A quest for a good society
We seek to support ground-breaking work anchored in networks and movements, to create and strengthen communities that work for their own betterment. We believe that the value of samaaj which is on this quest as beyond measure.
PerspectiveThe Giving Pledge

Rohini Nilekani and her husband Nandan are signatories to the giving pledge
Read MoreRoles and Responsibilities
A board member of ATREE, the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment.
On the Artificial Recharge of Ground Water Advisory Council of the Union Ministry of Water Resources.
Elected Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2017.
Contributor to the Eminent Persons Advisory Group of the Competition Commission of India.

Community
Matters
Journalism | Books | Television
Rohini Nilekani first started contributing through her writing as a journalist.
Explore“In a socially and economically diverse country like India, we believe civil society plays a key role in voicing the needs and aspirations of different communities”
Updates
The World After Covid-19: Unless We Are Alert, The Pandemic Could Become The Last Nail In Individualism’s Coffin
For centuries, individualism or the notion that every human individual has intrinsic value has underlined ideas about societal organisation, the economy and justice. Recently, however, the primacy of the individual’s inalienable rights and freedoms has come under immense pressure. Individualism in the West originated from the Enlightenment. It believes in the moral worth of the […]
Accountability & Transparency
April 3, 2020|Article
Reimagining Abundance in Post COVID-19 India
As people return to life and work post the lockdown, some predictions point to a mad rush to do even more than before. Travel more, buy more, meet more people, eat out more — do more of more. The government too is expected to do more to restore economic growth and livelihoods. Much more is […]
Civil Society
May 22, 2020|Article
Identifying Climate Adjacency – key findings from four case studies and a synthesis
More often than not, people are aware that their work and actions have climate adjacencies. Farmers agree that the excessive use of pesticides and fertilizer reduces the soil’s ability to remain fertile and makes farming more vulnerable to rainfall changes. Pastoralists are finding it hard to cope with the increased climate stress, partly attributable to growth […]
Climate & Biodiversity
January 21, 2021|Report
Love, not log frames
Gautam John, Director of Strategy, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, on how philanthropy needs an overhaul, from narrow illusions of control to promoting empathy and agency. We will likely remember 2020 for three things. The year the phrase ‘you are on mute’ went mainstream. The year we want to forget, and not view in hindsight. And the […]
Strategic Philanthropy
January 14, 2021|Article
Nandan and Rohini Nilekani; A Conversation with Badr Jafar
The Business of Philanthropy – Examples of questions explored in this interview with renowned philanthropists Nandan and Rohini Nilekani, conducted by Badr Jafar: Are there some golden rules for strategic #philanthropy? How is technology changing the philanthropic sector? How will COVID-19 impact our ability to achieve the #SDGs by 2030? What are the current trends […]
Strategic Philanthropy
January 11, 2021|Interview
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