Arjun

#CollabMatters | Behind every successful collaboration lies an often-invisible player: the backbone organisation. Whether anchoring the coalition, advocating for its shared purpose, or managing the mechanics of coordination, this role is critical and often underestimated. Moderated by Arjun Bahadur (@_arjunb), this session by @SaamuhikaShakti took a closer look at what it means to be the “glue” in collective action. It explored the multiple roles that backbone organisations play, navigating neutrality and leadership, and the emotional and operational aspects of ensuring that collaboration doesn’t unravel. Read the more detailed takeaways here: saamuhikashakti.org/events/anchor-…. Watch the webinar recording: youtu.be/x0Vl3YZLAbk?si…. @Lakshmipattab @Aceakshaysoni @C4EC_Foundation @dasra @zibijamal @ektasawant77 #backboneorganisation #impactcollective #multistakeholderaction #impactcollaborative #SaamuhikaShakti #wastemanagement

Learning ecosystems are working towards long-term, systems-level change, but fragmented, short-term funding based on linear input-output models often works against them. An over-reliance on grants and diverse funder priorities has also limited the development of alternative revenue streams.  By building internal revenue through services, research, or private-sector work and reinvesting it into experimentation, learning ecosystems are building a pipeline of evidence-backed solutions and allowing funders to engage as true partners. In India, collective action funding models are also showing promise, allowing diverse funders to support different elements of a shared vision. The #LearningEcosystemsReport2025 by Learning Planet Institute features the Life Skills Collaborative, an initiative anchored by Sattva Consulting. Learn more about how innovative funding models can strengthen education outcomes in India: learningplanetinstitute.org/en/programs/le…. @_arjunb @lpiparis_ @lifeskills_in #lifeskillscollaborative #LSC #learningecosystems #educationoutcomes #impactcollaborative #innovativefunding #educationfunding

🚇♻️ Spotted on the Namma Metro Green Line: #RecycleResolutions Simple prompts inside metro coaches remind us how small actions—washing dabbas, marking sanitary waste, discarding old clothes responsibly—make recycling safer for waste pickers. Spot the metro, click a pic, tag us

Arjun Bahadur, Lead, Education Practice, will moderate a discussion on The 4 Enablers for School-to-Work Transition, organised by the Akanksha Education Fund at #LearningPlanetFestival. The session will feature insights from youth, funders, and practitioners, spotlighting school-to-work learnings and alumni voices from urban India. The discussion will surface realities and inflection points in India’s school-to-work ecosystem, and how different forms of institutional support shape young people’s transition journeys. Register to attend: learning-planet.org/event/driving-…. Date: 27th January, 2026 Time: 7:00-8:00 PM IST | 1:30-2:30 PM UTC Panellists: 🔸Saurabh Taneja, CEO, @Akanksha_India 🔸Sejal Desai, Executive Director, @TheAkankshaFund 🔸Raj Gilda, Co-Founder, @lendahandindia 🔸Kiran Salave, iTeach Mitra For more information, visit: learning-planet.org/event/driving-…. Explore other sessions at the Learning Planet Festival: learning-planet.org/calendar/. Learning Planet Institute | Yashovardhan Sand | Garima Agarwal @lpiparis_ @_arjunb #LearningPlanet #schooltowork #educationsupport #education #careers #careerguidance #lifeskills

Arjun Bahadur (@_arjunb), Lead, Education Practice, will moderate a discussion on The 4 Enablers for School-to-Work Transitions, organised by @TheAkankshaFund at #LearningPlanetFestival. The session will feature insights from Saurabh Taneja, CEO, @Akanksha_India, and Sejal Desai, Executive Director, AEF, to highlight the realities and inflexion points from India's school-to-work ecosystem, and how institutional support shapes young people's ability to navigate key transition moments. Register to attend: lnkd.in/dwtS7HNf Date: 21st January, 2026 Time: 7:00-8:00 PM IST | 1:30-2:30 PM UTC View the full agenda: lnkd.in/gBtZeT7y @lpiparis_ #LearningPlanet #schooltowork #educationsupport #education #careers #careerguidance #lifeskills

This @livemint article by @Shrabonti spotlights Bengaluru’s emerging circular textile movement and the pivotal role Saamuhika Shakti and its partners are playing in it—from training waste-pickers to become waste entrepreneurs, to building community-led collection systems, to developing scalable circular models that keep textile waste out of landfills while 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬. The article features the work of our partners @Hasiru_Dala, Enviu, and @ApparelCircular, showing how collective action is helping #Bengaluru reimagine “textile waste” as a valuable resource and the centering the critical role of waste-pickers in the circular textile waste value chain. 🔗 Read the article here: livemint.com/mint-lounge/id… @zibijamal | @_arjunb | @ektasawant77 | @venkikIcap | @shekar_nalini | @hmfoundation | @IntellecapTweet

