Podcast
Rohini Nilekani On The Pleasures Of Being In Nature
This is an edited version of Rohini Nilekani’s interview on the Bird Podcast hosted by Shoba Narayan. They discuss Rohini’s favourite birds and why conserving nature is an “enlightened self-interest” for humanity as a whole. Since I was born and brought up in Mumbai, the only birds we saw were crows, sparrows, and sometimes parakeets. […]
Interview
Rohini Nilekani and Arun Kumar | Succeeding in Partnerships
This is an edited version of Rohini Nilekani’s conversation with Arun Kumar on Succeeding in Partnerships. The discussion highlights the importance of partnerships in addressing large and complex societal issues and the need for including partnerships in the organisation strategy. Collaboration is an important topic in the social sector today. Collaboration as an idea should, […]
Panel
Rohini Nilekani and Kamaljit Bawa: How to Grow ATREE in the Era of Climate Change
This is an edited version of Rohini Nilekani’s conversation with Professor Kamaljit Bawa at Indiaspora Climate Summit on April 20th. They discussed the urgency of climate science and ATREE’s work. Out of all of the areas that I fund, I have come to the realisation that my environmental portfolio is perhaps the most critical as […]
Interview
To Fail is to Have Dared
In this interview with IDR, Rohini speaks about why we need to underwrite failure in the social sector, how philanthropists can support failure in practice, and shares some of her own failures as an activist philanthropist. When working on complex issues of social change, failure is inevitable. Yet, people in the social sector are reluctant […]
Podcast
The Architecture of Good Markets
This is an edited version of Rohini Nilekani in conversation with Naushad Forbes, business leader and ex-President of the Confederation of Indian Industry, for an episode of India Development Review’s podcast, On the Contrary. Along with Arun Maira, the host of the show, they discuss what markets must include, whom they should serve, and the […]
Others
Close Encounters of the Karia Kind – Rohini Nilekani’s sequel to “Romancing the Black Panther
After five years of trying to spot the elusive black panther – Karia – of the Kabini forest, Rohini finally finds it. But where? And what happens next? In Part 2 of the talk ‘Romancing the Black Panther’ Rohini Nilekani completes her story about her quest for the black panther, and how it brings her […]
Panel
Insider-Outsider-Insider
Rohini Nilekani moderates a discussion on delivering large-scale transformational programs, impact on the ground, and the implementation of such programmes in a large and diverse country like India. The discussion draws on the learnings from the Swachh Bharat Mission, the world’s largest successful behaviour change programme, which drew over 55 crore rural Indians out of […]
Keynote
Rohini’s Comments at The Annual Desh Apnayen Awards Ceremony
This is an edited version of Rohini Nilekani’s address at the ACTIZENS awards ceremony hosted by the Desh Apnayen Sahayog Foundation. In her speech as Chief Guest, Rohini Nilekani discusses how we can harness India’s latent potential to shape extraordinary citizens who will make India the world’s greatest democracy. You and your friends, and all […]
Keynote
Comments at SVP, Kolkata 3rd Anniversary Meet
This is an edited version of Rohini Nilekani’s comments at SVP’s 3rd Anniversary Meet in Kolkata. My Journey to Structured Philanthropy I have been on my philanthropic journey for about three decades now. When I look back at it now, I think the real journey started much before, with my ancestors, because it is what […]
Article
कबीनी का काला पैंथर
यह तो होना ही था। जब दिल प्रफुल्लित होकर भर आता है, तो आंखे छलक ही जाती है। अंततः जब मैंने उस जीव को देखा, जिसका पीछा मैं पांच वर्षों से कर रही थी तो आंसू बिन बुलाये मेहमान की तरह चले आये। आख़िरकार, वह ब्लैकी या जैसा कि स्थानीय लोग उसे कहते हैं, करिया […]