Theme: Back to Basics

We live in a world where the fundamental logic behind existing practices and institutions have long since faded away, being replaced by flawed logic that merely leads to deterioration of the institutions we have in hand. In our race to be the best, our race to be the strongest, our race to be the richest, we have lost out on the underlying truths that our ancestors knew and believed in. We wage war to gain peace, we destroy to create and we educate but do not learn. These practices do not make sense in pure logic, but we persist in them regardless. Today, it has become uncommon to think outside the box, to use common sense and to see the truth behind our actions. What are we losing to gain what we have sought out to? What all are we sacrificing to make sure we have what we want? What is the monetary value of a life, of the Earth, of childhood and of a race?

Institute of Rural Management Anand
Post Box No. 60
Gujarat
Anand, Gujarat, 388001
India

Aarti Wig

Asia 21 Young Leader

Aarti has developed and led the India operations of the YSB movement since its inception, first as Country Director of the Grameen Creative Lab and now as part of Yunus Social Business. She helped create the YSB Fund Mumbai and currently manages it. Aarti has also advised several Indian universities, corporations and non-profits on creating social businesses. Previously, Aarti worked as an investment banker at JP Morgan in Mumbai. Aarti holds a Master’s degree in Finance from the London School of Economics.

Hansal Mehta

Filmmaker

Hansal Mehta is an Indian film director, writer, actor and producer. Mehta started his career in television with his show Khana Khazana and later moved on to movies like Jayate (1999) and Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar (2000). He is best known for Shahid for which he won the 2013 National Film Award for Best Direction. He is credited for having directed the acclaimed City Lights (an official adaptation of the British Indie hit 'Metro Manila') for Fox Star Studios and Mahesh Bhatt. After his last two successful films, Mehta directed, Aligarh (2016) based on a Marathi professor and poet who was suspended by his university for being gay.

Rahul Nainwal

Social Entrepreneur

Rahul Nainwal, founder of UnLtd Delhi, is a serial social entrepreneur. In 2001 he co-founded iVolunteer and introduced the concept of formal volunteering in India. In 2004 Rahul created iVolunteer Overseas, a first of its kind in India that sends Indians to volunteer in other countries. Till 2012 Rahul was responsible in creating the learning systems for the ICICI Fellows program and has now initiated the India Fellow program. Rahul is an alumnus of Institute of Rural Management (IRMA) and THNK – The Amsterdam school of creative leadership.

Rajendra Singh

Water Conservationist

Mr. Rajendra Singh, famously known as the ‘Waterman of India’, is a well-known water conservationist. He is the winner of the Stockholm Water Prize, which is the “Nobel Prize” for water, the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership, along with numerous other awards from all corners of the world. Mr. Singh is the founder of Tarun Bharat Sangh, an NGO which has been restoring life and hope in the barren lands of Rajasthan. He is also heading a national network of organizations working on water issues called Rashtriya Jal Biradari.

Ratnakar V.

Payments Evangelist

Mr. Ratnakar V., Associate Vice President – Cooperative Banks at National Payments Corporation of India, has vast experience in the domain of Digital Banking Services through digital payments, debit cards, mobile banking, Aadhaar based payments, rural banking, micro-finance and micro-insurance.

Ravi Shankar

Dairy Professional

Ravi Shankar is serving as the Managing Director of IDMC, a wholly owned subsidiary company of NDDB. IDMC manufactures and markets engineering goods and poly films and also undertakes EPC of projects in the food and non-food sector. Ravi Shankar also contributed actively to the leadership that was required to build a sufficient body of positive opinion for the Parliament to pass the law on Producer Companies. He has served as a member of the Boards of state cooperative dairy federations, the Governing Council of the NCUI and NCCT, subsidiary companies of NDDB, committees of the Government of India and the Central Executive Committee of IDA. He has written and presented papers in his areas of work such as policy and planning in the dairy sector, computer supported cooperative work, design and governance issues in the cooperative sector.

Suman Sahai

Gene Scientist

Dr. Suman Sahai, who has had a distinguished scientific career in the field of genetics, is a recipient of the Padma Shri , the Borlaug Award, Outstanding Woman Achiever awards, the Birbal Sahni Gold Medal and the Order of the Golden Ark of the Netherlands. Dr. Sahai is founder Chairperson of the Gene Campaign which is a leading research and advocacy organization, working on issues relating to food, nutrition and livelihoods. She has published extensively on science and policy issues and is a member of several national policy forums on scientific research and education, biodiversity and environment, biotechnology and bioethics as well as intellectual property rights.

Yogendra Yadav

Psephologist and Academic

Mr. Yogendra Yadav is an Indian psephologist and academic whose primary interests are in the political and social sciences. He has been a Senior Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), Delhi since 2004. Between 1995 and 2002, Yadav was also the founderconvenor of the Lokniti network. He is a former member of University Grants Commission (UGC) and National Advisory Council (NAC) on Right to Education Act (RTE) appointed by United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. He is a founding member of Swaraj Abhiyan and Jai Kisan Andolan.