#19: Dr Vanita Viswanath on Epic Learning Journeys

My guest today is Dr Vanita Viswanath, a Bangalore-based social entrepreneur, organisational mentor and researcher. Passionate about women’s empowerment through entrepreneurship, up to 2014, Vanita was CEO of Udyogini, an NGO she founded in 2000 to develop women entrepreneurs across India. Nowadays, she divides her time as an advisor to Sattva Consulting, as chair of migrant worker NGO Aajeevika Bureau, and as a Trustee of Jagriti Foundation, an NGO supporting social entrepreneurship.

I spoke to Vanita face-to-face at a major conference on economic empowerment in Delhi.

We talk about finding a passion for women’s entrepreneurship through her PhD research, leading to a switch from doling out money at the World Bank to fighting for funds at a startup NGO, and about what she’s learned about the power of epic learning journeys.

For more information on Jagriti Yatra train journeys for young people see http://www.jagritiyatra.com

Tony Cooke

Tony Cooke is an internationally-recognised sustainability leader with over 25 years spent at the nexus of sustainability, innovation and entrepreneurship, developing and executing strategies for business, governments and not-for-profit organisations across a wide variety of sectors. He now manages a portfolio of interests including; senior corporate counsel, executive coaching, non-executive roles and thought leadership through a combination of research, writing and podcasting. Visit my personal blog at http://tonycooke.wordpress.com

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