Explore every episode of the podcast ADCLOD Podcast with Social Impact Leaders

Welcome to Episode 13 of the ADCLOD Podcast with Social Sector Leaders, a podcast series by the Ashank Desai Centre for Leadership and Organisational Development (ADCLOD), IIM Ahmedabad, highlighting the journeys, leadership philosophies, and impact of individuals driving social change across India.

In this episode, Prof. Neharika Vohra, Chairperson of ADCLOD, speaks with Rajendra Joshi, founder and managing trustee of Saath Charitable Trust, Ahmedabad, an organization working with low-income and informal communities across India. Rajendra has spent over three decades building community-led approaches to livelihoods, healthcare, education, financial inclusion, housing, and urban development.

Rajendra reflects on the origins and evolution of Saath, from its early work with communities in Ahmedabad to building partnerships across communities, government, civil society, and the private sector. He shares insights on participatory leadership, community ownership, trust-building, and why involving people in decision-making and implementation is central to creating sustainable change.

The conversation also explores Saath’s approach to inclusive development and its shift from simply providing services to building institutional and market capabilities. Rajendra discusses why he believes communities should be seen as participants and market actors rather than beneficiaries, drawing on Saath’s work with artisans, informal workers, nano entrepreneurs, and underserved communities.

Rajendra also reflects on governance, talent development, peace-building, partnerships, and the lessons he has learned over more than three decades of institution-building. He shares his advice for young people who want to work in the social sector and create visible, sustainable change.

Join us for an inspiring conversation on grassroots leadership, inclusive development, social entrepreneurship, community ownership, and the power of institutions to create lasting social impact.

#ADCLOD #IIMAhmedabad #SocialImpact #RajendraJoshi #Saath #SocialEntrepreneurship #GrassrootsLeadership #InclusiveDevelopment #UrbanDevelopment #CommunityLeadership #SocialInnovation #Leadership #InclusiveCities #SocialSector

What does it take to build an education system where every child gets a chance to dream big?

In Episode 12 of the ADCLOD Podcast, Prof. Neharika Vohra speaks with Shaheen Mistri, Founder of Teach For India, about education, equity, leadership, and the power of empowering children to shape their own futures.

From classrooms to communities, Shaheen shares her journey, the challenges facing India’s education system, and why creating meaningful change requires more than just access to education.

🎙️ Guest: Shaheen Mistri, Founder, Teach For India
🎙️ Host: Prof. Neharika Vohra

Watch the full conversation and discover what it takes to create lasting change through education.

#ShaheenMistri #TeachForIndia #Education #SocialImpact #Leadership #ADCLD #Podcast #India #EducationEquity

Welcome to Episode 3 of the ADCLOD Podcast with Social Sector Leaders, a podcast series by the Ashank Desai Centre for Leadership and Organisational Development (ADCLOD), IIM Ahmedabad, spotlighting the journeys, challenges, and leadership philosophies of individuals creating transformative social impact.

In this episode, Prof. Neharika Vohra, Chairperson of ADCLOD, speaks with Ramji Raghavan, Founder and Chairman of Agastya International Foundation, one of India’s pioneering organizations in experiential learning and science education.

After a successful career in international finance, Ramji made the bold decision to return to India and dedicate his life to nurturing curiosity, creativity, and confidence among underserved children. Today, Agastya International Foundation has grown into one of the world’s largest hands-on learning movements, reaching millions of children across India through mobile science labs, innovation hubs, teacher training programs, and community-led learning initiatives.

In this conversation, Ramji shares the story behind Agastya’s creation, the leadership lessons he learned while building a large-scale social institution, the importance of curiosity-driven learning, and how innovation, trust, and purpose can create lasting change. He also reflects on scaling impact, managing diverse stakeholders, fostering creativity in education, and preparing young minds for an AI-driven future.

Join us for an inspiring discussion on leadership, education, social entrepreneurship, and the power of curiosity to transform lives.

#ADCLOD #IIMAhmedabad #SocialImpactLeadership #RamjiRaghavan #AgastyaInternationalFoundation #SocialEntrepreneurship #Leadership #Education #Curiosity #Innovation #ExperientialLearning

Join us on the ADCLOD Podcast for an inspiring conversation with Mirai Chatterjee, one of India's most influential social sector leaders and a driving force behind SEWA's transformative work.Discover powerful insights on leadership, women's empowerment, social innovation, and community transformation from a leader who has dedicated her life to creating inclusive and sustainable change.

Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Social Impact Leadership Series, a podcast initiative by the Ashank Desai Centre for Leadership and Organisational Development (ADCLOD), IIM Ahmedabad, exploring the journeys, insights, and leadership philosophies of individuals driving meaningful social change.

In this first episode, Prof. Neharika Vohra, Chairperson of ADCLOD, speaks with Bhushan Punani, one of India's foremost advocates for disability inclusion and the empowerment of persons with visual impairments.

Bhushan Punani is the Executive Director of the Blind People's Association (BPA), Ahmedabad, an organization that has been at the forefront of promoting education, livelihood opportunities, rehabilitation, and social inclusion for persons with disabilities. Having himself navigated life with visual impairment, he has dedicated decades to building institutions, influencing policy, and creating pathways for dignity and independence for thousands of individuals across India.

In this conversation, Bhushan Punani reflects on his leadership journey, the evolution of the disability rights movement, the challenges and opportunities in creating inclusive societies, and the lessons social sector leaders can draw from lived experience, resilience, and purpose-driven action.

Join us for an inspiring discussion on leadership, inclusion, and the transformative power of social impact.

Welcome to Episode 11 of the Social Impact Leadership Series, a podcast initiative by the Ashank Desai Centre for Leadership and Organisational Development at IIMA.

In this episode, Prof. Neharika Vohra speaks with Anshu Gupta, Founder of Goonj, about building dignity through grassroots action, community-led development, and the power of social change.

Known as the “Clothing Man of India,” Anshu Gupta is the recipient of the 2015 Ramon Magsaysay Award, often regarded as Asia’s Nobel Prize. Through Goonj, he has pioneered an approach that transforms underutilised material into a resource for addressing critical needs in rural communities.

The conversation explores dignity, development, grassroots leadership, humanitarian action, and what it takes to create meaningful and sustainable social impact.

In this episode:
• Building Goonj and rethinking the idea of “giving”
• Dignity as the foundation of development
• Grassroots solutions and community participation
• Leadership beyond traditional institutions
• Creating sustainable social impact
• The role of people, resources and local communities in development

Host: Prof. Neharika Vohra
Guest: Anshu Gupta, Founder, Goonj

#SocialImpact #Leadership #AnshuGupta #Goonj #SocialChange #Development #GrassrootsLeadership #IIMA

Welcome to Episode 10 of the Social Impact Leadership Series, a podcast initiative by the Ashank Desai Centre for Leadership and Organisational Development (ADCLOD), IIM Ahmedabad.In this episode, Prof. Neharika Vohra speaks with Dr. Urvashi Sahni, Founder and CEO of the Study Hall Educational Foundation, about reimagining education as a catalyst for empowerment, leadership, and social transformation.From empowering girls through quality education to building life skills, confidence, and agency, Dr. Sahni shares the philosophy that has shaped one of India's most influential education movements. The conversation explores why education must go beyond academics to help every child realize their full potential.In this episode:The vision behind the Study Hall Educational FoundationWhy education must go beyond textbooksEmpowering girls through educationBuilding confidence, leadership, and life skillsCreating equitable learning environmentsThe future of education in IndiaIf you enjoyed this conversation, don't forget to Like, Share, and Subscribe for more conversations with leaders, changemakers, and innovators.#ADCLOD #IIMAhmedabad #DrUrvashiSahni #StudyHall #Education #GirlsEducation #Leadership #SocialImpact #Podcast #NeharikaVohra

In Episode 09, Vishal Talreja, Co-founder of Dream a Dream, joins Prof. Niharika Vohra to share the story behind an organisation working to help children and young people overcome adversity, build life skills, and thrive.

This conversation explores the power of education, empathy, and creating spaces where every child has the chance to dream.

Guest: Vishal Talreja, Co-founder, Dream a Dream
Host: Prof. Niharika Vohra 

#VishalTalreja #DreamADream #Education #LifeSkills #SocialImpact #Podcast

Welcome to Episode 8 of the Social Impact Leadership Series, a podcast initiative by the Ashank Desai Centre for Leadership and Organisational Development (ADCLOD), IIM Ahmedabad, exploring the journeys, insights, and leadership philosophies of individuals driving transformative social change.

