VOLUNTEERING IN INDIA Contexts, Perspectives and Discourses 1 Foreword Volunteerism has long been an integral part of the Indian society shaped by traditions and value systems rooted in the religion and cultural interactions. The volunteers from diverse backgrounds have gone about celebrating the spirit of volunteerism in the best manner they know – rendering selfless service to their fellow beings and the community at large. The observance of International Year of Volunteers (IYV) in 2001 underscores the importance of people-to-people relations as core values of volunteerism. The resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly to mark the Tenth Anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers (IYV+10) in 2011 rekindled the spirit of volunteerism and provided the opportunity to reflect on the status and growth of volunteerism worldwide. The role of volunteers in creation and development of social capital, civic engagement and social cohesion is now well documented. Against the backdrop of challenges, exciting new avenues for people to volunteer have opened up. It is also significant to note the role of technological revolution and its contribution to new forms of volunteering like micro-volunteering and online volunteering. These are going to be the key in future forms of volunteering discourses. It is notable that eighty-seven per cent of people aged 15 to 24 live in developing countries. They can play an important role to achieve the Millennium Development Goals adopting various ways to engage. Tenth International year of volunteers (IYV+10) offered the opportunity to the youth world over to further the volunteering agenda through their creativity, energy and commitment. Youth, the most vibrant and dynamic segment of India’s population constitutes potentially its most valuable human resource. We must continue to endeavor to optimize their constructive and creative energies by engaging them in various nation-building activities through volunteerism. It also provided a platform for national constituencies and stakeholders to come together for planning the future role of volunteerism in India. Government of India (GOI) is committed to promote and recognize the important role volunteers could play in national development. I am confident that the people of India would carry forward the spirit generated and nurtured by the tenth international year of volunteers and work towards peace and development through their volunteering. We must continue to strive to strengthen our network of volunteers. 2 Preface Volunteering in India: Contexts, Perspectives and Discourses traces the history of volunteerism, highlighting the contributions of volunteers to social movements, media, art and culture and Government policies and schemes in the area of volunteerism. This is the first publication by UN Volunteers in India, which is privileged to work with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, civil society organizations and key partners. UN Volunteers is a global institution based on the belief that every day, ordinary people the world over can transform the pace and nature of development by willingly contributing their time, and through their creativity and courage,can work towards peace and development. India has a rich and proud history of volunteerism. The tradition of shramdaan, offering to work in the service of humanity is practiced by millions of people who have been inspired by the great leader, Mahatma Gandhi when he urged that the “best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” As the largest democracy with one of the fastest growing economies in the world, India continues to address the challenges of inequality and uneven human development, with volunteers playing a critical role in ensuring that neighborhoods, villages and communities become a little better every day. The United Nations in India is committed to supporting our volunteers and hopes that theinsights documented in this publication provide guidelines for developing new policy and legislative frameworks for volunteerism in India. Lise Grande UN Resident Coordinator UNDP Resident Representative, India 3 Message We at the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) Programme are very pleased that our office in India is publishing this special volume on volunteerism. We would like to congratulate them for this initiative to mark the tenth anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers in 2011, and to bring attention to the dedicated community of volunteers. Volunteering is an important expression of our common humanity and empowers change from the grassroots up. It is important to increase recognition of volunteerism, to support networking opportunities, to create the proper institutional arrangements for volunteerism to flourish and to encourage all people to make a difference through volunteering. The challenges we face today — climate change, sustainability, achieving the Millennium Development Goals — all require that everyone participates and engages. Only then can we ensure the future we want, a future that we can all enjoy. Volunteers are particularly important in India. Often they work among communities that are otherwise forgotten, and that is where they make a difference. Their contributions are essential. It is also important to recognize that volunteerism may take many different forms. Its expression is determined by the culture in which volunteering occurs. It can be international volunteerism, or volunteerism through community self-help groups; it can be direct and informal, or through institutions. But wherever it is, volunteering makes a difference. It is an expression of solidarity we should all encourage, recognize and support because this potential that people have is a renewable asset that needs to be tapped. The full potential of volunteerism can only be unleashed when it is seen as a vital and powerful component of the social capital of every nation. The sound analysis and inspirational voices from India you’ll read in this book put this beyond doubt. Flavia Pansieri Executive Coordinator, United Nations Volunteers 4 Message Placing people at the center of development processes is the key to inclusive and sustainable development. Through the past decades of partnership with India, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has, together with all its national partners, strived to achieve high levels of people’s participation in different aspects of development work. India has a rich history of people’s participation through volunteerism.This is reflected in ’Volunteering in India: Contexts, Perspectives and Discourses’, a unique and comprehensive compendium on volunteerism in India. This book is an excellent resource for understanding the various forms and aspects of volunteerism in India and their direct impact on the quality and reach of development interventions. With the changing global role of India, UNDP continues to strengthen its role as a strategic partner and catalyst of ideas and solutions to the country’s challenges, building on the opportunities and dynamism of India. In this context, UNVolunteers play a crucial role in empowering communities to engage in development processes at all levels. Even as India registers strong economic growth, significant challenges remain with regard to inequity, unemployment, food insecurity, natural disasters and climate change.Given these complexities, direct participation of people will increasingly play a transformative role. Volunteerism lies at the heart of this process. We hope ‘Volunteering in India: Contexts, Perspectives and Discourses’ will ensure better understanding of the processes that promote and sustain volunteerism for peace and development. Caitlin Wiesen-Antin Country Director, United Nations Development Programme, India 5 Acknowledgements Volunteering in India: Contexts, Perspectives and Discourses presents the viewpoints and experiences of eminent people and volunteers from diverse backgrounds and disciplines on the ethos, tradition and diversity of volunteering in the Indian Context. UNV would like to express sincere gratitude to everyone who participated to make this publication possible. Their involvement, commitment and encouragement are exemplary, and reflect the spirit of volunteerism and inclusivity that thrives in the Indian Society. The publication was coordinated by a core team under the overall guidance and supervision of Alexandra Solovieva, Deputy Country Director (P) UNDP India, Nita Chowdhury, Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mona Mishra, Executive Officer, UNDP India, Philip Sen, Communications Officer, IYV+10, Office of the Executive Coordinator, UNV and Gul Berry, UNV Country Operations Associate. The core team included Amita Dahiya, Cherukuri Indira Dasgupta and Vedabhyas Kundu, who identified and contextualized the issues on various topics related to volunteerism, approached eminent people, experts, organizations and volunteers on ground. The core team under the guidance of Mona Mishra, Philip Sen and Gul Berry critically reviewed all contributions. Amita Dahiya and Vedabhyas Kundu did the editing. Parul Lihla volunteered to provide valuable research and editing support. The idea for the cover page was by Cherukuri Indira Dasgupta and the Y-Man on the cover was created by Kuhu Dahiya. Volunteering in India: Contexts, Perspectives and Discourses significantly benefited from the invaluable feedback by Kamala Ramachandran, former scientist and editor, who volunteered to review the draft. Special thanks to the Disaster Management