Meet the 2024 ILR India Team!

Ivor M., ILR'27

Hello! My name is Ivor (He/Him/His), and I am a First-Year majoring in Industrial and Labor Relations. I am hoping to pursue minors in Economics, Data Science, and/or Moral Psychology. On campus, I am a member of the Cornell Undergraduate Research Board (CURB) and am a Meinig Family Cornell National Scholar! In my free time I enjoy walking/playing with my dog, hanging out with friends, and playing tennis! I am super excited to be working with SVYM as I am a firm believer in servant leadership and community outreach! Additionally, I cannot wait to immerse myself in this global culture and see parts of Mysore! I expect this experience to improve my intercultural competence and am hopeful to make a true impact on the people I work with while a part of this program! 

Ava L., ILR'26

Hello! My name is Ava, and I am a sophomore ILR student from just outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I look forward to pursuing a global health minor in order to explore my interests in the diversity of international health systems and the study of social and ethical approaches to global health.  

On campus, I am on the executive board of Asian Pacific Americans for Action (APAA), a board member of the CU Tonight Funding Commission, and a member of the Chinese Students Association (CSA). In my free time, I enjoy running, playing my alto saxophone, and baking.  

I am very honored and excited to work with SVYM in India this summer to gain invaluable experience creating change within a community at the grassroots level. I aim to expand my intercultural competency and learn as much as I can from SVYM and my fellow peers!  

Sean S., ILR'27

Hi! My name is Sean, and I am from Fremont, California. I am a freshman in Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. I am also pursuing a business minor. I am interested in human resource management, global labor and work, and tech ethics. On campus, I am involved with the Cornell Men’s Fencing Club Team, the Cornell Speech and Debate Society as a member of the Policy Debate Team, and the Cornell Institute of Compensation Studies. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and binge-watching TV shows. I am excited to participate in the India Global Service Learning Program and work with SVYM. I am eager to make the most of this experience and to serve the community!

Kiana K., ILR'26

Hello! My name is Kiana, and I am from Sacramento, California. I am a Sophomore-transfer from UCLA currently studying Industrial and Labor Relations with double minors in Information Science and Education. On campus, I am heavily involved with my consulting group, Social Enterprise Group at Cornell, where I directly work alongside leading NGOs to help further their social impact.

As the daughter of immigrant parents and a first-generation college student, my passion for international relations and education equity is perfectly fused by this incredible opportunity to engage in global service learning and volunteer work in India. During my free time, I love exploring different cuisines, snowboarding, and working on my social enterprise: DOT.!

It is truly an honor to take part in the SVYM India program this upcoming summer. I am deeply committed to serving my community, both in local and global settings. I am so excited to acquire the intercultural competency skills needed for my independent project and the opportunity to connect with my fellow cohort members.

Alex Y., ILR'26

Hi! My name is Alex, and I am from Rye, NY, but grew up in Hong Kong. I am a Sophomore in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations pursuing minors in Policy Analysis and Management, and Global Health. Academically, I love exploring the intersection of public health, business management, and law. On campus, I am involved with the Cornell University Emergency Medical Service, the government pre-professional fraternity Pi Lambda Sigma, and the Advocacy Project. I cannot wait to begin working with both SVYM and the ILR India Global Service Learning Program to become a more engaged member of the global community. Through learning and working alongside passionate advocates from SVYM and Cornell, I hope to learn and grow as a person while also exploring ways to create critical change

Lucy N., ILR'26

Hello! My name is Lucy, and I am from Harpswell, ME. I am a sophomore studying Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University.  In the future, I intend to go to law school. At Cornell, I work as a Marketing Assistant in the Marketing Department at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, and as a Research Assistant in the Government Department under the supervision of Assistant Professor Bryn Rosenfeld. I am also on Rise, a dance team, and am in a social sorority where I am the Director of social media. 

I am so excited and grateful to be able to be a part of the ILR Global Engaged-Learning Program, and I cannot wait to begin my work with SVYM this year. I hope that through this program I will hone my skills in communication, as well as my writing, researching, and presenting skills. Through this program, I hope to gain a greater perspective on workforces around the world which will influence my future career. 

