Integral Developmental Activist in India

  As I criss cross the country sharing with people the vision of Omnivarsity. The emergence of a single platform where interested seekers will come to listen, read, understand from guides on the best of the Planet's social, cultural, aesthetic, ecological and spiritual heritage to enable development. The question often asked is why is that necessary. It is good to be mundane. Definitely that is true but is leadership mundane ? Are our political leaders, business leaders who define the constructs we live in spending time doing mundane things. They are busy putting policies in place, changing laws, doling out favours, channelising funds towards various programs, increasing defence budgets, formulating education policies. As 35% of the world goes about living their lives largely in poverty, deprivation - few powerful thinkers, leaders ( corporate & political) drive where the planet and the world is headed. Yes we as individual citizens do play a role particularly in adulthood in making intelligent or not so bright choices in career, personal relationships, parenting, family, society and consumption

Typically choices play out in social, economic and cultural context among others. The subjective fit in an inter-subjective fit along with the functional fit. So the better the various fits are, the more healthy our choices pan out.  As a wise man once told me - there needs to be 80% action -20% reflection. Each without the other is lame but the dice is loaded in conscious action.

The spirit in action as it unfolds for me is offering me the opportunity to witness several experiments in conscious integral work. I will talk about one and in many cases such experiments are so few and are led by exemplary individuals who have assembled committed teams. Balaji Sampath founder of AID Chennai is perhaps among the handful integral developmental activists in India. Ofcourse he hasn't ever read Ken's work. Bt as I kind of serendepitiously gate crashed a meeting he was having where he was sharing the complexity in terms of the dichotomous choices the organization has to deal with during the course of the functioning. The able to understand the perspectives of the various stakeholders and assess their strength and limitations 

AID is perhaps the only organization working with Mckinsey and left leaning organsiations. Having trained professionals in Social work but also passionate but unskilled employees. Where Government, private sector, left leaning organization, ideological movements, rural and urban. Where all polarities are embraced in a manner that enables positive change. Where Qualitiative and Quantitative metrics are both measured.  But obviously these things don't happen in clean, systematic way. The slate is messy but that is the fun.

In times of polarities one needs to follow the inner voice, wisdom and take calls.  The calls taken are by Balaji Sampath. The interiority of Balaji who draws influence from Gandhi, Buddha and Gita is critical. I think that is the imperative in its initially stages. People align with an individual more easily than with organizations. The person to person connection.  The fascinating thing about the evolutionary process and the ability to take various perspectives and to move into second tier thing, you don't know how it happens because one can be a thinker without reading about 2^nd tier philosophy per se.