Ashoka Reflections_OCTOBER 2023
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ASHOKA
REFLECTIONS
A S H O K A U N I V E R S I T Y ' S M O N T H L Y N E W S L E T T E R
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 3
Ashoka University is India’s premier interdisciplinary research and
teaching university located in the National Capital Region, New
Delhi. It is built on the finest global best practices of institution and
university
governance.
Accomplished
leaders,
philanthropists,
thinkers, and academicians with expertise in varied fields have come
together to create the university. It brings the best contemporary
values and practices in higher education, in the tradition of the
world’s leading universities, to India. With a strong emphasis on
multi-disciplinary learning, development of skills and leadership
attributes for the 21st century, Ashoka is preparing students to be
critical thinkers and ethical leaders in an increasingly diverse world.
A B O U T
Ashoka University
A S H O K A R E F L E C T I O N S
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07
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Table of
Contents
ASHOKA REFLECTIONS
October 2023
Feature Story
In Focus
Latest Happenings
In Other News
In the Media
Ashoka Reflections | Page 03
Feature Story
How India Gives:
Reports from Centre for
Social Impact and
Philanthropy
The Centre for Social Impact and Philanthropy (CSIP) at Ashoka University has recently launched two reports:
the second edition of its longitudinal panel study, titled ‘How India Gives, 2021-22’, and ‘Motivations and
Barriers to Household Giving in India’ which is the first chapter of the proposed series ‘Perspectives on
Giving in India’. Both studies were conducted in collaboration with the World Panel Division of Kantar and
Kantar Public, supported by the Citi Foundation.
These reports show that Indian households donated an estimated INR 27,000 crores in 2021-22, a significant
jump as compared to INR 23,700 crores donated in 2020-21. The increase in the market size in 2021-22 is
driven by an increase in the number of donor households and the increased value of such donations.
Similar to the trends recorded in How India Gives, 2020-2021 report, religious organisations and persons
engaged in Beggary continue to receive the highest household donations. While the trends remain similar, the
incidence level and the amount of donation rose significantly for religious organisations. The market share for
religious organisations rose from 70% to 75%. Households (30% – 60%) cited ‘occurrence of religious festivals
/events’, and ‘upon visiting religious places’ as occasions they mostly donate to. Organisations that approach
households for donations also encourage donations– particularly in rural areas (43%).
When it comes to making decisions in giving, women were primary decision-makers for giving to persons
engaged in Beggary, non-religious organisations such as UNICEF, relief funds like PMCares, and household
staff, while men were key decision-makers in giving to religious organisations, family and friends, and
supporting a cause or petition. Interestingly, older members aged 46–60 within households emerged as the
primary decision-makers for all recipient categories, except for supporting a cause or petition.
The report finds that Indian households prioritise Elderly
Care, Public Health, and Empowerment of Children as top
causes for donation
Ashoka Reflections | Page 04
Release of CSIP's reports- 'How India Gives: 2021-22' and 'Motivations and Barriers to Household Giving in India' by
Amit Chandra, Co-Founder, A.T.E. Chandra Foundation and CSIP Researchers Divya Chopra and Dr Shaivya Verma
at India Habitat Centre on Sept 21, 2023
Ashoka Reflections | Page 05
Keynote address by Amit Chandra,
Co-Founder, A.T.E. Chandra Foundation
Welcome address by Dr. Swati Shresth,
Research Director, CSIP
Panel discussion on Understanding 'Giving' to 'Persons engaged in Beggary' between Mohd. Tarique (Director,
Koshish and Assistant Professor, TISS, Mumbai), Dr. P.N. Mishra (Executive Council Member, Salaam Baalak Trust)
and Sharad Patel (Founder, Badlav). The discussion was moderated by Jophin Mathai, CSIP.
The majority of the donations to ‘non-religious organisations’ during the study period came from higher
socio-economic groups -SEC A (50%) and large towns (51%). Furthermore, elderly care (53%), public health
(36%), and the empowerment of children (33%) ranked as the top three causes supported by households who
gave their support to a cause.
The study also found that households have a strong desire to donate to religious causes, disaster relief
initiatives, and elderly care in the future. Nationally, 98% of donations were made in cash and 11% in-kind.
Acceptance of cash, clarity in the purpose of soliciting donations and personal visits is likely to enhance
household donations.
Speaking about the significance of the study, Swati Shresth, Research Director, Centre for Social Impact
and Philanthropy, Ashoka University said, “This study serves as an invaluable guide for Policymakers,
Philanthropies, NGOs, Researchers and other stakeholders in the social impact space, empowering them to
efficiently target their interventions, funding activity and appeals to precisely the right audiences, fostering
even greater impact. Notably, compared to the previous iteration, this year’s study shows that Indian
households have shown improvement in overall generosity. This also highlights the potential for further
improving household giving in India through enhanced outreach and communication strategies.”
