Its much more than Passion...Mr. Rajeev Kumar tells you how..

All the budding social entrepreneurs, we bring to you the thoughts and advice of Mr. Rajeev Kumar, a serial entrepreneur, mentor, an Angel investor and the judge of Kalpavriksha 2010 and 2011.

Mr. Rajeev Kumar is globally known for his social initiatives- Project Agastya, The sixth International Ecocity Conference, The Cleaner Production initiative and the Rajeev Kumar Foundation.

Mr. Rajeev is a recipient of several awards and recognitions and was a Bangalore Finalist at the "Lead India" by 'Times Of India'-Bangalore, India - an initiative to identify Young apolitical leaders to lead India into her future (September 2007).

We asked Mr. Rajeev if passion for improvement in society was the most important thing in setting up a social enterprise and these were his pearls of wisdom:

Passion to create a change is important. But being passionate is abstract and is certainly not the most important thing. Social enterprise is a business and not a charity. One must evaluate the market like a businessman to know opportunities and challenges and then apply  one's mind to come up with unique solutions that are sustainable. It is important to collaborate, improve and learn on the way. One must be different and efficient to be a successful social entrepreneur.

He highlights the need for social entrepreneurial initiatives rather than charity by narrating an incident in Karnataka. In Karnataka, one unit of 1000 litres of water costed Rs. 6 to 7. However, it was charged at Rs. 2 for the poorer section of the society. While interacting with the poor people regarding this initiative, he found that they were more than willing to pay Rs. 6-7 for reliable and safe drinking supplies. They wanted regular dependable supply of resources and not cheaper irregular supply. Social enterprises are the answer to such problems as they are focused on creating opportunities and making available resources to those who are greatly in need for them.

And finally, what could be most useful to all those who wish to apply for Kalpavriksha or are set to march the path of social entrepreneurship, we asked him ' What makes a successful entrepreneur? On what basis does he judge the candidates?' and this is what we got from him:

He believes that a good candidate for a successful social entrepreneur should have clear understanding of the difference between a business, a social enterprise and charity. He should understand the market potential, opportunities and challenges. He should come up with innovative and feasible solutions. He should have an open mind and be willing to seek advice. He should look forward to collaborate rather than compete. Innovation, feasibility of his business idea and attitude are the most important facets of a successful social entrepreneur.