Prerana Langa

Prerana Langa, CEO YES FOUNDATION, the social development arm of YES BANK (India’s Fifth Largest Private Sector Bank).

Ms Prerana Langa, an academician, in the true sense is one of the most liveliest woman we had met coming from the financial sector! Post completing her Executive Development Program in Corporate Social Responsibility from the World Bank and the Harvard University South Asia Institute, she was selected by the Swedish Government’s, SIMP program grant 2013 (top 20 selected from India) to study in Stockholm.

I believe in the power of positive accidents

Prerana Langa was a part of a two-member start-up team to set up ICICI Foundation for Inclusive development/CSR arm of the ICICI Group of Companies. This program is aimed at empowering low-income Indians by helping them participate in and benefit from India’s growth process. While working on this micro finance projects, she decided to personally visit the  Gundoor district (now Andhra Pradesh).

I thought I should be dressing low key, since it was a village area, but I was pleasantly surprised to see the women there!

And she was surprised to find the women were very neatly dressed, they were there before time, and they were enthusiastic about the meeting. That’s when Prerana realised, that she had an opportunity to serve them.

The women knew the value of money, they were not educated, but they were entrepreneurs.

“I always had the intent to contribute. I joined the start up team to set up ICICI Foundation, and it has been a wonderful journey ever since”, she says confidently.

She spearheaded the YES! i am the CHANGE project under the YES BANK Foundation. In a span of just 3 years, the project, has emerged out to be  India’s largest social film movement.

I have done my MBA, but had never really used my skills, until I worked in the development sector.

Right from Finance, to Admin to HR, to secretarial, YES Foundation was like a startup three years back. Prerana played an active role in developing “ YES! i am the CHANGE” , a mindset transformation project that uses the medium of films to create and re- ignite the spark amongst the youth enabling them to become agents of social change.

It is the youth Of India, that has made Yes! i am the Change a success.

This program  has inculcated  over 3100 films and the extensive  participation of over half a million youth across 2,500 cities and towns. This has resulted in grabbing for themselves, an invitation from Guinness Book of World Records.

 

Being a full time corporate Professional, she also breathes Inspiration. Without constant motivation, its difficult for one to function and give their best. When asked about her biggest Inspiration, Prerana answered by saying that its her Mother. She truly looks up to her mother and considers her sacrifices and efforts to have shaped her as an inpidual.

We sincerely thanks Ms Langa for devoting her precious time to this Interview and making an effort to inspire millions of readers through our platform.

 

Visit Yes Foundation website : www.yesfoundation.in

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