In late May, India was impacted by a severe second wave of the COVID-19 with daily new cases reaching more than 250,000. Neera Nundy (Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellow), Co-founder of Dasra, sprung into action to get support to the most vulnerable communities in the country.
When Neera reflected on how she and other leaders can support these communities, she said:
Through the #BacktheFrontline campaign, Dasra began raising funds to support 100 locally-led Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) that leverage their deep experience on the ground to drive impact at the very frontlines of the COVID-19 response. At the center of this approach is a recognition that CBOs are key to reaching remote, at-risk communities, as their proximity allows them to know the communities’ needs best.
Neera Nundy plays a leading role in bringing managerial skills, knowledge and critical analysis to Dasra. She initiated and led the launch of the Dasra Social Impact Leadership Program with Harvard Business Publishing, a first-of-its-kind executive education program for social sector leaders in India; and has supported the analysis of over 46 Dasra sector reports in education, health and livelihoods enabling over USD $50 million of funding for hundreds of social enterprises. She is a Fellow in the third class of Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
The Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship (KBF) formerly known as the India Leadership Initiative (ILI) seeks to develop a new generation of values-based, action-oriented leaders to engage more vigorously with the challenges of their communities and country.
Leadership Lessons – a Video Series from the Aspen Global Leadership Network
The impacts of COVID-19 continue to challenge our communities. However, through these challenges, there’s a lot to be learned. In “Leadership Lessons” hear from leaders who have stepped up in new ways and remained steadfast in their values through this crisis. How did they make the tough decisions? How have they changed as leaders? Tune in and gain top insights from values-driven leaders – Fellows in the Aspen Global Leadership Network – who are battling trade-offs, creating rapid responses to community needs, sharpening new skills, and more.
New episodes are released every week on the AGLN’s social media handles. Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to watch in real-time.
