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Bhaskar English | Rohini Nilekani launches the first Mental Health Festival; talks about body intelligence
This is what Rohini Nilekani, the country’s most philanthropic woman, says, who has turned mental health into a celebration. In 2024, she launched the country’s first mental health festival, ‘Manotsav’. Rohini is the wife of Nandan Nilekani, co-founder and chairman of the tech company Infosys Technologies Limited. On World Mental Health Day, read edited excerpts […]
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The New Indian Express | Mental health film festival set to happen in Bengaluru
Ahead of mental health festival, Manotsava, this film festival will explore Alzheimer’s, cerebral palsy, schizophrenia, loss and more through six contemporary films. Once only addressed in hushed tones and allusions, conversations about mental health have increasingly become more open over the last decade. Manotsava – National Mental Health Festival by Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies (RNP), National […]
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Deccan Herald | Manotsava: 2nd edition National mental health festival to focus on openness, inclusion
“Having a mental health festival like ‘Manotsava’ helps to start conversations around mental well-being and mental illness”, said Dr Pratima Murthy. Bengaluru: The second edition of ‘Manotsava’, a national mental health festival, will be held on November 8 and 9 at The Lalit Ashok on Kumara Krupa Road. The festival is being co-hosted by Rohini […]
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Alliance Magazine | A Heat Justice Compass for Philanthropic Action
By Tanya Kak (Climate & Environment Portfolio Lead, RNP) On a field visit in Pune, India, I heard one refrain repeatedly: ‘It’s hot but we’re used to it’. I had made this trip with Prayas Energy and Health Group, one of several partners we support at the Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies (RNP), and who work with street vendors, construction […]
Others
Press Release | NIMHANS, NCBS, and Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies Announce the Second Edition of the National Mental Health Festival, Manotsava, in Bengaluru
Bengaluru, India, Oct 10, 2025 – Manotsava, the National Mental Health Festival, returns on 8–9 November 2025 at The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru. Co-hosted by Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies (RNP), National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), and National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), the festival will bring together leading voices from mental health, science, […]
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IDR | The Limits of AI in Social Change
– Gautam John, CEO, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies More actors—from grantmaking to service delivery—are exploring the use of AI. However, the excitement around scale and efficiency often overshadows a critical question: What does it mean to bring machine-generated abstraction into systems built on trust, context, and relationship? In systems of social change, we grapple with an enduring tension: connection versus abstraction. Connection […]
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Hindustan Times | Where the Wild Things Are
On a private reserve, Rohini Nilekani comes safely face to face with elephants and rhinos. Can we find ways to coexist in India too, adapting to animals as they have to us? It was a bunker made of reinforced concrete and steel. It was half underground, and camouflaged with mud, leaves and grass. Just beyond […]
Keynote
Pukar’s Event | Journey of Transformation
At the PUKAR Research Fellowship graduation, Natasha Joshi, spoke about working in Samaaj and the power of collective action. She reflected on how grassroots efforts can drive meaningful social change.
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Purposeful Capital for a Livable Future | AndPurpose Forum, Bengaluru
At the AndPurpose Forum held in Bengaluru in July 2025, Gautam John (CEO, RNP) spoke about how philanthropic capital and collective action can drive systemic change. The panel included Shobha Venkataraman (Partner, Elevar Equity) and A. B. Chakravarthy (Co-CEO, Upaya Social Ventures) with Kamna Hazrati (Founder, AndPurpose) as moderator. The discussion shed light on the […]
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Alliance Magazine | What if We Funded Justice Differently?
Justice has often been philanthropy’s stepchild. In numerous donor forums I’ve attended, we’ve eagerly rallied around education, health, and livelihoods. However—when the conversation turns to justice, ensuring people can access their rights, challenge injustice, or navigate the legal system—the energy shifts. Justice is perceived as peripheral, abstract, or difficult to measure. Many funders treat it […]