Sharon L. ILR ‘25, Project: Research on Nonprofit Learning & Development Initiatives with SVYM's Human Resources Department

This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to work with SVYM’s Human Resources department to conduct a 20-page comparative research study on nonprofit learning and development (L&D) initiatives and HR best practices. The deliverable is titled “Transitioning to a Learning Organization,” and I had the invaluable support of our TA Sri Ravisankar as well as the mentorship of Ms. Lilly Verghese and Dr. Vishwas Rao!

For my project, my responsibility was to understand SVYM could transition from an HR management approach to people management to transition into a learning organization. The way that this transition could be facilitated would be by implementing L&D initiatives, which refer to enhancing employees’ knowledge, skills, and competencies through both informal and formal learning processes. 

For the first part of my research, I assessed the gaps between SVYM’s existing practices and its planned future strategy by qualitatively analyzing three of their previous modules for their L&D initiatives: 1) Knowing Your Organization, 2) Development Paradigm, and 3) Workplace Etiquette and Professionalism. I also conducted a comprehensive literature review to complement my analysis with scholarly articles concerning the challenges that nonprofits face with nonprofit management, and an evidence-based methodology to learn how training could be more indivudalized for employee needs. 

Then, I analyzed multiple case studies on three nonprofit and two corporate organizations to make a comparative analysis of the best L&D practices in reputed organizations. I was able to use this comparison to devise strategy recommendations for SVYM to transition into a learning organization. Specifically, our recommendations consisted of emphasizing interactive learning through the 70-20-10 L&D Model, expanding on employee empowerment through initiatives such as a mentorship program, aligning the L&D strategy with the HR strategy, and a scale-up of technological initiatives.

The conclusion of my final deliverable ended with a final presentation of my findings to SVYM and stakeholders, and our recommendations are currently in consideration for SVYM’s strategies to transition into a learning organization. Overall, this experience was an invaluable professional development and cultural immersion experience, and I am so grateful to everyone at SVYM who made this program as amazing as it was!

Eva T. ILR '25, Project: Barriers to Employment for People with Disabilities in Rural India

Namaskara! This past summer, I had the pleasure to work with a highly esteemed non-profit organization, Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM), in India. The focus of my project was to analyze the various barriers to employment for people with disabilities under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, a project I led from the regional hospital in the Sargur Taluk. By analyzing the percentages and demographics, among other variables, on district-wide medical databases, I identified local individuals with locomotor disabilities, calling attention to patterns of how their livelihoods played a factor on their employment status. My findings indicated that inaccessibility to the worksite, lack of recruitment outreach for PWD, and gender-based social constraints each played major roles in the success of the search for employment. I presented my research in meetings for the hospital staff to enhance understanding of personal impact when advocating for PWD in their correspondence with government agencies. 

My experience with working for SVYM has shaped how I go forward in my studies in the Industrial and Labor Relations school, as having this first-hand experience has molded my passion in learning about labor relations, employment law, and workers' rights. These three main areas of focus will help create a foundation to build an acute understanding of how prospective employer practices may improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities. This upcoming Fall, I plan to further investigate the ways in which government intervention can assist in providing paid work to disabled laborers through an independent study. It was a true privilege and honor to work with a nonprofit who’s mission and methods speak to my core values and aspirations for the betterment of our future society. I hope to continue my work in the push for disability justice through nonprofits that share similar morals the way SVYM executives their investment of building human capital in South India.

Maaya K. Bowers CIS (Global Health Minor) ‘25, Project: Assessing Low Immunization Rates and High Infant Deaths among Indigenous Tribal Populations

My name is Maaya, and I am a junior majoring in Information Science with a concentration in data science and minoring in Global Health. This past summer, I had a once in a lifetime experience of working with Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement on a service learning project. Before our projects began and we traveled to our sites, we were integrated into Indian, specifically Karnataka influenced culture. We made trips to ancient and beautiful temples, saw attractions that told the history of Mysore, and as a cohort we had so much fun exploring markets and eating delicious food that Mysore had to offer. One of my favorite moments in Mysore was going to the Brindavan gardens. Everything from the auto ride to watching the fountains rise and fall was a wonderful experience. 

