Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is now mandatory in India after enactment of the Section 135 of the Companies Act 2013, for a certain class of companies. (which triggers upon fulfillment of a specified Turnover, Net-worth  &  Net Profit  during any financial year). The minimum amount spent should be 2% of the average net profits(  amount non- spent  should be  disclosed in the Annual Report ). In India, Power Sector Companies (be in Private or Public Sector) are mostly under the ambit of mandatory CSR coverage. Their PAN India presence, coupled with its huge socio -economic ramifications makes it one of the most important contributors to the Social development and Human Development Index (HDI).  The amount spent by power sector companies in the last ten years is very high and is expected to increase further in the coming years. This makes it all the more relevant. The Power Sector value Chain (ie the Generation, Transmission & Distribution Business) has played and will always play a very crucial role in the sustainable development of the economy & the environment in the coming days. The Power Sector companies are large entities, capital & labour intensive and has a very important presence in the life of a common man. Availability of Power and  consumption of electricity is a very important index to measure the development of  a nation.It has been noticed that  more developed countries generally have a greater HDI(Human Development Index) .There is high  correlation between energy use (including power consumption) and HDI. Conceptualising CSR at macro level and delivering it at grass root level by joining hands with industries, NGOS, across industries, across geographic boundaries, and across both public and private sectors  to address the concerns and problems of all stakeholders of Power Sector is bound to improve the quality and impact of their CSR activities. The aspect of ethical leadership at Board level & higher echelons of management in the Power Sector entities both from the serving and retired will connect the CSR activities to the real beneficiaries. It has to start from the vision and mission of the companies.  Ethical leadership and involvement of top leaders (both retired and in service) together with partnering with NGOs, and other experienced entities will deliver greater value to society than those working in isolation. Local, National, and global resources should be pooled both in tangibles and intangibles forms. This will accelerate social changes towards inclusive growth. The present article attempts to showcase this area of ethical leadership in strategizing and implementing CSR in India with special reference to Indian Power Sector.

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Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability, Ethical Leadership, Indian Power Sector.

JEL Classification Code: M140 (Corporate Culture, Diversity, Social Responsibility)