New Delhi, February 05, 2026: Philanthropy in India must prioritise long-term systemic change, work in close partnership with government systems, and invest consistently in people and institutions, said Ajay Piramal, Chairman, Piramal Group, while addressing the India Fundraising Conference organised by India Leaders for Social Sector (ILSS).
The two-day conference brought together philanthropists, nonprofit leaders, funders and practitioners to deliberate on the role of capital, leadership and collaboration in scaling social impact across India.
Speaking at the conference, Piramal emphasised that business and philanthropy should not be viewed as separate pursuits, but as efforts guided by a shared purpose of creating positive social outcomes. He noted that while metrics and return on investment are important, meaningful social change often takes time and requires patience, trust and sustained engagement. Drawing from education initiatives in Rajasthan, he highlighted how long-term collaboration with government systems and continued philanthropic investment have led to measurable improvements in learning outcomes in public schools. According to him, philanthropy should focus on demonstrating effective models that governments can adopt and scale to achieve population-level impact.
Echoing the emphasis on systemic approaches, Amit Chandra, Co-founder, A.T.E. Chandra Foundation, said that sustained social change depends on long-term commitment and close collaboration with public systems. He stressed that working with governments, rather than creating parallel structures, enables solutions to reach scale and remain durable. He added that aligning philanthropic capital with government priorities and improving the effectiveness of public spending can generate impact across sectors such as education, health and livelihoods.
The conference also marked the launch of India’s first dedicated Fundraisers’ Network (TFN), a platform created to strengthen fundraising capability across the nonprofit sector. The network aims to unlock capital, build institutional capacity and encourage collaboration by providing nonprofit leaders and fundraisers with access to practice-based knowledge, tools and shared insights.
Anu Prasad, Founder and CEO, India Leaders for Social Sector, said, “Fundraising in our sector is often learned in isolation through trial and error, and knowledge sits within a few organisations. This platform is our response to that gap. Fundraising is not a back-office function. It is a leadership capability that shapes ambition, strategy and sustainability. When leaders understand capital, organisations can think long term, engage funders as partners and build institutions that last. We hope this platform becomes a shared asset for the sector to learn, engage and strengthen how capital flows to social impact.”
The India Fundraising Conference highlighted the need for stronger leadership, talent development and cross-sector collaboration to help organisations move beyond short-term funding cycles. Convened by ILSS, the event forms part of its broader efforts to strengthen institutional effectiveness and enable nonprofits to access strategic, long-term capital.
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