Tributes

THE TRAIL BLAZER

An Ode to Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee

By Late Ms. Swagta Sen Pillai – 2016
Former colleague
Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs

There’s a special breed that treads the earth
And strides ahead with head held high
Of courage and grit it sees no dearth-
For the only limit is the sky!
They may stumble and fall but they never fail –
And all through life they blaze a trail!

Of such a breed are you a part-
Throughout your career bright and long
You thought with your mind and worked with heart
And emerged so sure and strong
Oh yes we know what that entails –
The capacity of blazing trails!!

You’ve led and followed, learnt and taught-
Seen the signs when none could see;
And with your vision – changes wrought
Shown others too what they could be!
You’ve sifted life – helped truth prevail –
Shedding light in your blazing trail!

Many the lives that are touched by you,
Through what you’ve said and shown and done –
With sagacious thought and concern true
To find a way when they found none!
And as we say a fond farewell –
To the author of this glorious tale.
You’re going places we can tell –
Still soaring high on your blazing trail!

Not every coffee meeting gives you a front-row seat to both history and the future.”

This was one of the rarest.

Personally meeting Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee —former Secretary, Government of India, and widely regarded as the Father of Indian Corporate Social Responsibility, who quite literally wrote the CSR legislation from his own hands.

This definitely felt less like coincidence and more like destiny.

What stayed with me wasn’t just the conversation, but the conviction.

His words didn’t just reinforce my love for CSR—they reignited my commitment to pursue it with greater rigour, purpose, and responsibility towards nation-building.

On a lighter note, we spoke about what the CSR industry proudly talks about- “Chatterjeeism of CSR.”
A philosophy I had once come across, but hearing it from him brought a new depth to it.

CSR, as he envisioned, was never accidental. It was designed:
✧ To move from the backroom to the boardroom
✧ To bridge the trust deficit between NGOs and corporates
✧ To shift from intent to structured, project-driven impact

Simple Ideas. Yet, Powerful enough to shape the trajectory of a Nation. All of it customised to be the Bhartiya Model of CSR for India, by India

We also discussed two ideas that could shape the future of CSR in India:

— Recognising 1st April as India CSR Day, marking over a decade of this landmark legislation

— Launching a CSR Fellowship Program under his guidance to build research and the next generation of leaders in this space

Some conversations stay with you.
Some conversations shape you.

And some quietly remind you why you chose this path in the first place.

This was all three.

(Sharing the YouTube link in the comments for those curious about “Chatterjeeism of CSR” and the announcement of these upcoming initiatives —it’s truly worth the watch.)

SANCHITA VAISH

Company Secretary & CSR Lead at Baker Hughes

Tribute from Pragya Nalwa -Colleague Dua Consulting Tolstoy House, new Delhi- 2025

“A tribute to my GURU, the Father of Indian CSR, Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee. This book is not just a collection of case studies. It’s a chronicle of conviction, collaboration, and change. CSR in India has journeyed from compliance to conscience, from mandate to movement, and from duty to dharma. Whether you embrace it or debate it, CSR is now woven into India’s development fabric. You may like it; you may critique it but you cannot ignore it. It’s here to stay. It’s shaping Viksit Bharat. Let’s rise individually and institutionally to contribute with purpose, with passion, and with pride. Celebrating the book, the vision, and the legacy… KK

--Dr. KK Upadhyay

Professor and Chairperson, Centre for Sustainability & CSR at Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH), Greater Noida