An Initiative Under

Special Assistance Programme (UGC)

Soil : An Initiative for Change

Prof. H C Chaudhary,
Former Dean & Head,
Coordinator, SAP(UGC) project on
Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship,
Faculty of Management Studies,
Banaras Hindu University,
Varanasi- 221 005.
email : hcchaudhary@fmsbhu.ac.in
 Rethinking What to
Teach

INNOVATION IN PEDAGOGY

Initiative to Engage & Learn With Social

Sector
The Background
/Challenges
that lead to

SoIL
( an initiative for change )

Program
Think what you fill when u see some
one like this.
 India has been heralded across the globe for its
innovation in industrial, financial and technological
arenas.
Economic liberalization in 1991 led to a significant
increase in competitiveness in the Indian economy
and highlighted the importance of innovation.
As a result, India is now the second fastest
growing trillion-dollar economy and has reaped
numerous associated benefits. However, this
innovation-fuelled growth has been far from
inclusive, with 42% of the population living below
the international poverty line of US$ 1.25 per day.*
*(Planning Commission ,2011.India Human Development Report , accessed on
31/5/2013)
 Despite a number of social enterprises working
towards alleviating poverty, various socio-
economic issues continue to persist on a large
scale.
Some of these include low education levels,
poor health outcomes and little or no
access to basic inputs to improve
livelihoods.
Unfortunately, the scale of these problems is
exponentially larger than the ability of social
enterprises to grow their solutions - alone.
A new phase of unleashing social innovation is
required that spreads Indias growth
phenomenon to those previously left out it.
 Mission-driven enterprises face the biggest
challenges in scaling social impact*.

While there are success stories like

Akshaypatra, Pratham, SELCO, Goonj and
FabIndia, others are small in comparison to
the magnitude of the social problem they
work to improve*.

(*As per Action for India (2012).Dasra Report. http://actionforindia.org/.Accessed on 31/7/2013 )

 Four common challenges of Social Innovators/Enterprises
have been identified by Action for India forum. These
are :

1. Access to Blended Capital and Mentoring Support ,

2. Lack of Big Data to Make Better Business Decisions ,
3. Shortage of Skilled Human Resources in Social
Sector,
4. High Upfront Cost for communication for bringing
behavior change in society

Shortage of skilled human resources in social sector/social

enterprises demands for Social Innovation Leadership
Development/Training program to create more change-
makers in the society.
Introduction to the
Initiative
What is Social Innovation ?
A social innovation is a novel solution to a
social problem that is more effective, efficient,
sustainable , or just than present solutions
and for which the value created accrues
primarily to society as a whole rather than
private individuals*.
Social Innovation focuses attention on the
ideas and solutions that create social
value(s).
(* Center for Social Innovation, Stanford Business Graduate School.)
The best brains in the world are solving the
problems of the rich, who really dont have
any problem; we need to solve the problems
of the poor ( Sam Pitroda .)

Education is the key driver for achieving a

socio-economic transformation in the society
and as such there is a crucial need to focus
on this sector for reaping the demographic
dividend in the global economy.

Existing systems of higher education must

gear up to be able to develop the capacity of
problem solving.
 Social Innovation is emerging world wide. Increasingly,
selected institutions of higher learning in India , as well as in
world ,are adopting an entrepreneurial approach to education.

It supports students in becoming change leaders, social

innovators/social entrepreneurs , and creative problem solvers

Faculty of Management Studies, Banaras Hindu University

started SoIL: Social Innovation Leadership program.

The main focus of this program is to crate awareness among

Management Graduates to work for the society at large and
develop leadership qualities for creating social innovation(s).
 SoIL program is an initiative to:
Enhance the value of Management Education in
India,
Redefine the domain of Management Knowledge,
Create awareness among students to think for the
people at the Bottom of Pyramid", and work for
them,
Develop socially sensitive leaders and mangers
for creating social innovations. , and last but not
the least,
Develop and create change-makers who can
solve the worlds most challenging problems.
How was the Initiative
Executed ?
 Activities under SoIL program primarily focus
on:

