Technology development and social entrepreneurship Initiatives in a Business School in India, Girja Sharan

The Indian Institute of Management (Ahmedabad, India) expects from faculty members - teaching and good publications - for which there is funding and supportive ambience. For any significant departure from that pattern there is neither ambience nor support. Being an engineer with some passion to make a difference to the basic problems of people living in rural regions near here, I wished to engage in projects to develop affordable engineering solutions for them. I met the director and discussed the matter. He said - I could proceed but would have to find funds on my own and the normal expectations of teaching and publication will continue to exist. That was nearly a decade ago. I was able to meet that expectation, generate funds and carry out some very useful technology- entrepreneurship work. We will present that experience, and an account of hurdles and helpful happenstances.

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