The 5th ELSA AGM and Annual Dinner held on Sep 8-2018 at Delhi based on the theme  "We Can.We Will" reflects the strength of our growing alumni community that has the potential to provide a meaningful platform to all fellow women, from all walks of life.

It was a get together of different batches and across batches that started with a warm reception at LSR where Principal Dr Suman Sharma greeted us with flowers, and took us down memory lane to those wonderful years we all spent  at college.

Details & Documents presented at the AGM as well as pictures are available on the website; these can be accessed with your log in IDs.

Annual Dinner saw the launch of The Legal Digital Platform for Women's Rights collated by ELSA Ameeta V Duggal. Dr Pinky Anand- ELSA & Additional Solicitor General of India & Dr Meenakshi Gopinath- Pricipal Emerita, LSR joined us on the occasion. Dr Gopinath urged all to join our growing ELSA community and  add more strength to our network.

Its easy to register- click the online registration link on www.lsralumna.org or write to admin@lsralumna.org

Going forward, ELSA & SHEROES are also embarking on a new partnership where we will try to leverage the strengths of both our networks for more good!!

Mentorship Forum is work in progress, and new mentees have approached us; do look up the website for Mentors' details and let us know if you'd us to assign any mentor. Slots are open until October 10, 2018.

Browse pictures of the Annual Dinner on our website and keep creating more memories each year!

BA (Honours) in Economics, class of 1995

As a feminist advocate, strategist, and storyteller for communities and organisations, Anasuya has led initiatives nationally in India and the United States, regionally across the global South, and internationally for over 20 years. She is committed to amplifying voices ‘from the margins’ in the virtual and physical worlds, while unpacking issues of power, privilege, and access (including her own).

Anasuya's work so far has encompassed supporting and strengthening free knowledge, human rights and social justice movements and communities of practice. She is currently co-founder and Co-Director, with Siko Bouterse and Adele Vrana, of Whose Knowledge?, a campaign to centre the knowledge of marginalised communities online, aka making knowledge on the internet feel less white, male, straight, and global North in origin.

Workshop on Processing Grief

The second session in the ELSA Wellness Series, "Processing Grief" was held on September 2 at the home of ELSA Jaya Kumar.

The session was facilitated by ELSA Maullika Sharma who is a counsellor. It was a small group session allowing for sharing of experiences and emotions related to the past, present and anticipated grief.

The session provided insight and a deeper understanding which normalised the journey through grief of the participants.




Waste Management Workshop

Team ELSA has been interested in finding ways to engage in creating impact - individually and collectively. Waste is one such aspect that enables each one of us to make a difference and help the environment on a visible daily basis.

The workshop conducted by ELSA Kalpana Kar - a waste evangelist and someone who has spent 18 plus years carving strategies and demonstrating through several “proof of concept” avenues for each of us to engage. She explained the Principles of decentralised management that Bengaluru City has adopted and how every home - business - institution can participate and plug in to do their bit.

The waste cycle and circular economy was explained by Wilma of Saahas Zero Waste who shared their journey and the services they provide.

Together ELSA can measure and quantify the impact it seeks to make in creating a better world by individually managing their waste and collectively influencing others to carry their share of the burden responsibly. The long term plan for this is to get Elsas in different cities involved and create a movement leaving an Elsa Imprint in Social Change.

Deconstructing Citizenship

The fourth talk moved beyond the personal into macro issues of statehood and identity and the micro level of citizenry in the 21st century. Oberoi Bengaluru joined ELSA Bangalore in making this talk possible. ELSA Yumna Hari Singh moderated this session.

The panelists drew upon their lived and real experiences. Activist and co-founder of Whitefield Rising, Nitya Ramakrishnan drew on her experience at creating and fuelling a movement of citizens wanting to impact their world. Ashish Sen community radio and media consultant, touched on issues of minority rights, the power of community radio and journalism and the importance of finding a cause dear to you. Praveen Sood, DG of Police CID,Special Units and economic offences, placed the onus on engagement, recommending it as vital tactic in these days of social media and instant accessibility between state and citizen, politician and constituent. Last, but certainly not least, Journalist CK Meena co-founder Asian College of Journalism shone a spotlight on the voiceless masses left untethered by both capitalism and patronage democracy.

