With an impact graph stretching across three decades, Shishir has ventured into several interconnected arenas of work each of them as exciting as the other, if not more. At the heart of Shishir’s core and vision, are not-for-profit campaigns and initiatives which help citizens achieve transformative change by engaging with systems and structures. Citizen empowerment and a qualitative change in their lives for the positive, is what he strives towards – in action and as a catalyst.
Up until November 2017, Shishir was the CEO of Bombay First, also known as Mumbai First, a unique not-for-profit model of Public-Private Participation which aims at making Mumbai a better place to live, work and play, for everyone. As it’s youngest CEO, he held the position for close to four years. During his stint at Mumbai First, he was instrumental in setting up the much-appreciated War-Room for the Government of Maharashtra, to fast-track key infra initiatives. It was a Mumbai First-McKinsey initiative with the Government of Maharashtra.
In 2017, iVolunteer, an international not-for-profit body awarded him the Special Jury Prize, as an acknowledgement of his ‘Exemplary contribution to India’s Social Development.’ Another one of his initiatives, Vote4Mumbai, along with the State Election Commission, Maharashtra, played an important role in corporate citizens stepping out to vote in larger numbers, resulting in a 10 per cent rise in voter turnouts for the civic elections of Mumbai two years ago. His effort was acknowledged officially.
He also led a 25000-strong volunteer base of citizens to beautify 36 Railway Stations of Mumbai, within a record seven days in 2016. This is arguably one of the largest such volunteer-focused public private people initiatives to have ever unfolded in India, in such a short time.
Chairman of Muskaan – Sharing Smiles, a not for profit engaged in educating under privileged children in one of Mumbai’s suburbs and also a Trained Counsellor, Shishir takes up Individual and Corporate Counselling projects on request. He was part of the founding team which set up Nithya Sahaya, a first of its kind free, walk-in counselling at St. Michael’s Church in Mahim, which experiences a foot-fall of over 90,000 people every Wednesday, across faith, gender and economic strata.
Shishir is a lawyer, with a postgraduation in Mass Communication. Associated with some of the best institutions, including NDTV, Aaj Tak, MidDay and Indian Express, he was regarded as a hard-nosed journalist and anchor, during his 20-year stint as a journalist.
His passion for facilitating collaborations at multiple levels, across various verticals and ability to hone better leadership and ownership in individuals as well as organisations, makes him an asset to the development of a city like Mumbai and an icon for socio-civic changemakers.
