Transformation Through Respect: 5 Questions with Abhijit Pawar

Managing Director of Sakal Media Group and founder/chairman of Delivering Change Foundation, Abhijit Pawar (YPO Pune, YPO Bombay North Star)based the Delivering Change Foundation and Tanishka Foundation on a concept of “return on respect,” evaluating all initiatives based on social impact. The Tanishka Foundation is one such initiative, whose main goal is to empower women and change the perception of their roles within the society.

Tanishka provides a peer-to-peer platform for women to connect, share and champion the cause of socio-economic transformation by addressing emotional, physical and financial security.

Emotional security is based on an integration of self-acceptance and self-confidence, social and political understanding and a personal ability to take a significant part in decision-making and in control over resources in the environment. This ensures every woman has a feeling of self-worth and an aspiration to a better life, leading to self-actualization. This thereby enables women to come together to formulate goals for societal improvement and act as change agents to positively transform their collective situation.

Physical security centers around fundamental human rights, including equal protection under the law, freedom from all forms of discrimination, access to the highest standard of physical and mental health, complete freedom from abuse at the domestic or community level and zero level tolerance for any form of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Physical security allows women to operate from a standpoint of fearlessness and self-respect, empowering them to take control of their lives and initiate positive change in society.

Financial security reflects the critical need in society, that in order for women to have a dignified life and fully harness and galvanize their potential, it is paramount that they have stable incomes on par with men in their socio-economic strata. Additionally, they we must provide them with the skills and education required to earn secure and continuously enhanced incomes, with rights to optimal control over land and other critical monetizable resources and equal access to all entitlements and services available in society. This ensures that they have a stable and secure base from which to act in the interests of societal transformation.

Below, Abhijit recalls some of his favorite stories and achievements through his work at Delivering Change and Tanishka.

1. What is one must-read book for business leaders?
“Citizenville” by Gavin Newsom. This book has many innovative, interesting and practical ideas and initiatives, which can be easily replicated across many cities of the world.

2. What is your favorite achievement?
The creation of the ‘Rally the citizens of Pune’ by Delivering Change Foundation. Seven million citizens across a wide spectrum of backgrounds including politicians, NGO's, industries, judiciary, schools, colleges and the disadvantaged traveled by bus for a day to raise awareness of public transportation and ultimately help reduce pollution, accidents and traffic. Every stakeholder of the society was united, and we all traveled together in a bus for one day on 1 November 2012. We celebrated this as the Pune Bus Day.

3. What is one of your favorite transformative stories about the women you’ve worked with?
The Tanishka women's group is the Matori Village story. The Matori village is one of the poorest villages in India. A 78- year-old woman, who is a Tanishka member, took the initiative and rallied other women in the village to ensure that they got 50 percent of the land transferred to their names, as many of their husbands were alcoholics and they indulged in gambling (therefore many men would lose their belongings and land). Not only this, but they also rallied to stop physical and domestic violence in their homes. They further moved on to make the village drought-free by working on the de-silting project. This was all done by a group of Tanishka women, many of whom were illiterate.

4. How has being in YPO positively affected your business or leadership?
Being in YPO has allowed me many opportunities to meet members whom I can trust, and with whom I can partner in business. Some members helped us to verify information of companies or individuals with whom I was looking to either partner or take help from in social as well as business projects.

Three insights I would like to share to my fellow members:

1. The world truly has become small. Increasingly, people across borders are connecting with one another in an unprecedented manner. The problem one faces in his country might be similar to problems faced in another country, especially when it comes to women’s issues, family, lifestyle, culture, etc. ‎ Problems today can be solved through the digital world by almost anybody on the planet who has the capability and inclination, therefore, people of the world are increasingly relying on each other. It is now evident that the digital world is a reality and either you embrace it and take off and fly to a better future or else the possibility of falling off the cliff is very real. The digital divide will increase substantially if proper steps are not taken by the government. The global equations of the world will drastically change.

2. Change is constant, and we can help deliver change by collaborating with each other, learning from the best and sharing.

3. Women must play a significant role in helping build better societies. This is being demonstrated in every field of life when they receive more opportunities.