COVER STORY
Why Am I Here?
Luis Miranda
Co-founder and Chairperson, Indian School of Public Policy
Drawing on his journey across nonprofit boards, Luis Miranda explores how corporate leaders can contribute to the social sector beyond fundraising. He reflects on the value of strategic expertise, stronger systems, leadership support and succession planning, while emphasising the importance of listening before advising and staying focused on the people organisations exist to serve.
In This Edition
Foreword
Anu Prasad reflects on what makes an advisory board truly effective, emphasising the importance of selecting members based on organisational needs, shared values and relevant experience. She highlights the value of building relationships before appointments, setting clear expectations and ensuring regular board renewal as organisations evolve.
Anu Prasad
Founder-CEO, ILSS
The Editorial
In her editorial, Samina Alam emphasises on building strategic, mission-aligned, and meaningfully engaged boards for nonprofits, highlighting the role the ILSS Centre of Excellence for Board and Governance in building evidence for strong boards in strengthening organisations and advancing their missions.
Samina Alam
Lead, ILSS Centre of Excellence for Board and Governance
ILSS Conversation
Beyond Representation, Towards Inclusion: What Makes a Board Effective
Diversity on boards is no longer simply about representation; it is about bringing different perspectives into the decisions that shape an organisation. In this conversation, Govind Iyer, Ingrid Srinath and Anu Prasad examine what meaningful inclusion looks like in the boardroom, from board composition and renewal to lived experience, constructive disagreement, the role of the Chair and the importance of creating space for voices that might otherwise go unheard.
Govind Iyer, Ingrid Srinath and Anu Prasad
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Guest Column
The Board Chair in a Social Purpose Organisation
The Board Chair sits at the intersection of governance, leadership and organisational purpose. Drawing on his own experience and conversations with social-sector leaders, Srivatsan Rajan explores the many dimensions of the role, from shaping board composition and guiding the CEO to leading succession and navigating moments of crisis.
Srivatsan Rajan
Advisory Partner, Bain & Company; Board Chair, ILSS
ILSS Insights
Building Better Boards: Reflections from Social Sector Leaders
What makes an advisory board truly effective? Drawing on a closed-door roundtable with nonprofit founders and senior leaders, Meenal Manolika outlines the practices that can turn advisory boards into meaningful sources of expertise, engagement and accountability.
Meenal Manolika
Associate Director, ILSS
Alumni Spotlight
Mandar Kulkarni
Co-founder and CEO, THE labs
How We Built Our Board
Building a board is not simply about finding people who match a set of profiles. Mandar Kulkarni shares how the seven members in THE labs board came together through years of relationships, mentorship, shared experiences and mutual trust. He reflects on choosing alignment and distinct value, creating space for honest challenge, and discovering the power of collective wisdom.
Dilip Kumar Sivasankar
Advisory Board Member, Missing Link Trust and Veruschka Foundation
There is no template. Only listening.
What can corporate leaders bring to the social sector? Drawing on his transition from Amazon to advisory roles with social purpose organisations, Dilip Kumar Sivasankar argues that the starting point is not expertise or a ready-made template, but listening. He shares how small, practical contributions, institutional memory and a willingness to learn can create meaningful value for organisations navigating complex challenges.
ILSS TIPS
SPO Financials: Reading the Vital Signs
For board members, understanding an SPO’s financial health requires looking beyond the numbers on its financial statements. Kavita Gunderia and Urmila Sampath offer a practical guide to reading SPO financials, highlighting the importance of unrestricted funds, reserves, committed grants, corpus and cash flow. The article also outlines the financial information boards should regularly review to make informed decisions and anticipate risks.
Kavita Gunderia and Urmila Sampath
Partners, LTM Advisors LLP
ILSS TIPS
FCRA Amendment Rules, 2026: What Nonprofits Need to Do
The FCRA Amendment Rules, 2026 introduced significant changes to how nonprofits register, report and demonstrate compliance. Shanthi Lakshmanan breaks down the new requirements and offers a practical checklist to help organisations prepare for the changes.
Shanthi Lakshmanan
Chief Financial Officer, The Convergence Foundation
Featured Interviews
Sheena Gandhi, Assistant Vice President, Social Stock Exchange, BSE
August 2026 – Edition 07
Harish and Bina Shah Founders, Harish & Bina Shah Foundation (HBSF)
May 2026 – Edition 06
Chetan Kapoor, CEO, Tech Mahindra Foundation & Ashwin Iyer, Senior Manager - Philanthropic Partnerships, Gates Foundation
January 2026 – Edition 05
Dr Dhir Jhingran, Founder & Executive Director, Language and Learning Foundation
October 2025 – Edition 04
Past Editions
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