Partners In Change has been involved in finding corporate partners to support NGOs involved in development work for the last 15 years. Though Sista has been one of the founding members of the organisation, his role had been minimal, with the advertising world and Sista's and Sista's keeping him occupied. Now that he had sold off the advertising agency, he has become a full time development campaigner.

``If the government has been successfully involving the corporate community in developing the economy, it can successful use business houses in community development,'' says Sista. From the helm of Partners In Change, Sistassays, he will actively campaign with corporates to make community development programmes a success.

``The definition of charity for most corporate houses was donating money to the CEO's wife's charity. But now the concept of corporate philanthropy has grown and Partners In Change hopes to become the synergy between NGOs and corporates in the social development field,'' he says. Partners In Change will make presentations, consult with corporates and help them identify a cause with which they can identify themselves for a long period.

``Money is not the only help that we need from corporates. We need their time, management skills so that the community development work can become more fruitful,'' he says. Partners In Change hopes to become a resource group that can provide expertise, data and a professionally managed interface between business houses and NGOs.

Partners In Change will adopt a two-pronged strategy by taking up small projects that can form ideal examples for corporates to follow and at thesame time sell the concept of taking on bigger projects to the business houses. ``If the programme is successful, the business house and the NGO can continue their partnership and we may be out of the picture. We don't mind this as long as the concept of community participation has sunk into the minds of the corporates,'' Sista says.

Many MNCs have come into the country with huge budgets for community development, he says, and adds Partner In Change is looking at helping them set up successful ventures. ``Many MNCs have to face a lot of hostility and by doing community work they can wipe out the edge of criticism,'' says Sista. He cites the example of Cogentrix, which faced a hostile community near its plant site in Karnataka. Now, over some years Cogentrix is fully involved in community development in the area by building schools, hospitals, etc, and has managed to work its way into the community, he says.

While agreeing that most companies initially want only to carry out projects near their plants,over a period of time they will expand their horizons, he says.

Sista also does his own bit of community service by getting actively involved with a Pune-based NGO, Parivar Mangal Trust. He is also involved in neighbourhood development programmes of the Mumbai municipal authorities.