and out of West Bengal, he met people who had an assortment of occupations. They ranged from illegal coal mining, to collecting and bottling honey, and the making of small earthen cups (kullar). Many of them were also involved in the tussar silk industry, which the state is known for. Some of the sarees on display would send many a Indian woman into raptures. Amidst all this development, he also chances upon a young woman ostracised by the community for having converted to a minority religion. Close