Rachita is co-founder and director at IDR. Before this, she led the Dasra Girl Alliance, an INR 250 crore multi-stakeholder platform that sought to improve maternal, adolescent and child health outcomes in India. She has over a decade of experience, having led teams in the areas of financial inclusion, public health and CSR, and functions across strategy, business development, and communications. Rachita has an MBA from Judge Business School at Cambridge University and a BA in History from Yale University.
Articles by Rachita Vora
September 16, 2020
Where does the water in a well come from?
In the water sector, the focus on fixing demand and supply is taking us away from the real problem: Unnoticed groundwater dependencies in ever-expanding urban India.
July 15, 2020
This is the most opportune time for impact investing
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will see significant changes in how impact investing is approached. The crisis has also thrown up questions around the right form of capital and the right time to invest.
May 14, 2020
Fixing the trust deficit in our sector
The COVID-19 crisis offers us a unique opportunity to reframe the power equation between civil society, government, and the markets. To do so, we must first rebrand our sector.
April 1, 2020
COVID-19 and lessons from Kerala
A series of measures undertaken in the 1990s are now paying off as Kerala strives to quell the spread of COVID-19.
March 18, 2020
Check yourself, before you wreck yourself
The first in a series of articles dedicated to exploring the relationship between inner well-being for social change in the context of India, as well as other countries in the majority world.
February 13, 2020
IDR Interviews | Dr John Oommen
A physician and public health specialist, Dr John Oommen shares insights from more than three decades of working on community health among Adivasi peoples, and reflects on why we need to rethink the dominant development paradigm.
October 24, 2019
India has a groundwater problem
Despite being the lifeline of India’s water supplies, groundwater is overlooked by policy makers and users alike.
October 21, 2019
Stardom by association
Have you found your connection to Nobel Prize winner Abhijit Banerjee as yet?
October 10, 2019
IDR Interviews | Dr Vandana Shiva
World-renowned scientist and biodiversity expert shares invaluable wisdom on the overlaps between indigenous and scientific knowledge, and how both can shape national and global policy.
June 13, 2019
IDR Interviews | Shantha Sinha
Life and leadership lessons shared by a visionary anti-child labour activist, on changing social norms at scale, building inclusive movements, and taking on the establishment.
April 15, 2019
“There’s a TV show for that”
With Netflix and Amazon Prime churning out more shows than you could ever possibly watch, we decided to shortlist a few for you, depending on your mood after a long day of work.
March 21, 2019
IDR Interviews | Lalsu Nogoti
The remarkable story of an Adivasi lawyer and social activist who has led peoples’ movements against state development policies, and sought redress for human rights violations of his people in conflict-ridden regions of Maharashtra.
February 4, 2019
Guerrilla advocacy: Lessons for civil society
Drawing from his success as an anti-tobacco activist, Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi of Tata Memorial Hospital talks about the strategic choices one needs to make while advocating with the government, and the ingenuity required to change policy.
September 6, 2018
IDR Interviews | Dr Armida Fernandez
Neonatologist turned entrepreneur, Dr Fernandez shares her experiences with founder transition, and working with the urban poor. She also discusses the lack of information, resources and access to quality health services in this interview with IDR.
July 12, 2018
IDR Interviews | Sujata Khandekar
For three decades, CORO has been at the forefront of grassroots leadership. Sujata Khandekar shares what she has learnt and unlearnt about the process of empowerment within marginalised communities, and what it takes to be truly participatory.
May 10, 2018
IDR Interviews | Kamla Bhasin
Development feminist activist, poet, author and social scientist, Kamla Bhasin, distils close to 50 years of experience and wisdom from being at the forefront of India’s grassroots feminist movement.
January 29, 2018
This nonprofit life Ep 2
A cartoon series that captures the joys and travails of life in the development sector.
January 22, 2018
This nonprofit life Ep 1
We introduce a new format in our humour section: a cartoon that captures the joys and travails of life in the development sector.