More than just delivering code!

After a degree from NIT, Kurukshetra I made my way to Bangalore, where I worked with HP and then Accenture. While at these companies, I joined their CSR efforts on weekends.

Although it started off as a way to spend my time usefully on weekends, I soon realised that the feelings that I was left with after working with groups like Waste Wise Trust, Enable India, Hippocampus Reading and Sahana Foundation were deeper and more enriching than meeting a delivery target as part of my regular work.

I remember a blind school I’d been teaching at as part of these efforts, and to my horror I discovered one day that the roof was leaking. I got together with colleagues and we raised money from our company to repair the roof. It was then that I started thinking of changing track; of finding the right opportunity where I would be involved with efforts that meant more than just delivering code.

The catalyst for my decision came in the form of Yashveer Singh, an engineering graduate like me. Almost immediately after graduating, he set up the National Social Entrepreneurship Forum, to promote social entrepreneurship and inspire, educate and support new social entrepreneurs and create environments where they can succeed. It’s been a great ride so far, and I’m sure it’s only going to get better.

Gaurav Makkar, National Social Entrepreneurship Forum