Dr Bhaskar Chatterjee and Dr Nayan Mitra, two distinguished authorities in the fields of sustainability and corporate social responsibility, co-edit the book, which is published by Sterling Publishers Private Limited. Twelve in-depth case studies of major CSR initiatives by top Indian corporations are presented in the magazine, demonstrating how business goals have resulted in quantifiable social effects and results that have helped to strengthen the nation. Capgemini Technology Services India Limited, Cargill India, Castrol India Limited, IndusInd Bank, ITC Limited, JK Organisation, JSW Foundation, Kotak Education Foundation, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited, Tata Steel, Tech Mahindra Foundation, and Vedanta Limited are among the organisations that have contributed.

Policymakers, business executives, scholars, and CSR professionals were all present at the launch ceremony. As the Chief Guest, Swami Prajnatmananda of Ramakrishna Mission offered insights on spiritual leadership with an emphasis on sustainability, ethics, and teamwork. He underlined that generosity must be carried out with honour, compassion, humility, and plenty, underscoring the moral and spiritual underpinnings of ethical corporate engagement. He described charity (dāna) as a manifestation of dharma, the universal principle that upholds cosmic and social equilibrium and transcends religion to further the welfare of society. He defined corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a type of group sacrifice for the benefit of many, based on the idea that genuine happiness and virtue come from unselfish giving and service.

The significance of public-private cooperation in promoting sustainable results was discussed by special guest Atri Bhattacharya, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Sundarban Affairs Department. He emphasised that CSR needs to be viewed as a tool for establishing business identity and brand building rather than just a mandate. He pointed out that access to clean drinking water is the region’s most pressing concern, even though CSR in the Sundarbans has mostly concentrated on mangrove afforestation, an area with monitoring difficulties. He highlighted the possibility of CSR-led solutions like rainwater collection in schools and ecologically friendly infrastructure, given the logistical and resource limitations the government has, particularly among the 54 populated islands. He pledged to work with businesses to promote significant CSR projects in the Sundarbans despite procedural obstacles to public-private cooperation.

In his keynote speech, Dr Bhaskar Chatterjee discussed how corporate social responsibility has developed in India and how it has become an internationally distinctive legal framework. The book is the result of years of joint scholarship and engagement with CSR policy and practice, he said, referring to his longstanding academic partnership with Dr Nayan Mitra. He acknowledged the senior CSR practitioners and leaders present and conveyed gratitude for their contribution to the development of India’s CSR ecosystem.

Dr Chatterjee put corporate social responsibility (CSR) in historical perspective by describing Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013, as the only CSR duty in the world that was designed specifically for India. He emphasised how corporate awareness of and ownership of the law has made corporate social responsibility (CSR) a potent tool for inclusive national development, highlighting the remarkable growth of CSR in both scale and scope over the past ten years. The leadership of the twelve participating organisations, whose case studies comprise the book’s core, was also acknowledged by him.