Centre for Civil Society
Encyclopedia
The Centre for Civil Society (CSS) is a India
n think tank
and an independent, non-profit, research and educational organisation, established in 1997 and working towards improving the quality of life for all citizens of India by reviving and reinvigorating civil society
.
In 2004, CSS was awarded the inaugural Templeton Freedom Award
for excellence in the Student Outreach category, followed by the award in Free Market Solutions to Poverty in 2005 and in Initiative in Public Relations category in 2009. The award is given by the Atlas Economic Research Foundation
using funding from the John Templeton Foundation
.
CCS has a small team of members who seek to spread the message of liberty and responsibility. Borrowing greatly from the philosophies of Ayn Rand
, the Centre says it strives to create the thinkers of tomorrow, and in such an effort targets college students for its programs, students who they identify as change agents.
Research being a major department in CCS attracts a lot of attention from those in the Centre itself. Also people not only of Indian origin and nationality but also from abroad apply for such research.
CCS is also in association with luminaries such as Swaminathan Aiyar
, Sauvik Chakraverti and Subroto Roy.
Along with Parth J Shah, helping with the Centre's work are a "team" of libertarians. The "team", according to the Centre, comprises young intelligent individuals who contribute towards making liberty a household name in India. With its head office in Hauz Khas, New Delhi, it holds its seminars regularly across India. The more famous of these seminars is Liberty & Society Seminar (From 2008 re-named to I,society & Public policy seminars).
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
and an independent, non-profit, research and educational organisation, established in 1997 and working towards improving the quality of life for all citizens of India by reviving and reinvigorating civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
.
In 2004, CSS was awarded the inaugural Templeton Freedom Award
Templeton Freedom Awards
The Templeton Freedom Awards have been given by the Atlas Economic Research Foundation since 2004 using funding from the John Templeton Foundation. The awards honor work done by free-market think tanks around the world. Two winners are named in each year in each category...
for excellence in the Student Outreach category, followed by the award in Free Market Solutions to Poverty in 2005 and in Initiative in Public Relations category in 2009. The award is given by the Atlas Economic Research Foundation
Atlas Economic Research Foundation
The Atlas Economic Research Foundation, also known as the Atlas Network, is a non-profit organization based in the United States which organizes and convenes workshops, offers training, runs prize programs, and provides advisory services in order to continue growing and strengthening an informal...
using funding from the John Templeton Foundation
John Templeton Foundation
"The John Templeton Foundation is a philanthropic organizationthat funds inter-disciplinary research about human purpose and ultimate reality. It is usually referred to simply as the Templeton Foundation...
.
History
The Centre for Civil Society (CCS) is an independent non-profit research and educational think-tank based in New Delhi. According to the Centre's website, it is committed to increasing opportunity, prosperity, and quality of life for every Indian by reinvigorating civil society and readjusting political society. CCS was founded in 1997 by Dr. Parth Shah, an economist and former Professor of Economics at the University of Michigan. In 13 years, CCS has built a reputation for rigor, innovation, and effectiveness. Across the spectrum, through research, proofs of concept, advocacy and outreach, the Centre has contributed to a changed climate of opinion around the country. In 2007, it launched a "School Choice Campaign", which involves giving “education vouchers” to poor students to reimburse tuition fees.Organisation
CCS researches and conducts activities in several policy areas, including:- Livelihood Studies
- Good Governance
- Community and Markets in Environmental Protection
- Education Choice
- Economic Freedom
CCS has a small team of members who seek to spread the message of liberty and responsibility. Borrowing greatly from the philosophies of Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand was a Russian-American novelist, philosopher, playwright, and screenwriter. She is known for her two best-selling novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged and for developing a philosophical system she called Objectivism....
, the Centre says it strives to create the thinkers of tomorrow, and in such an effort targets college students for its programs, students who they identify as change agents.
Research being a major department in CCS attracts a lot of attention from those in the Centre itself. Also people not only of Indian origin and nationality but also from abroad apply for such research.
CCS is also in association with luminaries such as Swaminathan Aiyar
Swaminathan Aiyar
Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar is a prominent Indian journalist and columnist. He is consulting editor for the Economic Times and writes regularly for the Economic Times and The Times of India.-Early life:...
, Sauvik Chakraverti and Subroto Roy.
Along with Parth J Shah, helping with the Centre's work are a "team" of libertarians. The "team", according to the Centre, comprises young intelligent individuals who contribute towards making liberty a household name in India. With its head office in Hauz Khas, New Delhi, it holds its seminars regularly across India. The more famous of these seminars is Liberty & Society Seminar (From 2008 re-named to I,society & Public policy seminars).