We also engaged in classes for the first two weeks of the program. Every day I woke up excited to go to class because each lecturer made their content and presentation interesting. It was an interactive setting where we had the opportunity to gain experience from professionals. What I loved about the global health and healthcare related classes was that we had site visits as we learned about these topics in class. For example, Dr. Deepashree had a wonderful lecture on individuals affected by disabilities in India. That same day along with Roopa ma’am we had an informational tour of All India Institute Of Speech and Hearing (AIISH). We asked questions and met people who had dedicated their lives to helping children work with their disabilities. 

I spent the rest of the program in Sargur, the location of my project. My project was on low immunization rates and high infant deaths among indigenous tribal populations. The best part of my project was the field visits where I went into the community with the intent to learn. My favorite one was a baby shower where I put bangles on the girls’ hands and gifted them with nutritious food. I was so honored to be a part of such a beautiful ceremony. Following this event, SVYM staff and members of the tribal community held a mother’s meeting where they discussed care for women. I listened to their conversations intently and noticed the influence of tribal traditions on expecting mothers. This information was crucial because it explained the trends in data sets with which I was provided. It was also important for the public health questionnaire I built under the guidance of my mentors. I tailored each of my deliverables towards the information I learned about the tribal population in Karnataka. For example, on our way back from the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, my mentor and I talked about tribal people and their claim to ancestral land. The government wants them to leave the forest, but the tribal population is pushing back because this is where all their history is buried. There were many nuances that I was able to understand through my conversation with my mentor, and I believe that this made my project more applicable to modern day. In addition, the data analysis that I conducted focused on immunization doses for babies, mother’s BMI, and other factors that inferences could be drawn from. I was able to see a real-world impact of the work I did, and I felt proud turning in my final deliverables because of that. 

My growth in knowledge and as a person went beyond the classroom and project. I learned about different cultures and issues in India through the connections that I formed. I often had tea breaks with doctors and nurses where we would talk about a variety of topics. I found out about the newly instituted rule where buses are free for all women in Karnataka through my informal conversations. Some people thought it was a brilliant idea, and some did not think it was fair. But I had the chance to listen and hold an intellectual conversation with them, and that was what I valued the most. The relationships that I was able to build with cohort members and SVYM staff made the whole experience priceless. I also formed genuine bonds with my roommates. My most memorable moment with them was finding mangos in our rural site and slurping them while in the canteen. It made me emotional to see the support I received from the global service learning program team, cohort members, and SVYM staff during my presentation. Almost every person I had become friends with (whether we had a language barrier or not) came to my final presentation and cheered me on. I am so thankful for this experience, and I recommend that if you are willing to put yourself out there, then this program will feel like home for you.

Julia G. ILR ‘25, Project: Totally Tribal, SVYM's Socio-Economic Empowerment Program

This summer I was honored to work with Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement in their Socio-Economic Empowerment Program. I focused on Totally Tribal with the help of my mentor, Dr. Denns. This project has been incredibly meaningful and transformed who I am as a person. It taught me universal lessons, helped me to feel comfortable in a new country, and most importantly how to understand others. 

Now onto my project! I integrated cultural knowledge into an orientation pitch deck using academic knowledge and personal experience to train future team members on engaging respectfully with the women. Secondly, I initiated fair trade licensing for the business by identifying and locating proper documentation for continued progress. Lastly, I performed a company analysis of revenues and expenses for each sub-department of business, culminating in a final presentation to the directors of SVYM and SEEP. 

This helped me grow tremendously and I will continue to use these skills in future endeavors at Cornell. Besides the skills I have taken away from this program, I valued my time with several mentors at SVYM. I am grateful for the kindness from the SVYM staff and connections I have made. Thank you everyone for this opportunity again!

Margot T. ILR ‘24, Project: Comparative Analysis on ADR Indian Labor Disputes and Legal Analysis of the New Indian Labour Codes

I spent this summer in the offices of J. Purushotham and Associates, one of the top labor and employment firms in Mysore. Under Mr. Purushotham’s mentorship, I saw the inner workings of Indian labor relations and the court system. 

