Devika has a diverse educational and professional background including studies in computer science, economics, and a fellowship program. She is passionate about issues like global wellbeing, gender inequality, and the Indian social development sector. Devika has worked with various organizations in this space and has a wide network across India. She is always eager to learn new things and enjoys photography, writing, and travel.

1. STARTINGBLOC
FELLOWSHIP
INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION
DETROIT ‘13
Why me?
Because I am…

2. FROM A UNIQUE, ACCOMPLISHED BACKGROUND
 Currently in Young India Fellowship Programme, a one year, liberal arts,
March 2013
multidisciplinary programme
 Cohort of 97 fellows selected from 3000 applicants
 Diversity of thought: YIFP taught me to think on each issue through multiple
perspectives – sociological, anthropological, philosophical, financial, technical
Devika, India
 B.E. (Hons.) Computer Science and M.Sc. (Hons.) Economics, dual degree
 At BITS Pilani, a premier university ranked among top 10 engineering colleges
 Learnt multitasking effectively by balancing different interests
 Became so acclimatized with linguistic and cultural diversity that
monoculture now seems foreign
 Member of Jagriti Yatra (translates to Awakening Journey)
 An 18-day long train journey around India, with 400 youth participants, to
visit social entrepreneurs and enterprises in 13 locations
 Learnt to appreciate regional and economic diversity
 Gave me a strong foundation and network in India’s development sector
 Hope from meeting other young people who share my commitment to
develop India
2

3. FROM A UNIQUE, ACCOMPLISHED BACKGROUND CONTD.
 Worked for 6 months as Associate in Samhita Social Ventures, Mumbai
 Corporate Social Responsibility consultancy and online donation portal
March 2013
 Gained in-depth comprehension of Indian NGOs and donors
 Taught software and web skills to other employees
 Diversity in places of stay
Devika, India
 Up to age 17 in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Small city with population density
around 472/sq km*
 College in Goa. Small state with population density around 394/sq km*
 Six months in Mumbai. Population density: Over 20,000/sq km*
 Ten months in National Capital Territory of Delhi. Population density: Over
11,000/sq km*
 I understand the opportunities and limitations of small towns.
 I revel in the energy of crowds in large metropolises.
 Grew up in a single parent, educated household
 Understand the value of education and how it can impact life decisions
 Segregation and acceptance within societal structures
3
*Source: Census 2011, Government of India

4. WELL-CONNECTED TO DIVERSE, COLLABORATIVE NETWORKS
JY – Social Enterprise
Knowledge pool for
March 2013
startups
Devika, India
YIFP – Diversity is the
buzzword.
BITSAA – Alumni Corporate heads to
Association. college students.
Chapters across the world. Artists, architects,
Can connect to employees consultants, lawyers,
and heads of various bankers and many more
organizations.
4

5. PASSIONATE ABOUT
Global Wellbeing Lessening Gender Inequality
March 2013
 Worked with Development  Travelled alone to 25 NGOs
Office of a Member of across 8 states in India in 40
Devika, India
Parliament to improve days to understand
implementation of National organisational structure of NGOs
Rural Health Mission, the working for women
Central Government scheme for development
rural healthcare  Research projects on NGOs
 Volunteering with RAXA, an NGO working for domestic help and
focused on developing free women exploited for
software for electronic medical commercial sex
records  Studied main challenges to
primary education for girls in
different countries
5

6. WELL-GROUNDED IN THE INDIAN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT SECTOR
 While working at Samhita Social Ventures, gained in-depth knowledge of:
March 2013
 Indian NGOs
 Donors: Foundations, High Net-worth Individuals and Corporate
Social Responsibility initiatives
Devika, India
 Samhita tried to streamline donors’ proposal requirements through
Indian Philanthropic Confluence in 2011
 Social Enterprises and NGOs
 Interacted with both while travelling alone and for Jagriti Yatra
 Understand the merits and demerits of each in different sectors
within development
 Gave a talk on Social Development in India to 80 UK college students
in Delhi, India as part of a UK-India collaboration
 Can help other fellows with both facts and descriptions of grassroots as
well as large organizations
6

7. A BELIEVER IN STRONG PRINCIPLES
 Inequality rankles me.
March 2013
 I want everyone to get the opportunity to develop and reach their full
potential.
 I’ve worked to remove any form of discrimination in my spheres of
influence.
Devika, India
 Go after a goal, relentlessly. Perseverance and resilience.
 In first year of college, I wanted to change majors. But that required
academic excellence. Scored 10/10 GPA in second semester.
 When I realized that work at Samhita was becoming too distant from
the grassroots, I decided to travel to NGOs. Quit the job, registered for
a dissertation on campus and made a travel plan.
 Weigh pros and cons for any situation and move quickly once the decision
is taken.
 Had to take tough decisions as the Chief Election Commissioner for
Student Government Elections in college
 My integrity is incorruptible. Serves others as a moral compass.
 Live well within less means: When I cut down on a want, I can fulfill
someone’s need 7

8. ALWAYS EAGER TO LEARN NEW THINGS
March 2013
Devika, India
8

9. INTERESTED IN
Food Photography Writing & Travelling
March 2013
 Edited Yatra Saar 2012,
synthesis document for Jagriti
Devika, India
Yatra
 Edited annual college magazine
 Blog at
http://www.devika.info
 Travel extensively for work and
pleasure
 Made a documentary on Spiti
Ecosphere, a social enterprise
based among the Himalayan
Flickr Photostream mountains in Spiti, Himachal
Pradesh, India
9

10. March 2013
Devika, India
THANK YOU!
10 For more information/clarification, feel free to write to
me at:
devika@yifp.in