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Cyclone Gaja which struck in November 2018 is a major disaster with significant economic impact in Tamil Nadu. The devastation suffered by tens of thousands of people in several districts of the State has been severe, going well beyond the annual storm season losses. Since the cyclone struck, the suffering, the loss, and the displacement in large parts of Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts is of an enormous magnitude. Houses have collapsed, farms lie ruined, water sources are contaminated and electricity supply remains disrupted. The Tamil Nadu government has estimated the number of people rendered homeless at 3.7 lakh, and houses destroyed at 3.4 lakh. The cyclone has crippled agriculture and livelihoods in a fertile region, felling thousands of productive trees and killing livestock. Between 60% and 80% of the coconut trees in the region have fallen, hobbling Tamil Nadu’s farmers, who contribute a quarter of India’s coconuts with the highest unit yield. Unlike paddy or many other crops, bringing coconut plantations back to life will take years. Tamil Nadu government efforts The Tamil Nadu government has given the Centre a memorandum seeking nearly ₹15,000 crore for restoration, rehabilitation and mitigation, besides ₹1,431 crore for immediate relief work. The State’s requirements should be met in full.  Cyclone Gaja has wrought terrible devastation, and the relief programme must match it in scale. Call to Action We are reaching out to you to donate today, to aid the victims of this calamity. Please donate to ‘Empower Tamizhagam’ to enable us to deploy support to the field as well as to facilitate sustainable livelihood options. Courtesy The Hindu Newspaper

The Alpha Entrepreneurship Summit featured R Sampath speaking on the opportunities and challenges in the Indian Start-up Environment. The Summit provides a platform for Entrepreneurs and Start-up Enthusiasts to engage in Entrepreneurship.

Start-ups and Bottom of Pyramid Markets at the IBA-2016 Conference R Sampath (Empower Tamizhagam ET-Impact) addressed the plenary session on Are Start-ups the Future of India? Wherein he focused on Start-ups and Bottom of Pyramid Markets. The 8th International Indus Business Academy (IBA) Conference deliberates on such changes and suggests ways and means to leverage this growing interest in India and identifies the new perspectives emerging in Business, Management, Leadership and Consciousness. Bangalore, India. March 25th 2016.

Situating New Management Philosophy at the IC-2013 Conference, Bangalore, India. R Sampath (ET, EBD) addresses the plenary session on Social Entrepreneurship and Frugal Innovation. As communism died and capitalism is falling apart, as human relations and corporate connections have leaped over national boundaries, as environmental concerns and economic challenges worry the global population, it is for the science, art and wisdom of management to take centre stage to find intelligent solutions for humanity in 21st century. The timely theme chosen for the purpose is Nature, Mind and Technology. Though the transition is full of glorious uncertainties, it is our duty in attempting to map the future directions of the interfaces of the global society; economy and polity. This calls for the need for a new ‘Earth Shastra’. The current edition of the conference therefore creates a common platform for scholars, students, corporate practitioners and activists to discuss and disseminate the thought currents and thought leadership that will shape the coming years. IC Conference Updates :: IC Conference Site

Los Angeles was the site of insights and discussion towards taking Social Entrepreneurship mainstream. Sustainable engagement models for international firms to leverage products and services for social impact in India. The Consul General of India in San Francisco, N. Parthasarathi, headlined the 5th Annual India Trade Conference presented by the Port of Los Angeles, U.S. Commercial Service (U.S. Department of Commerce), USC Marshall, TIE, and Quanta Consulting, Inc., in Los Angeles on June 28, 2012. Theme: Innovation, Infrastructure, and Social Impact. As part of the keynote session, Mr. R. Sampath (Director, Empower Tamizhagam, Quanta) asked the entrepreneurs at the gathering to consider repositioning their products and offerings in a manner which would benefit the rural and below the poverty line communities. Apart from a financially viable business strategy it can also help the poor. Benefits include additional non-profit funding, new partners, and an underserved market segment. An illustrative case study was last-mile technologies and solutions to empower the poor in India. Perspectives from rural India on effective strategies, partnerships and execution nuances. Broader themes were collaborative efforts between governments, companies, and non-profits to deploy scalable initiatives. Participants included Ms. Paula Golden (Executive Director, Broadcom Foundation) and Mr. Chris Harrington (Chief CSR Officer and VP Strategy, Toshiba).