Article
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 […]
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.
Panel
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 […]
Article
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 […]
Interview
The New Indian Express | A ‘tail’ of the wild: Philanthropist Rohini Nilekani on her debut documentary
Philanthropist Rohini Nilekani dives into the very essence of her award-winning debut documentary Nilgiris – A Shared Wilderness, which is set to release on July 18, and its alarming reminder to preserve the country’s fading biodiversity A story of passion unfolded in the verdant hills of the Nilgiris a couple of years ago. Bankrolled by […]
The New Indian Express Podcast | Purpose Meets Policy
In this episode of The Expressions Podcast, host Neha speaks with Natasha Joshi, strategist at Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, on gender, education, mental health, and the future of care in a tech-driven world. Natasha reflects on building India’s first major mental health festival, the need to include boys and men in equity conversations, and caregiving as […]
Article
AARP International | Rohini Nilekani writes: A Commentary on Aging in India
In 2025, India had the largest population of young people of any country in the world. Within a couple of decades, it will have the largest cohort of people age 60+. This will not be just a demographic transition; it will also mark a seismic cultural shift — and India will need to find ways […]
Others
Press Release : Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, Dalberg Advisors and Ashoka Changemakers launch landscape study on Ageing and Longevity in India
The report takes stock of the latest data, programs and narratives on aging in India, and hopes to catalyze action in the longevity space, through recommendations made for civil society organizations, policy makers, and philanthropy. Bengaluru, India, May 27th, 2025: Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies launches an all-inclusive report on aging and longevity in India. Produced […]
Article
The Times of India | Rohini Nilekani Writes: Silver Can Be The New Swag
In 25 years, India will have 300mn elders. It’s time for a mental reset – from making second careers possible, to recognising hours of caregiving they provide, to finding ways to keep them socially active. Recently, a parliamentary committee proposed that the age criteria for Ayushman Bharat Vay Vandana Card, the health insurance scheme for […]
Article
IDR | A question for all of us who care about change
How do we resist the pull towards control and instead lean into the messiness of connection? – Gautam John (CEO, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropries) In an earlier piece on IDR, I explored connection and abstraction as two distinct approaches to systems change. That framing was meant to start a conversation, to ask what it takes to build […]
