Celebrating Indian Independence and Economic Growth

Over the last 18 months, the Calvert Foundation’s India Investment Initiative has given Indian Americans and anyone who loves India another option to celebrate India. For the first time, Indian Americans of all backgrounds and incomes can invest in India’s development through Calvert Foundation’s Community Investment Note. To date, we have reached out to over 10,000 Indian Americans across the United States through community events and Indian American organizations and the response has been very strong.

In a few weeks, the United States and India will host their annual Strategic and Commercial Dialogue. Over the last three years, senior leaders of both governments have gotten together to identify joint policy initiatives that can boost trade, investment and business collaboration between the two nations. Of all of the ideas, the India Investment Initiative, which is supported by USAID and the International diaspora Engagement Alliance (a public/private partnership between the U.S. State Department, USAID, and Calvert Foundation), has been one of the most successful.

“We applaud the efforts of the USAID-supported Calvert Foundation’s Indian Investment Initiative, which links investors with Indian social enterprises. Echoing what President Obama said last year, this is a unique public-private partnership that provides an opportunity for Indian-Americans to directly invest in India’s future by supporting non-traditional markets – from providing healthcare to rural communities, to improving water and sanitation. As we commemorate India’s Independence Day, we celebrate the efforts of the Indian-American community to support meaningful development and investment in India.”

-Nisha Biswal, Assistant Secretary of State for South & Central Asian Affairs

One of the ways Americans can honor and celebrate India’s independence is to invest in the India Investment Initiative. To date, the Calvert Foundation has invested in two of India’s leading social enterprise investment funds – Varthana and IntelleGrow. Those funds are themselves investing in some of India’s leading social entrepreneurs in education, health care and agriculture.

Supporting India’s social enterprises is one of the best things that Americans can do for India’s growth. Given the scale of challenges facing India, social enterprises seeking to solve challenges in education, health care, energy, agriculture and other areas can impact the lives of millions. Over the next few years, we hope to build upon our efforts and mobilize many more Indian Americans to do just that. We can only do this through the power of your investments.

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