After living and working in Pakistan, Nepal and Maldives, finally I was in India – the heart of South Asia, a land of captivating contrasts and diversity.  

India is a republic of 1.4 billion people, the largest democracy in the world, and one of the fastest-growing economies, lifting millions out of poverty. It's a place where ancient and modern coexist, where tradition meets innovation. A place where ultramodern highways run alongside traditional farms and where cycle rickshaws share the road with electric vehicles.

Within this landscape of progress, there are stubborn challenges – pockets of deprivation, declining women's labour force participation, and a growing youth population hungry for jobs.

This makes India and its growth story so unique.

I had been waiting for this opportunity – to work with one of the largest UN country teams in the world, lead a diverse portfolio at UNDP, and support India in her incredible journey – embracing its many contrasts as catalysts for progress.

This was 2019 and I was filled with excitement.  

Triumph amidst challenges  

2020. A time that still looms large in our collective memory.

As the pandemic spread fear, disease, and destruction, countries across the globe went into lockdown. I vividly remember the day I asked my colleagues to work from home, feeling a sense of anxiety. At first, it seemed difficult to pull the team together, especially when everyone was experiencing some form of loss.

In the face of adversity, my colleagues and I learned how to navigate in a new virtual world. Fear gradually turned into commitment, and Team UNDP stood with India.

Together with the Government of India and our partners, we worked long hours to serve the people of India.

We supported the development and roll out of Co-WIN and embarked on a mammoth task of training more than one million frontline workers on using the Co-WIN app. We established eleven oxygen generation plants in the Northeast region. We helped one of the most marginalized and vulnerable communities with social protection and livelihood opportunities. We imparted digital literacy to the elderly and people with disabilities, and helped lessen the impacts of climate change to ensure green recovery from the pandemic. We made efforts to make COVID-19 response third gender inclusive.

Hope shines through  

As I conclude my time in India and move to New York, I am reminded of the many triumphs and challenges we have shared over the past four and half years.

Take, for instance, Co-WIN. In the thick of the pandemic, India built the app in less than three months. Then in record time, launched the world’s most extensive vaccination campaign, delivering over 2 billion vaccines – a testament to the nation’s innovative prowess.  

India's remarkable success in localizing the Sustainable Development Goals is a lesson for the world. The country has translated Agenda 2030 into concrete local actions, bringing development gains on a massive scale. Once again, UNDP stands as a proud partner in this transformative journey.

In my travels across this vast nation, I have seen communities living in harmony with the natural environment. In Ladakh, I met Yuki, a snow leopard, nurtured and protected by the locals after he was injured as a cub. The relationship between Yuki and his caregivers is an endearing one, which also goes to show the commitment people – young and old – have toward the environment. Coupling that with the Government’s ambitious climate leadership and commitment to net zero, India is on the right track.