The LEAP Mumbai Fellowship
Nurturing System Thinkers to make Mumbai more Livable and Sustainable
Do you live in Mumbai?
How do you feel about the polluted air and garbage choking our rivers?
Do large slums and poverty in the city bother you?
Do you think our government, businesses, NGOs and citizens could do more to make Mumbai more livable and sustainable?
About 20 Million people live in Mumbai. The city’s rapid growth has created opportunity and comfort, but also social and environmental problems that negatively affect every Mumbaikar–and lead to poor health and mental stress. These various problems are inter-connected and amplify each other.
How can Mumbai become a more inclusive, livable, sustainable and ultimately, healthier and happier city?
The LEAP Mumbai Fellowship will bring together 24 citizens on a 4-months’-long learning journey to explore and understand the social, economic and ecological systems that make Mumbai thrive.
Fellows will attend sessions and participate in discussions and visits that deepen their understanding of the various sub-systems and feedback loops in the city, thereby developing a nuanced, holistic, systemic perspective to the various complex challenges we see around us.
We will explore questions like, what could a better Mumbai look like?
What is the role of citizens in improving our city?
How can we cultivate personal leadership to enable this transformation?
Themes and Topics Covered
How Mumbai Works
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Mumbai from a Urban Planning Perspective: Past, Present and Future
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Transportation and Real Estate Development
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Waste Management and the Circular Economy
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Law, Order and Corruption
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Poverty, Exclusion and Gender
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Public Spaces and Land Use
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Pollution: Air, Water, Land and Noise
Systems Thinking
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Understanding the Earth and Society as one complex, inter-connected System
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Urban System Dynamics: How Cities evolve over time
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Local Governance Systems
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Mumbai’s sub-systems and their non-linear behaviours
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Applying Systems Thinking to every challenge
Holistic Response
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The Roles of Citizens, Government and Markets
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Personal Transformation–Our Inner World
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Technology and Behaviour
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How can Mumbai achieve the SDGs?
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Climate Change: The Future and Impacts
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Earth Stewardship
Fellowship Details
Sessions: Total 16 Sessions. The Opening and Closing Sessions will be full day (10am - 4pm). Others will be 2-3 hours long every weekend. Most will be on Saturday morning, but some may be in the afternoon or on Sunday. The exact schedule will be shared when we complete the selection process.
Location: Sessions will be held at different locations across Mumbai.
Time Commitment: 6-8 hours a week.
Note: You can do this along with your studies / work as long as you can attend the sessions and do the assignments.
Key Features
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Exposure and Awareness
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Cultivating a Systems Thinking Lens
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Build Community and Connections
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Reimagining Mumbai
Fellowship Components
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Interactions with Expert Speakers
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Discussions and Peer Learning
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Field Visits with NGOs and Social Businesses
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Readings and Assignments (3-4 hours a week)
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Group Projects
Application Process
Who can apply?
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Must be living in Mumbai
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Age: 18-40 (exceptions can be made–please apply)
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Must commit about 6-8 hours/week
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Must attend at least 80% of the sessions
Who are we looking for?
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Curious Thinkers
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Optimistic Dreamers
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Doers
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Caring Citizens
As acceptance is on a rolling basis, please apply early. See dates for information sessions below.
Applications Open: 27th May 2023
Applications Close: 25th Jun
Personal Interview: 10th Jun - 8th Jul
Acceptance: 11th Jul
Fellowship Starts: 29th Jul
Fellowship Ends: 2nd Dec
Experts and Speakers
Speakers are likely to include:
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Luis Miranda: Advisor at Morgan Stanley Private Equity
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Vivek Vig: CEO of Svakarma Finance
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Dr Chandrashekar Shankar: Founder of Vision EarthCare
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Praveen Singh: CEO at Apanalaya
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Prof Malini Krishnankutty: Professor at Center for Urban Science and Engineering, IIT-Bombay
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Dr Al Sharada: Executive Director at Population First
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Pratima Joshi: Executive Director at Shelter Associates
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Dr Ganesh Kamath: Chairman at Organica Biotech
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Prof. NC Narayanan: Professor at Center for Policy Studies, IIT-Bombay
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Prof. Amita Bhide: Professor at TISS
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Sameer Unhale: Smart Cities Mission Director
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Utkarsha Kavadi: Director, All India Institute of Local Self Government
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Prof. Himanshu Bhurte: Professor at Center for Urban Science and Engineering, IIT-Bombay
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Prof Om Damani: Professor at Department of Computer Science, IIT- Bombay
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Meeta Narsinghani: Partner at Circulate Capital
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Ashok Rathod: Founder at Oscar Foundation
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Prabhat Pani: Executive Director at Centre for Innovation in Sustainable Development, SPJIMR, Mumbai
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Suranjana Ghosh: Head of Marico Innovation Foundation
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Sundeep Kapila: Founder of Swasth
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Frahinsa Rodrigues: CEO, Mumbai Mobile Creches
FAQs
Q. Is there any fee for the program?
There is no fee to join the program. However, at the end of the program, if you feel that you have benefitted from the program, we encourage you to contribute whatever amount you deem suitable to make this program available to more people in more cities.
Q. Will there be sessions every weekend?
Except for the Independence Day and Diwali Weekends, there will be sessions on each weekend. Detailed week-wise schedule will be provided upon acceptance to the fellowship.
Ready to Apply?
Apply early as we will start scheduling interviews as applications roll in
Final Deadline is 25th June
Have more questions?
Sign up for Info Session and Meet the Team
Info Session #1 : 10th Jun | 10am-11am
Info Session #2 : 17th Jun | 6pm-7pm
Can't apply this time?
We will launch new Fellowships and other programs. If you can't apply at this time, or live outside Mumbai, please sign up below so you stay updated about our future programs.