Decoding Impact with Rathish Balakrishnan

India is estimated to have 6.3 crore micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that have the potential to flourish with innovative sales and marketing efforts, but are currently not part of the digital revolution. In this episode of Decoding Impact, we will explore an upcoming digital platform and protocol, the Open Network for Digital Commerce, or ONDC, and how it will enable access and supply of digital markets to many MSMEs in India. To shed light on ONDC we have with us Mr Sujith Nair, who is the CEO and co-founder of Beckn Foundation. Through the discussion, we will not only understand ONDC itself, but also protocols and how these can change the interoperability between buyers and sellers. We also delve into the current maturity of the ecosystem, as well as the role philanthropy might be able to play to strengthen the ecosystem. Linkedin: Sattva Knowledge Institute Twitter: @sattvaknowledge Instagram: @sattvaknowledgeinstitute

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the distress, isolation, fear and anxiety that followed, mental health and well-being is a critical conversation that has arisen. India faces an acute mental health crisis. Mental morbidity affects over 1 in 7 Indians during their lifetime, at least one in five adults suffers from depression at some point in their life, and suicides are on the rise, with 12 deaths by suicide per lakh population in 2021. It is crucial for us, now more than ever, that we shift from a purely treatment-driven approach to ensuring holistic care, even at the primary healthcare level, by equipping individuals and communities with the right knowledge, and addressing the stigma which inhibits health-seeking behaviour for mental health. In this episode of Decoding Impact, we are joined by Dr Soumitra Pathare, Consultant Psychiatrist and Director of the Centre of Mental Health Law and Policy, based at the Indian Law Society, Pune. Dr Pathare shares with us his views on understanding mental health and its socio-cultural nuances in the Indian context, barriers that limit mental health interventions, understanding the treatment gap and recommendations to solve mental health at the systemic level. Linkedin: Sattva Knowledge Institute Twitter: @sattvaknowledge Instagram: @sattvaknowledgeinstitute

Three billion people the world over are experiencing the phenomenon of 'hidden hunger'. In India, approximately 80% of the farmers are small-holder farmers. In today's episode of Decoding Impact, we discuss a solution that has the potential to transform both of these: biofortification.   The UN recently declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, with the intent to build momentum for millet production and trade while heralding the benefits of nutrition, sustainability and economic empowerment for farmers. Furthermore, following the increased awareness about fitness and health that the pandemic ushered in, there is a resurgence in the popularity of superfood grains like foxtail millets, ragi, jowar and pearl millets.  With this accruing global focus on solutions for health, well-being and farmer livelihoods, as well as the growing interest in climate change resilient practices in agriculture, there has arguably never been a better time to scale biofortification. In this episode of Decoding Impact, we are joined by Mr Ravinder Grover, the Programme Lead from Harvest Plus, who is an expert in the biofortification domain, and comes with extensive consulting experience. We discuss with him how the potential of agricultural produce, including the superfood millets, can be accelerated through the agricultural treatment and application of biofortification. Ravinder unpacks for us what biofortification is, how it can make grains climate change-resilient, how farmers can benefit, the practical application of biofortification and the trade-offs and barriers to scaling this agricultural practice in India and globally. Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/sattva-knowledge-institute/ Instagram: @sattvaknowledgeinstitute Twitter: @sattvaknowledge