CCS at #AsiaLF2019: Bolstering the Movement for Freedom in Asia

Our Chairman, Luis Miranda and President, Parth Shah were invited to speak at Atlas Network's Asia Liberty Forum held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, co-hosted by the Advocata Institute. Speaking as a part of the panel on 'Tipping Points: A Model for Social Change' Parth Shah discussed the idea of innovation diffusion and how it can help organisations create momentum for reform. Speaking about 'Fundraising Fundamentals: How to Build Donor Relationships', Luis Miranda shared insights into building committed donor relationships. The Asia Liberty Forum each year, brings together freedom champions from Asia and around the globe to celebrate the movement for liberty in this part of the world.

Celebrating Excellence
in Journalism :
Leadership for Education Award

Avinash Chandra, Editor, Azadi.me was honoured with the 'Leader of Education Award 2018-19', by the news portal 'EduAdvice' and theatre group 'Udaan', on 4^th March in New Delhi. The award was conferred for excellence in reporting on educational practice and policy. The ceremony was attended by noted educationists including Professor JP Saini, Vice- Chancellor, Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT) and Anurag Tripathi, Secretary, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), among others.

Building Policy Champions: ipolicy for Young Leaders

This March, we conducted ipolicy - our flagship introductory training course in public policy, in Delhi and Chennai. In Delhi, we partnered St. Stephen's College, where we had 32 young leaders successfully graduate along with 24 enthusiastic learners in Chennai.

Introducing the participants to the principles of sound policy making and to market-liberal perspectives on socio-economic challenges, some of our sessions addressed the framework of public choice, the Right to Education Act and the scope of state intervention. Our faculty included policy experts and practitioners like Kumar Anand, Economist and Researcher; Prashant Narang, Advocate, Supreme Court, among others.

Understanding State and Policy : Certificate Course in Politics of Development

We organised Politics of Development, our two-day immersive course on the intersections of politics and policy in Hyderabad on 16-17^th, March with 23 participants. With a focus on the enduring policy challenges to achieving economic development, the course engaged students in sessions like 'The Role of the State' and 'Decentralisation and Separation of Power', among others. The sessions were delivered by leading development and policy experts, including Barun Mitra, Founder and Director, Liberty Institute and Jayaprakash Narayan, Former IAS Officer and Founder, Lok Satta.

NISA Hosts South African Shadow Minister of Education

The National Independent Schools Alliance (NISA) hosted Mrs. Sonja Boshoff, Member of Parliament, and Shadow Education Minister, South Africa. Mrs Boshoff visited NISA schools in Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Punjab interacting with school leaders to understand the role of private schools in the Indian education system.

Discussing India's Urban Future: Workshop on Urban Design &
Policy-Making by ISPP

The Indian School of Public Policy (ISPP) organised a workshop on 'India's Urban Future: How to make our cities inclusive, productive and sustainable' on 2^nd March at the at the PHD Chamber of Commerce, New Delhi. The workshop was conducted by Dr. Shahana Chattaraj, Visiting Fellow at Centre for Policy Research and addressed various urban development and policy concerns like employment, infrastructure and housing; social policy and planning.

Exploring the Scope of Public Policy in India: ISPP Webinars

This March, the Indian School of Public Policy organised two webinars: On 9^th March, Luis Miranda, Chairman, CCS and ISPP Governing Council Member, spoke on the 'Scope of Public Policy in the Private Sector'. On 23^rd March, Parth Shah, President, CCS and ISPP Governing Council Member, addressed the theme of 'Policy Entrepreneurship: Is it a Viable Career Choice?', attended by 30 participants.

Discussing the Street-Vendors Act with Journalist Change-Makers

We ended the month with  our monthly journalists’ dialogue, engaging six journalists on the concerns regarding the rights and recognition of street vendors evidenced by our Progress Report on Implementing the Street Vendors Act 2014. The dialogue was held at  IGNCA, New Delhi, and our participants represented prominent media houses, including NDTV, Sahara TV, Rashtriya Sahara Newspaper and Ajit Samachar. The discussion was led by Avinash Chandra, Editor, Azadi.me and Vidushi Sabharwal, Senior Research Associate, CCS, and addressed the challenges faced by street vendors, the gaps in the implementation of the Act, and CCS’ on-going research and advocacy for due compliance.

BAITHAK : A Conversation on India's Developmental Challenges

On 30^th March, we conducted Baithak, our monthly policy dialogue at the GP Birla Science Centre - our first in Hyderabad! Baithak has been conceptualised as a platform for our alumni and young learners to come together for a discussion on contemporary socio-cultural and economic issues, steered in the presence of prominent liberal voice.

With 21 participants, the dialogue addressed the theme of 'The vulnerable and the marginalised: India's most formidable development challenges'. Facilitated by Dr. Amir Ullah Khan, Development and Trade Economist, the discussion addressed education, health, population, agriculture, and gender.

Sanjana holds a BA. (Hons) in History from Delhi University and an MSc. in Public Policy and Management from King's College, London. With a penchant for reading and history; during her free time you will find her with a book or monument-hopping.