Shiv Nadar Foundation, which completed 20 years in philanthropy, said it has committed Rs 3,000 crore towards educational initiatives and expansion programmes over the next five years.
The Foundation has so far directly benefited 15,000 students with an investment of over Rs 1,800 crore till March 2013 across various initiatives. This includes the VidyaGyan project aimed at rural meritorious students. It is also undertaking new initiative called Shiksha in a bid to eradicate illiteracy.
The money could have been used better if land was made available easier. For example, if you were to build of chain of schools in Delhi, because education in Delhi is outmoded, you will have to think anew. But to do that you would require land which is not available.
Apart from land acquisition, have you had to face blocks when it comes to processes and government clearances?
We have never faced that problem. State governments are always willing. We are very transparent about what we do. In South getting admission in SSN is not possible just because someone is my relative. One of the ministers said SSN is the only institution where I can’t get a seat for anyone. That’s true of Uttar Pradesh and Delhi Governments too.
Can philanthropy become a business?
You can treat this as a business in terms of objectivity and processes. That’s where the comparison ends. The outcome cannot be money.
Is the annual report a step towards achieving this objectivity?
I firmly believe that philanthropy is most effective and outcome-oriented when you ensure that your pledge actually gets spent. Disclosures further help build an environment of trust and transparency. Good governance is, therefore, not an added bonus; it is at the heart of what makes philanthropy successful. We believe that it is time to formalise our internal systems and processes to enhance both beneficiary and stakeholders impact. The annual report is our first step towards aligning the Foundation with global governance standards in private philanthropy.
Will the Foundation look at other areas such as healthcare?
I don’t see that happening in the next five years. Education is a very large area and we have our hands full. For example, SSN has to become a university, we have to keep adding departments like it is with universities in the US.
Will you collaborate with others organisations in your endeavour?
We can and we are already working with a number of partners including Carnegie Mellon and Duke Universities. There’s more to come next year but we are not rushing into this. We are going in depth with each partner. Our collaboration with Carnegie Mellon, for example, is 12-years old.