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    • close up shot of a hand holding up a silkworm--silkworm rearing in meghalaya
    Environment

    Has climate change complicated silkworm rearing in Meghalaya?

    Women silk weavers in Meghalaya’s Ri Bhoi district continue their tradition of silkworm rearing even as they adapt to colder winters induced by climate change.
    by Samme Massar | 2 min read
    On The Contrary Podcast – Social Impact

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    Latest

    daily-wage labourers waiting at a labour chowk--Delhi labour chowks
    Livelihoods
    No shade, no security: The crisis at Delhi’s labour chowks
    Workers at Delhi’s labour chowks face age discrimination, wage theft, and a daily struggle without basic facilities. Here's how unused welfare funds could transform these spaces.
    by Harshil Sharma, Umang Kamra | 8 min read
    A wedding stage setup featuring white classical columns and arches decorated with peach, cream, and white floral arrangements. A white and gold vintage-style loveseat sits at the center, surrounded by floral garlands and golden tables--nonprofit humour
    Humour
    Wedding itinerary: Nonprofit edition
    A minute-by-minute implementation plan (subject to stakeholder approval).
    by Anandhakrishnan S, Debojit Dutta | 2 min read
    a lively market with street vendors selling cotton candy and balloons--street vendors
    Livelihoods
    Claiming a hawking corner in smart Shillong
    A street vendors’ association in Meghalaya urges the state government to include vendors in policy design, follow central law, and stop unlawful relocations.
    by Shane Thabah | 5 min read
    a crowd of people gathered in a large circle and listening to a female speaker--Sahariyas
    Rights
    Despite threats of displacement, the Sahariyas defend their land
    From bonded labour and illegal mining to bulldozer threats in the name of plantation drives, a Sahariya Adivasi organiser from Jhansi recounts her community’s long struggle for jal, jungle, zameen.
    by Mewa Sahariya | 3 min read
    minimalist abstract line art of four standing figures--conference panels
    Perspectives
    Confessions of a professional panellist
    Panels at conferences are meant to generate insights, discourse, and solutions. But are they accomplishing this?
    by Hisham Mundol | 3 min read

    Ground Up

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    Bite-sized stories from the people closest to the action.
    Environment
    photo
    Has climate change complicated silkworm rearing in Meghalaya?
    by Samme Massar
    Location Icon Ri Bhoi district, Meghalaya
    Rights
    photo
    Despite threats of displacement, the Sahariyas defend their land
    by Mewa Sahariya
    Location Icon Jhansi district, Uttar Pradesh
    Environment
    photo
    A birdwatching festival in Mizoram challenges hunting rituals
    by Lalawmawia Sailo
    Location Icon Aizawl district, Mizoram
    Environment
    photo
    Why mothers in Meghalaya take children along on forest walks
    by Samme Massar
    Location Icon Ri Bhoi district, Meghalaya

    Videos

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    IDR Ground up | Has climate change complicated silkworm rearing in Meghalaya?
    Why is menopause still missing from India’s public health agenda?
    Gender Watch |Why is menopause still missing from India’s public health agenda?

    A day in the life of

    SEE ALL
    Frontline workers and first responders share their insights from working at the grassroots.
    A picture of Parmeet in black t-shirt and blue jeans, sitting on a couch--deaf community
    Social Justice
    A book club, sign language, and our fight for Deaf rights
    A day in the life of a Deaf student and founder of a book club as he strives for awareness, inclusion, and building a shared space for the Deaf community.
    by Parmeet Singh | 2 min read
    a female forest guard puts out a forest fire in Mewar Biodiversity Park, Udaipur district, Rajasthan--forest guard
    Environment
    Why conservation needs connection: Guarding Rajasthan’s forests
    A day in the life of a forest guard, who navigates gender roles, community needs, and conservation in Rajasthan.
    by Santosh Kunwar Bhati | 5 min read
    Women in a village standing in a group and talking_mental health stigma
    Health & Well-being
    From self to society: Navigating silence and stigma around mental health
    A day in the life of a community health worker in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, who tackles mental health stigma through trust and support—in her own life and for the people she serves.
    by Geeta Shakya | 6 min read

    Failure Files

    SEE ALL
    Social change leaders chronicle their failures and lessons learnt.
    Silhouetted birds perched on bare tree_leadership failure
    Leadership & Talent
    Building team culture isn’t optional
    A nonprofit co-founder reflects on how scaling rapidly unintentionally alienated employees, which led to cracks in organisational culture.
    by Vijayalakshmi Mohan | 7 min read
    Aerial shot of women protestors sitting_well-being
    Social Justice
    Preparing for a marathon, not a sprint 
    Dalit civil rights activist Thenmozhi Soundararajan on why failure is an opportunity to build power, how systems of oppression affect well-being, and what healing looks like for individuals and communities.
    by India Development Review | 10 min read
    Barbed wire_nonprofits
    Leadership & Talent
    Why don’t nonprofits talk about their failures?
    A number of risks, both real and perceived, stop nonprofits from talking about failure. Here's how various stakeholders can work together to overcome them.
    by Tanaya Jagtiani, Rachita Vora | 7 min read

