Centenary legacy initiative brings together academic excellence and development practice to shape India's next generation of changemakers
New Delhi, Sept 08: Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) and IPE Global have set up the IPE Global-SRCC Centre for Social Impact to mark SRCC’s centenary - an initiative bringing together academic knowledge, development expertise and the energy of young talent to advance the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Delivering the welcome address at the centenary celebrations on Teacher’s Day, Prof. Simrit Kaur, Principal, SRCC said “SRCC has remained guided by the philosophy of the five Es - Education, Enrichment, Expansion, Empowerment and Environment - anchored in the values of Ethics and Empathy. Our endeavour is to provide holistic development to our students and equip them to become globally responsible citizens. At the heart of this vision is that sustainability rests on three pillars - People, Planet and Prosperity - and we teach our students that achieving these requires a three ‘P’ approach: Prayas, Parishram and Prarthana.”
Drawing on SRCC's academic ecosystem and IPE Global's nearly three decades of development experience, the Centre will advance research, innovation and experiential learning, while creating pathways for students and faculty to engage with real-world challenges and contribute to India's aspirations and development priorities.
Designed as a space for research, experiential learning, innovation and leadership, the Centre aims to equip students and faculty to translate knowledge into solutions for complex social, economic and environmental challenges. It will advance joint and student-led research, policy briefs, case studies and publications, supported by masterclasses, mentoring and engagement with leading practitioners and thought leaders across priority areas including gender, impact and blended finance, monitoring and evaluation, social innovation, sustainability and South-South cooperation.
A flagship initiative of the Centre, the Viksit Bharat Social Impact Innovation Lab, will enable students to develop and test innovative solutions through hackathons, case challenges and innovation programmes. The Centre will also create pathways for internships, field exposure, placements and careers across the social-impact ecosystem, connecting young talent with IPE Global, its partners and the wider development sector.
Ashwajit Singh, Founder & Managing Director, IPE Global, said, “We envision the Centre as a space where curiosity, energy and ideas of young minds will intersect with the experience of development practitioners-sparking new knowledge, innovation and solutions to create meaningful social impact. By bringing together the strengths of academia and the development ecosystem, the Centre will nurture a new generation of socially conscious leaders who will see nation-building as both an opportunity and a responsibility - thereby contributing to the making of a Viksit Bharat @2047.”
Tanya Singh, Senior Director, IPE Global added, “SRCC has always nurtured the spirit to question, imagine and challenge the status quo. It has been a place where ideas have found expression, ambition has been shaped by purpose, and young minds are encouraged to think beyond the box. The Centre aims to channel this curiosity into ideas, innovation and action, creating space for students to contribute to solutions that advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals while supporting India's Make in India vision.”