Ashoka India Presents, #OneSolution

Ashoka India, the largest global association of the world's leading social entrepreneurs, organized #OneSolution on October 27th & 28th at Novotel, Aerocity. A platform that brings together some of the world’s most exceptional social innovators- Ashoka fellows – to meet some of the most visionary business leaders to signify a singular focus on Empathy and Changemaking. 

Mr. Anil Swarup, Former Secretary, Government of India, who graced the occasion as the keynote speaker. On addressing the audience, Mr. Swarup, said, “I always believe there is something to learn. Each one of you is a changemaker but all the good people should come together. Join the Nexus of good! I congratulate the Ashoka team for the great initiative and wish them success for #OneSolution.” 

The sessions were focused on empathy and change-making; some of the topics discussed were - 

Empathy in a complex and fast-changing world

Stories of change: Empathy as the foundation

Building Empathy among key institutions towards victims of trafficking

Building relationships between lawmakers and LGBTQ+ communities towards empathetic policies

On the occasion, Mr. Vishnu Swaminathan, South Asia Representative/Global Partnership, Leadership Group Member, Ashoka said, “Ashoka insight was about everyone a changemaker. When we came out of the insight that the future needs which is going to be the world filled with changemakers and that everybody needs to master the skill of being a changemaker. We went back to our fellows to understand what does a changemaker look like, who is a changemaker? And one of the biggest insights we had is the fundamental steps of becoming a changemaker is to master cognitive empathy-based living. So, if cognitive based empathy is an absolute skill to become a changemaker, how do you measure that every child who is growing in the world is able to understand what empathy all is about. So that’s where we started. This event is about bringing the practitioners of the social changemakers. We call them the Ashoka fellows or leading social entrepreneurs together with the business entrepreneurs and how the future look like filled with changemakers. How do we make sure that the skill of changemaking can be embraced by everyone? That is the premise of this gathering and what Ashoka is all about”.

Ashoka Fellows, who are impacting millions of lives, have shared space with amazing business leaders that help in creating wealth and value, is unique and magical. Some of the Ashoka Fellows include the likes of Kailash Sathyarthi, Mohd Yunus, Shaheen Mistry, Harish Hande, Jeroo Bilimoria, Chandrashekhar Ghosh and Jack Sim – each of whom have a massive impact to their credit.

Mr. Sunish Jauhari – India Leader, Ashoka said, “The times we are in, we feel that that world is changing very rapidly and the problems around us are at a pace which is way more than what we can prep them and figure out. So, the skills needed to be in control of our problems are slightly different from Ashoka and we believe that empathy is the foundation of skills which can make a difference whether it is a business, social enterprise or any technology across the world. #OneSolution is hosted once in every 2-3 years, with an attempt to mainstream empathy and to bring skillset and have businesses start recognizing and hiring and growing people on the basis of empathy. #OneSolution is an effort by Ashoka to get Ashoka fellows and business leaders together under one roof so that we learn from each other”.

Eminent dignitaries that attended the event include Mr. AP Singh, CEO India Post Technology Centre & Senior Deputy Director General, Department of Posts, Ashoka Fellow Mr. Vijay Mahajan, Founder of BASIX Social Enterprise Group and current CEO of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Ashoka Fellow CV Madhukar, co-founder PRS Legislative, Dr. Ganesh Natarajan, Global Board Director and Chairman of the India Board of Social Venture Partners, Ashoka Fellow & Magsaysay awardee Sonar Wangchuk, Founder and Advisor, SECMOL; Mr. Sanjay Mittal, CEO Living Habitats Pvt. Ltd., Mr. Sunish Jauhari, India Leader, Ashoka and Mr. Vishnu Swaminathan, Ashoka Global Partnerships Team, among others.

Also present at the event were heads of India’s leading civil society organizations, corporate investors, social impact investors, CSR heads and luminaries from the art and media space.

To know more about Ashoka’s work, head to ashoka.org, and about #OneSolution to onesolution.ashoka.org.