- The/Nudge Institute’s charcha ’23 Summit, supported by G20|Startup20, Catalyzes Collaborative Action for Resilient Indian Livelihoods Over Two Days
- Partnered with Google, LinkedIn, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Reliance Foundation, KPMG, GAME, Generation India, ACT Grants, Tata Steel Foundation, The Bridgespan Group
- Attended by over 850+ distinguished speakers and professionals from civil society, policymakers, philanthropies, private sector at ISB Hyderabad
Hyderabad, India, August 25, 2023: charcha ‘23 – a G20|Startup20 endeavour, The/Nudge Institute’s fourth edition of India’s foremost tech-driven livelihoods summit brought together over 800-plus stakeholders and market leaders in the development sector and technology who discussed pathways of creating resilient livelihood opportunities for all Indians at the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad on August 23 and 24.
This year, charcha’s programming focused on partnering with private sector, civil society, and development sector industry leaders to bring about collective decisive action towards ending poverty by the time India celebrates 100 years of its Independence.
In emphasizing the necessity of bolstering resilient livelihoods, Chief Guest, Padma Shri Dr. Abhay Bang (Founder & Chairman, SEARCH) stated, “Poverty is not uni-dimensional; it’s multi-dimensional. It’s not just income-related, but also encompasses the empowerment gained through opening windows of knowledge, giving responsibility, and autonomy to women and families”.
charcha ’23 was an exclusive in-person two day gathering of over 130 speakers and 750 livelihood professionals and distinguished members from civil society, policymakers, changemakers, philanthropists, academicians, entrepreneurs, investors, as well as corporate and technology leaders. All the esteemed speakers shared their insights on livelihood related tracks such as Youth & Livelihoods (LinkedIn), Tech4Good (Google), Small and Micro Entrepreneurship (G.A.M.E.), Dialogues on 21st Century Skills in Education, Skilling for the Sport Sector, Agri Innovations, and Entrepreneurship in the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Reliance Foundation), Gender Biases (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), Ending Ultra-poverty (KPMG), Employment & Retention (Generation India) and Masterclasses in Livelihoods from the Lens of Identity (TATA Steel Foundation), Collaborative Philanthropy (The Bridgespan Group), Large-scale Social Transformation (The/Nudge Institute) and Catalytic Funding for Social Innovations (ACT Grants).
Highlighting the need for collaborative action towards building and enabling ecosystems, Mr. Satish Reddy (Chairman, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories) as part of a session shared, “For India to achieve its dream of being the leader in innovation, it is important that all the stakeholders ranging from policy, academia, industry and government come together to enable upskilling and innovation. We need to collectively create an atmosphere and environment for industry to flourish through policy, and industry-academia collaboration. This will ultimately leverage the great population potential and opportunity that India possesses.”
At charcha’23, besides the panel discussions, Google also curated a 24-hour nonstop hackathon with over 40 selected teams from 270+ applicants to solve problems faced by small and marginal farmers, tailored for tech students and professionals. In first place, team Agriheros from Hyderabad won a prize money of INR 5 lakhs for their idea of bridging the gap between academia and agri-tech through deep tech learning. The first day ended with a live concert by Shor Police.
“In an age where India’s digital investments have sparked global economic opportunities, ‘charcha’23’ stands as a platform for discovery and discussion,” noted Sudha Srinivasan, CEO of The/Nudge Centre for Social Innovation. “Aligned with India’s G20 Presidency, this platform unites minds to ensure inclusive development with the spirit of #bettertogether. It’s a hub for tackling poverty, leveraging digital public goods and India’s entrepreneurial vigor to shape a future of resilient livelihoods for all.”
charcha ’23 also showcased the Agri-IKIGAI Report introducing an integrated approach for a sustainable agricultural future that merges technology, innovation and environmental consciousness and for Smallholder Farmers to increase Income whilst having Positive Climate Impact’ by The/Nudge Institute.
‘Deshruption’, a spotlight series shedding light on technology-led disruptions at national scale, highlighted how women-led organizations are creating economic opportunities in financing and skilling. The discussion on AI’s role in enhancing livelihoods highlighted the potential of adapting regional languages, enabling the usability of Generative AI or Language Learning Models for rural India to upskill and reskill the informal workforce. The panel on Agri Innovations and Safeguarding Rural Livelihoods in collaboration with Reliance Foundation, sparked a discussion between industry experts and practitioners, addressing vital topics such as education, skill development, agriculture, entrepreneurship, and sports featuring expert speakers from diverse sectors who explored the potential for exponential growth in India’s livelihood sector.
Leaders across all sectors concluded that the path ahead involves collaborative action through technology adoption. They unanimously recognized the significance of upskilling rural youth, foreseeing a ripple effect of transformative and outcome-oriented skilling that enhances opportunities and livelihoods. This approach is poised to bolster social innovation and entrepreneurship, seamlessly integrating with the evolving technological landscape. charcha’23 in collaboration with all its partners aim to translate these discussions into tangible actions through strategic partnerships, envisioning a near-future realization of substantial, inclusive growth. The overarching goal is to foster large-scale transformation by establishing ecosystems that promote comprehensive progress.
