IDR Hindi
  • Languages ▼
    • stacks of papers browned with age--Monitoring evaluation and learning
    Monitoring & Evaluation

    The hidden cost of messy data systems

    Scattered spreadsheets, unreliable information, and poorly designed systems cost nonprofits far more than they realise. Here's how prioritising MEL can improve data tracking and usage.
    by Manije Kelkar | 7 min read
    On The Contrary Podcast – Social Impact

    IDR is a free resource. We will never go behind a paywall. So, if you like what you’re reading and find value in our articles, please support us by making a donation.

    Latest

    a black and white photograph of five young women, of whom two are dressed as boys--photo archive
    Diversity & Inclusion
    What does it take to build a community photo archive?
    In the Darjeeling-Sikkim region, a community photo archive is working to reclaim local histories that have long been misrepresented. But preserving people’s memories isn’t an easy process.
    by Mridu Kiran Rai, Praveen Chettri, Yawan Rai | 9 min read
    two women sitting and talking. one of them is holding a smartphone and has a notebook on her lap_SIR deletion
    Rights
    Why is getting our names back on the voter list so hard?
    A day in the life of a field organiser in Rajasthan, trying to get her family onto the voter list after the SIR.
    by Poonam Dangi | 5 min read
    women standing in a queue in a corridor for voting--SIR
    Rights
    Why is SIR disenfranchising migrant workers like us who built Delhi?
    Several domestic and construction workers living in Delhi's bastis are missing from the SIR list, while the authorities remain inept at addressing their concerns.
    by Sunita Rani | 3 min read
    a woman standing in a trolley handling a bright yellow fertiliser sack--fertilisers
    Agriculture
    From portal to patwari, Betul’s farmers scramble for fertilisers
    E-tokens for fertilisers sent Madhya Pradesh's farmers rushing for land records, OTPs, and faraway vendors—leading many to miss the kharif sowing window. While the system was rolled back after protests, farmers were left reeling in the aftermath.
    by Santa Nibedita | 9 min read
    The image features young women and girls seated in an an open area. They are dressed in traditional attire and eating food served in plates made from leaves._KhuKhu Nye
    Gender
    Khukhu Nye: How a Nagaland village celebrates women
    Celebrated by Chakhesang people in Porba, KhuKhu Nye is a day of joy and collective care. For girls and women, the recognition and respect it brings must outlast the festivities.
    by Kuvethilu Thuluo | 7 min read

    Ground Up

    SEE ALL
    Bite-sized stories from the people closest to the action.
    Rights
    photo
    North West Delhi, Delhi
    Why is SIR disenfranchising migrant workers like us who built Delhi?
    by Sunita Rani
    Livelihoods
    photo
    Leh, Ladakh
    Selling goat milk soap at 14,000 feet
    by Tsering Chosdon, Chamba Dolkar
    Climate Emergency
    photo
    Charaideo, Assam
    The flood beyond our screens
    by Bruno Kachua

    Videos

    SEE ALL
    Majuli Mask-Making Is Dying: No Land, No Clay | Assam Folk Art #shorts
    When a Tribal Play Disappears, This Is What We Lose | Doddu Aatam | Tamil Nadu
    वोट न छूटे | Is Voter ID Enough to Vote? | SIR & Voter List

    A day in the life of

    SEE ALL
    Frontline workers and first responders share their insights from working at the grassroots.
    two women sitting and talking. one of them is holding a smartphone and has a notebook on her lap_SIR deletion
    Rights
    Why is getting our names back on the voter list so hard?
    A day in the life of a field organiser in Rajasthan, trying to get her family onto the voter list after the SIR.
    by Poonam Dangi | 5 min read
    The image is set inside a home. A young women is sitting at the edge of a bed with her back turned to the camera. She is holding the hand of a person who is lying down on the bed, out of the frame.--palliative care
    Health & Well-being
    What does it mean to care for someone with a serious illness?
    A day in the life of a counsellor and nurse in Mumbai as they provide home-based palliative care, helping patients and families face illness, loss, and uncertainty with dignity.
    by Ankita Arvind Mhatre, Shruti Mukhopadhyay | 9 min read
    The image features the authors, Shakeela Banu and Nageena Banu. They are standing outdoors smiling warmly at each other while holding hands. Shakeela is wearing a bright red headscarf with a black inner layer, and Nageena is wearing a light-colored and patterned suit and dupatta . The background shows greenery and a blurred building--Beedi industry
    Rights
    ‘One day, one day, the women will go out to protest…’
    A day in the life of two union leaders fighting for fair working conditions in Karnataka’s beedi industry and for the rights of their community.
    by Nageena Banu, Shakeela Banu | 2 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 anti-caste and human rights activist Martin Macwan--Dalit rights
    "Introspection is very important, which you see completely missing in the voluntary sector today. You have programmes, meetings, followed by lunch, and posts about these events on the internet. I don’t see people sitting for more than two hours to reflect on what they are doing or witnessing."
    Martin Macwan
    9 min read
    illustrated portrait of activist A Revathi against yellow background--trans rights
    "I would tell young trans people to find a way to return to studies, even if you had to drop out because you left home. The people who threw us out will one day have to accept us back as collectors, doctors, and judges."
    A Revathi
    9 min read
    a digital sketch of Dr Carmo Noronha against a pale blue background--
    "It's no use telling a child that one plus one is two… Unless you tell them how they can use that to actually improve their daily life."
    Dr Carmo Noronha
    2 min read

