In this issue

Farmers know to find their way — given encouragement and half a chance. Our cover story shows how chikoo growers in costal Maharashtra have improved their lot through value addition to their distinctively cultivated chikoos. They are attracting attention with chikoo parlours and products like their profits, now the farmers have shown that they can get themselves a better deal.

In the interview of the month, Ravi Venkatesan tells us about GAME or the Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship. Venkatesan’s take is that there will never be enough jobs unless small business flourish and meet local needs. And for the young it is important to make entrepreneurship appealing.

In business we learn about how CSR has been doing through FICCI’s experience with Uma Seth and Nomenita Chetia walking us through the FICCI awards for CSR and what the learning has been over the years.

We also travel to Dalhousie for a salubrious holiday in the iconic hill station, checkout a jackfruit hotspot in Kerala and offer a selection of interesting books.

Civil Society Magazine Description:

Civil Society is an independent magazine published from New Delhi.

It was launched in September 2003 to tell stories of change from across the chaotic landscape of post-reforms India.

A newly growing economy has winners and losers — as journalists we wanted to tell the stories of those who were making it and as well as those who were getting left behind.

In the past 15 years, Civil Society has come to be known for its refreshing style of covering people, events and trends. We are credited with redefining mainstream concerns in the Indian media.

Civil Society's reportage has brought to national attention individuals and groups who play leadership roles and drive change but get overlooked. We have shown that there is an India that exists beyond prime time.

This has been possible because we moved out of big media jobs to create a small and efficient enterprise through which journalists could look for stories where it may not be fashionable to look for them.

A democracy thrives on credible information. Small media entities, freed up from the demands of big capital, allow journalists to innovate and explore new frontiers. A large and complex country like India needs more alternative voices.

Started with just Rs 4 lakhs (about $6,000) of personal savings, one small car and a single computer, Civil Society has shown that it is possible for professional journalists with skills and clear values to build influential enterprises in the media.