Arpita Sur, PGP DM 2020-21 | Published: 16 March, 2024

The year 2021 had started on a high note for ISDM's students, as many students trickled into the campus for offline classes. Discussions were livelier, clubs were formed, and everyone made sure that COVID-19 appropriate behaviour was followed. However, the last leg of this cohort's journey had to be shifted entirely online since India started grappling with the pandemic's second wave. Given the grave nature of the situation, ISDM's faculty facilitated spaces for students to reflect on their experiences and create a network of support for one another.

Three students from the cohort initiated and actively supported resource mobilisation efforts for citizens affected by COVID-19. They have been pouring all their energy into relief work while also coping with challenges that come with grassroots work during these testing times.

Krishna Vamshi, Blood warriors

Krishna had started Blood warriors to support Thalassemia patients who need blood every twenty days. These patients' lives have become uncertain due to the lockdown and the scarcity of blood donors. He and his team are using platforms like social media to mobilise blood donors who can support at-risk Thalassemia patients.

Apart from working with Blood Warriors, Krishna supports multiple organisations and individuals who are working full-time in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Hyderabad. He has been volunteering to fill gaps in information, resources and mobilisation. He has launched fundraisers with the community to raise more than 10 Lakhs to support patients who do not have the means to afford emergency treatment. Together with his team, he has raised funds to get oxygen concentrators, PPE kits and Pulse Oximeters for communities in need.

Investing time and effort into relief work has taken a toll on Krishna's mental health. Confronting news of people's death and suffering due to lack of resources have caused him multiple panic attacks for the first time. He feels that he is failing to remain strong despite trying to centre himself. However, his passion keeps him going:

"I always believe that I have a limited time on this planet, which technically means I can only do limited things in life. If I am lazy and don't do anything in this limited time, I am cutting down on my experience of doing things. This keeps me going."

Sandeep Kumar, DigiSwasthya

Sandeep, a cancer survivor, started DigiSwasthya, a section 8 registered telemedicine centre for people to access medical support remotely. The organisation is located in Sant Kabir Nagar, UP and is currently also operating as a COVID relief centre. Sandeep has been communicating with COVID patients since April 2021 to check their vital statistics and connecting them with doctors, hospitals, NGOs and resources for further care.

He finds the relief work a tremendously powerful experience wherein he juggles managing his organisation and attending to coursework, among other responsibilities. In collaboration with the team at DigiSwasthya, Sandeep has raised about 1.4 lakhs in funds for supporting patients with oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, oximeters and other medical equipment. The organisation has also received support from donors. Their efforts have brought smiles to the faces of patients and their families. Moments like these are precious to him and keep him motivated.

Sandeep prioritises taking care of himself in these challenging times; sound sleep, proper diet and exercise have kept him going. He also finds solace in the support provided by his team and friends. They have been helping him with references, making phone calls, designing posters and other awareness-raising materials.

A highly committed and positive person, Sandeep says:

"It's a journey; keep going! Together we can!"

Shashwat Kotambkar, Kazwa

Shashwat's organisation, Kazwa, has been working on the ground for a year to mobilise resources for COVID patients. Initially, they struggled to mobilise contacts to create a network, and that caused multiple logistical challenges. However, over the course of a year, they connected with willing volunteers who were eager to pour in time and energy for Kazwa's initiative.

The second wave of the pandemic brought with it new challenges. His team of volunteers was losing motivation when available resources were exhausted at a rapid pace. To motivate his team of on-ground volunteers, Kazwa collaborated with other NGOs who helped them tide over challenges and raised the team's morale.

Focusing on the mechanical aspects of the operation kept Shashwat from dwelling on the dystopian condition of the ecosystem around him. Leading Kazwa was a cathartic process that allowed him to reflect on the power of a collective and gain new perspectives.

Someone once told Shashwat, "Least you can do is own your privileges", and it has stayed with him since.

Published: 25 January, 2024

As we get ready to welcome the Class of 2021-2022, here’s a sneak preview of the exciting curriculum that we have curated for our future cohorts of Development Management Professionals.

The new academic year begins on July 26 ,2021 with a special Term Zero devoted to building a core skill set that is crucial to the initiation of the PGP DM courses in August, 2021. It includes sessions on Excel, Data Analysis, Communication, Learning via the Case Study Method with an overarching understanding of India’s Development Story along with the Personal Mastery for Development Leadership session.

Simultaneously, the Academic team organises a special welcome with a Baithak, an opportunity for knowing the cohort's session and knowing the people and context sessions for the students.

With this, the students make the transition to Term One. The programme then runs through 47 weeks across eight terms with 22 courses and workshops ranging from Perspectives on Society and Development; Understanding the Development Ecosystem; Designing Interventions; Organisation Management functions; to bringing it all together for sustainable impact at scale in Term Eight.

Essentially, the edifice of the PGP DM program is built on nine signature components: 

⇒    ‘Personal Mastery for Development Leadership’ course, spread over 7 terms which is anchored in the need to build in the students the spirit of curiosity, courage and compassion. It believes in creating safe space for teams to flourish and thrive, encouraging generative conversations for collaboration, relating with diverse others, acting with positive emotions, emotional resilience and building attentional focus.

⇒      CBCL (Context-Based Collaborative Learning) course; a unique offering at ISDM has experienced Bricoleurs working with students on a one-to-one basis and in groups to discuss their individual learning journeys and also to discuss key development lenses to differentiate Management for the Social Sector like - Collaboration, Equity and Social Justice. 

⇒      RI (Realising India) experience which as a part of CBCL is a two week structured immersion program planned for the students between terms 2 and Term 3. It enables the students to develop a deep understanding of the people’s lives in the district which prepares them to design interventions.

⇒      The Development Management Writing Centre which in its inaugural year at ISDM focuses on equipping students with the skills to communicate effectively (write, tell and present) with a clear demonstration of the characteristics of the development sector. This includes using a language that is specific and appropriate to the development sector, including the right choice of words and a tone that recognizes the complex nature of social change and the emergent nature of this work. This will be reinforced with ‘Writing in the Discipline’ sessions throughout the year.

⇒      Sessions with Eminent speakers and established leaders who from different walks of life are invited for live sessions at ISDM, all through the year to help the students debate, discuss, pause, reflect and learn through these live interactions.

⇒      Compulsory Harvard manage mentor course where students complete Harvard Business Publishing Courses covering management topics such as performance measurement, business plan development, strategy planning and execution, and more adding to their learning repository.

⇒      Special curated workshops which cover a range of topics from Group Dynamics, Radical Transformation Leadership (RTL) to future forward workshops on Networks, Partnerships and Alliances for Scale, Fund Raising, Project Management, Volunteer Management and Instructional Design.

⇒      Unique course offerings with a mix of Development Management and Business Management fundamentals that help to create the firm foundation for the students to lead and manage Social Purpose Organisations (SPOs). These include courses on Financial Perspectives, Strategic Innovation for Social Change, Operations Management for Quality and Impact, Behaviour Change Communication, Marketing Management, Human Development in an Unequal World to Technology and Management, Corporate Social responsibility. ‘New age’ electives like Behavioural Sciences in Social Change, Introduction to Digital Marketing and Social Entrepreneurship are also offered to students.

⇒      The Special Capstone Project in the final term with its focus on scale and sustainability, provides the students with a frame of reference to work on live projects with client organisations thereby integrating their learnings of the previous terms with a real, viable scaling strategy for the SPO.

Eventually our students will  emerge from the PGP DM program as authentic development professionals with the knowledge, attitude, skills and tools to build a career in Development Management.