The 2nd V Srinivasan Memorial Lecture was organised in Chennai on 6 September 2019 by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) with the theme - “Social Enterprise & Non-Profit Leadership.”
Mr V Srinivasan was one of the Co-founders of the WS Group in 1961 and emerged as one of the leading entrepreneurs in South India. He believed in the credo “Community development through active self-engagement” and was an epitome of philanthropy.
The Memorial Lecture celebrated the spirit of service to society by focusing on philanthropy, excellence in social enterprise and leadership excellence of non-profit institutions which was so diligently followed by Mr V Srinivasan during his entire lifetime.
In his keynote address on the topic “Social Enterprise & Non-Profit Leadership” Mr Venu Srinivasan, Past President, CII and Chairman & Managing Director, TVS Motor Company said, “Achieving full potential of philanthropy in India requires simultaneous investment in Talent, Management Tools and Technology”.
Leadership development is critical in the social sector to maintain the growth momentum and non-profit organisations are now looking at hiring corporate talent to leverage on the managerial skills for their own advantage, said Mr Srinivasan. A number of universities have set up specialised programs for developing human talent for social enterprises and non-profit organizations.
He further mentioned that an increasing number of Start-ups are embracing technology to drive social impact in key areas like agriculture.
Mr Sanjay Jayavarthanavelu, Chairman, CII Southern Region & Chairman & Managing Director, Lakshmi Machine Works Ltd said, “The late Shri V Srinivasan, was one such person who embodied this spirit of leadership and service to society early on at a time when the concept of Corporate Philanthropy in India was still at its infancy”.
He said that the culture of philanthropy is deeply embedded within Indian culture and ethos and the core of it was the intent, deep desire and the commitment of people towards building a better world.
Ms Chetna Gala Sinha, Founder, Mann Deshi Bank in her address said “Not only philanthropy but also compassion was the hallmark of Shri V Srinivasan’s philosophy towards support to social causes. She shared the success stories of women in rural India who have transformed their lives and also supported the communities by demonstrating leadership and courage.
Mr Narayan Sethuramon, Past Chairman, CII Tamil Nadu & Managing Director, Sanmar Matrix Metals Ltd in his concluding remarks said that the V Srinivasan Memorial Lecture was launched in 2018 as an annual event to promote the spirit of Social Enterprise and Non-Profit Leadership as well as to commemorate the life and ideology of Shri V Srinivasan. This initiative was also aimed at stimulating new ideas and initiatives in promoting social enterprise and non-profit leadership by engaging eminent practitioners and thought leaders in the lecture series.
7 September 2019
Chennai