The Mahindra Group has embarked on the Indian leg of its ‘flagship global programme,' building on its global corporate brand positioning ‘Rise' unveiled in January.
A social platform, www.s >parktherise.com , will go live on August 17 and showcase ideas from Indians in five categories — technology, energy, agriculture and rural development, infrastructure and transportation, and social entrepreneurship (health, education, culture, sports). The ideas published must help Indians ‘rise,' in other words, bring about positive change in the category. Each month, eight short-listed ideas will receive grants from Mahindra Group of Rs 4 lakh each to kick-start the project, for six months.
“When you say you're a purpose-driven company, it's still a one way communication. What we're trying to do is move from talking to people to creating a conversation with stakeholders, and spark the ‘rise' in consumers,” said Mr Anand Mahindra, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Mahindra Group.
Five of the eight ideas will be short-listed by public voting, while three will be chosen by a panel of judges — Ms Rama Bijapurkar, Marketing Consultant; Mr Jaithirth Rao, founder, Value and Budget Housing Corporation; Mr Nadir Godrej, Managing Director, Godrej Industries Ltd, and veteran banker Mr Nachiket Mor.
After six months, the top two ideas each month, on the basis of public voting during the month, will participate for additional funding.
The most popular among these by public vote will receive Rs 40 lakh and three runners-up will receive Rs 20 lakh each in additional funding.
“The grant is just the tip of the iceberg. We are beginning a movement that will do good to communities in this country, and others in due course,” added Mr Mahindra.
Mahindra had earmarked Rs 120 crore for the Rise campaign over three years.