During my daily trips, I observed labor court, civil court, Lok Adalat, bilateral union meetings, and the Industrial Labour Tribunal. My favorite was Lok Adalat, a form of Indian alternative dispute resolution (ADR) where off-duty judges and trusted advisors persuade and advise disputing parties to reach a mutual settlement. During the National Lok Adalat in July, the Judge invited me and two other SVYM interns to sit directly behind him so that we could best see, hear, and learn from the proceedings. I also visited two factories, hearing from HR professionals and union leaders about labor relations. Within the office, I joined 17 client meetings, observing how Mr. Purushotham builds relationships with corporations, strategizes with HR leaders, and practices the law. 

With my newfound perspective, I completed two projects. First, I wrote a research paper on ADR Indian labor disputes, conducting a comparative analysis of ADR in China, Indonesia, and the United States. Mr. Purushotham will incorporate my recommendations to promote ADR for labor disputes. Second, I completed a legal analysis of the new Indian Labour Codes. The new laws redefine essential terms, such as employer, wages, and industrial dispute, drastically impacting the future of labor law. My report compared the new and old language to highlight fundamental changes and their impact, enabling Mr. Purushotham to better advise clients in the future. 

I am immensely grateful to Mr. Purushotham, his staff, and his clients for empowering me to learn in such a hands-on setting. I am also grateful to Mr. Raju for driving me to work through the Mysore morning traffic and all the staff at SVYM for their support and guidance. I will carry my new perspective, aided by Mr. Purushotham’s generous mentorship and genuine friendship, into my future legal career.

Natasha Z. CHE (Global Health Minor) ‘24, Project: Creating a Standard Operating Procedure for the Emergency Department at the Vivekananda Memorial Hospital

This summer, I had the privilege of working with SVYM and the Vivekananda Memorial Hospital to create a standard operating procedure for the emergency department. My mentor was Dr. Nagesh, a general medicine practitioner within the hospital. 

The standard operating procedure we created is a 20 page document detailing most general processes of the emergency department, from the moment the patient walks into the ED to the point at which they are discharged. Some examples of processes detailed in the document are triage and trauma response, medicolegal cases, pediatric patient considerations, and process monitoring. The document was intended to be an update from the previous standard operating procedure made a couple of years prior. 

The project was split into three phases: an observation phase, documentation, and implementation. During the observation phase, I shadowed and discussed with many healthcare workers and administration at different levels both within and outside the emergency department in order to get a better understanding of how the hospital works and how certain situations are handled by different sectors. A big part of the project was creating clarity and standardization to minimize error and improve efficiency/quality of patient care. Therefore, I made an effort to involve all stakeholders and receive their opinions on what their concerns were and which processes they felt could be improved on or clarified. During this time, I also did plenty of research on governmental guidelines, case studies, and potential solutions which the hospital could adapt to their needs. The next phase of the project ws documentation. Initially, I was nervous and concerned as to whether I could do a good job in creating the document, as I never made a standard operating procedure before coming to India. However, my mentor was very helpful and patient with me as he guided me through the process and probed me to learn from and fix my mistakes. As I was writing up the document, I made sure to get feedback at different points from different individuals so that the parties involved were also represented within the document. The SOP went through many revisions and even now continues to be improved such that it is an accurate representation of the hospital operations. Finally, the last phase of the project was implementation and process monitoring. After speaking with the hospital operations manager, I realized the need to have measures in place that would track the hospital’s performance and give stakeholders a direction for improvement. Additionally, when speaking with workers at different levels, I realized that there were issues with the previous SOP’s implementation, as many people had never seen the previous document let alone actively used it. Therefore, we wanted to have an emphasis on making the SOP accessible to all parties and figuring out ways to integrate its use into the daily operations of the hospital. This was challenging for me as I was not accustomed to the cultural and organizational nuances involved in working at the hospital, nor was it something I could attain in just four weeks. Therefore, I had to rely on my mentor's guidance, and at the end of the day it was important to us that the document was something that had practical utility and was suited to the community’s needs. 

