Transforming India’s State Capacity with Mission Karmayogi | Real Challenge of State Capacity

Episode 1 | Decoding Impact – Season 4

Host: Rathish Balakrishnan, Co-founder & Managing Partner, Sattva Consulting

Guest: Dr. R. Balasubramaniam (Dr. Balu), Member–HR, Capacity Building Commission (Government of India) and Chairperson, Social Stock Exchange Advisory Committee (SEBI)This thought-provoking episode of Decoding Impact spotlights the evolution of state capacity in India and its critical role in India's development. It features an in-depth conversation with Dr Balu, an acclaimed development scholar, author, and founder of the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM), as he shares powerful insights from over four decades of work spanning grassroots development, advising major institutions, and shaping public policy from within the system.Together, they explore the paradoxes of India’s relationship with its government, the tension between public reliance and skepticism, the evolution of the state from a colonial apparatus to a citizen-centric enabler, and the deep-rooted challenge of building effective state capacity.Rathish and Dr. Balu also unpack the historical, philosophical, and practical lessons behind public administration in India, with reflections from the Ramayana to the present-day Mission Karmayogi initiative.Key Topics Discussed1. The true meaning and evolution of state capacity in India2. Why “training is for circus animals”, rethinking capacity building beyond repetitive skills3. Lessons from India’s heritage on governance4. The shift from individual heroism in bureaucracies to system-wide effectiveness5. Why civil service competencies must be rooted in historical and cultural contexts6. The on-ground realities: workforce shortages and systemic performance barriers in public service7. How Mission Karmayogi aims to future-proof India’s civil services for a tech-enabled, citizen-centered future8. The shared responsibility of citizens and the state in nation-building#StateCapacity #Governance #India #PublicPolicy #SocialImpact #MissionKarmayogi #Leadership #podcast