October 15, 2021
Podcast

To fail is to have dared | IDR Failure Files

Philanthropist, author, and former journalist Rohini Nilekani speaks to India Development Review (IDR) co-founder and CEO, Smarinita Shetty, on why failure needs to be underwritten in the social sector, and how philanthropists must develop more patience and create a space that normalises failure in the context of nonprofit work. You can listen to the full […]

July 6, 2021
Interview

The World This Week – Children’s Magazine

Rohini Nilekani is the Founder-Chairperson of Arghyam, a foundation she set up for sustainable water and sanitation, which funds initiatives all across India. From 2004 to 2014, she was Founder-Chairperson and chief funder of Pratham Books, a non-profit children’s publisher that reached millions of children during her tenure. She has written several books for young children, published […]

June 22, 2020
Interview

Samaaj, Sarkaar and Bazaar: The New Normal in Times of COVID-19 Pandemic

This is an edited version of Rohini Nilekani’s conversation with ET Now, about the Coronavirus pandemic and the changes it has brought in her work and in society at large. The pandemic has brought many changes in our lives, some for better and others for worse. The negative repercussions are being felt by people of […]

May 7, 2020
Keynote

Rohini’s Comments at SVP, Bangalore All Partners Meet

This is an edited version of Rohini Nilekani’s comments at the SVP, Bangalore All Partner’s meet. This pandemic has taught us a lot about ourselves, our communities, and our governments. We’ve learnt about the positives and the negatives of our public systems, and our activistic fears are being revived. But our empathy has also been […]

March 9, 2019
Keynote

Embracing Risk: Solving our Societal Challenges

This is an edited version of Rohini Nilekani’s keynote talk on Embracing Risk: Solving our Societal Challenges at Dasra Philanthropy Week 2019 in Mumbai. Rohini talks about how we can take greater risks, both individually and collectively, how we can embrace failure as an opportunity, and how we can mitigate the downsides.   We’ve come […]

December 18, 2018
Interview

Are we suffering from a lack of imagination?

The pace at which social problems are outpacing our solutions underscores the need for bold philanthropy, audacious goals and capable, committed leadership in social sector organisations, says Rohini Nilekani, founder-chairperson of Arghyam and co-founder of EkStep.   How do you think Indian philanthropy has evolved over the years?  How have the approaches and discussions around […]