Aside from my project, I also assisted in giving basic life support training to our cohort through the JeevaRaskha program. This was a great opportunity for me as I learned a lot about teaching and how first aid situations can differ between countries. I also enjoyed meeting with different leaders and experts, such as the director of Shaktidhama and the various lecturers we had the privilege of learning from. Exploring India and its rich culture was lovely as well, such as going to the different temples, landmarks, and markets within Mysore. Some of my favorite moments included climbing up 700 stairs to get to the Jain temple, Shravanabelagola, or visiting the beautiful Brindavan Garden. 

Overall, I’m very proud of the end product we were able to create and look forward to seeing how the project progresses beyond my time in India. After many challenges and doubts, I was able to push forward and in the process I gained many valuable lessons, both professionally and personally. I am so honored to be of help to the organization and more importantly am inspired by the community’s efforts in uplifting themselves and taking ownership of their development. It was truly a wonderful experience to be a part of the organization and I will never forget the beautiful friendships I’ve made with the people there!

Grace K. ILR ‘24, Project: Policy Research on Youth for Governance (Y4G) Fellowship at GRAAM

This past summer, I had the incredible opportunity to work with Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement (GRAAM) on policy research. Under the mentorship of Mr. Bhagavan and Mr. Vijai, I studied the impacts of the Youth for Governance (Y4G) Fellowship that had been conducted by GRAAM in partnership with Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA). 

2022 was the first year the fellowship was conducted so my research was based on the pilot cohort. The purpose of the Y4G fellowship was to bring young minds together from different disciplines to increase youth governance and civic engagement. 

The first part of my project was looking at the literature regarding youth governance in India and other parts of the world. I also looked into how civic engagement was measured in other studies and found that models were created to fit the context. After cross-referencing existing civic engagement models, I created my own that catered to the Y4G context.

Then the model was used to create interview questions as well as questionnaire items. Two sets of interview questions were created: one for the fellows who had participated in the Y4G Fellowship and another set for the university coordinators who connected students to the program. The interview questions were semi-structured while the questionnaire items followed a 7-point Likert scale. A total of nine fellows and two coordinators were interviewed. Out of the 21 fellows in the pilot cohort, 18 completed the questionnaire.

To analyze the questionnaire data, I used the software JASP to gather descriptive statistics to measure the overall civic engagement of fellows and their scores for each dimension: Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, and Leadership. For the interviews, transcriptions were done, and then ATLAS.ti was used to conduct an initial thematic analysis before I went in to manually identify repetitive codes and reference similarities to the civic engagement model created. Both qualitative and quantitive data indicated that there was a positive impact on civic engagement that was attributable to the Y4G Fellowship. The final part of my project was creating an analysis report on the qualitative and quantitative data for the GRAAM team to reference. 

In addition to my project, I thoroughly enjoyed the lectures on gender and culture in India as well as developing meaningful relationships with the SVYM community. I am beyond grateful for the experience I had in India and the people I was able to meet. I would like to extend my gratitude to SVYM, the India GSL leadership team, and my cohort for making this an unforgettable experience.

Kamala K. ILR (Global Health Minor) ‘26, Project: Intersection of WASH and Socio-Economic Empowerment

Hello! My name is Kamala Karuppiah! I am majoring in Industrial Labor Relations and minoring in Global Health. In the summer of 2023, after my freshman year, I was very fortunate to be able to work with SVYM to explore the intersection of WASH and socio-economic empowerment. I worked under the mentorship of Dr. Dennis Chauhan, Head of the Socio-economic Empowerment Program of SVYM. 

As part of the program, I was able to learn about the two-year pilot intervention done by SVYM in Raichur, Karnataka. This intervention encourages women in tribal communities and underprivileged communities to make self-help groups to earn cash through entrepreneurship. Simultaneously, these businesses help the greater community sustain water quality and sanitation, and encourage proper hygiene practices and maintenance. I was able to help create drafts of a process document and diagrams which will contribute to a report that will recommend policy to the state government, emphasizing the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) needs of tribal women. This report will encourage the replication of this successful intervention in other parts of Karnataka. Generating these process documents and infographics, helped me learn valuable skills like data analysis, research methodology, and project documentation. As a part of my research, I conducted a brief literature review on financing WASH, government and international policies, and the water supply chain in India. 