Audience participation was high and led to intense debate between panelists as they responded to questions around the long view on GDP, the extension of nationality, where to turn for unbiased news, the you-first mentality and many other areas of captivating interest. As with each talk, panelists and participants alike wished for more time, as Talk 4 drew to a close.

Some video clips of the Deconstructing Citizenship highlights are already available on Facebook. ELSA Talk 5 continues the arc of personal into public with a promising conversation on Building Community. The talk will be held at the Oberoi on the 2nd of December in Bangalore. email elsatalksbangalore@gmail.com to register.

ELSA Mumbai wedded together gupshup at lunch, an introductory lecture on economics and sage advise on investment options for its members on 1st September 2018. The lunch itself was hosted by an ELSA entrepreneur Radhika Khanna, who started her catering venture Lotus Blossoms many years ago and is now finally stepping into the retail food world. Her Thai spread was delectable beyond measure with chicken skewers, prawn chips, veggie pockets, prawn tempuras, thai peanut salads to start us off with during the talk. Her aesthetically and gastronomically pleasing mocktails too kept the ELSAs hydrated during the in-depth talk. And lovely Thai curry, raw papaya and pomelo salad with pad thai noodles and sticky rice for lunch was much needed and appreciated after having expended a lot of brain cells.

Rakee Prasad, Gesu Kaushal and Rubina gave us an insight into economics and investments. Gesu, the Executive Director of Kotak Investment Bank, Chhavi Moodgal the Founder of Scient Capital and Rakhi Prasad, Investment Manager of Alder Capital has most kindly and thoughtfully created a short but comprehensive booklet on economics and basics of investment. It is a ready reference for Basic Economics and Investment options today but also an eye opener to those who haven’t had much exposure to Economics as a subject through their LSR days.

Needless to say less knowledgeable ELSAs in such matters were more than happy to have such knowledgeable and kind alumni to guide their baby steps. Such talks therefore become a huge value add that the ELSAs gain from each other. ELSAs truly appreciate the efforts of all those concerned, Gayatri Srivastava, the speakers and the host who made such an event possible. And look forward to many such more.

ELSA UK organised organised the first #PublicDiscussion event of the critically acclaimed book #LaidToRest by author and foreign correspondent Mr Ashis Ray.

The book is based on extensive research and evidence that attempts to lay to rest the controversy which has gripped millions for decades about Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's death.

"When you show compassion, when you show caring,when you show love to others,do things for others, in a wonderful way you have a deep joy that you can get in no other way" Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Elsa Bangalore members and friends of ELSA contributed generously and mobilized relief materials blankets, womens' innerwear, clothes, toiletries, foodgrains and medicines. These were then distributed to the people rendered homeless through the timely intervention and support of Swastha ... a part of the Coorg Foundation.

Funds raised through magnanimous contributions by Elsas, those who didn't take back their annual dinner differential refund, as also the bid for a stay at Plantation Trails Coorg, by Elsa Smriti Bolarya Sharma will be used in rehabilitating college/school children. If you would like to contribute contact vandanasarin@hotmail.com for details.

After a fun time out at the Annual Dinner, the Gurgaon Gang of Girls had a relatively quiet meeting on the 22nd of the month with a serious discussion on Mental Health. Saroj Kausal, one amongst us gave a talk on various Mental Health problems being faced by kids, adults and older people.

Taboos around these issues were talked about and she highlighted the need for sensitivity on the part of all those who are associated with people in their family and friend circle battling with some of these issues.

Stories were shared going a long way in building the sisterhood.




We welcome suggestions for trips for Elsas, if you would like to take the initiative and organize one please write to travelsa@lsralumna.org


Congratulations to Harvard Professor Gita Gopinath
Our alumna for being named the Chief Economist at the International Monetary Fund