to Pioneer Collaborative Social Action
In a landmark milestone for central India’s development sector, the
Madhya Pradesh Social Impact Forum 2026 concluded on Wednesday at the Brilliant Convention Centre
Indore. Convened by ‘Let It Count’, the summit brought together nearly 150 delegates from more than
70 grassroots NGOs across Madhya Pradesh to bridge local action with strategic CSR capital and
institutional philanthropy.
Attendees hailed the forum as an unprecedented gathering, marking the first time in their careers that
over 70 state non-profits shared a single platform. Delegates noted that live workshops conducted by
sector veterans—including Smita Jha, Noshir H. Dadrawala, Snigdha Raha, and Tanmay
Mukherjee—delivered executive-level training typically accessible only at premier institutes like TISS
directly to grassroots changemakers.
Underscoring the broader mission, Saatvika Bhargava, Founder & CEO of Let It Count, stated:
> “Bringing together over 70 NGOs and 150 grassroots leaders under one roof is not just a gathering—it
is the start of an interconnected social impact movement across Madhya Pradesh. For the first time,
organizations broke silos to share synergies and explore collaborations. By bringing masterclass-level
institutional expertise directly to grassroots practitioners, our goal is singular: to turn fragmented efforts
into a unified ecosystem, ensuring scalable, long-term impact across the state.”
> While Madhya Pradesh achieved ‘Front Runner’ status on NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index 2023–24
(Score: 67), gaps persist in education, gender equity, and livelihoods. Keynote speaker Prof. Himanshu
Rai, Director of IIM Indore, addressed institutional leadership and capacity building through timeless
insights from the Bhagavad Gita and Mahabharata.
Key Takeaways from the Sessions:

• Education & Rural Livelihoods: Experts highlighted that with ~90% of the youth residing in villages,
  systemic reform must look beyond textbooks to offer mentorship, agency, and real-world exposure.
  Discussions prioritized strengthening early childhood education via Anganwadis/ICDS and highlighted
  the catalytic multiplier effect that economically empowered women bring to rural communities.
• Connected Ecosystems: A core consensus emerged across all tracks: isolated interventions must yield
  to unified ecosystems integrating government, NGOs, communities, funders, and technology for scalable
  impact.
• Environment & Sustainability: Panels featuring FES, Parmarth, CEE, Grow Billion Trees, and Samarthan
  examined community-led conservation and ecological balance.
  The state-level forum was anchored on-ground by Let It Count’s core team: Naman, Yashika, Neha,
  Kopal, Anthony, and Mrs. Gunawati.