The Buddha Institute

SRIJAN: A LEGACY OF 25 YEARS

The foundation of the Buddha Fellowship Program was laid in 2016, but the ideology dates back to 1997 when Mr. Ved Arya founded SRIJAN (Self Reliant Initiatives through Joint Action), an initiative that has impacted 125,679 families in 18 different locations. With the aim of empowering the rural poor, SRIJAN aims at tailoring socio-economic initiatives to offer better livelihood opportunities to the marginalized section. Buddha Fellowship Program is also an initiative in a similar direction, that aims at creating an ecosystem for young entrepreneurs, who have the vision to bring about social change. By supporting social businesses and employing local workers for the same, we aim at creating better work opportunities. The idea is to progress towards an India that is free from poverty, unemployment and other social issues.

The Buddha Institute
Goals for the community
Methodology
Founder

The Buddha Institute is a dedicated platform of entrepreneurism, mentorship and support for socio-economic change for young minds who are driven to change the social reality in India and in other developing economies. We encourage the creation of an eco-system for sustainable, problem-solving models among the poor leading to improved livelihoods.

The support we provide to development entrepreneurs comprises a distinguished group of eminent mentors, partnerships with government and private sector, financial support, a thriving community base, an immersion program, freedom to pilot ideas fearlessly, quality clinics for learning, and an overall nurturing attitude of the management team strengthened by an inspiring founder.

An initiative of SRIJAN, The Buddha Institute is hosted under Education for Employability Foundation, registered as a public charitable trust. With initial funding from Axis Bank, Ford Foundation, and 50 individual donors, we have established a Board of Trustees, an informal council of advisors, and a strong management team.

Think your idea can make a greater impact? We are accepting applications now.

The idea behind the initiative is to positively impact the existing social dynamics and bring about a change with the help of entrepreneurial changemakers, to improve lives, as well as livelihoods. We are giving a platform to potential young minds, to reach the heights of their imagination, and use their social business idea for the greater good.

Mr. Ved Arya: The Face Behind The Idea

Ved Arya is long time leader in India's development. A distinguished alumnus of IIT Kanpur, and post graduate of IIM Ahmedabad, he is the founder of SRIJAN, SIDS, and The Buddha Institute, and founder convenor of the RCRC coalition. He is an Ashoka Fellow, UN Environment Program Fellow, Hubert Humphrey Fellow and Business Standard Social Entrepreneur of the year 2018.

- Ved Arya

Our team abides by very stringent protocols when it comes to selecting the New Cohort. We have a dedicated panel of experts who analyze each and every candidate, to test their mettle. All the candidates have to go through three rounds and the selection is made based on their overall performance.

Psychometric test, which helps to assess the candidate’s cognitive abilities, personality and work behaviour, to determine whether they hold the potential to be Buddha Fellow Sociometric test, which helps to analyze how the candidates behave within a group and what kind of bond they share with their fellow members.

Interview, wherein the candidates are asked several questions to evaluate their knowledge and potential

Support to Buddha Fellows

What it holds for you?

Being a Buddha Fellow gives you access to a wide range of benefits that help you build a flourishing business network.

Mentoring by various sector experts.
Synergy and lifelong mentoring and handholding.
Buddha Entrepreneurs Network (BEN).
Financial support ranging from 3,00,000 (INR) to 25,00,000 (USD 4000 - 35,000) during the 2 years of the journey will be given in instalments against deliverables.
Assistance in applying for government subsidies or loans from banks or financial institutions.

Experts

AMARJEET SINHA GOVERNMENT

SHOBHA AGARWAL STRATEGY

SESHA ALLAVARPU BUSINESS PLANNING

V.S. KANNAN SITARAM FINANCE

ALOK AGARWAL FINANCE

NAVEEN PATIDAR COMMUNITY CONNECT

GAURANG SINGH LEGAL MATTERS

INDRANIL GUPTA MARKETS

Mentoring Method

Every quarter Buddha Fellows come to attend this offsite problem-solving workshop, which is called Buddha Entrepreneurship Clinic, where they meet with subject experts and mentors and come up with their own solutions. Buddha Fellows learn from each other’s experience as well in these quarterly clinics.

We, at the Buddha Fellowship Program, bring together a team of well-acclaimed experts from the field, to monitor and guide our fellows with every piece of information and guidance that they need in taking their social business to new heights and creating a wider impact. The role of the mentors starts right from the recruitment stage with the assessment of the Buddha Fellows’ needs.

They conduct special workshops with brainstorming sessions on problem sets and supervise monthly and quarterly reports to keep a track of Buddha Fellows’ Progress.

Overseas Supporters