Abstract

In a context where traditional public sector agencies and other Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are struggling to provide reliable energy access to all citizens of India, distinguishing themselves from these actors are other private players such as Boond, who are innovating ways to bring electricity to those excluded, in a way that it is sustainable: economically, financially, environmentally, and socially. The work Boond is doing, per se, may not be unique, or at a scale that can affect outcomes at the national level, at least not yet. But its focus on (1) innovation, (2) people-driven governance, (3) tech adoption, (4) commitment to sustainable outcomes, and (5) bringing new processes of management, are explored in this case, offering potential ways to fill the gaps in the traditional public sector approaches and imaginations for service delivery in the country.

This case explores how alternate forms of governance may be emerging in India that could potentially indicate an ongoing transformational change in the development trajectory for the country. This case is written to explore the leadership role played within the organisation and by it, towards improving developmental outcomes and building disaster risk resilience as a cobenefit.