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    Agriculture

    Mizoram’s iskut farmers get neither organic nor chemical fertilisers 

    The once-bountiful iskut gardens of Sihphir are now battling climate change, fertiliser shortages, and confusing government messaging about organic farming.
    by Zosangliana Tochhawng | 2 min read

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    Latest

    Grace Clapham and Priya Goswami for On the Contrary Podcast--well-being
    Season 7
    Well-being in a tech-first world
    Two technologists, Grace Clapham and Priya Goswami, discuss what it will take to reimagine technology that values connection, care, and community over metrics and growth.
    14 min read
    a checkdam in Khweng village, Ri Bhoi district--access to water
    Water & Sanitation
    How a village in Meghalaya pooled money to buy back their land
    In Ri Bhoi, a village headman recounts how his community mobilised and fundraised to buy back land around their catchment areas, reclaiming access to water.
    by Jewing Nongpoh | 2 min read
    A civil engineer wearing a white helmet, a white shirt, and a lanyard around his neck, with a water reservoir in the background--economic inclusion
    Youth
    India’s youth are redefining economic inclusion
    For young Indians, economic inclusion isn’t just about jobs. It’s about independence, the dignity to choose, and the freedom to shape their own future.
    by Aishwarya Mishra | 4 min read
    a cartoon billboard saying, "Your ad here"--nonprofit humour
    Humour
    What if nonprofits wrote ads?
    Are you selling me a product or writing a grant application?
    by Derrek Xavier | 2 min read
    A woman playing cards social impact games
    Perspectives
    The case for games in the social sector
    Games can be an important tool for immersive learning, and can become spaces to reflect and learn. Here’s how.
    by Abeer Kapoor | 5 min read

    Ground Up

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


    Agriculture
    photo
    Mizoram’s iskut farmers get neither organic nor chemical fertilisers 
    by Zosangliana Tochhawng
    Location Icon Aizawl district, Mizoram
    Water & Sanitation
    photo
    How a village in Meghalaya pooled money to buy back their land
    by Jewing Nongpoh
    Location Icon Ri Bhoi district, Meghalaya
    Livelihoods
    photo
    Can Pulwama’s new coppersmiths compete with the machines?
    by Ilhak Ahmad Tantray, Umer Farooq Zargar
    Location Icon Pulwama district, Jammu and Kashmir
    Livelihoods
    photo
    For a Mizoram candy brand, seasonal fruits are both a gift and a gamble
    by Zonunsanga Tlau
    Location Icon Serchhip district, Mizoram

    Videos

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    On The Contrary | Episode 5: Well-being in a tech-first world (Part I)
    On The Contrary | Episode 4 – Lessons on well-being in activism: Kumi Naidoo and Louisa Zondo
    How to fact-check and spot fake news?

    A day in the life of

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


    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
    a teacher coach observing a class in session--government school teachers
    Education
    Observing classrooms, building capacities
    A day in the life of an educator, who uses a technology-enabled approach to coach government school teachers in Palghar, Maharashtra.
    by Ketan Tambe | 8 min read

    Failure Files

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    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

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

    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
    Madhu mansuri hasmukh
    "I spoke of the rights of Adivasis in my songs. When the state of Jharkhand was created, we had great aspirations, and  these aspirations are also woven into my songs."
    Madhu Mansuri Hasmukh
    8 min read

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    Sectors

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    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
    • Grace Clapham and Priya Goswami for On the Contrary Podcast--well-being
    Season 7
    Well-being in a tech-first world
    Two technologists, Grace Clapham and Priya Goswami, discuss what it will take to reimagine technology that values connection, care, and community over metrics and growth.
    14 min read
    Cover of On the Contrary by IDR podcast episode featuring Kumi Naidoo and Louisa Zondo--well-being
    Season 7
    Lessons on well-being in activism: Kumi Naidoo and Louisa Zondo
    What does well-being look like at the frontlines of struggles for justice and change? Activists Kumi Naidoo and Louisa Zondo discuss the importance of care when confronting the most pressing issues of our time.
    18 min read
    Mahendra Pandey and Steven Harris feature as guests on IDR's On the Contrary podcast--well-being in philanthropy
    Season 7
    Rooting philanthropy in well-being
    Two leaders from global philanthropic organisations discuss why well-being should be central to philanthropy, and what it would take to get there.
    13 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
    • A civil engineer wearing a white helmet, a white shirt, and a lanyard around his neck, with a water reservoir in the background--economic inclusion
    Youth
    India’s youth are redefining economic inclusion
    For young Indians, economic inclusion isn’t just about jobs. It’s about independence, the dignity to choose, and the freedom to shape their own future.
    by Aishwarya Mishra | 4 min read
    A female cosplayer from Mizoram in a custom-made Malenia (Elden Ring) costume--cosplay in Mizoram
    Youth
    Mizoram’s cosplayers blend art, identity, and livelihoods
    Initially viewed with scepticism and dread, cosplay in Mizoram is now a vehicle for youth expression, social change, and local entrepreneurship.
    by Malsawmdawngliani Tara | 6 min read
    Cover of On the Contrary by IDR podcast episode featuring Kumi Naidoo and Louisa Zondo--well-being
    Season 7
    Lessons on well-being in activism: Kumi Naidoo and Louisa Zondo
    What does well-being look like at the frontlines of struggles for justice and change? Activists Kumi Naidoo and Louisa Zondo discuss the importance of care when confronting the most pressing issues of our time.
    18 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
    • Grace Clapham and Priya Goswami for On the Contrary Podcast--well-being
    Season 7
    Well-being in a tech-first world
    Two technologists, Grace Clapham and Priya Goswami, discuss what it will take to reimagine technology that values connection, care, and community over metrics and growth.
    14 min read
    A worker weaving rattan goods--handicraft sector
    Technology
    Weaving AI into India’s handicraft sector
    AI can help build a future-ready handicraft sector. But what barriers shape its adoption, and how can they be addressed?
    by Anandana Kapur | 7 min read
    close up shot of a spider web with water droplets against a red and yellow background--LLMs
    Technology
    The limits of AI in social change
    More actors—from grantmaking to service delivery—are exploring the use of AI. However, the excitement around scale and efficiency often overshadows a critical question: What does it mean to bring machine-generated abstraction into systems built on trust, context, and relationship?
    by Gautam John | 8 min read
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