"If one is very serious about CSR, you may have a vice-president heading it. I find a lot of people doing doublespeak. This creates dissonance both within the organisation and outside. This inclusive approach defines our brand and gives it great value. If you do what you believe in, it defines you," he says.

He is convinced that involving artisans and sharing the benefits of growth with them is the most sustainable of all models. Without that, the market-based system - in his view it is the best system to alleviate poverty - is in danger of being "discredited".

He quotes Raghuram Rajan's book to argue that India has moved from phony to crony capitalism and that no one is giving real capitalism a real chance. "If capitalism is inclusive, its chances of getting a bad name go down," says Bissell. He is giving the final touches to his own book, ReImagining India.

Image: Fabindia has won the best retailer award | Photograph: Fabindia Website