Professor Somak Raychaudhury, Vice-Chancellor, Ashoka University said, “Fundamentally, Ashoka
University believes in fostering an environment for cutting-edge research projects and cross-institutional
collaborations that have a positive impact on our society, in areas ranging from developing novel therapies
for diseases to nurturing the social impact ecosystem. CSIP’s work, and this study, works to address an
important lacuna in the giving ecosystem, that is, reliable macro data that can effectively guide the decision-
making processes of leaders in this space”.
For this study, interviews were conducted with a panel consisting of approximately 81,000 households across
18 states. These interviews offered insights into giving patterns across different geographical regions and
socio-economic groups.
Ashoka Reflections | Page 06
Panel discussion on Emerging Faces of ‘Non-cash Giving’ between Abira Pathak (Country Lead, change.org), Dr
Prahalathan KK (Co-founder, Bhumi) and Puja Marwaha (CEO, CRY). The session was moderated by Priyanka Dutt,
Chief Advisor, India Hub, Giving Tuesday
Read the reports here
In Focus
CENTRE FOR
SOCIAL IMPACT AND
PHILANTHROPY
In Focus
Redefining Philanthropy in
India: Unveiling the
Multifaceted Landscape
Ashoka Reflections | Page 08
Swati Shresth
Director–Research, Centre for Social Impact and Philanthropy |
Ashoka University
Swati Shresth talks about non-profit ecosystems, philanthropy and
transformative research at the Centre for Social Impact and Philanthropy
Ashoka Reflections | Page 09
CSIP was established to support robust philanthropy and social impact institutions and recognise the
contribution of the non-profit sector to the economic and social development of the country.
The field of philanthropy in India, in particular, is underdeveloped in terms of good data and credible
research. The mandate of the Centre is to address these gaps and promote research on Philanthropy in India.
In addition, we also pay close attention to the non-profit ecosystem in India- funders, donors and
philanthropists, knowledge partners, organisations on the ground—essentially everyone whose stated
mission is to create a better impact on Indian society. As an academic centre, we also study narratives and
practices that influence the flows of power and finance within this ecosystem. The Centre is multidisciplinary
in nature and we endeavour to engage with a diversity of stakeholders to shape and strengthen this field in
India.
An often-cited challenge in studying philanthropy is the lack of definition of what constitutes Philanthropy.
Originating in Greek “love of humanity”, the word today by default is associated with the wealthy, who having
accumulated wealth, seek to contribute to society by way of establishing foundations and disbursing funds to
identified causes. Philanthropy also enjoys the self-ascription of ‘private action for public good’ and hails its
distinction from charity. Charity is often labeled as reactive whereas philanthropy endeavors to be proactive-
focusing on systemic and structural problems and their solutions.
Over recent years, there has been a considerable challenge to this Western philanthrocapitalist understanding
of Philanthropy. Originating in the Global South, this movement has not only mandated responsive
foundations to interrogate embedded notions and practices of power but also reformed their systems of
philanthropy. These shifts also impact the non-profit ecosystem in profound ways- from its administrative
reorganisation and financial flows to issues of culture inclusivity, skill and talent. This makes an excellent time
for researchers interested in politics, economics and justice to examine this space.
CSIP is currently planning a series of studies that will examine diverse cultures of giving in India. We want to
recognise various acts of giving those ordinary folks perform every day; we also want to shift the focus of the
field of philanthropy as it exists today to include non-cash giving. This includes donations in kind but also acts
of volunteerism and support of causes. We feel this perspective to be more inclusive and more accurate in
capturing the world of giving and its social implications in India.
Our groundbreaking report, How India Gives, is one of a kind in India and one of the few in the world. The
purpose of this longitudinal study is to understand the trends, patterns and preferences of Indian
households. Not only does this study provide data on household giving but also sheds light on Indian society.
The CSIP Research Fellowship on Philanthropy is the first and the only of its kind in India. It is an extensive
research fellowship that allows Fellows to explore diverse kinds of giving and its implications in India. Our
Research Fellows in the past have worked on novel topics such as “Philanthropy for the Ocean”, “Diaspora
Philanthropy and Transnational Giving among the Mappilas of Kerala”, and “Debates and Practices in Feminist
Funding in India” among many others. Through this Fellowship, we are trying to reimagine philanthropy in a
way that sheds light on Indian society. This will expand our understanding and eventually help us change the
narrative which is one of our goals.
We are seen as one of the six centres globally working on issues of giving and the non-profit ecosystem. In the
next couple of years, we will continue to focus on populations that are excluded in usual consultant-led
research in the Indian context. Our next report will focus on the giving practices of women in India. We want
to understand Indian philanthropy, which is often community-driven and often tradition-based and continues
to exist alongside modern philanthro-capitalist systems. We hope these studies will challenge persisting
notions of philanthropy and also provide much-needed data for researchers interested in understanding the
giving practices of a fast-growing nation.
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