    Ever wondered how your donations help us?

    When you support IDR, you help us remain editorially and financially independent, and importantly, sustainable. Being a part of our community is not just a monetary exercise; it signals your commitment to the social sector, to information you can trust, and to creating impact. If you wish to support us with a donation please click on the donate now button below.

    The support of our community means everything to us

    Members of our community have given us pro bono support, spread the word about us within their circles, and also fundraised on behalf of IDR. If you have other ideas about how you can help us do what we do, better, please reach out to us. We’d love to hear them.

    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
    • two women sitting and talking. one of them is holding a smartphone and has a notebook on her lap_SIR deletion
    Rights
    Why is getting our names back on the voter list so hard?
    A day in the life of a field organiser in Rajasthan, trying to get her family onto the voter list after the SIR.
    by Poonam Dangi | 5 min read
    a woman standing in a trolley handling a bright yellow fertiliser sack--fertilisers
    Agriculture
    From portal to patwari, Betul’s farmers scramble for fertilisers
    E-tokens for fertilisers sent Madhya Pradesh's farmers rushing for land records, OTPs, and faraway vendors—leading many to miss the kharif sowing window. While the system was rolled back after protests, farmers were left reeling in the aftermath.
    by Santa Nibedita | 9 min read
    an illustration of a female protestor holding up the Constitution of India--protests
    Rights
    Why protest?
    Despite the real risk to their lives and livelihoods, why do people take to the streets against powerful forces that often look undefeatable?
    by Debojit Dutta | 5 min read

    Themes

    SEE ALL
    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
    • a black and white photograph of five young women, of whom two are dressed as boys--photo archive
    Diversity & Inclusion
    What does it take to build a community photo archive?
    In the Darjeeling-Sikkim region, a community photo archive is working to reclaim local histories that have long been misrepresented. But preserving people’s memories isn’t an easy process.
    by Mridu Kiran Rai, Praveen Chettri, Yawan Rai | 9 min read
    The image features young women and girls seated in an an open area. They are dressed in traditional attire and eating food served in plates made from leaves._KhuKhu Nye
    Gender
    Khukhu Nye: How a Nagaland village celebrates women
    Celebrated by Chakhesang people in Porba, KhuKhu Nye is a day of joy and collective care. For girls and women, the recognition and respect it brings must outlast the festivities.
    by Kuvethilu Thuluo | 7 min read
    an illustration of a female protestor holding up the Constitution of India--protests
    Rights
    Why protest?
    Despite the real risk to their lives and livelihoods, why do people take to the streets against powerful forces that often look undefeatable?
    by Debojit Dutta | 5 min read

    Expertise

    SEE ALL
    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
    • stacks of papers browned with age--Monitoring evaluation and learning
    Monitoring & Evaluation
    The hidden cost of messy data systems
    Scattered spreadsheets, unreliable information, and poorly designed systems cost nonprofits far more than they realise. Here's how prioritising MEL can improve data tracking and usage.
    by Manije Kelkar | 7 min read
    a woman standing in a trolley handling a bright yellow fertiliser sack--fertilisers
    Agriculture
    From portal to patwari, Betul’s farmers scramble for fertilisers
    E-tokens for fertilisers sent Madhya Pradesh's farmers rushing for land records, OTPs, and faraway vendors—leading many to miss the kharif sowing window. While the system was rolled back after protests, farmers were left reeling in the aftermath.
    by Santa Nibedita | 9 min read
    a man sitting at an open-plan desk working on a computer--managers
    Leadership & Talent
    What shifts when you become a manager for the first time
    Becoming a manager shifts your focus from your own work to your team's. Here's what to do and avoid.
    by Pooja Rathi, Tejas Pahlajani | 7 min read
    ×

    Loading...