a hand wearing a glove working in mud-nursery

Photo essay: Inside a plant nursery in Uttar Pradesh

Burdened by low wages and unsafe working conditions, and coupled with limited access to schemes like e-Shram, nursery workers in Shahjahanpur barely make ends meet.
by Sumaiya Ali | 5 min read

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

three sheep looking up at the camera--nonprofit humour

Conference partners: What they actually do
Ever wondered about the role that each partner plays at a conference? Here’s an easy guide, featuring Sister Michael from Derry Girls.
Workers sitting in an auto-rickshaw_migration

The road to safety and security for migrant workers
The migrant crisis during the Covid-19 lockdown was a wake-up call for policy makers that certain long-term and systemic practices and approaches need to be adopted for internal migration in the country
An image of a police station-criminal laws

How India’s new criminal laws curb civil liberties
From introducing vague offences to increasing police powers, India's new criminal laws, touted as a means to 'decolonise' the criminal justice system, achieve anything but.
by Medha Deo | 6 min read
an agrivoltaic plant in madhya pradesh--agrivoltaics

Are agrivoltaics the solution?
There are concerns that the expansion of solar energy comes at a cost to the agricultural sector. Agrivoltaics, or APVs, may be the answer.
three women working in a co-working space in Delhi, India--AI for nonprofits

Are Indian nonprofits ready for AI?
As AI adoption spikes globally, GivingTuesday conducted a survey to assess how well Indian nonprofits have adapted to this fast-growing technology. Here's what they found.

Bite-sized stories from the people closest to the action.



A day in the life of


Frontline workers and first responders share their insights from working at the grassroots.


Priti Mishra, a social–emotional learning facilitator, teaching in a class in jharkhand's east singhbhum district--social–emotional learning
Social–emotional learning: In the classroom and beyond
A day in the life of a nonprofit worker who supports children’s social–emotional learning in government schools in Jharkhand.
Disability rights activist Pappu Kanwar in Barmer, Rajasthan--disability rights
An activist fights for gender equality and disability rights in Rajasthan
A day in the life of an activist from Barmer, Rajasthan, who battles ableism, casteism, and violence against women.
Santosh Charan, an ASHA sahyogini in Chittorgarh--healthcare
An ASHA stands up for herself and the women in her community
A day in the life of an ASHA sahyogini who isn't deterred by the challenges she faces in rural Rajasthan.


Social change leaders chronicle their failures and lessons learnt.

Aerial shot of women protestors sitting_well-being
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.
Barbed wire_nonprofits
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.
rural women take part in a boat race in west bengal-leadership
The road to recovery
In Part II of a conversation with Dream a Dream CEO Suchetha Bhat and co-founder Vishal Talreja learn about what it took to rebuild an organisation in crisis, and why it needed a new kind of leadership.


Conversations with visionaries on their life's work, and their efforts to challenge the status quo in our country.

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.


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
  • Livelihoods
  • Rights
  • Water & Sanitation

  • Photo essay: Inside a plant nursery in Uttar Pradesh
    Burdened by low wages and unsafe working conditions, and coupled with limited access to schemes like e-Shram, nursery workers in Shahjahanpur barely make ends meet.

    How India’s new criminal laws curb civil liberties
    From introducing vague offences to increasing police powers, India's new criminal laws, touted as a means to 'decolonise' the criminal justice system, achieve anything but.

    Are agrivoltaics the solution?
    There are concerns that the expansion of solar energy comes at a cost to the agricultural sector. Agrivoltaics, or APVs, may be the answer.


    The road to safety and security for migrant workers
    The migrant crisis during the Covid-19 lockdown was a wake-up call for policy makers that certain long-term and systemic practices and approaches need to be adopted for internal migration in the country

    How India’s new criminal laws curb civil liberties
    From introducing vague offences to increasing police powers, India's new criminal laws, touted as a means to 'decolonise' the criminal justice system, achieve anything but.

    Are agrivoltaics the solution?
    There are concerns that the expansion of solar energy comes at a cost to the agricultural sector. Agrivoltaics, or APVs, may be the answer.

    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

  • Are Indian nonprofits ready for AI?
    As AI adoption spikes globally, GivingTuesday conducted a survey to assess how well Indian nonprofits have adapted to this fast-growing technology. Here's what they found.

    Designing inclusive programmes for persons with disabilities
    Advancing the rights of persons with disabilities through grassroots initiatives can only succeed when their voices and wisdom are placed at the centre.

    Lessons for building economic self-reliance in jan sangathans
    Grassroots organisations are the backbone of social change in India. Here’s how they can sustain their efforts while remaining community-centric and economically self-reliant.