For over three decades, Infosys Foundation has been at the forefront of driving grassroots transformation across India, with a special focus on underserved tribal and rural communities. Through a blend of education, healthcare, livelihood support, and cultural preservation, the Foundation has consistently worked to create sustainable, inclusive impact while respecting the social and cultural identities of the communities it serves. From building a hostel for tribal girls in Raigad to launching a rubber farming program for the Kani tribe in Kanyakumari, and from delivering mobile healthcare units to preserving folk traditions through Kala Dhwani, its initiatives span diverse geographies and needs yet remain united by a singular vision — enabling dignity, opportunity, and self-reliance.
In this exclusive interview with TheCSRUniverse, Mr. Sunil Dhareshwar, Trustee at Infosys Foundation, talks about the organization’s evolving approach to tribal and rural upliftment, its community-led decision-making model, and the role of collaboration in achieving sustainable change. He also shares insights into shifting aspirations within tribal societies, the integration of technology in grassroots initiatives, and key learnings that can inspire the broader CSR and philanthropic ecosystem.
Read along for deeper insights:
Q. Over the years, Infosys Foundation has undertaken diverse initiatives for underserved communities. What continues to drive your focus on tribal and rural upliftment, especially after three decades of work?
A. Since its inception, Infosys Foundation has focused on driving grassroots impact for underserved communities. Our focus on tribal and rural upliftment is driven by the fact that many people in these regions lack access to basic education, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities. We believe sustainable change comes from empowering them while respecting their cultural identity. So, whether it’s building a hostel for tribal girls in Raigad, or supporting the Kani tribe through skill development, or preserving folk traditions through Kala Dhwani, our efforts are guided by the goal of building inclusive, self-reliant communities on the foundations of dignity and opportunity.
Q. Can you tell us about Infosys Foundation’s recent work with tribal communities—like the Raigad girls’ hostel and the Kani tribe livelihood program? What needs drive these efforts, and how do you envision their long-term impact?
A. Our work with tribal communities is focused on creating real, lasting change by addressing the basic needs of education and livelihoods.
In Raigad, we built a hostel for tribal and underprivileged rural girls to help them continue their education in a safe and supportive environment. Many of these girls come from remote areas, where distance and safety concerns have traditionally led to high drop-out rates. The hostel is a step toward removing those barriers and encouraging them to continue with their education.
Kanyakumari district, we collaborated with the Sister Nivedita Mission Trust to support the Kani tribe, who depend on the forest for their livelihood. To help them become more financially secure, we introduced a rubber farming program that provides training, planting materials, and essential tools. This program will help around 500 families earn a steady income.
Through such efforts, we aim to provide long-term solutions that uplift communities and help them become stronger and more self-reliant while staying connected to their cultural roots.
Q. Kala Dhwani is a unique initiative. What was the inspiration behind curating a platform for folk and tribal artists, and how does cultural preservation tie into your broader social mission?
A. Kala Dhwani was born out of a deep commitment to preserving India’s rich folk and tribal traditions and giving artists from underserved communities the platform and the recognition they deserve. The festival brings together a diverse range of performers, craftspeople, and storytellers from across the country as a celebration of music, dance, crafts, and literature.
Through Kala Dhwani, Infosys Foundation acts on its belief that cultural preservation isn’tjust about honoring tradition but also about fostering pride, identity, and continuity in communities. It’s in line with our broader mission of inclusive, sustainable development that values both economic and cultural empowerment.
Q. With so many interventions across different states, how do you identify which communities to support and what kinds of support they need? What does that decision-making process look like?
A. Infosys Foundation follows a research- and community-led approach to identify the communities to support and the kind of support they need. For instance, our ‘Education for Employment’ initiative was born out of a detailed feasibility study that helped us understand the intricacies of employment challenges, especially among underserved communities. In the case of tribal healthcare, we collaborated with KEM Hospital Research Centre to co-develop a model for 64 tribal villages in Maharashtra in view of the challenges specific to the region in terms of geography, infrastructure, and healthcare access.
Our decision-making is rooted in on-the-ground realities and shaped by direct input from stakeholders. We prioritize interventions that deliver long-term, sustainable impact. Whether it’s through mobile medical units, skilling programs, or infrastructure development, we focus on creating solutions that are responsive to the needs of the communities we engage with.
