India Development Review (IDR)

It’s our 8th birthday today, and we couldn’t think of a better time to launch #IForIDR – a campaign that celebrates who we are and what we’ve been doing – and most importantly, like everything else at IDR, is shaped by *you*. Because these past 8 years hasn’t been our journey alone, it’s been yours too. 👉 Stay tuned as we highlight the voices of the people who’ve shaped IDR. More coming soon—keep an eye out.

What does real trust look like in philanthropy? In recent years, a number of nonprofit organisations have received large, unrestricted grants from American philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. Her approach marks a clear departure from traditional philanthropy, offering flexible funding that recipients can use in whatever ways they feel would best support their work, with no application or reporting requirements. Three years after MacKenzie Scott’s unrestricted grants were given to nonprofits with no strings attached, a study by the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) found that the model has influenced how organisations manage funds, plan programmes, and support leadership. Many nonprofits spread the funding across several years, built financial reserves, expanded programmes and strengthened internal systems. While some reported improved fundraising capacity, most funders have not yet adopted similar unrestricted models, highlighting a gap between nonprofit needs and current funding practices. Read this article to learn more about how this report offers a chance to consider different ways of funding—ways that centre flexible and long-term support. 🔗 Story Link: https://lnkd.in/dDAJ4qYg 💡 Do you know of any funders or nonprofits that should read this? Please share your insights in the comments or tag someone whose voice should be part of this conversation. . . . IDR is on a mission to create a development sector that is better informed and embraces critical thinking. Join us in our journey, and please consider following our socials.

“Like a bee—grounded, connected, and always in motion.” 🐝 That’s how Suparna Gupta, founder of Aangan Trust, describes IDR. She says we are "a platform that has changed how we understand the development sector, one that is inclusive, thoughtful, and deeply democratic." And that's why, one of her birthday wishes for us is more unrestricted funding. 😅 ➡️How do you connect with IDR? Share your thoughts below. And if you can, donate today to help us do more of what we do! 🔗https://lnkd.in/gvTXakiU . . . . . IDR is on a mission to create a development sector that is better informed and embraces critical thinking. Join us on our journey, and consider following us on our socials.  🔗Visit idronline.org for more information.

In spite of having the highest literacy rate in India, the youth in Tripura struggle for quality education and jobs. Young people in Tripura are ambitious and eager to grow, but inadequate higher education institutes, limited job opportunities, and language barriers are shaping whether they choose to migrate or stay. Many are starting over in other states. While others are carving new paths through small businesses, training, and community networks. In this article, Anupam Sharma examines how youth aspirations in Tripura are getting lost in translation. Read this piece to hear from students and jobseekers in Tripura, about their dreams, the roadblocks they face, and why many are still being forced to leave their homes. *This story is a part of the #IDRNortheastFellowship, a 10-month programme during which fellows based in the Northeast uncover and report on hyperlocal issues in their immediate environment. 🔗 Story Link: https://lnkd.in/dRvbq3Zz 💡 Do you know about any other states that face similar challenges? Please share your insights in the comments or tag someone whose voice should be part of this conversation. . . . IDR is on a mission to create a development sector that is better informed and embraces critical thinking. Join us in our journey, and please consider following our socials.

Feeling the heat? Heatwaves are here and they are deadlier than you think. As global temperatures rise, India faces a growing and urgent threat—longer, more severe, and more frequent heatwaves. Yet our systems remain dangerously unprepared. More than 17,000 lives have been lost to heatwaves in India since 1971. But the country’s infrastructure and policies aren’t built for the climate of today, let alone the extremes of tomorrow. Why are lives still being lost to something we can forecast, and what’s stopping us from treating heat as a real emergency? 👉 Swipe through to learn why India needs urgent, science-backed heatwave action now. 🔗 Read the full article (originally published on Mongabay India), ‘No respite in sight: India’s heatwaves are here to stay’ by Chandra Bhushan via the link in bio/below. Know someone who would find this article interesting? Share this post with them. International Forum for Environment, Sustainability & Technology (iFOREST) . . . . . *Heatwaves are intensifying, but their effects aren’t felt equally. As temperatures rise, some communities face bigger risks. This campaign highlights the unequal burden of extreme heat, who’s most vulnerable, why disparities exist, and how to respond—with real stories, practical evidence-based solutions, and strategies to stay safe this summer.