In this episode, Prof. Neharika Vohra, Chairperson of ADCLOD, speaks with Dr. Sunitha Krishnan, co-founder of Prajwala, one of India's leading anti-human trafficking organisations. For nearly three decades, Sunitha has dedicated her life to combating sex trafficking, rescuing survivors, and building systems that enable long-term rehabilitation, reintegration, and justice. Under her leadership, Prajwala has rescued over 32,000 women, girls, and children while pioneering innovative approaches to prevention, survivor rehabilitation, and policy advocacy.

Sunitha shares Prajwala's journey from a grassroots initiative to one of the world's most respected anti-trafficking organisations. She reflects on building institutions that outlast their founders, empowering survivors as leaders, creating resilient teams, navigating leadership succession, and sustaining hope while working on one of society's most challenging issues. She also discusses the growing threat of technology-enabled exploitation, the importance of ethical leadership, and why lasting social change requires courage, compassion, and collective action.

The conversation explores human trafficking, survivor rehabilitation, institution building, leadership succession, team culture, trauma-informed care, ethical leadership, online safety, policy advocacy, nonprofit management, philanthropy, and the role of young professionals in driving meaningful social change.

Join us for a thoughtful conversation on leadership, resilience, institution building, and creating lasting impact through service and hope.

#ADCLOD #IIMAhmedabad #SunithaKrishnan #Prajwala #HumanTrafficking #AntiTrafficking #Leadership #SocialEntrepreneurship #InstitutionBuilding #SurvivorLeadership #WomenEmpowerment #OnlineSafety #EthicalLeadership #SocialImpact #NGOLeadership #Podcast #IndiaDevelopment

Welcome to Episode 7 of the Social Impact Leadership Series, a podcast initiative by the Ashank Desai Centre for Leadership and Organisational Development (ADCLOD), IIM Ahmedabad, exploring the journeys, insights, and leadership philosophies of individuals driving transformative social change.

In this episode, Prof. Neharika Vohra, Chairperson of ADCLOD, speaks with Saroj Mahapatra, Executive Director of PRADAN (Professional Assistance for Development Action), one of India's pioneering rural development organisations. Over nearly three decades, Saroj has worked alongside some of India's most marginalized communities, leading initiatives that strengthen rural livelihoods, women's collectives, climate resilience, and community institutions across the country.

Saroj shares PRADAN's remarkable journey from pioneering India's Self-Help Group movement to becoming one of the country's most influential rural development organisations. He reflects on why lasting transformation begins with communities taking charge of their own development, how institutions can be built to outlast their founders, and why empathy, learning, and decentralized leadership remain at the heart of sustainable social change.

The conversation explores community-led development, rural livelihoods, women's empowerment, Self-Help Groups, institution building, leadership succession, climate resilience, philanthropy, government partnerships, organisational learning, talent development, and the role of young professionals in transforming rural India. Saroj also offers powerful insights into building learning organisations, nurturing leadership at every level, and creating institutions that empower people rather than foster dependence.

Join us for an insightful conversation on grassroots leadership, institution building, rural transformation, social entrepreneurship, and the future of inclusive development in India.

#ADCLOD #IIMAhmedabad #SarojMahapatra #PRADAN #RuralDevelopment #GrassrootsLeadership #CommunityDevelopment #SocialEntrepreneurship #InstitutionBuilding #WomenEmpowerment #SelfHelpGroups #ClimateResilience #Leadership #InclusiveDevelopment #SocialImpact #NGOLeadership #CommunityLeadership #Podcast #IndiaDevelopment

Welcome to Episode 6 of the Social Impact Leadership Series, a podcast initiative by the Ashank Desai Centre for Leadership and Organisational Development (ADCLOD), IIM Ahmedabad, exploring the journeys, insights, and leadership philosophies of individuals driving transformative social change.

In this episode, Prof. Neharika Vohra, Chairperson of ADCLOD, speaks with Aditya Natraj, CEO of the Piramal Foundation, founder of the Kaivalya Education Foundation and the Piramal School of Leadership, and one of India's leading voices in public systems transformation. Through his work, Aditya has helped strengthen government systems across education, healthcare, livelihoods, climate, and community development, impacting over 113 million lives across 27 states and two Union Territories.

Aditya shares his journey from chartered accountant and management consultant to social sector leader, explaining why transforming public systems—not creating parallel institutions—is essential for lasting social change. He discusses the Foundation's work in strengthening government leadership, digitising public services, fostering community participation, promoting inclusion, and building institutional capacity that enables governments to deliver better outcomes at scale.The conversation explores public systems transformation, leadership development, organisational culture, talent management, succession planning, intrinsic motivation, philanthropy, government partnerships, community engagement, digital transformation, social innovation, and the importance of building purpose-driven institutions. Aditya also reflects on the role of humility, continuous learning, sewa bhav, and spiritual growth in developing leaders capable of creating meaningful and lasting impact.