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟵 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗮𝗮𝗺𝘂𝗵𝗶𝗸𝗮 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗶 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁! 💌 This edition highlights the collective’s tangible impacts, from program implementation to direct community support. We trace the journey of the Textile Recovery Facility (TRF) and waste picker-turned-entrepreneur Indumathi’s inspiring leadership. We share learnings from conducting the social mapping exercise and give you a peep into the four ventures testing out models for sustainably dealing with textile waste. Importantly, we share the journey of Jothimani, and how the collective work of Saamuhika Shakti partners has touched her life, supporting her journey towards dignity. We are excited to announce that we finally have Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), designed by and custom made for waste pickers! An open source design available to all, to use and manufacture. 🔗 Read all updates here: mailchi.mp/sattva/saamuhi…

📅 Save the Date — The second session of the #CollabMatters webinar series by Saamuhika Shakti and @_sattva is here! 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝟮: “𝘈𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦, 𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳? 𝘜𝘯𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘖𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯’𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘈𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵” 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿: @_arjunb, Sattva Consulting 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: Wednesday, October 15 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 2:00 PM 👉 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘄: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regist… In this second session on the role of the backbone, we will explore what it takes to sustain effective collective action, the delicate balance they must strike between staying neutral and stepping into leadership, and the often unseen emotional and logistical work required to keep collaboration strong and on track. Whether you sit within a funder consortium, a programmatic coalition, or a systems change platform, this conversation will offer practical reflections, honest provocations, and hopeful strategies on how to strengthen the role that often holds everything, and everyone, together. ℹ️ More on the series and the second webinar is here: saamuhikashakti.org/events/anchor-…

#Bengaluru’s waste pickers are the backbone of the city’s recycling and reuse systems. Yet too often, their voices remain unheard. We invite you to a Stakeholder Forum, The Crucial Role of Waste Pickers – Strategies Beyond Formalisation, where we’ll be spotlighting the invaluable contributions of informal sector waste pickers and exploring strategies that go beyond formalisation. We invite you to join us for a dynamic, solutions-focused event highlighting the voices of waste pickers and local initiatives. Who should attend? - Startups and social enterprises - Accelerators, Incubators, Entrepreneurship Support Organisations (ESOs) - Informal waste picker groups - Industry stakeholders driving social inclusion Why attend? - Hear and learn from waste pickers and local initiatives - Participate in a co-creation session to shape inclusive strategies - Network with other ecosystem players 📆 Tuesday, 23rd September 2025 ⏰ 09:30 – 15:00. Breaks, lunch and networking included 📍 Sabha, 262, Kamaraj Rd, Shivaji Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560042 Let’s come together to share best practices, strengthen partnerships, and create actionable strategies for inclusive, impactful change. 🪑 Seats are limited. Please RSVP by registering here: bit.ly/4mTNZKT This event is co-hosted by Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, Climate KIC, SecondMuse, and the Saamuhika Shakti initiative, supported by Sattva Consulting. #ClimateKIC #WastePickers #SocialInclusion #CircularEconomy #Bengaluru #WasteManagement

Collaboration is emerging as a strategic imperative in India’s development sector — but translating that intent into practice is anything but simple. Despite shared visions and aligned goals, many partnerships stumble over the same hurdles: unclear roles, power imbalances, fragmented accountability, and the emotional labour of "holding it all together." This session, first in the series #CollabMatters by Saamuhika Shakti and Sattva Consulting, goes behind the scenes of collaborative work in the Indian context — examining what happens when good intentions collide with complex realities. Join us for a discussion that will offer sharp insights, honest reflections, and actionable ideas, moderated by Aarti Mohan of @_sattva, and featuring panelists: • Anushree Parekh, @BritAsianTstInd • VK Madhavan, @WaterAidIndia • Ashif Shaikh, @jan_sahas • Namrata Agarwal, @questalliance 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: July 30, 2025 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞: 2:00 - 3:15 pm 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦: Zoom Whether you're part of a funder consortium, a programmatic coalition, or a systems change initiative, this conversation will offer practical reflections, hard truths, and hopeful strategies. 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: forms.gle/jHqx2DTiUA2guz… @_arjunb | @zibijamal | @ektasawant77 | @hmfoundation

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤? In a complex development landscape, good intentions aren't enough. Join Saamuhika Shakti and Sattva Consulting for the #CollabMatters webinar series that will unpack the invisible systems behind collective action—funding, measurement, communication, and more. 🔍 𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 1: ❝𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒅𝒆: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒂❞ We'll examine the practical tensions collectives face and how to address them head-on. This series is designed for NGO leaders, funders, researchers, intermediaries, and policymakers navigating the complexity of the impact ecosystem. 📅 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: Wednesday, July 30 🔗 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐨𝐰:  forms.gle/jHqx2DTiUA2guz… Stay tuned on our social media for more updates!