IDR Hindi Roundup |  पिछले हफ्ते IDR हिंदी में क्या-क्या हुआ? चलिए एक नज़र डालते हैं- 1. सोशल सेक्टर में आना है? तो Rakesh S., Pooja Rathi की ये सलाह ज़रूर मानिए। सार ये है कि जोश में आइये, पर होश में रहिये 😅 बाकि आप स्वयं देख सकते हैं। 🔗 यहाँ देखें: https://lnkd.in/dd_apP73 2. क्या तकनीक हमसे हमारी सांस्कृतिक धरोहर भी छीन रही है? राजस्थान के एक खास संग्रहालय की कहानी, उसके संरक्षक, श्याम सुंदर शर्मा की ज़ुबानी। 🔗 देखें पूरा वीडियो 🎥: https://lnkd.in/djFnpd2G 3. नंदुरबार के किसान बारिश की अनियमितता और पूर्वानुमान की कमी से परेशान हैं। क्या ब्लॉक और पंचायत स्तर के मौसम केंद्र इसका समाधान हो सकते हैं? 🔗 यहां जानें: https://lnkd.in/dsqXEnqZ 4. बांग्लादेश से त्रिपुरा की ओर पलायन करने वाला गौर समुदाय आज रबर की खेती के कारण खराब जमीन और पानी के संकट से जूझ रहा है। Anupam Sharma, हंसातनु रॉय बता रहे हैं उनकी कहानी। 🔗 यहाँ क्लिक कर पढ़ें: https://lnkd.in/dcjHCFHN 5. अंत में, तेलंगाना के आदिवासी किसान मिर्च की खेती में कर्ज और गिरती कीमतें से जूझ रहे हैं। अविनाश कुमार और दिब्येंदु चौधरी की रिपोर्ट से जानिए कैसे खेती की बदलती प्रक्रिया ने इन समुदायों की आजीविका और जीवनशैली को प्रभावित किया है। Professional Assistance For Development Action (PRADAN) 🔗 पूरी रिपोर्ट पढ़ें: https://lnkd.in/dMbem8yv . . . आईडीआर हिंदी डेवलपमेंट सेक्टर के लिए काम करने वाला भारत का पहला और सबसे बड़ा स्वतंत्र मीडिया प्लैटफ़ार्म है। आपका सहयोग ही हमारी आवाज़ है। हमें खुशी होगी यदि आप हमें फॉलो करें। फेसबुक- https://bit.ly/4cgRViL इंस्टाग्राम- https://bit.ly/3AclfcV

When do roads get built? Raveena Kunwar A question echoed through generations 🤝 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dGXJ3cdE 👉Share this with a friend who can relate with this. Comment how you'd answer this question.

