IDR Hindi
  • Languages ▼
    • a close up of a hand embroidering a piece of white fabric--chikankari
    Social Business

    A social business model for Lucknow’s chikankari artisans

    Despite their intricate handiwork, women in Lucknow’s chikankari industry often lack market access and a steady income. From skilling to vendor connections, here’s how a nonprofit built a sustainable enterprise for artisans.
    by Vibha Mishra | 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

    books stacked roughly on the footpath; sitting next to the stack is a person looking through a book--preparatory spaces
    Diversity & Inclusion
    The community spaces that shape social mobility
    Community-based preparatory spaces are filling the gaps left by formal institutions for students from marginalised communities. Here’s how.
    by Priya Singh | 7 min read
    a large group of women sitting on the ground next to a field--MGNREGA
    Gender
    For women in Rajasthan, the end of MGNREGA means losing more than work
    For women, MGNREGA has been a gateway to employment, a voice in village panchayats, administrative accountability, and access to social welfare. Many fear that the VB-G RAM G Act will weaken these hard-won gains.
    by Shraddha Jain | 5 min read
    The image features four individual comics of a stack of papers with a face and hands. In two of the comic panels, the papers look sad and disappointed. In the third one, the papers look happy with their arms raised. In the fourth and last panel, the papers are drinking from a glass filled with ice cubes, looking happy._nonprofit humour
    Humour
    The frustrations (and aspirations) of an annual report
    The data contradicts itself. The photos folder hasn't been organised since 2017. Draft 23 asks if the cover can be more vibrant. What more can putting together an annual report promise?
    by Swati Saxena | 3 min read
    a green origami tessellation--AI in government
    Technology
    What does it take to embed AI in government systems?
    Three nonprofits share lessons from building and deploying AI solutions for India’s public institutions.
    by India Development Review | 10 min read
    a group of women in Meghalaya sitting on the floor packing chili powder--Meghalaya livelihoods
    Livelihoods
    Why women dream of making chili powder in Meghalaya
    Women farmers in North Garo Hills helped in expanding the scope of a livelihoods programme through innovative ideas and community networks.
    by Samme Massar | 2 min read

    Ground Up

    SEE ALL
    Bite-sized stories from the people closest to the action.
    Rights
    photo
    South West Delhi, Delhi
    As trans people, can we find a safe haven away from home?
    by Bella
    Health & Well-being
    photo
    Mamit, Mizoram
    A bus takes primary healthcare to rural Mizoram
    by Dr Lalrinchhani
    Fundraising & Communications
    photo
    Sangli, Maharashtra
    A journalist turns surveyor and discovers new stories
    by Siddhi Jojare

    Videos

    SEE ALL
    A nonprofit can’t run on programmes alone. #shorts
    What does it take to build a sustainable livelihood in rural Meghalaya? #shorts
    On the Contrary | Are schools teaching students to think? #shorts

    A day in the life of

    SEE ALL
    Frontline workers and first responders share their insights from working at the grassroots.
    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
    two women sitting on the floor in a classroom, with numbers and the kannada alphabet painted on the walls behind them--community organiser
    Gender
    The girl who refused to drop out
    A day in the life of a young field coordinator in Raichur, Karnataka, reflecting her journey of almost dropping out of school to supporting herself, her family, and her community.
    by Rubiya Begum | 7 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.
    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
    a digital portrait of Dr Ram Punyani against a pale green background--communalism in india
    "By the time the truth puts on its shoes to step out, the lie has already travelled around the world."
    Dr Ram Puniyani
    2 min read
    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

    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
    • books stacked roughly on the footpath; sitting next to the stack is a person looking through a book--preparatory spaces
    Diversity & Inclusion
    The community spaces that shape social mobility
    Community-based preparatory spaces are filling the gaps left by formal institutions for students from marginalised communities. Here’s how.
    by Priya Singh | 7 min read
    a large group of women sitting on the ground next to a field--MGNREGA
    Gender
    For women in Rajasthan, the end of MGNREGA means losing more than work
    For women, MGNREGA has been a gateway to employment, a voice in village panchayats, administrative accountability, and access to social welfare. Many fear that the VB-G RAM G Act will weaken these hard-won gains.
    by Shraddha Jain | 5 min read
    a group of women in Meghalaya sitting on the floor packing chili powder--Meghalaya livelihoods
    Livelihoods
    Why women dream of making chili powder in Meghalaya
    Women farmers in North Garo Hills helped in expanding the scope of a livelihoods programme through innovative ideas and community networks.
    by Samme Massar | 2 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 close up of a hand embroidering a piece of white fabric--chikankari
    Social Business
    A social business model for Lucknow’s chikankari artisans
    Despite their intricate handiwork, women in Lucknow’s chikankari industry often lack market access and a steady income. From skilling to vendor connections, here’s how a nonprofit built a sustainable enterprise for artisans.
    by Vibha Mishra | 7 min read
    books stacked roughly on the footpath; sitting next to the stack is a person looking through a book--preparatory spaces
    Diversity & Inclusion
    The community spaces that shape social mobility
    Community-based preparatory spaces are filling the gaps left by formal institutions for students from marginalised communities. Here’s how.
    by Priya Singh | 7 min read
    a large group of women sitting on the ground next to a field--MGNREGA
    Gender
    For women in Rajasthan, the end of MGNREGA means losing more than work
    For women, MGNREGA has been a gateway to employment, a voice in village panchayats, administrative accountability, and access to social welfare. Many fear that the VB-G RAM G Act will weaken these hard-won gains.
    by Shraddha Jain | 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
    • a green origami tessellation--AI in government
    Technology
    What does it take to embed AI in government systems?
    Three nonprofits share lessons from building and deploying AI solutions for India’s public institutions.
    by India Development Review | 10 min read
    a traffic signal with the stop sign for pedestrians on--FCRA
    Board & Governance
    June 2026 FCRA amendments: What they mean for nonprofits
    The MHA has amended the FCRA rules. Here's what changed and how your nonprofit can stay compliant.
    by Noshir Dadrawala | 4 min read
    three women sitting and talking on a mat with a large basket to their right--palliative care
    Health & Well-being
    Dairy points and quiet conversations: Palliative care at the last mile
    Rural patients often cannot access palliative care due to distant services and strained local systems. Based on our work in Karnataka, here’s what works and what is needed to improve health support in villages.
    by Dr Carolin Elizabeth George | 7 min read
    ×

    Loading...