I also conducted informal interviews with tribal women in self-help groups which are summarized as a field report. I met with self-help groups in Sargur (in-person) and Raichur (virtually). These amazing women navigate and manage small businesses and factories. These women inspire so many including other women in their community and of course their own children, especially young girls. These entrepreneurs navigate oil factories, sell hygiene products, maintain government infrastructures that sanitize water, and encourage toilet usage, among many other activities all while simultaneously making money for their families. I was also able to go to schools around the Mysore area where they inaugurated new hand-washing stations and bathrooms. These schools ensure that these young students learn the importance of hand washing and hygiene. 

I am honored to have been given the opportunity to observe the great work that SVYM does for the greater community. I am very grateful to learn from esteemed SVYM staff, doctors, tribal women, self-help groups, teachers, and school administrators about water sustainability and entrepreneurship. I was overwhelmed by the amount of love, care, and passion that everyone had for me and each other. Thank you again to Ms. Donna Ramil, Ms. Sri Ravisankar, Ms. Hanni Wiegand, Dr. Rekha, Dr. Dennis, and everyone else who made this experience truly remarkable and unforgettable. 

Luke M. GPHS ‘25, Project: Measuring Patient Satisfaction after Cataract Surgery

My experience working with the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement in India can be summed up in three words – inspiring, challenging, and fulfilling. 

Inspiring: I found it extraordinary how SVYM serves such a diverse geographical population who all have a diverse set of needs. You can be in the city of Mysore, where SVYM offers palliative care services, and then drive three hours into the countryside, where SVYM educates tribal kids. SVYM’s commitment to service and community-focused care demonstrated the qualities developmental organizations need. Furthermore, I was fortunate to have the founder of SVYM, Dr. Balu, speak to our cohort. After hearing that Dr. Balu created SVYM when he was 19, I was inspired by how someone around my age could foster such a meaningful impact. SVYM now serves three million people, proving that one determined person can create a difference. 

Challenging: My experience in India would not be as memorable if it were not for the challenges that came with it. The vegetarian diet was a significant adjustment from my nearly- carnivore diet in the U.S. I was worried about how my body would respond to the change in diet, but after the first week in India, I was surprised that I preferred the vegetarian diet. In fact, I had such a positive experience going vegetarian in India that I have incorporated eating much less meat into my American diet. 

Another challenge was my research project. My research project for SVYM was measuring patient satisfaction after cataract surgery. I was given a lot of autonomy for the project, which was a blessing because I had the freedom to conduct the project any way I wanted, but also a curse because there were a limitless number of methods on how to measure patient satisfaction. After doing a lengthy literature review on ways to measure patient outcomes after cataract surgery, I finally developed my research proposal. My research proposal adopted a cataract questionnaire that was used in other countries such as China, Malaysia, and England. I then modified the questionnaire so that the questions were relevant to the Indian and tribal context in which SVYM works with. I am excited about implementing this questionnaire because it has never been analyzed within the Indian context, and it will introduce a standardized system for measuring patient satisfaction after cataract surgeries. Lastly, I would like to give special thanks to Dr. Seetharam and Dr. Manohar for guiding me along the way to my first independent research project. 

Fulfilling: My six weeks in India is an experience I will continuously reflect on throughout my personal and professional career. Being in a country where the language, food, and people are different than what you have been surrounded by your whole life can be uncomfortable at times. But it is this uncomfortableness that allows you to grow as a person. By embracing discomfort, I have learned so much during my six weeks in India that no class could have ever taught me. I think my favorite experience in India, though, was the people I met along the journey. It is not similarities that make me feel connected to people, but rather our differences. The students, staff, and mentors under SVYM have given me a taste of what Southern Indian culture is like, and I hope to have shared some of my American culture with them as well. Whether it was discussing the Indian and U.S. healthcare system, sharing our different music tastes, or playing a competitive badminton match (and always losing), our differences quite literally spanned thousands of miles apart. I was sad when I had to say goodbye to the many friends I made along the way, but I cherish my experiences with everyone and hope we cross paths again one day.