Philanthropy

"So, where were you before you joined Upadhyaya Foundation?" It's been seven weeks since I've joined the team at the Upadhyaya Foundation as its Lead. In this short span of time, getting acquainted and reacquainted with colleagues and friends from the social impact sector has felt like both a welcome party and a homecoming party at the same time! Much of the thinking that’s made its way to this post has also been reiterated, reshaped, and influenced by these conversations. A

What changes when we stop thinking of animal welfare as a standalone cause? At the AVPN Global Conference 2026, animal welfare was part of the conversation for the first time through the session, “From the Fringes to Mainstream: Rethinking Animal Welfare.” For a cause that remains significantly underrepresented in philanthropy, its inclusion itself felt important. But the conversation also raised a more fundamental question: why is animal welfare still considered a fringe iss

How thoughtful communications can strengthen relationships with family foundations Communications are often viewed as a way for nonprofits to increase visibility, raise funds, or report on impact. While these are all important, we've found they also serve another, often overlooked, purpose: they build trust. At Upadhyaya Foundation, we've had the privilege of working with nonprofit organisations across different stages of their journey. While every family foundation has its o

In recent years, global geopolitical tensions have increasingly shaped economic realities far beyond national borders. Even when countries like India are not directly involved in a conflict, the ripple effects - market volatility, cautious capital, and reduced risk appetite - are felt across sectors. Philanthropy is no exception. In such moments, the question is not whether philanthropy will respond - but how. Too often, philanthropy mirrors the market. When uncertainty rises

As we set out to build the India Animal Welfare Forum (IAWF), one insight became increasingly clear: India’s animal welfare ecosystem is not lacking in commitment, it is often lacking in connection . Across the country, organisations and individuals are working tirelessly across different areas — from community animal care and wildlife conservation to policy, veterinary science to farmed animal advocacy, community mobilisation to innovation. Yet much of this work happens in s

Across India, thousands of individuals and organisations work every day to rescue injured animals, rehabilitate wildlife, manage community animal populations, and protect habitats. Yet despite the scale and urgency of these challenges, animal welfare remains one of the most underfunded sectors in Indian philanthropy . This reality became even more visible during the India Animal Welfare Forum , where over 200 leaders from across the country and internationally came together t