Across India today, the intersections of health, livelihoods, education, financial inclusion, and the environment are shaping a new development narrative, one that recognizes that real progress can only emerge when communities grow on all fronts, not in fragments. In this exclusive conversation with TheCSRUniverse, Mr. Sundeep Talwar, CEO and Philanthropic Advisor of Impact Guru Foundation (IGF India), reflects on what it means to lead with purpose in a country confronting widening inequalities, rising climate pressures, and evolving expectations from both citizens and corporations. He shares how IGF India is embedding dignity into service delivery, blending corporate discipline with grassroots compassion, and building models where technology, transparency, and community trust form the backbone of sustainable change. This interview explores the essence of purpose-led leadership, the power of interconnected interventions, the role of data in shaping social outcomes, and the future of CSR in an India that is rapidly redefining what meaningful impact truly looks like.
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Q. What does purpose-driven leadership mean to you in today’s development landscape, and how has your transition from the corporate sector shaped your approach at IGF India?
A. Purpose-led leadership feels like serving others instead of chasing status. It's about grounding choices in respect for people, focusing on those left behind when shaping plans, while still pushing forward even if things get tough or unclear. Right now - in a world where gaps between rich and poor feel huge and support runs thin - this kind of leadership acts like a guide, helping groups stay true to their values and keep functioning without losing direction.
My transition from the corporate sector fundamentally shaped this philosophy and that’s what started this whole way of thinking. Working twenty years in telecom and marketing? That gave me order, focus, quick moves, responsibility. Yet it wasn’t until my time in Kashmir, then the gut punch of losing someone mid-pandemic, that everything tilted sideways. Meaningful achievement only counts when it lifts up people nobody else sees. At IGF India, I mix corporate discipline with heartfelt action - so growth doesn’t erase values. Meaning isn't just talk; it’s showing up every day to listen, adapt, then move forward with care.
Q. You often emphasize that progress is holistic when health, education, livelihoods, and environment move together. How do you operationalize this interlinkage within your programs on the ground?
A. To us, real growth isn't just talk - it's what we see daily when helping struggling families. In any neighborhood, no problem stands alone. Missing school limits jobs, low pay harms well-being, dirty surroundings hurt each one, Out of pocket health care expenditure (OOPE) in India is 3X the global average, so it keeps going. That’s why our efforts link up naturally, focused on people first.
Take school or education - it’s key. Lots of children quit ’cause parents can’t pay or just don’t know what’s available. We sponsor their education and simultaneously build their understanding of digital and financial literacy, so they can save safely, avoid fraud, and plan for their future.
In livelihood projects, we help people with movement issues or physical challenges by using smart tools - take the ‘NEMO’ livelihood program, which boosts freedom to move, self-esteem, besides restoring respect for the locomotive disabled. We also work with communities during crises. During the floods, our teams reached some of the most difficult terrains and supported nearly 16,000 people, providing lifesaving rescue, relief kits, and rehabilitation support.
Healthcare covers a wide range of needs - our Care on Wheels (MMU’s) initiative steps in by bringing preventive health checkups, respect, and ease straight to people’s homes. If a woman receives help early, she spends less cash while opening doors to look after her kids, keep learning, or take up work that fits her life
The Environment matters a lot. By planting trees or working on climate goals, we help people get fresher air and better living conditions. Each new tree right now means hope for our new generation later
All these pieces connect when you follow one family's story. As she picks up budgeting skills, gets health check-ups from our clinics on wheels, helps her kid go to school, finds steady work, while also breathing cleaner air - that’s real change working together.
Our strong on-ground teams across 14 states and 2 Union Territoriesensure that these interventions are implemented with depth, dignity, and community trust. We believe that when progress respects the interconnectedness of life, transformation becomes sustainable and truly meaningful – “change then sticks around because it matters”.
Q. Having brought corporate discipline into the nonprofit space, what lessons from your time in telecom and marketing have proven most valuable in scaling social outcomes?
A. My years in the corporate sector taught me lessons that became the backbone of how I led, The AkshayaPatra Foundation and now IGF-India. One key takeaway? Creating frameworks - understanding organizationalmechanics, team coordination across departments, or designing scalable processes. This clear approach enabled forming IGF as a purpose-led entity with cohesive operations.
I picked up how crucial it is to stay consistent with data. In telecom and marketing, choices rely heavily on dashboards, measurements, or regular check-ins. This approach I’ve applied here - beyond projects, into team output, updates, digitization, innovation, yet openness. It keeps efforts tied to proof while letting us adapt whenever the numbers suggest a shift.
