India Development Review

India Development Review

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The best reads on development in India. Our mission is to advance knowledge on social impact in India.

India Development Review (IDR) is Indiaโ€™s first independent online media platform for leaders in the development community. We publish ideas, opinion, analysis and lessons from real-world practice. Our job is to make things simple and relevant, so you can do more of what you do, better.

Photos from India Development Review's post 25/09/2026

What if we reframed the questions we ask about women and work?

At Breakthroughโ€™s , conversations on womenโ€™s workforce participation pushed us to look beyond the usual questions.

Here are 8 ideas that got reframed at ReFrame 2026. ๐Ÿ‘‰Swipe to explore.

๐Ÿ—จ๏ธWhatโ€™s one idea about women and work that you think needs reframing? Tell us in the comments.

Watch out for more updates on Breakthrough Trustโ€™s page.

25/09/2026

Why do waste pickers miss out on government schemes?

A Social Return on Investment (SROI) study by Hasiru Dala found that every rupee spent helping a waste picker in Bengaluru access government entitlements generates โ‚น9.83 in benefit for them.

Waste pickers need about โ‚น40,000 a month to support a family of four, but over 60% earn less than โ‚น10,000.

Government schemes exist to help close this gap, but most remain out of reach.

25/09/2026

AI is rapidly changing how social-purpose organisations work. Across the sector, organisations are already using it to solve problems, strengthen programmes, support decision-making and tackle complex challenges. If your organisation is already using AI to solve a real problem, this is an opportunity to put that work in the spotlight.

The ILSS-KCADT AI Awards 2026, organised by India Leaders for Social Sector - ILSS through the Koita Centre for AI and Digital Transformation (KCADT), recognises Indian social-purpose organisations that are applying AI in innovative ways to address real-world challenges and create meaningful impact.

๐Ÿ“๐–๐ก๐ฒ ๐š๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ฒ?

๐Ÿ†The Awards offer an opportunity to:

-Win from a โ‚น50 lakh prize pool, including a โ‚น20 lakh first prize
-Finalists can present their innovation at the India Fundraising Conference 2027
-Showcase your solution on the Digital Toolbook for Social Impact (DT4SI)

๐Ÿ‘‰๐‚๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐š๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐›๐ž ๐จ๐ง๐ž ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ฆ?

If you are an Indian social-purpose organisation using AI innovatively to address a social-sector challenge and demonstrate impact, we would like to hear about your work.

๐Ÿ—“๏ธ๐€๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐œ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐œ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ž: 11 October 2026

โ–ถ๏ธ ๐€๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ: https://aiawards.indialeadersforsocialsector.com/

๐Ÿ…Winners will be announced on 5 February 2027.

โœ๏ธFor queries or more details, write to [email protected]

*This post is sponsored by Koita Foundation.

The flood beyond our screens 24/09/2026

Once floods swept Assam, social media mobilised people and aid in huge numbers. As online narratives shift quickly, long-term recovery requires both digital and on-ground coordination.

Read the article by Bruno Kachua

The flood beyond our screens When the water first reached Upper Assam on July 19, visuals of the devastation quickly filled social media feeds. | Picture courtesy: Bruno Kachua

Can you measure the social return on community-driven change? 24/09/2026

Apnalayaโ€™s experience shows how complex outcomes such as building a communityโ€™s agency can be measured.

Read the article by Shachi Phadke and Riti Mohapatra

Can you measure the social return on community-driven change? Apnalayaโ€™s experience shows how complex outcomes such as building a communityโ€™s agency can be measured.

Who has the power to shape social change? 23/09/2026

Social problems are shaped by complex power dynamics. Power mapping can help nonprofits understand these systems and design more context-sensitive solutions.

Read the article by Ananya Tiwari, Payal Shah, Nidhi Kinhal

Who has the power to shape social change? Social problems are shaped by complex power dynamics. Power mapping can help nonprofits understand these systems and design more context-sensitive solutions.

Why nonprofits' legal aid models fail survivors of gender-based violence 22/09/2026

Legal awareness alone cannot protect survivors of gender-based violence.

Funders and nonprofits must ensure sustained legal representation.

Read the article by Aparimita Pratap and Gatha G N

Why nonprofits' legal aid models fail survivors of gender-based violence Legal awareness alone cannot protect survivors of gender-based violence. Funders and nonprofits must ensure sustained legal representation.

Photos from India Development Review's post 21/09/2026

What shapes learning beyond the classroom?

Learning is shaped by more than what happens inside a school. Social inequalities, institutional environments, lived experiences, and relationships can all shape how children experience learning.

But there are other questions worth asking.

Explore different perspectives on learning, social-emotional education, and social transformation with IDR Answers.

๐Ÿ’กHave a question? Ask IDR Answers: https://idranswers.idronline.org/

๐Ÿ’ฌWhat would you like to explore? Tell us in the comments.

The capacity-building complex 21/09/2026

Great decor but terrible foundation. Sounds familiar?

Read the humour piece by Anandhakrishnan S and Debojit Dutta

The capacity-building complex Great decor but terrible foundation. Sounds familiar?

18/09/2026

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