Looking for reliable, accessible data on the SDGs? ISDM DataSights is a free-to-use data platform developed by the Indian School of Development Management (ISDM), with support from Capgemini. It is a unified hub to access relevant, high-quality datasets that can support the social sector in research, reporting, and program design. Here’s what you can do with ISDM DataSights: -Find both structured and semi-structured SDG data under one roof -Use advanced tools for analysis and visualisations -Access reports and knowledge resources for the sector The platform is built with grassroots Social Purpose Organisations in mind—easy to navigate, open to all, and designed to make data more usable for decision-making. You can: -Access 150 datasets and 2,214 indicators -Analyse patterns in data and create relevant visualisations -Share your findings and co-create knowledge Subscribe today, for free: https://lnkd.in/dEFcpt3P For queries, write to: [email protected] *This post is sponsored by the Indian School of Development Management (ISDM) Dhwani Rural Information Systems, Aarti Srivastava, Roma Nawani Sachdev, Kumar Anurag Pratap, Saurabh Srivastava, Monica Datta, Rimmy Taneja, Anand Rao, PhD, MBA, Dr. Rajesh Shukla, Shahana Chattaraj, Ravi Sreedharan, Sharad Agarwal, Gaurav Shah, Trisha Varma, Kakul Misra, Naghma Abidi, Swetha Prakash, Aditi Jha, Bushra Ansari, Mallika Luthra, Sowmya Rajaram, Roopa Sharma, Ashwini R., Bhavna Panda, Sreya R Menon, Satender Rana, Sunandan Madan, Parnika Rai #SDG #socialimpact #techforgood

We're back with the third edition of #IDRWrapUp, a weekly curation of stories that matter to the development community. This week, read about how climate learning needs to move beyond just awareness, echoes of opposition to Pune riverfront project, and the lives blanketed by fly ash in Tamil Nadu. We also travel to Kashmir post Pahalgam, explore why constitutional literacy must be participatory, and witness how riverine communities are keeping memories alive through art and sound. 💡 Swipe through and read the story that is relevant to you. Add your perspective in the comments, feedback helps a lot. 👉 If you can, please do share the story you find interesting. It gives visibility to not just the story, but the writer behind it. 1. Pallavi Phatak and Sunayana Ganguly explore why environmental education must go beyond instructions and start with experience and action. Climate Educators Network 🔗 Read the piece: https://lnkd.in/dyyac6gU 2. Ilhak Ahmad Tantray and Umer Farooq Zargar report from Kashmir, where after the Pahalgam tragedy, tourism and trust are both being tested. 🔗 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/d_J_ZG8X 3. Deepa Pawar reflects on what it means to reclaim the Constitution. For her, it’s not about memorising articles. It’s about living with dignity. Anubhuti Trust 🔗 Read the article: https://lnkd.in/g7cF_F-Z 4. rahul singh investigates what happens when rivers are designed for aesthetics, not ecology, with Pune’s riverfront project as a case in point. 🔗 Explore the story: https://lnkd.in/dJm_Sr9D 5. Nagammal shares her lived experience from a Tamil Nadu village where fly ash makes everyday life a struggle, from meals to clean air. 🔗 Read her perspective: https://lnkd.in/gPywe8Qd 6. Vandana Menon captures why in Northeast India, rivers are not just geographic features, but living archives. 🔗 Dive into the piece: https://lnkd.in/gkbn5mwy . . . IDR is on a mission to create a development sector that is better informed and embraces critical thinking. Join the conversation, follow us, and help these stories reach further.

What was once a community of 300 households is now a village of just 80. In Sepakkam, northern Tamil Nadu, families have left in search of cleaner air and safer lives. Thirty years ago, fifteen households lost their lands to build an ash pond. Today, the pollution has reached their doorsteps. These families are still in court, waiting for compensation. Pollution from the nearby ash pond impacts all aspects of life in the region. As health concerns grow, access to care remains difficult. Those who remain endure constant exposure to fly ash—from the air they breathe to the water they use and the very homes they live in. Children suffer from persistent rashes, while breathing difficulties and joint pain are common. Medical help is far away and often hard to access. Nagammal, a lifelong resident of Sepakkam, shares what environmental degradation has done to her village and the toll it has taken on the health, dignity, and futures of her community. Read this article to know more about what’s happening in Sepakkam. 🔗https://lnkd.in/gPywe8Qd 👉🏾Know of similar pollution-linked struggles in Tamil Nadu? Tell us in the comments. Share this with someone who should know. Do you have similar stories from the field? Share them with us at [email protected] . . . . . IDR is on a mission to create a development sector that is better informed and embraces critical thinking. Join us in our journey, and please consider following our socials.