NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Thursday, June 22, 2017

Most Indian youth do not look beyond a corporate or government job when they are charting out their career path. The security offered by salaried jobs is perceived to be irreplaceable. A job in the social sector is seen as the domain of social workers who sacrifice everything for the greater good. But increasingly, working in the social sector requires a balance between having a “business” mind and a “social” heart. Most social entrepreneurs lead financially secure lives, with the added satisfaction of doing something good and transforming lives. Yet, not many have the courage to take this less taken path.

One such path-breaker is Ashwin Mahavadi, a social entrepreneur. Having studied Civil Engineering at IIT Guwahati, Ashwin’s interest in education that could be put to practical use led him to join UC Berkeley for Masters In Structural Engineering. His experience at UC Berkeley provided him with a diverse perspective about the engineering space and the world beyond engineering. He also volunteered at the Association for India’s Development (AID) at UC Berkeley to understand the landscape of India’s diverse cultural, economic, and social sectors, soon realizing that they provide huge potential for development.