Another corporate lesson that shaped me deeply is customer centricity...In development work, it’s about focusing on those who benefit. That change in focus helped drive my move toward social initiatives. Health care acts like a vital support system; local groups should get just as much understanding, quick action, and practical solutions as clients do in competitive markets. Where individuals sense real respect, improvements tend to last and matter more.
The corporate world also taught me the importance of being market ready. The business environment showed me how crucial it is to stay ahead of potential issues. At IGF-India now, that proactive thinking shapes our approach. When flooding occurs, crews act fast thanks to pre-set procedures, established networks, logistics setups, and emergency tools on hand. Since we recognize crisis trends early, action begins well before impact hits. Planning ahead, acting quickly - this skill stems straight from my experience in corporate settings.
Corporate experience changed my take on culture - clear messaging, solid pitches, engaging advisors, also building teams that step up. All skills I picked up - organization, pace, focus, persuasive talking, leading - I’ve applied at IGF-India, blending care with effective action.
Q. IGF India’s model integrates SROI thinking and transparent execution. Could you share how you quantify impact, both in numbers and in stories, and how this influences donor trust?
A. Transparency isn't merely a principle at IGF- rather, it defines who we are. This standard comes before all others, leading to Trust; accordingly, we apply it daily. As a result, contributors always know exactly how their funds are used and what outcomes they create.
We stick to clear steps when working with figures- using technology and innovation to stay on track. Each number is checked carefully so nothing gets missed by mistake. We have a live dashboard that tracks program performance in real time. WhatsApp updates are shared with partners, covering screenings, beneficiaries, referrals, enrolments, and follow-ups.
Monthly, Quarterly, Yearly reports detailing outcomes, learnings, financials, SROI and next step, depicting the end results, insights, budgets - alongside future actions. This combination helps us quantify both qualityand quantity- because in social impact, both matter equally.
Trust grows through affordability. Not many nonprofits deliver mobile health services this affordably without cutting corners on care quality - yet we do. Our ‘Health Management Application’ captures the patient data with predictive analysis and the volunteer approach works similarly well, relying on minimal staffing but clear oversight instead. Digital training follows the same path: simple setups paired with solid tracking keep things efficient. Each contribution delivers visible outcomes.
Our SROI numbers show it - clear, direct evidence pointing the same way.
In our Digital and Financial Literacy initiative, each rupee put in brings back close to 800 times through avoided scams, better saving habits, smarter choices, also improved future stability.
For NEMO program, SROI holds strong value. Through one donation, people gain movement, rebuild their income options, while also improving emotional health. As someone with physical disability finds self-reliance, effects go beyond data - this shift reshapes whole family life.
A mother traveling safely for her job, a young man finding work again thanks to transport aid, or older adults catching health issues early via our Care-on-Wheels (MMUs) - every example shows donors their help matters in real, tangible, personal ways.
Our clear methods, along with truthful narratives and solid social returns, build trust - donors end up not only knowing what’s happening but also feeling linked to those they help.
Ultimately, our transparent systems, combined with honest storytelling and strong SROI outcomes, create a relationship of trust where donors feel not just informed but genuinely connected to the lives they are touching.
Q. What insights have emerged from the Care on Wheels program about the healthcare gaps in underserved areas, and how is IGF addressing them through data or innovation?
A. India is a capital to ‘Diabetic population’ globally. Care on Wheels (MMU) showed us clearly where health support is missing in overlooked areas. These gaps go beyond medicine- instead, they involve daily life challenges, feelings, actions, and financial strain.
Initially, it became clear that reach isn't only tied to physical proximity. Women tend to skip clinics since visiting one takes a full day away from jobs and home duties. Often, transportation fees feel heavier than medical bills. Older adults delay care due to missing early warning signs- or dreading waiting lines and forms. Hidden obstacles like these drive households into preventable health emergencies.
Second, there was clearly not enough focus on stopping problems before they start. In poorer areas, individuals often get medical help only after conditions worsen. The pandemic showed how crucial early action can be; however, marginalized groups still faced challenges due to limited knowledge, support, or ongoing care.
A recent striking case involved a 75-year-old woman fainting close to our MMU. Because she collapsed nearby, staff reached her fast- doctors checked her right away. They found extremely high blood pressure along with untreated diabetes and on SOS extended the best treatment to recover her, followed by the medicines. Eventually, she recovered fully. Yet what affected us most came later - a group of older women shared their stories too. One simply said: ‘We had those symptoms before’. Today, routine visits help us track blood pressure, glucose levels - alongside clear steps forward. That change shows real progress, shaped by steady, respectful care over time.
