New Leadership

Ananta Aspen Centre  |  

ANANTA ASPEN CENTRE

ANANTA ASPEN CENTRE

Kalyan Akkipeddi

Founder, Proto Village
Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellow Class 5

1. What does it mean to lead with values? How do you integrate your personal values into your leadership style and decision- making processes?

That one leads is just a judgement. I do not take it seriously at all. I work on living true to the ideals that inspire me. This pervades into how I interact with anyone, and into my decision making. There is no conscious process to integrate.

2. What is keeping you excited about your work today?

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dIt has almost been 10 years since we started working on the design of rural education model. After countless experiments and iterations, we have the first version of the prototype now. It aims to ensure that the process of learning is preceded by the purpose of learning, and that this purpose is contextually relevant. Their living context provides the motivation to learn global concepts, and their understanding is assessed by how they use these global concepts to make a difference locally. This way their knowledge makes them globally competent and locally relevant, while they become socially aware and ecologically conscious.

My excitement is for and about two kids Trisha and Ugra who grew up living and learning at ProtoVillage. They were chosen for the Mercedes Benz Fellowship for their planet friendly initiatives.apibus leo.

3. ⁠If you were to start over, what is the one thing you would do differently?

Tone my ambition down much sooner.

4. What's your favourite way to unwind and enjoy some personal time?

I have a routine each day that allows me to spend 4 hours with and on myself. That ensures I am generally not wound up, needing to unwind. 

Nidhi Pant

Co-Founder, S4S Technologies
GP Birla fellow – Class1

1. What does it mean to lead with values? How do you integrate your personal values into your leadership style and decision-making processes?

r me, leading with values means – I say what I think and do what I say. Initially, I make certain that my personal values align with the fundamental principles of my organization. The subsequent step involves clearly articulating these values to the team, after which we collectively hold one another accountable for embodying these principles and making corrections as needed. So for me, it involves being authentic, transparent, and consistent in how we apply these values within an organization or team.

2. Has the fellowship impacted you in anyway and how?

The GP Birla Fellowship played a pivotal role in my journey of self-discovery. It enabled me to reconnect with my moral compass. During my upbringing, my family emphasized the importance of values. However, the emphasis on performance, intellect, and the definition of success became largely centred around academic achievements. Through the fellowship, I was able to uncover my true identity, discover my personal value system, and recognise my voice, thereby understanding my position in the world. This enabled me to become a better human and a better person. It also helped me understand the critical skills apart from subject matter expertise that is needed for building my organisation.

3. What is fuelling your enthusiasm for your work?

The desire to bring change within our community of small holder farmers and the impact we create inspires me to work and that is my purpose. We have impacted lives of 100,000 small farmers and hope to support 1 Million farmers.

4. If you had the chance to begin anew, what is the single change you would make?

Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity. The impacts of climate change are jeopardizing progress in development, global health and poverty reduction, and creating new health risks that disproportionately affect the worlds most vulnerable communities. I would like to change that.

5. What achievement would you like to share with your Aspen community?

Last year my organisation won the prestigious Earthshot Prize. I am very proud that I had the opportunity to lead my organisation for this honour and win a $1.4 Million prize money under the Build a Waste Free World category. Founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation in 2020, the Earthshot Prize is a global environmental prize to discover, accelerate, and scale ground-breaking solutions to repair and regenerate the planet.

Milestone

Jaideep Bansal

Chief Executive Officer, GHE
Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellow Class 10

Umswai Valley Plantation Project

The Sacred Forest: A Sanctuary of Tradition

Umswai Valley, surrounded by its serene hills and landscape, is a place of many ancient traditions and stories of human cohesion to preserve their natural habitat in the advent of modernism. The Tiwa community of Umswai Valley holds a profound reverence for Balakhongor, the supreme deity of the forest and the creator and preserver of all beings. According to their ancient animistic beliefs, Balakhongor and the forest deities reside in the Sacred Forest, manifesting as hillocks that oversee and protect the surroundings.

The Tiwa tribe pays homage to their ancestors, with an impressive 1,030 pairs of monoliths standing tall. To honour these deities and commemorate significant events, the Tiwa people perform various rituals and sacrifices within the forest throughout the year. A notable tradition is the annual erection of monoliths to pay homage to their ancestors, symbolizing over a millennium of history. This unwavering dedication to their spiritual heritage underscores the community’s deep-seated reverence for the Sacred Forest, which serves as the cornerstone of their animistic religious practices.