Education and Training,

Academic Research,
Social Sensitization through Social Club SEVAARTH,
Developing Sustainable, Marketable and Economically
viable Social Business Plan(s) through Social Business
Plan Competition UTTHAN,
Conducting Seminar /Workshops,
Inviting guest lectures from social fields , and
Networking with the other academic institutes and
social enterprises/ entrepreneurs.
 EDUCATION & TRAINING
Add-on course on Social Enterprise
Development/Social
Entrepreneurship for giving training in
the area of Social Innovation Leadership.
The focus of this course is to develop
students for management of social
enterprises as well as develop the
competencies for becoming a successful
social entrepreneur.
 ACADEMIC RESEARCH
Currently research is being in progress in the
following areas :
a. Social Innovations in India: The Role of Higher
Education
b. Social Entrepreneurship for Upliftment of Rural
India.
Future research areas proposed are :
a. Marketing of Social Enterprises in India
b. Human Recourse Management in Social
Enterprises
 SEVAARTH
Faculty has established a social club
SEVAARTH.
Social voluntary movement started by the
students of the Faculty.
Plays an active role in bringing social
sensitization.
Aims to
Inspire student to apply their skills for the welfare of
the marginalized sections of the society ,
Create appropriate social changes.
 Social Business Plan
Competition
UTTHAN
Being organized by The Faculty every
year for the students of B-Schools of
India.
Purpose of this competition is to promote
entrepreneurship sprit among
Management Graduates for developing
sustainable marketable and economically
viable social business plans.
 Seminars/Workshops
Organized
In the past ,we have organized
following seminars/workshops:
1.Social Entrepreneurship in India ,
2 .Social Entrepreneurship @ B-Schools, and
3. Social Business Lab @ B-Schools.

Future Seminar Proposed :

The Role of Higher Education for the
Development of Social Innovation in India.
Guest Lectures
Community Development A strong network has
experts, Social
Entrepreneurs & Social
Innovators are regularly
invited in the Faculty for
interactive session with
the students for social
awaking among the
students.
Network Created
been established with
the leading Academic
Institutions &
Organizations working
in the field of Social
Sector for guiding us for
the various activities
under SoIL program.
Challenges Faced While
Executing the Initiative
 The biggest challenge in bringing this
initiative was to ignite the desire to
work for the society among the
students .
Another challenge was creating awareness
amongst the students to apply their skills for
the welfare of the marginalized sections of the
society and to create appropriate social
changes.
Perhaps the biggest reason might be majority
of students join Management Education
program with an aim to get a good placement
through campus to save their future career
growth.
 Solutions : Faculty adopted different activities to meet
the challenges to execute the initiative by :

Providing Education and Training,

Bringing Social Sensitization through Social Club SEVAARTH,
Developing Sustainable, Marketable and Economically viable
Social Business Plan through Social Business Plan Competition
UTTHAN,
Conducting seminar /Workshops on the themes related with Social
Innovation/Entrepreneurship,
Celebrating Joy of Giving Week every year in the month of
October,
Arranging guest lectures from social fields,
Sending students in different events organized by other
institutes/organizations ( Jagriti Yatra organized by Jagriti
Foundation, L Unconvention workshops organized by
VILLGRO Foundation,Chennai; SANKALP Forum at Mumbai,
)
 RESULTS ACHIEVED
(Social Impact Reached)
 I For Nation
Foundation*
Founded by one of the students of the
Faculty , is a not-for-profit organization which
strives to inculcate empowerment through
enterprise in rural India.
It is working towards the socio-economic
empowerment of the people at the bottom of
the pyramid (BOP) by educating and building
in them the capacity of venture establishment
and sustainability by their own.
(*www.i4nation.org)
 Yuva Prerna Yatra*
Under I FOR NATION FOUNDATION , this is an initiative in
Uttrakhand for awakening the entrepreneurial sprit
amongst youth by providing exposure to them and to
inculcate the zeal to move ahead with innovate ideas of
their own.

The focus of this initiative is also to help in checking

migration from the remote areas through local employment
generation.

YOUR STORY(www.yourstory.com) has also highlighted

the story of Yuva Prena Yatra in the month of June,2014 .