Addressing these gaps through data and innovation: We use a combination of technology, structured systems, innovation, partnerships and compassionate care:
1. Health Management Application: Eliminating the use of paper, capturing beneficiary/patient data for predicative analysis and treatments.
2. AI-enabled Screening: Our physiological monitoring system analyses vitals through a webcam- contactless, fast, and highly accurate. This allows early detection of critical conditions within minutes.
3. Real-time Data Dashboards: Data from every MMU visit is mapped to understand disease patterns, high-risk zones, and demographic vulnerabilities. This guides resource allocation and follow-up planning.
4. Referral Pathways: We collaborate with PHCs, government hospitals, and local health centres so patients receive timely care beyond the MMU.
5. Reducing Financial and Time Burden: By treating people at their doorstep, we eliminate travel costs, waiting time, and loss of wages—factors that especially affect women.
6. Community Trust-Building: Our ground team, volunteers, and regular presence ensure that families see us not as an external intervention but as partners in their well-being.
Care on Wheels reveals one clear idea: Where care meets respect, reliability builds confidence- people start valuing prevention because they feel heard; responsibility grows through trust while hope shapes tomorrow’s habits.
Q. Through Dhan Samvaad, IGF reaches women, youth, and micro-entrepreneurs. In your view, what are the most persistent behavioural or systemic barriers to true financial inclusion in India?
A. Financial inclusion in India is not just a question of access- it is deeply influenced by behaviour, confidence, and long-standing systemic gaps. Through Dhan Samvaad, where we work with both men and women in almost equal proportion, we see these challenges across all demographics.
• Behavioural Barriers: Low confidence and limited exposure
Whether it is a youth starting a small business, a daily-wage earner managing irregular income, or a homemaker trying to save—many individuals lack the confidence to navigate digital tools, bank processes, or formal savings systems. People often rely on verbal advice or family traditions rather than verified information, which exposes them to fraud and financial losses.
• Systemic Barriers: Lack of awareness of safety nets
A significant portion of people - both male and female - haven't had any exposure to the advantages of central & state government schemes/ benefits like, ABHA, Ayushman Bharat, PMJJBY, PMSBY and others. Many remain unaware that such plans offer safety in crises. Without this knowledge, they stay stuck in risk - where one health problem or mishap might unravel family stability.
• Social norms plus old habits
Ordinarily, individuals - especially in countryside or poorer areas - kept cash at home. When currency was suddenly withdrawn, it revealed how unsafe this habit can be. In just one day, numerous households, including male and female members, saw a lifetime of saved income vanish. It showed how people must move toward safer, tech-based banking methods - or stay exposed to avoidable money dangers.
• Gender-related differences exist, yet aren't limited to one group
Males tend to appear self-assured - yet rarely follow a structured approach to saving money. Women often act carefully; however, they rarely hold authority when choices are made at home. The obstacles aren't the same; however, men and women alike require clear guidance to strengthen their financial stability.
How Dhan Samvaad addresses these barriers- Our method works well in real life, includes everyone, yet fits common situations:
- We provide clear lessons on money and tech skills- using everyday examples - to help everyone handle finances confidently, whether male or female.
- We assist people in joining essential public programs, so knowledge becomes real protection.
- We develop trust by offering consistent support- particularly for young people or small business owners aiming to boost earnings.
- We connect money knowledge to health care, work life, or personal security - since stable finances help families decide well across all areas.
Real inclusion means everyone, male or female, feels able to make money- while also having the support to keep it safe, set some aside, then grow what they’ve earned without fear.
Q. Many skill initiatives struggle with conversion to real jobs. How does IGF ensure employability translates into employment, and what success data or outcomes can you share?
A. In the development field, a major gap exists - training rarely connects to real income. At IGF, we believe capability should open doors to work; meaningful work, in turn, brings back self-worth.
A demand-driven skilling ecosystem: We start by looking at what employers need, along with regional trends instead of assumptions. That way, each program- for young people, women, or persons with disabilities- connects directly to actual job openings rather than imagined opportunities.
NEMO: Mobility + Skill + Market Linkage
People who can't move easily face limits not because of ability, yet due to movement challenges. Our NEMO model integrates:
- Motorized wheelchairs for mobility
- Job-aligned training, and
- Direct employer partnerships.