The Sacred Forest is also a sanctuary for endangered flora and fauna. Within this vast forest, no hunting, killing, or harm to any living beings, whether animals, birds, insects, plants, or trees, is permitted. The Tiwas’ reverence for life extends beyond the Sacred Forest, as they also focus on revitalizing degraded lands in the surrounding areas. Their efforts aim to restore biodiversity and re-establish ecological balance, ensuring the health of the environment for future generations.

In these regions, the challenges are unique; there are fewer avenues for skill development, and the industries present do not align well with traditional vocational courses. Addressing this skill gap requires tailored initiatives that consider local contexts, promote sustainable employment within the region, and preserve indigenous skills.

What sets this apart is the commitment to understanding local issues and needs, allowing us to design solutions that go beyond conventional methods. The holistic approach combines technical expertise with a genuine connection to the communities we serve, focusing on empowering local youth and building their capacities to support dignified lives in their own regions. This comprehensive commitment to sustainable development is rooted in understanding, adaptation, and empowerment.

“The rejuvenation of sacred forests in Northeast India is not just about planting trees; it’s about restoring cultural heritage, protecting biodiversity, and nurturing the spiritual connection between communities and their land.”

Tiwa Community: Culture and Livelihoods

The Tiwa people maintain a unique cultural identity characterized by a mix of traditional animistic beliefs and modern influences. They practice bilineal descent and matrilocality, with a chief priest (Loro) overseeing religious and judicial matters. Though many continue to follow animistic traditions, some have embraced Christianity while still respecting the community’s cultural heritage.

Farming remains the backbone of their economy, with rice, ginger, and vegetables being staple crops. Additionally, handloom weaving, bamboo crafts, and broom-making are important livelihoods, reflecting the community’s skill in creating sustainable, handmade products. Despite economic challenges, the Tiwa people prioritize cultural preservation over material wealth, placing a strong emphasis on rituals and traditions.

The Umswai Valley Tree Plantation Initiative

In response to the environmental threats facing Umswai Valley, GHE has launched the Umswai Valley Tree Plantation Initiative. This ambitious project, undertaken in collaboration with the community and local stakeholders, aims to restore the valley’s ecological balance through community-driven tree plantation and sustainable land management. By leveraging the Tiwa community’s deep respect for nature, the initiative seeks to revive sacred forests and establish community food forests, creating individual fruit-bearing plots.

The initiative also addresses the impact of slash-and-burn agriculture and monocropping practices by introducing multi-cropping systems to improve soil quality and water retention. In its first phase, the project will plant 50,000 trees of native species across the valley, with the ultimate goal of reaching 5 lakh trees in the next 3 years. This initiative holds immense potential for climate mitigation by enhancing carbon sequestration and promoting biodiversity. It also sets the stage for eco-tourism, as restored forest landscapes can attract visitors, generating income for the community.

Empowering the Next Generation

The Umswai Valley Tree Plantation Initiative goes beyond environmental restoration; it aims to instill a sense of responsibility in the younger generation. Educational programs will teach local youth about the cultural and ecological importance of forests, engaging them in nursery management and tree propagation. This not only fosters a sense of ownership over their natural resources but also provides sustainable livelihood opportunities. The initiative is a beacon of hope, blending traditional wisdom with modern conservation practices. By honouring their heritage while embracing sustainable development, the Tiwa community is leading the way towards a more resilient and harmonious future.

Manu Pillai

Author
Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellow Class 10

Gods, Guns Missionaries by Manu S. Pillai explores the rise of the modern Hindu identity through Hindus centuries-long interaction with Christian missionaries. From the Portuguese period, down to the twentieth century, brown men debated European fathers on god, monotheism, culture, caste, and a whole variety of connected topics. At first, these occurred on relatively equal terms, but with the rise of colonialism, these exchanges became more combative. Under the white man’s rule, Hindus felt great pressure to reinvent and reimagine their religion to better fit the modern age and its political dynamics. It was in this period, Pillai argues, that Hinduism took its present, contemporary shape, also developing the impulse behind Hindu nationalism. With a fascinating cast of characters—revolutionaries, maharajahs, philosophers, clergymen—Gods, Guns Missionaries tells a little known but remarkable story, essential to making sense of India today.

Upcoming Events update

Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship Class 10 Seminar 2 | 25th November to 1st December 2024
Ananta Aspen Emerging Leaders Fellowship (18th edition) | Wardha: October 2024

Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality
– Warren Bennis

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