In an exchange of ideas at the Rising Bharat Summit, held in New Delhi this week, prominent figures from across India's philanthropic, educational, and healthcare sectors converged to address pressing issues facing the nation's development landscape. The summit saw discussions on the role of family philanthropy, the need for economic innovation, and the challenges and opportunities facing various sectors.
Empowering family philanthropy for social impact
Neera Nundy of Dasra India emphasised the pivotal role of powerful family philanthropy in driving social change. She underscored the proactive engagement of first-generation wealth creators in funding critical areas such as climate action and healthcare.
Nundy called for tax incentives to encourage greater philanthropic contributions and advocated for increased collaboration with government initiatives to accelerate innovation.
Transforming education and promoting for-profit universities
Ashish Dhawan, representing Ashoka University, highlighted the need to destigmatise the concept of for-profit universities and promote transparency in the education sector. Dhawan emphasised the importance of disclosing placement data and acceptance rates to enhance accountability. He envisioned a future where India could see a surge in for-profit universities, providing diverse educational opportunities.
Catalysing impact investing for economic growth
Vineet Rai of Aavishkaar Group stressed the urgency of attracting significant investment to propel India's economic growth. Rai called for the creation of a new fund of funds by the government to support social enterprises and advocated the establishment of a social stock exchange. He also suggested leveraging the vast resources held by temples for impact investment.
Revolutionising healthcare delivery for all
Shuchin Bajaj of Ujala Cygnus Healthcare Services highlighted the critical need for accessible healthcare beyond urban centres. Bajaj emphasised the importance of public-private partnerships in expanding healthcare infrastructure, particularly in underserved areas. He called for incentivising healthcare providers and addressing delays in payments to sustainably improve healthcare delivery.
Watch the accompanying video for the full interview