Q. Collaboration plays a big role in your work. How important is it for the Foundation to work alongside local organizations, NGOs, or even state governments to ensure that initiatives are truly rooted in community needs?
A. Collaboration is the cornerstone of our approach to work. To create a lasting and meaningful impact, we rely on close collaboration with partners who have deep insight into the local environments and on-the-ground realities. And so, we engage with grassroots NGOs, specialized institutions (such as KEMHRC, Avanti Fellows, and GoSports Foundation), as well as public hospitals such as PGIMER and Madras Medical College.
Such collaborations equip us with on-the-ground knowledge, help us reach deeper into communities, and ensure that our interventions are culturally sensitive and aligned with real-world challenges. In our tribal healthcare initiative near Pune, our collaboration with KEMHRC helped us design a model within the geographic and infrastructural contours of 64 tribal villages. Meanwhile, the Infosys Springboard platform and our work with education-focused NGOs have strengthened our education-to-employment efforts and enabled us to build effective skilling pathways.
Local partners are essential not just for implementation but also for co-creating sustainable, long-term solutions that are acceptable to the communities. Our partners help us remain responsive and focused on driving long-term impact.
Q. From your experience, how have the aspirations and challenges of tribal communities changed over the years? Are you noticing any major social or generational shifts that are shaping your programs today?
A. We’re seeing increasing openness among younger generations and women to engage with formal systems of education, healthcare, and skilling. This positive change is being driven by targeted awareness programs and community engagement programs implemented by NGOs, government agencies, and private organizations—including us.
For instance, in some tribal villages of Maharashtra, adolescent girls who once had little or no awareness about reproductive health are now actively participating in menstrual hygiene and anemia awareness initiatives through our SNEH Centers. There is a visible shift from traditional practices to modern, more informed health choices, supported by trained ASHAs and mobile medical units, which bring quality care closer to people.
Meanwhile, an increasing number of rural youths are taking to digital skilling and employability programs. Platforms such as Infosys Springboard today enable access to structured learning in ways that were unimaginable a few years ago. These generational changes are shaping the way we design our interventions. We are embedding technology, health education, and future-ready skills into our community models while staying rooted in local realities.
If we look at industries, there is growing recognition among corporates and their ecosystem partners of the need to invest in tribal development not just as a CSR mandate but as a means of enabling truly inclusive growth.
Q. How does the Foundation track and measure the real-world impact of its grassroots initiative, especially in remote or tribal regions where outcomes may not always be quantifiable through conventional metrics?
A. Infosys Foundation employs a community-embedded, data-informed approach to track and measure the real-world impact of its grassroots initiatives. A key enabler of this approach is our alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which serve as a strategic compass as well as a reporting framework. For example, the maternal and child health project in 64 tribal villages in Maharashtra is aligned with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being). It uses decentralized hubs such as Arogya Kutis to deliver prenatal care and is monitored through early registrations, diagnostics, and community outreach. Likewise, the Girls Wellness Program in Maharashtra and Karnataka supports SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) by providing compostable sanitary pads and menstrual hygiene education in over 1,200 schools. Impact, in this case, is tracked through behavior change, school attendance, and teacher engagement. By aligning initiatives with specific SDGs and collaborating with local partners for evaluation, we ensure that our efforts are both locally responsive and globally accountable.
Q. What are some of the key learnings or insights that Infosys Foundation has gathered over the years that you believe could be valuable for other philanthropic or CSR-led organizations?
A. The lessons that we learn from our work continue to guide and refine our approach; it’s a continuous process. We have seen that long-term collaborations with grassroots NGOs, government bodies, and expert institutions foster deeper engagement, trust, continuity, and strong local ownership and deliver long-lasting impact. We believe that holistic ecosystem support is much more effective than one-time aid in creating meaningful change. We have invested in mentoring, and capacity-building across education and livelihood, sports, and healthcare. By adopting “phygital” models that blend physical outreach with digital platforms, we’ve been enabled access to industry-relevant education and skills in both rural and urban India. Our inclusive, multi-layered approach bridges systemic gaps and promotes community-led transformation.