With help from Zomato, several candidates join as delivery workers or helpers. Some get roles through this organized tie-up; others assist in operations. A number work at Swiggy; some, with good sales talent, make as much as ₹50,000 monthly - changing lives across families.
Thank-a-Nurse: A PAN-India Innovation for Frontline Health Workers
To improve healthcare jobs, therefore, we launched Thank-a-Nurse throughout India. This initiative:
- Teaches front-line nurses along with medical staff
- Combines tools powered by artificial intelligence to assist medical decisions,
- Teaches simple checks, like temperature or pulse, using digital tools - while building skills step by step. Helps handle first-in-line evaluations efficiently - not just fast, but accurate too. Guides decisions with real-time data instead of guesswork.
- Personalized guidance to improve staying rate: Each learner receives guided support from our team via: onboarding, field difficulties, also the crucial initial three months on the job. This guarantees steady results, trust, yet reliable earnings- the very aspects most training initiatives miss.
Thank-a-Nurse boosted clinical skills while opening up job opportunities across clinics, remote care platforms, or local health programs. Data-driven oversight combined with input from employers ensures continuous improvement. We keep track using dashboards for:
- Completions
- Placements
- Retention
- Income trends each month
This allows constant improvement of our systems through ongoing adjustments.
Impact & Outcomes
- Thousands of specially-abled individuals have secured dignified livelihoods through NEMO.
- Young people plus small business starters taught through IGF often move into actual jobs.
-The launch of Thank-a-Nurse improved job prospects while enhancing medical teams through tech-based abilities.
In essence, at IGF, employability is not the end. Employment, income stability, and dignity are the real outcomes—and every program is designed to ensure that the journey does not stop at training, but truly transforms lives.
Q. How is IGF weaving environmental restoration and climate consciousness into its livelihood and health programs, especially in regions already facing ecological stress?
A. At IGF India, we see the environment as part of daily life - not just policy; it’s the air people inhale each day. Breathing dirty air affects households now, along with rising heat, floods, and vanishing trees. Because of this reality, healing nature quietly shapes our work - across healthcare, jobs, schooling, and aid efforts. One achievement I truly value is how IGF India planted over 5.32 million trees this financial year. These aren't simply project outputs - each tree stands for hope, strength, and a healthier environment. With Delhi's air quality hitting dangerous highs, many households’ face difficulty breathing fresh air; therefore, such efforts gain deeper meaning. During Diwali, we shared one clear idea across the country: use fewer fireworks, care for the atmosphere, while respecting our joint duty toward nature. Environmental care shapes our daily work. Across 14 states and 2 Union Territories, team members don’t only execute tasks - they uphold eco-responsibility. During health camps, skill sessions, or money management classes, climate focus stays central. This belief runs through each person, not merely the institution.
With Care on Wheels, we directly observe how weather impacts well-being - like heat exhaustion, breathing issues, dirty drinking sources, or insect-spreading sicknesses. Instead of only checkups, we discuss healthy living spaces, pure water access, proper trash disposal, also encouraging residents to grow greenery near houses. Our goal? Help neighborhoods realize nature supports recovery just as much. This livelihood initiative for people with movement challenges brings added value. Our NEMO e-wheelchair runs on electricity, supports the environment. Mobility improves, self-respect grows, earning chances open up - for users and communities alike. Lower emissions come along naturally. This shows tech can care deeply while helping the planet.
In times of crisis - such as flooding - the link to climate stands out more. Support reached above 16,000 individuals through urgent evacuations and aid delivery. Still, actions went further: recovery included healing natural spaces while restoring livelihoods respectfully. Relief connects directly to preparedness; that readiness grows stronger when people understand climate impacts.
Through Dhan Samvaad and youth initiatives, families start seeing links between climate, income, well-being, and work. Once people grasp these connections, action follows naturally. Trees get planted as neighborhoods stay cleaner due to mindful habits. Smarter money decisions emerge alongside efforts to support children’s future health.
In conclusion, our goal is clear: A healthy India needs a cleaner environment - without green progress, real health gains can't happen. Each tree planted, each green idea created, because these efforts move us closer to an India where people simply live well. A single lesson shared leads to better choices, since progress grows from small acts done consistently. Breathing clean air becomes possible when action replaces delay. Life improves not by chance, but through steady dedication shaping real change. In fact, at IGF India, this isn't merely a task. Rather, it's an obligation - also a pledge - as well as deep commitment toward shaping the country’s path ahead.
