Oct 11Member-onlyDesigning safe and liveable citiesDuring Urban October, I was fortunate to join a four-day study visit to the Netherlands called the Urban Leaders Retreat. My colleague Prathima Manohar from The Urban Vision, a think-do tank for liveable cities, led a group of 10 professionals who are architects, urban planners, developers and non profit leaders…Urban Planning5 min readUrban Planning5 min read
Mar 11, 2022Member-onlyStatement at the 60th Session of the Commission for Social DevelopmentRed Dot Foundation works on gender equality, safety and justice. Through our Safecity tech platform we aim to bridge the data gap that exists in reporting sexual and gender based violence and provide communities and institutions with information to end violence against women and girls. During COVID19 we have witnessed…United Nations2 min readUnited Nations2 min read
Nov 27, 2021Member-onlyWant to start a podcast?So, You Want to Start a Podcast Podcasts can be a great medium for getting your ideas and messages out into the world. If you’re interested in trying but are unsure where to start, here’s info that may be helpful! One good place to start, of course, is listening to…Podcast2 min readPodcast2 min read
Feb 20, 2021Member-onlyTips to fill a Fellowship applicationI describe myself as the Queen of Fellowships because I have done so many in the past few years. All of them have been special and instrumental in helping me grow personally and professionally. Each fellowship has been different and has filled a need at that point in time. Often…Fellowships Scholarships3 min readFellowships Scholarships3 min read
Feb 20, 2021Member-onlyActions have consequencesWe recently celebrated the 72nd anniversary of our Republic Day when the Constitution came into being. On the day I reflected on how lucky I was to be born in a democratic country, India where I am guaranteed equal rights as a woman. However, that feeling was short-lived as I…Gender Equality4 min readGender Equality4 min read
Feb 9, 2021Member-onlyLeave No One Digitally Behind3rd plenary meeting - 59th Session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD59) The 59th session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD59) will take place from 8 to 17 February 2021 at the…webtv.un.org “Socially just transition towards sustainable development: the role of digital technologies on social development and well-being of all”. The theme of the 59th Commission for Social Development in 2021 is extremely relevant and important and I would like to highlight that it must ensure that all people — women and…United Nations5 min readUnited Nations5 min read
Published inElsa’s monthly musings·Aug 30, 2020Member-onlyWhat did I do in August 2020?Am trying something new…capturing some of the personal highlights in August to remind me that even in lockdown mode I can be productive, happy, successful and creative. Gender Alliance Summit About three years ago, I was invited to attend a BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt’s Responsible Leader retreat in the Brazilian rainforest. The retreat…Newsletter6 min readNewsletter6 min read
Mar 30, 2020Member-onlyBe PresentThe first question everybody asks me nowadays is, “Where are you Elsa?” Not surprising, because if you know me, you are aware of my hectic travel schedule. …Covid-195 min readCovid-195 min read
Jan 5, 2020Member-onlyWriting to become a Thought LeaderYou can become a thought leader by intentionally writing on key issues. I woke up in the New Year to find that I was one of hundred people listed by YourStory as an “Emerging Voice of India”. The top 100 Emerging Voices of 2019 includes entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, activists…Thought Leadership6 min readThought Leadership6 min read
Nov 23, 2019Member-onlyAre we suffering from the Imposter Syndrome?Last week during the International Women’s Forum World Leadership Conference in Toronto, I shared a lunch table with a 2018 Nobel Prize laureate in chemistry, Dr Frances Arnold. The room was full of accomplished women like her — Olympic athletes, Nobel Prize winners, astronauts, medical geniuses, CEOs. …Imposter Syndrome4 min readImposter Syndrome4 min read