The initiative translated into four projects: customer service re-engineering for the Thakurpukur Cancer Research Hospital; the cost benefit analysis of half a million pound of overseas' grant for the Spastic Society; development of vocational programmes among rural people for the Vikramshila Education Resource Society, and `fund raising strategies' for Vivekchetana, an organisation for upliftment of street children and underprivileged women.

Inca intends using management consulting as a tool fornon-profit organisations (NPOs). It is also an effective catalyst for the involvementof MBA volunteers into the social sector. The programme aims at providing voluntary support to NPOs in terms of their requirements and at the same time, create a body of practice-based knowledge on the leadership, management and strategy of NPOs.

Inca has initiated projects towards building long-tern relationships with NPOs, building on the core strengths of IIMC to create a two-way learning system between the business school and the social sector. Says Munshi, "Inca serves voluntary organisations by providing them with free management inputs to improve their performance. It also helps students develop a sense of social responsibility.''

Munshi is proud of Inca's work as all four projects were completed and delivered as stipulated. ``I was told by the outgoing students who participated in the projects that this was a very unique experience for them,'' says he.

The projects are funded by IIMC. Each project worked on ashoe-string budget of upto Rs 2,000 to cover transport and duplicating (of report) costs. The voluntary organisations do not have to spend a single paisa for the service that they receive.

The private sector has not yet being involved in the programme but Munshi feels interest in the initiative is growing. He plans to expand the activities of Inca by involving new batches of students and at the same time by retaining ties with the outgoing students who have participated in different projects. ``This way a resource network will be developed over time,'' Munshi points out.

The most attractive aspect of Inca is the human face of the initiative. Says Minshi, ``I was present when the Vikramshila project on vocational training was presented. It was nice to see the students realise that the hard work that they had done was not done just to earn a grade but to influence reality, the reality of those less privileged than they.''

Inca has completed their first round and delivered the reports. Their second roundwill start when the institute opens after the summer vacation. ``I hope we can take ten projects in this round, involving about sixty students, if not more," says Munshi. For Munshi, Inca has been a tremendous learning experience. ``Some of the organisations were not clear why students from an elite organisation would want to work hard without any return. I was asked again and again whether their work was in response to their course requirement. I was in fact asked what was my own reward in investing time in the initiative. We have become cynical, have't we?,'' says Munshi.

``It was nice to see people realise that we can still be moved by ideals. My reward has been the realisation that our younger generation can still rise to their social responsibility if only they are show the way, not by words but by action. This has been a positive experience for me,'' he sums up.