In India’s complex development landscape, the call for collective action has never been louder or more necessary. Designed for champions across the impact ecosystem, the #CollabMatters series offers a candid, strategic, and practice-grounded look at the architecture of collaboration—from funding and measurement to communications and backbone functions. 📅 Date: Wednesday, July 30 🖊️ Register: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI… Our Co-Founder and Partner, Aarti Mohan, will moderate the first session of this series, hosted in collaboration with Saamuhika Shakti, to which Sattva plays the role of backbone organisation. "When Good Intentions Collide: The Hidden Challenges of Collaboration in India" will focus on the critical hurdles collectives face and how to address them. This webinar series will cut through the buzzwords to ask the real questions: ➡️ What does it take to align actors with wildly different incentives? ➡️ Why do so many partnerships look good on paper but stall in practice? ➡️ Coming together is easy — but what does it take to stay together and drive real outcomes? Whether you're an #NGO leader, funder, intermediary, researcher, or policymaker, walk away with sharp insights, peer exchange, and tools you can use to create larger impact. #impactivecollective #SaamuhikaShakti #collaborativeimpact #decentwork #wastepickers

What does it take to build and sustain successful multi-stakeholder partnerships (MSPs)? Join us for a grounded, honest panel discussion on the realities of collective action in the field, set against the backdrop of our new study on Philanthropic Support Ecosystems (PSEs) and MSPs across 7 countries in South and Southeast Asia, supported by the @wings_info #LiftUpPhilanthropy Fund. The session will delve into the successes of the current #MSP landscape, gaps, and what ecosystem actors — from funders to PSOs — need to focus on to strengthen regional collaboration. RSVP to join: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI… Panellists: Gusman Yahya, Executive Director, @FilantropiINA Jehan Omar, Senior Manager, @avpn_asia Maria Bystedt, Program Director, @hmfoundation Moderator: @_arjunb, Principal, Sattva Consulting 🗓️ When: Thursday, June 26, 2025 ⏰ Time: 7:30–8:30 AM UTC | 1:00–2:00 PM IST For more information, visit: sattva.co.in/event/effectiv… #philanthropy #collaborationforimpact #globalsouth #SouthAsiaphilanthropy #SEAsiaphilanthropy #maximisingimpact #capacitybuilding

@ankurtewari This is awesome ! Congratulations Ankur !!

We just won a bronze at Cannes for ‘Khalasi’ from last season of Coke Studio Bharat. The award is for diversity and inclusivity in music. Big cheer for everyone who wants to build bridges of love through music. Mohobbat Zindabad.

#Deadline extended! | Are you a #nonproft working in the spaces of #STEMeducation, #STEMskilling, or access to technology? We are seeking proposals that are making technology inclusive. Apply before June 13th, 2024, 11:59 PM and ensure everyone benefits from technology: bit.ly/45mCKCQ @IndiaPartnerNet #TechInclusion #DigitalEquity #RFP #NGO #STEM #inclusivetech

#HappeningNow | #LifeSkillsNet on “Role of life skills in bridging gender parity in stem”. Arjun Bahadur, Lead, @lifeskills_in, is introducing our distinguished panel. Join the #LinkedInLive here: linkedin.com/feed/update/ur…

Gearing up for my North America tour. Are you around? Tour Tickets - linktr.ee/ankurtewari

I am happy to share that Principal Secretary of Raj, Mr. Naveen Jain shared a vision regarding Life Skills. How to teach life skills to children in a simple way. Jointly presented by RSCERT & Piramal Foundation. Thank you sir for your guidance.@PiramalFdn @_arjunb @monal_jayaram

Glad to share about a meaningful State workshop on Life Skills Assessment . organized by RSCERT & Piramal foundation. thanks to our partner CSSL, Sattva, D&D, ICRW. Grateful to Director Madam and team. #LifeSkillsCollaborative #Kef @PiramalFdn

The #LSCIndiaGlossary stands as a valuable asset in advancing #lifeskills education for the youth of India. Explore further by downloading the Glossary in your preferred language through this link: bit.ly/3OrCRF9 #LSC #LifeSkillsCollaborative #LSCGlossary