Management for Social Change: ISDM hosts first Dialogues on Development Conference in Delhi

by Priya Jadhav 

New Delhi, September 20, 2023: Indian School of Development Management (ISDM) hosted India’s first conference on Management for Social Change at Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi today. 

This pioneering event, a first of its kind in India, reiterated the pivotal role of Development Management in driving social change and brought together esteemed leaders and representatives from a diverse spectrum of social purpose organisations, donors, government officials, and business luminaries. The day-long event provided a dynamic platform for meaningful discussions and collaborations, featuring engaging plenary sessions, interactive and informative breakout discussions and sessions. 

The conference commenced with a plenary on "Power of Management to Bring About Social Change," attended by Mr Saurabh Garg, Secretary of the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment and Ms Neera Nundy, Co-Founder & Partner at Dasra. 

The plenary session explored the multifaceted dimensions of the power of management to drive sustained impact at scale and bring about social change through the unique experiences and perspectives shared by the guest speakers. 

Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Saurabh Garg said, “Collaborative and co-created platforms like the Dialogues on Development Management (DoDM) are vital. Much like the efforts of the government in bringing together partnerships and alliances between nations and stakeholders to address developmental and planetary challenges, there is a need for civil society and the corporates to come together to address barriers and concerns. The scale at which global and national challenges affect lives and livelihoods today, requires principles of management that are aligned with and responds to communities, contexts and resources at the micro and macro levels.” 

The closing plenary for the session titled "Transforming India through New Age Philanthropy," was marked by the presence and insights from Ms Anisha Ramakrishnan, Director, Transworld group of Companies, Ms Anupama Dalmia, Founder & Director, Seekho Sikhao Foundation, Ms Radhika Bharat Ram, Founder Karm Fellowship for Young Indian Women, Mr Nishant Arya, Vice Chairman & MD of JBM Group, and Ms Tara Singh Vachani, Executive Chairperson of Antara Senior Living. The session focused on how the philanthropic ecosystem can play to catalyse transformative change at scale and was moderatedby Mr Amit Chandra, Co-Founder of ATE Chandra Foundation (ATECF). 

The DoDM 2023 conference also featured numerous tracks, meticulously designed to address the critical facets of Development Management: 

● Finance and Philanthropy for Organisational Resilience with Bridgespan, Educate Girls, Asha Impact, Dalberg, and Waterfield Advisors 

● Data and Evidence for Decision Making with eGovFoundation, Capgemini, J-PAL, Janaagraha, and Sambodhi 

● Talent, Leadership and Governance for the Social Sector with A.T.E. Chandra Foundation, Plan India, Bridgespan, and PRADAN 

● Masterclasses on specific areas of Development Management, such as Strategy for Non-Profits, Systems Thinking, Behaviour Change Communication, and Design Thinking 

''DoDM 2023 has been a milestone for ISDM and it has been made possible because of collaborations with 14 partner organisations. Some years ago, it was almost unimaginable to visualise a convening of this scale on Development Management. We believe that the involvement and participation of such a large and diverse group on discussing Management for the social sector bodes very well for sustained impact at scale for all organisations across the sector. The discussions and thought that sparked today will bring greater coherence to the work we all do”, said Mr Ravi Sreedharan, Co-Founder and President, ISDM. 

About ISDM : The Indian School of Development Management (ISDM) is a first-of-its-kind, internationally renowned, and autonomous institution established in 2016. ISDM's mission is to establish Development Management as a distinct discipline separate from business management or public administration. It aims to empower social purpose organisations to have a meaningful impact on a population scale by building a robust foundation of theory and practice in Development Management, transforming the way these organisations are led and managed.