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History - The genesis and evolution of Oxfam India/SVARAJ
Oxfam India Society was set up in the ‘70s by Oxfam GB as an ‘arrangement of convenience’ to deal with legal aspects of financial and administrative requirements related to handling Indian currency funds. In late ‘80s India generated funds began to be used for support to organizations and activists involved in sensitive poverty related issues. This was managed by O-GB staff in India. The Board of OIS was reorganised in mid-‘90s with inclusion of Indian activists/voluntary agency leaders linked as advisors and partners to O-GB with intent to move towards indigenisation/internationalisation/regionalisation of Oxfams worldwide.
The new Board began to assert its autonomy viewing OIS as ‘an organisation with Indian roots and international vision’. Around 2004-05, the new Board felt the need to form an Indian identity, which resulted in changing the name to SVARAJ.
