Kautilya School of Public Policy (KSPP), GITAM Deemed to be University, Hyderabad has signed an MoU with the Telangana State Innovation Cell (TSIC), an initiative by the Information Technology, Electronics and Communications Department, Government of Telangana. The MoU signed by Ravi Narayan, Chief Innovation Officer, Government of Telangana, Prof. D Gunasekaran Registrar of GITAM, and Sridhar Pabbisetty, Founding Director of the institute aims to use the resources of both the parties to create a robust, world-class ‘Social Innvation’ (SI) ecosystem in the state. Kautilya School of Public Policy will be the ‘Research Partner’ for TSIC to help build a vibrant ecosystem and will make evidence-based recommendations to enable a conducive administrative and regulatory environment for social innovation to flourish in the state.

The MoU focuses on research areas pertinent to social innovations to facilitate state-of-the-art understanding of SI business models and decision making. They will also identify and explore mutually beneficial opportunities through annual and bi-yearly work plans for engagement through on-ground plans (pilot) projects to generate a solid evidence base for aiding the creation, rollout, and diffusion of the SIs. 

Students of Kautilya will also be engaged through research opportunities and capstone projects with TSIC and its sister organizations to provide hands-on experience. Kautilya also will work with various stakeholders to identify government and administrative reforms that will enable an efficient environment for SI’s. 

“We are delighted with this long-term collaboration with Kautilya School of Public Policy. We will now be able to use lessons from social innovation pilots that we will roll out together to influence larger policy matters in the right direction. Telangana being at the forefront of many social innovations will be able to create a social innovation ecosystem supported by the learnings from this collaboration” said Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Industries, and IT&C, Government of Telangana.

The MoU also encourages practitioners from TSIC to host guest lectures at Kautilya School of Public Policy on different practical aspects and subjects pertaining to policy and decision-making. They would also look at establishing a space to be sponsored by multilateral organizations and corporate partners. 

Also read: Interview: Prof. Sridhar Pabbisetty, Kautilya School of Public Policy