(*www.yuvaprernayatra.org )
Amogh Couriers*
Amogh Couriers(established by an alumnus of our Faculty) is
a professional courier agency employing low-income
especially abled adults in major cities of Uttar Pradesh.
They offer on-time, customizable courier service solutions
for clients in cities of Uttar Pradesh and few major cities of
India.
Through their express delivery business, Amogh Couriers
generates employment opportunities for talented physically
challenged men and women who otherwise struggle with
financial dependency.
(* www.amoghcouriers.com)
 Women Development Advocacy
Center *
Established by a Nepalese Student (who passed our from our
Faculty last year ), this center in remote area of Nepal focuses
on basic education, health, clothing and empowerment for
Underprivileged, Indigenous and Dalit girl child and women .

The founders of this center believe that educating girls and

women is one of the fastest ways to alleviate poverty
worldwide.

WASTE AS UTILITY is an initiative of WDAC that has been

working, with a bifocal approach, for the sustainable
development of underprivileged women and girls and
developing them into Change Ambassadors.
(* www.wdac.org.np)
 Dawailelo.com*
Current students of our Faculty has
started an online medical store in
Varanasi .
This on-line store has been established to
help those who are in need by providing
home delivery of all kinds of medicines
and health related products/services,
within 24 hours with free home delivery
on time.
(*www.dawailelo.com)
 Recognition(s) ..
The University Grants Commission(UGC) has recognized our Faculty
as a center for conducting a research- project on Social
Innovation & Entrepreneurship under Special Assistance
Program(SAP) ,DRS Level II.
ASHOKA U (www.ashokau.org)has identified our Faculty for a status
of Change Maker Campus". The process for this is under
consideration. Once this status is granted to us, Asoka India , and
its network of 350 social entrepreneurs , business partners and
community leaders will offer us a unique opportunity to create
changemaking experience within our campus.
During Indian Management Conclave,2014 held at New Delhi
on August, 8-9 ,2014), the Faculty has been conferred with Silver
Award for its initiative SoIL under the theme Rethinking
What to Teach :Innovation in Pedagogy.
 Future proposals.
Center for Social Innovation &
Entrepreneurship : This proposed center will
be committed to supporting a vibrant community
of people actively engaged in building a more
just and sustainable world. The overall emphasis
of the proposed center will be to foster innovative
solutions to social problems by enhancing the
leadership , management and organized capacity
of individuals and institution perusing social value
creation.
 Future proposals ..
Social Business Lab ( as part of
Center for Social Innovation &
Entrepreneurship):
The lab will act as consultancy and counseling
center for Social Entrepreneurs & Social Enterprises.

The lab will foster creativity, innovation and social

entrepreneurial spirit among participants to develop
their own social business solutions.
 Future proposals
Social Innovation Leadership Forum
The proposed forum will bring industry leaders,
thought leaders, social and business entrepreneurs,
academics from Universities & B-Schools ,
investors, philanthropists, management students,
representatives of government and media on a
common platform to have intense dialogue to
explore the possibility of building the ecosystem for
social innovation & entrepreneurship in India.
 Future proposals..
Developing a Model Course
A Model Course Curriculum for 2-Years
program in Social Innovation &
Entrepreneurship will be developed
with the help of Industry and other leading
B- Schools of India.
 What is in the name ?
SOIL SoIL
SOIL provides ecosystem SoIL (Social Innovation
services critical for life : soil Leadership program ) has
acts as a water filter and a been designed to create
ecosystem for the
growing medium; provides development of social
habitat for billions of innovators/social
organisms, contributing to entrepreneurs to provide
biodiversity; and supplies services to give solutions to
social problems . They are
most of the antibiotics to
critical to bring the change in
fight diseases*. the society and bring
happiness on the faces of one
and all.
*(WWW.envirothon.org/pdf/cg/why_soil_is_importan
t.pdf)
 Come , Be a Part of this
initiative and help to create
sustainable changes that
will impact the future of
mankind and the future of
our planet in a positive way.
Change is imminent and the
rise of social innovation is
the future that we should all
be a part of.
A famous song from an old (1959) Hindi Movie ANARI (sung
by late Mr. Mukesh) reminds us the relevance of the theme of
our initiative.