Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies

@rnp_foundation , NIMHANS (@cbmnimhans ) and NCBS @ncbs_bangalore / @cbmncbs are excited to share that @manotsavaindia - India’s National Mental Health Festival - is returning for its third year on December 5–6, 2026 in Bengaluru! 📢 We invite anyone working on mental health and at its intersections through art, music, advocacy, research, performances and other mediums, to co-create Manotsava 2026 with us. Submit your programme proposal by May 15, 2026 - form in the bio. [mental health, wellbeing, call for proposals, community wellbeing]

For the longest time, the success of disaster response has been measured by lives saved. We ask: how many survived? How quickly did relief arrive? But for communities living through repeated, overlapping disasters, survival is only the beginning, and recovery is often interrupted by the next disaster. The goalposts keep shifting, and the people most affected have the fewest resources to keep up. Relief and recovery are crucial entry points, but they are not enough on their own for a reality where disasters are recurrent, cascading, and increasingly the norm. What if we reframed the questions and asked – “Did people recover with dignity? Can they face the next shock with more choice, not less?” In partnership with Dalberg, our latest report, Resilience: Moving Beyond Surviving Climate Disasters to Supporting Communities to Thrive, begins with this reframing. Read the report to know more - link in our bio! #ClimateResilience #ClimateAction #Philanthropy #DisasterRiskReduction

What does it take to steward the commons? In our latest two-part conversation, Jagdeesh Puppala speaks with Irina Snissar Lobo about a lifetime of learning – from his early years in rural India, his enduring connection to nature, and the difficult lessons he has learned in working to safeguard both ecosystems and the people who depend on them. For more than three decades, Jagdeesh Rao has devoted his life to addressing one of the most complex challenges of our time: the stewardship of the commons, our shared resources and the collective responsibility they demand. Jagdeesh is a co-founder of Foundation For Ecological Security (@fesforcommons ) and served as its chief executive for nearly 20 years. He is currently the CEO of Living Landscapes and Convener of the Common Ground Initiative. Listen now! 🎧 link in our bio. Grassroots Nation is co-produced by @vaakamedia . #TheCommons #CollectiveAction #Stewardship #Nature #Podcast

When does a climate disaster actually end? When the floodwaters recede, or the heatwave breaks? The damage runs deeper than what meets the eye. Much of it stays invisible – in lost income, missed school, failed crops, and forced migration. And while systems bounce back, people don't; not at the same speed, not with the same resources, not equally, not with dignity. Increasing and overlapping climate disasters are eroding livelihoods, reversing developmental gains, and threatening the futures of the most vulnerable. They raise a question we haven't fully answered yet — what would it look like to measure success differently? Read the report to know more. Link in the highlights named Reports. #ClimateResilience #ClimateAction #Philanthropy #DisasterRiskReduction

Thank you for all the proposal submissions for the third edition of *Manotsava - India’s National Mental Health Festival*! We have been energised by the creativity and depth of the submissions received to date. To sustain this momentum, we are extending the deadline for the call for submissions. We hope to foster the highest level of participation and provide another opportunity for your best contributions! 📅 Revised submission deadline: May 31, 2026 Link to submit your proposal: in our bio #MentalHealth #WellbeingMatters #Manotsava #MentalHealthFestival

We've always associated disasters with specific geographies. And some geographies with certain kinds of disasters — the coasts with cyclones, the river plains with floods, the hills with landslides. But the data tells a different story. When Shimla records heatwave days and the Thar desert floods, it challenges everything we thought we knew about disasters. Exposure to climate disasters at this scale means communities across India are absorbing shocks of unanticipated pattern shifts, stretching their adaptive capacities. If the same place that flooded last year faces drought in the next, it is no longer about specific places or specific kinds of disasters. It's about building resilience that accounts for a climate reality that keeps changing. Have you been noticing this shift where you live? How have you and the communities around you been adapting? Read the report to know more: link in our bio Sources: Shimla heatwave data: IMD, via Down to Earth, August 2024. Jaisalmer floods: ICAR-CAZRI/IMD, via Down to Earth, June 2025. The Federal, July 2025. #ClimateResilience #ClimateAction #Philanthropy #DisasterRiskReduction

Manotsava 2025 sparked something new: a renewed sense of community, a space for honest and open conversations, and a platform where science truly meets society. Come join us in making Manotsava 2026 even more magical! ✨ Send in your proposals today! Link in our bio. #MentalHealthFestival #MentalHealth #Wellbeing

Climate disasters no longer happen elsewhere, to someone else, or once in a while. Everyday moments and realisations have been challenging our traditional understanding of what a climate disaster looks like. Bengaluru is a recent example. On April 29, the city went from scorching heat to a devastating storm within hours. The heavy rain, hailstorms, and strong winds brought the city to a standstill and claimed lives. In partnership with Dalberg, our latest report – *Resilience: Moving Beyond Surviving Climate Disasters to Supporting Communities to Thrive*, explores exactly this - why disasters are no longer exceptional disruptions, but are increasingly becoming a part of our everyday reality. How does this call for a change in our approach to building climate resilience? Read the report to know more [linked in our bio] Sources: AC sales data: CEAMA, via Business Standard, June 2024. #ClimateResilience #ClimateAction #Philanthropy #DisasterRiskReduction

“Nilgiris – A Shared Wilderness” is now streaming in the UK on Disney+. Directed by @sandesh_kadur | Produced by @rnp_foundation & @felis_creations 📺 Watch now on Disney+ UK Don’t miss it. 🔔 #NilgirisTheFilm #ASharedWilderness #DisneyPlusUK #NowStreaming #FelisFilms

What does meaningful change really look like? Who builds it? And what can we learn from the people who have spent decades doing the work? Grassroots Nation is a podcast with stories, reflections, and conversations from leaders who have shaped India’s social landscape. Season 1-3 out now. Have you caught up yet? In E-25, Gagan Sethi sits down with his long-time colleague and friend Sushma Iyengar, founder of Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan. In a reflective conversation, they revisit his early life as the child of a family shaped by Partition, his formative years working with rural communities, and the moments that shaped his lifelong commitment to justice and equity. Episode linked in our bio. [GrassrootsNation, SocialChange, Leadership, Ideas That Matter, Changemakers, PublicSystems Social Impact]

𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐮𝐛 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞! Join us from 15–17 May in Tezpur, Assam as we celebrate stories, films, and voices from across Northeast India. Marking 11 years at our Tezpur campus, this edition is both a celebration and a farewell to a space that has shaped countless journeys. | 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 | 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 | 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 | 𝐄𝐱𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 | 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐬 | Come be part of conversations, connections, and collective action for people and the planet. Date: 15th and 16th May, 2026 Location: District Library, Tezpur Time: 9:30 AM onwards Date: 17th May, 2026 Location: Jonak, Kumargaon, Tezpur Time: 9:30 AM onwards Supported by: @royalenfieldsocialmission , @rnp_foundation , @era.india , @atreearunachal Illustration by @adi_rmchy

Proposals are flowing in, and we’re excited to co-create the curation of Manotsava—the National Mental Health Festival. If you’re exploring, preparing a proposal, or simply curious, this FAQ is a useful starting point: /faq/ (Linked under the Highlight Manotsava 2026)