Nation Building Through the Lens of Design Thinking

A perspective on how design thinking, technology, and business principles can be combined to create scalable models for rural India, with the larger vision of nurturing an entrepreneurial ecosystem that can fuel the nation's growth

- ARUN JAIN

I have always believed that the true purpose of leadership is not just to build successful enterprises but also to create models that strengthen society. At Intellect, I have seen how 'design thinking' can shape powerful digital platforms for banks and financial institutions across the world. The same question has guided my social journey: could design thinking be applied to one of India's most complex challenges, rural transformation?

That question took me to Yavatmal in Maharashtra in 2016. It was here, while listening to farmers and their families, that I realised the limitations of piecemeal interventions. What was required was not charity but a structured, holistic model that enabled communities to take ownership of their future. That experience became the foundation of Mission Samriddhi.