    IDR Interviews

    SEE ALL
    Conversations with visionaries on their life's work, and their efforts to challenge the status quo in our country.
    an illustration of Rajim Ketwas, a Dalit, Adivasi, and gender rights activist from Chhattisgarh--Dalit and Adivasi rights
    "Even if you struggle equally, get beaten up, and go to jail, it is hard for men to accept women as leaders. They may accept a woman from an upper caste, because caste hierarchy plays a role. But it is much more difficult for an Adivasi or Dalit woman, no matter how educated or capable she is."
    Rajim Ketwas
    9 min read
    The image is an illustration of Devika Singh._Early childhood care
    "You can’t talk about childcare without talking about labour. About migration. About how women work long hours for low wages. About where they live, what they eat, how invisible they are to systems meant to serve them."
    Devika Singh
    9 min read
    an image of Dayamani Barla against a turquoise background-adivasi
    "Activists should go to places where laws are made and also where laws are implemented. If you don’t get into politics, you won’t be able to save the country."
    Dayamani Barla
    3 min read

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    Sectors

    SEE ALL
    Insights and analysis of specific sectors in the development arena—what works, what doesn't, and what needs to change.

    See all coverage by topic:
  • Agriculture
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Health & Well-being
  • Livelihoods
  • Rights
  • Water & Sanitation
    • daily-wage labourers waiting at a labour chowk--Delhi labour chowks
    Livelihoods
    No shade, no security: The crisis at Delhi’s labour chowks
    Workers at Delhi’s labour chowks face age discrimination, wage theft, and a daily struggle without basic facilities. Here's how unused welfare funds could transform these spaces.
    by Harshil Sharma, Umang Kamra | 8 min read
    a lively market with street vendors selling cotton candy and balloons--street vendors
    Livelihoods
    Claiming a hawking corner in smart Shillong
    A street vendors’ association in Meghalaya urges the state government to include vendors in policy design, follow central law, and stop unlawful relocations.
    by Shane Thabah | 5 min read
    a large crowd being addressed by a man standing in the centre--right to water
    Rights
    Fighting for water and a voice in the heart of Mumbai
    The decades-long fight for water rights in Mumbai's informal settlements shows what it takes to sustain a social movement, and why the work doesn’t end with policy wins.
    by Sitaram Shelar | 8 min read

    Themes

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    Approaches and ideas that cut across sectors and counter the dominant narratives around us.

    See all coverage by topic:
  • Advocacy & Government
  • Climate Emergency
  • Collaboration
  • COVID-19
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Ecosystem Development
  • Gender
  • Inequality
  • Philanthropy & CSR
  • Scale
  • Social Business
  • Social Justice
  • Urban
  • Youth
    • daily-wage labourers waiting at a labour chowk--Delhi labour chowks
    Livelihoods
    No shade, no security: The crisis at Delhi’s labour chowks
    Workers at Delhi’s labour chowks face age discrimination, wage theft, and a daily struggle without basic facilities. Here's how unused welfare funds could transform these spaces.
    by Harshil Sharma, Umang Kamra | 8 min read
    A person wrapped in a bright pink sari walks along a quiet street past colorful houses with green and yellow walls, where a bicycle leans against a doorway and a motorcycle is parked nearby--union budget india
    Advocacy & Government
    Budget 2026: Big schemes, bigger gaps in social spending
    Social sector spending drops to its lowest in a decade. Key schemes for housing, water, and minorities remain underutilised even as allocations shrink further.
    by Avani Kapur, Sharad Pandey, IndiaSpend | 5 min read
    a group of people sitting in a circle with notebooks and posters--leadership development programmes
    Leadership & Talent
    The second generation problem: Preparing the next line of leaders in nonprofits
    How can leadership transition be more strategic and less of an afterthought? Leaders at Sruti share their insights and experiment with a model of transition.
    by Sidharth Bhatt, Pooja Rathi | 5 min read

    Expertise

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    Skills and functions that are core to growing programmes and organisations.

    See all coverage by topic:
  • Board & Governance
  • Fundraising & Communications
  • Leadership & Talent
  • Monitoring & Evaluation
  • Programme
  • Technology
    • a group of people sitting in a circle with notebooks and posters--leadership development programmes
    Leadership & Talent
    The second generation problem: Preparing the next line of leaders in nonprofits
    How can leadership transition be more strategic and less of an afterthought? Leaders at Sruti share their insights and experiment with a model of transition.
    by Sidharth Bhatt, Pooja Rathi | 5 min read
    three young boys on a hill near Laitmawsiang, Meghalaya--northeast india hiring
    Leadership & Talent
    Hiring for the long run in Northeast India
    Funding constraints shape hiring in Mizoram and Meghalaya, prompting nonprofits to prioritise passion and train skills on the job.
    by Malsawmdawngliani Tara, Samme Massar | 6 min read
    A collage showing field documentation activities: on the left, two people sit on a bamboo floor inside a small rural shop during an interview; on the right, a group walks through a forested area above an image of a man filming with a camera on a tripod outdoors--fellowships
    Leadership & Talent
    Three fellows in a boat
    A free-flowing conversation among three social sector fellows on public policy and the importance of youth led development in shaping a better Tripura.
    by Anupam Sharma, Hansatanu Roy, Ishika Chakma | 8 min read
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