National Foundation for India

National Foundation for India National Foundation for India is an independent organisation committed to enabling social justice. Ratan Tata among others.
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NFI is a independent grant making organisation, with a core mandate to strengthen philanthropy in India for public welfare and social transformation. NFI was founded in 1992, by a group of eminent leaders such as Late Bharat Ratna C. Subramanium, Dr. M S Swaminathan, Dr. Kamla Chudhury, Late Shri S P Godrej, Late Dr. Verghese Kurien and Mr. NFI intervenes in seven thematic areas i.e. Education, He

alth, Livelihood, Citizens and Society, Peace and Justice, Governance and Development Journalism. In the last 20 years, it has supported more than 200 grassroot organizations in 14 states. It has also supported more than 400 individual change makers through its annual fellowship for development Journalism and C Subramaniam Award for community leadership. NFI believes that India can develop meaningfully only when social equity and justice are guaranteed and a sense of respect for our fellow humans is achieved. NFI's distinct nature comes from being completely independent of corporate, religious or governmental control and our focus is nationwide. NFI has partnered with a number of Indian and international donor agencies and is a professionally managed and financially accountable foundation.

01/06/2026

C.S. Awardee Manisha Tokle has spent over three decades standing alongside some of Maharashtra’s most marginalised communities—advocating for women’s rights, labour justice, and dignity.

From supporting women in s*x work settlements to organising sugarcane-cutting labourers against exploitative practices, her work has been rooted in collective action and social justice.

For Manisha, lasting change comes when women have the power to organise, lead, and claim their rights.

22/05/2026

C.S. Awardee Mallepalli Laxmaiah’s journey is rooted in a lifelong commitment to justice, dignity, and constitutional values.

For over four decades, he has worked across journalism, research, and grassroots mobilisation to amplify Dalit and Adivasi voices and challenge systemic inequalities.

From documenting injustice to contributing to policy change, his work has helped strengthen accountability and transform welfare into rights and entitlements.

For Laxmaiah, change begins when communities are heard, organised, and empowered to lead.

18/05/2026

C.S. Awardee Kshirasindhu Sagaria has spent over 15 years working alongside Dalit and Adivasi communities in Odisha, strengthening transparency, accountability, and people’s participation.

From exposing corruption through the Right to Information Act to supporting communities in accessing rights and entitlements, his work is rooted in collective action and constitutional values.

For Kshirasindhu, change begins when communities are informed, organised, and able to raise their own voices.

15/05/2026

C.S. Awardee Kalamuddin Ansari has spent nearly two decades working closely with Adivasi and tribal communities in Jharkhand.

From securing access to food, livelihoods, and forest rights to supporting survivors of trafficking and child labour, his work is rooted in community trust and collective action.

Through legal awareness, sustainable farming, and grassroots mobilisation, he continues to help communities build stronger, more secure futures for themselves.

14/05/2026

C.S. Awardee Heera Devi turned her own journey into a source of strength for countless girls in rural Rajasthan.

From preventing child marriages to helping girls continue their education, her work is rooted in trust, persistence, and community leadership. Today, many young girls she mentored are stepping forward as leaders within their own villages.

07/05/2026

C.S. Awardee Gagandeep has spent over two decades standing alongside workers facing some of the harshest forms of exploitation.

From brick kilns to agricultural fields across Punjab, her work combines law, community mobilisation, and persistence to challenge bonded labour and caste-based injustice.

What makes her approach powerful is that it goes beyond legal cases. By training community paralegals, many of them former bonded labourers themselves, she has helped communities build the confidence and knowledge to fight for their own rights.

For Gagandeep, justice is not only about rescue and compensation, but about ensuring dignity, participation, and constitutional rights in everyday life.

C.S. Awardee SK Riazuddin’s work is rooted in community, trust, and quiet persistence.From rebuilding a village school t...
06/05/2026

C.S. Awardee SK Riazuddin’s work is rooted in community, trust, and quiet persistence.

From rebuilding a village school through collective effort to strengthening public health outreach in Birbhum, West Bengal, his journey reflects what sustained grassroots engagement can achieve. In areas where mistrust once limited access to healthcare, he worked closely with religious leaders, elders, and local practices to build acceptance for immunisation and preventive care.

Over the years, his work has extended across literacy, community theatre, and environmental education. More recently, he has focused on school-based nutri-gardens, linking nutrition, sustainability, and learning in ways that are both practical and dignified.

For over two decades, his work has been shaped by participation, inclusion, and long-term relationships with communities.

For over 25 years, C.S. Awardee Shashi Ahirwar has worked closely with Sahariya Adivasi, Dalit, and marginalised labour ...
04/05/2026

For over 25 years, C.S. Awardee Shashi Ahirwar has worked closely with Sahariya Adivasi, Dalit, and marginalised labour communities in Madhya Pradesh building change step by step.

From supporting children’s education and healthcare access to helping free bonded labourers and ensuring their rehabilitation, her work spans multiple realities on the ground.

Through community campaigns and everyday engagement, she continues to stand for dignity, equality, and access ensuring that those often left out are not left unheard.

For nearly two decades, C.S. Awardee Prabhasini Batkar has worked closely with Adivasi communities in Odisha walking fro...
01/05/2026

For nearly two decades, C.S. Awardee Prabhasini Batkar has worked closely with Adivasi communities in Odisha walking from village to village, speaking to women, and building trust over time.

Her work focuses on something fundamental: ensuring women and families can access healthcare, nutrition, and basic rights. From addressing malnutrition to strengthening women’s voices in Gram Sabhas, her journey is rooted in consistency and care.

Through collective action and everyday conversations, she continues to create spaces where women feel heard, informed, and empowered.

30/04/2026

For C.S. Awardee Arvind Borkar, land is not just a resource, it’s identity, dignity, and survival.

From securing land rights to restoring water and livelihoods, his work centres one idea: community ownership.

When people have rights over their land, they also find their voice.
watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/sdCtNmm8vYc?si=mHBQPYUFy5Ki2zZ7

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