Join us for an insightful conversation on leadership, public systems, institution building, government innovation, social entrepreneurship, and creating resilient organisations that strengthen society from within.

#ADCLOD #IIMAhmedabad #AdityaNatraj #PiramalFoundation #PublicSystems #Leadership #SocialImpact #SocialEntrepreneurship #GovernmentInnovation #PublicLeadership #InstitutionBuilding #Education #Healthcare #CommunityEngagement #DigitalTransformation #SocialInnovation #NationBuilding #LeadershipDevelopment #PurposeDrivenLeadership #Podcast

Welcome to Episode 5 of the Social Impact Leadership Series, a podcast initiative by the Ashank Desai Centre for Leadership and Organisational Development (ADCLOD), IIM Ahmedabad, exploring the journeys, insights, and leadership philosophies of individuals driving transformative social change.

In this episode, Prof. Neharika Vohra, Chairperson of ADCLOD, speaks with Chetna Gala Sinha, renowned social entrepreneur, rural development leader, and founder of Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank and the Mann Deshi Foundation. Through her pioneering work, Chetna has empowered over a million rural women entrepreneurs by transforming access to finance, entrepreneurship, education, agriculture, sports, and community-led development.

Chetna shares the remarkable story behind establishing India's first cooperative bank run by and for rural women, and how listening to communities—not imposing solutions—became the foundation of Mann Deshi's success. She reflects on the importance of designing institutions around people's lived realities, creating financial systems that build control rather than just access, and nurturing leadership rooted in trust, courage, and grassroots wisdom.

The conversation explores women’s entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, rural innovation, institution building, climate resilience, leadership development, talent management, philanthropy, technology for inclusion, and the power of community-led problem solving.

Chetna also offers profound reflections on learning from rural women, building purpose-driven organisations, and why courage is often the greatest form of capital.Join us for an inspiring conversation on social entrepreneurship, inclusive development, women's leadership, grassroots innovation, and building institutions that create lasting social change.

#ADCLOD #IIMAhmedabad #ChetnaGalaSinha #MannDeshi #WomenEntrepreneurship #FinancialInclusion #RuralDevelopment #SocialEntrepreneurship #GrassrootsLeadership #WomenLeadership #InclusiveDevelopment #CommunityLeadership #SocialInnovation #RuralFinance #Leadership #InstitutionBuilding #WomenEmpowerment #Podcast #IndiaDevelopment #MannDeshiFoundation

Welcome to Episode 4 of the Social Impact Leadership Series, a podcast initiative by the Ashank Desai Centre for Leadership and Organisational Development (ADCLOD), IIM Ahmedabad, exploring the journeys, insights, and leadership philosophies of individuals driving transformative social change.

In this episode, Prof. Neharika Vohra, Chairperson of ADCLOD, speaks with Harish Hande, renowned social entrepreneur, engineer, and founder of SELCO Foundation, whose pioneering work has transformed access to sustainable energy for underserved communities across India.

Harish Hande is widely recognized for challenging conventional approaches to development by demonstrating how decentralized clean energy can improve livelihoods, healthcare, education, and economic opportunities at the grassroots. Through SELCO and SELCO Foundation, he has built innovative ecosystems that combine technology, finance, entrepreneurship, and community participation to address some of society’s most pressing challenges.In this conversation, Harish reflects on his journey from engineering and research to social entrepreneurship, the evolution of SELCO, the importance of systems thinking, learning through failure, building purpose-driven organizations, and creating solutions that are rooted in the realities of local communities. He also shares his perspectives on leadership, innovation, sustainability, and the future of inclusive development in an increasingly technology-driven world.

Join us for an insightful discussion on social innovation, energy equity, institution building, and the power of reimagining development through the lens of people, purpose, and systems change.

#ADCLOD #IIMAhmedabad #HarishHande #SELCO #SocialImpactLeadership #SocialEntrepreneurship #Sustainability #CleanEnergy #SystemsThinking #Leadership #SocialInnovation #InclusiveDevelopment #EnergyAccess #DevelopmentSector #Podcast #SocialImpact #IndiaDevelopment #CommunityLeadership #GrassrootsInnovation #SELCOFoundation