ABSTRACT
We explore the nature of individual leadership for disaster resilience in the Indian context using five case studies, occurring in different parts of the country and at different periods. The propositions derived in the previous chapter are validated based on these initiatives. The studies identify individual and environmental circumstances, such as social identity, charisma, heroism, self-sacrifice, crisis, and an idea to address the crisis, as significant factors contributing to the emergence of disaster resilience leadership. These leaders began by building networks with influential members of the community, had a narrative that leveraged cultural ideas, developed a technical strategy to address the crisis, and developed an organisational structure to enable action. An important criterion for the sustainability of the outcomes was the extent to which the charisma of the founder was routinised and how the movement dynamically responded to the changing needs of the community.
