Serendipity : Musings of an Islander

India Needs More Than Good Intentions to Build Strong, Trustworthy NGOs A new handbook draws on the author's experience of building a voluntary organisation to map the complete life cycle of NGOs in India—from an idea to compliance, every milestone demystified. By Debkumar Bhadra Every NGO begins with an idea. It may be a simple desire to help or improve education, support vulnerable communities, promote healthcare, protect the environment or respond to a problem that has not been addressed adequately. Often, the journey begins with that little desire, a coming together of a few like-minded people and the willingness to make it happen. But turning that idea into an institution requires much more than good intentions. The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic brought this into sharp focus. During the pandemic, the role of NGOs as facilitators, often bridging the gap between government efforts and communities, was felt more than ever. Whether it was reaching vulnerable people...

From Jantar Mantar to Instagram: The Protest that Changed More than a Policy By Debkumar Bhadra Every mass protest leaves behind two legacies. One is visible in government action. The other is written into public memory. The recent agitation over the NEET paper leak was no exception. The immediate outcome appeared significant. Under sustained public pressure, the Union Education Minister resigned and Parliament enacted a law prescribing stringent measures against examination paper leaks. For many, these developments represented the successful culmination of a public campaign. Yet that would be an incomplete reading of the episode Beyond the legislative response and the political outcome lies a far more consequential story—one about how protests are changing in the age of social media, and how governments, organisers and participants alike may have to rethink their roles. The first striking feature of the protest was the contrast between its physical and digital presence. Whi...