My Declaration

I want to work in the area of urban governance. This has to do with both democracy and dissent. More important, it will allow me to stick around Hyderabad and work with people I know best. Within this I have to choose an area/domain that has a potential for both for change and an impact.

The project proposal to the Ratan Tata Trust is a step in this direction. Do a scan and see what others are doing - what's interesting and what's not and more important what seems to work. Help us get an idea about the possibilities. Though we are thinking of it in a project mode and it will take more than a year to complete - the eureka moment does not have to wait that long. It could happen tomorrow or it may not happen for the whole year. My guess is it'll happen sooner rather than later. Once that happens it is away to the races.

We (I) will have ourselves (myself) a topic and maybe 2-3 years to work on it and make an impact. This harping on impact is from my present desire to be closer to the action (activist mode) rather than influencing (however marginally) through advisory/consulting roles.

Incidentally the proposal has the 'in principle' support of the Trust. We are going through some minor hassle with the documentation that needs to be submitted along with the proposal.