Q. IGF has been active in rapid relief operations. What frameworks or partnerships enable such agility, and how do you ensure accountability even in emergency response settings?
A. When disaster hits, fast action helps people survive - kindness keeps hope alive. We’ve grown stronger by acting quickly, staying focused, with care in every step. During floods across northern regions - or past emergencies - we arrived early each time, making sure affected families weren’t left alone when things were hardest.
We stay flexible because we’re active in 14 states and two Union Territories - backed by dedicated volunteers, carefully prepared and ready to act when needed. Instead of only showing up in crises, these individuals belong to the IGF community; through their efforts, we reach remote or difficult-to-access areas.
A key advantage comes through collaborations - alongside official agreements - with public authorities. Thanks to these ties, coordination flows smoothly with regional offices, emergency response units, or frontline medical staff. Backing from officials lets us overcome closed roads, enter impacted zones faster, while making sure aid arrives where it’s needed most - and when it matters. Cooperation between communities and state bodies turns assistance into something practical, clear, and respectful.
In the latest floods, these systems activated. Our staff gave out preventive care, hygiene packs, urgent supplies - also key relief items - in several areas. Every delivery followed a clear plan using real-time data. We recorded each pack handed over, every household assisted - as well as each action taken. That structured method let us help more than 16,000 individuals, offering not only goods but also comfort, respect, and optimism.
Responsibility is key in emergencies. Despite confusion, we stay focused through clear actions- using checks that ensure progress without delay- while keeping efforts steady even under pressure:
- Beneficiary lists
- Geo-tagged photographs
- Detailed distribution logs
- Oversight provided by community heads
- Live updates sent straight to our core group plus collaborators
We stick to openness no matter how pressing things get. Actually, when time is short, being clear matters even more.
In times of trouble, we gain insight into strength- how our teams respond, how communities endure. Our aid isn't only distributing supplies; instead, it means being present when people face uncertainty. It’s showing them that amid hardship, support exists, yet respect must never be compromised.
Q. As someone bridging corporate CSR, philanthropy, and grassroots execution, what shifts do you foresee in how India’s private sector will engage with social impact over the next decade?
A. India is at a turning point. Over the next decade, I believe the private sector’s engagement with social impact will undergo a profound shift—moving from charity-driven goodwill to data-backed, tech-enabled, institution-strengthening partnerships. CSR will no longer be defined by cheque-writing; it will be defined by co-creation, accountability, and outcomes.
The first major shift will be towards evidence-based giving. Companies will hwant to invest in organisations that demonstrate transparency, real-time dashboards, and measurable SROI. Just as shareholders demand quarterly performance, CSR teams will demand quantifiable community impact. This is where disciplined nonprofits will have an edge.
The second shift will be the rise of technology-led solutions. AI in healthcare, climate-tech for environmental restoration, digital tools for livelihoods, tele-health models, and financial digital literacy will become non-negotiable. Corporates will want to fund solutions that are scalable, replicable, and sustainable—not fragmented pilots. We are already living this reality at IGF through AI-enabled vitals monitoring, electric NEMO mobility, and digital skilling.
The third shift will be hyper-local collaboration. Large corporations are realising that real change happens through local volunteers, panchayats, women’s groups, frontline workers, and district ecosystems. Philanthropy will become more decentralised, and corporates will increasingly rely on organisations like IGF to translate national vision into local execution.
The fourth shift will be integration over isolation. CSR will no longer invest in health alone or livelihood alone. They will look for models that bring the whole ecosystem together- health, education, skills, financial literacy, environment—because communities don’t live in silos. A family’s stability depends on all of these elements moving together.
The fifth shift will be the rise of trust-driven partnerships. Post-pandemic, companies have realised the value of organisations who can respond—not just implement. They want transparency, visibility, and assurance that every rupee is reaching the right hands. NGOs that maintain strong governance, rapid response systems, and community trust will be preferred partners.
And finally, I believe the coming decade will see corporations embrace purpose as strategy. Young employees expect their companies to stand for something bigger than profit. Boards will push for deeper alignment with national priorities—healthcare access, climate resilience, disability inclusion, and skill development.
In many ways, CSR will evolve from a statutory responsibility to a shared national mission.
From my vantage point across corporate leadership and grassroots execution, I feel hopeful. India is moving towards a future where corporations, nonprofits, and communities will co-create solutions that are transparent, tech-led, and rooted in dignity. And together, we will build an India that is not only prosperous, but compassionate, resilient, and inclusive.
That’s the vision I hold- equally, what drives IGF daily.
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