The Podcast Series

In this episode of the ADCLOD Podcast with Social Sector Leaders, Prof. Neharika Vohra speaks with Bhushan Punani, Executive Director of the Blind People's Association (BPA), about building a mission-driven organization that has transformed the lives of persons with disabilities for over four decades. He reflects on BPA's culture of trust, collective leadership, and commitment to empowering people rather than controlling them.

The conversation explores institution-building, partnerships with government, innovation in disability inclusion, and the importance of transparency and accountability in the social sector. Punani also shares lessons on succession planning, nurturing future leaders, and creating sustainable impact that extends beyond the organization itself.

Through stories from BPA's journey, the episode offers valuable insights for leaders, practitioners, and students interested in social impact, inclusive development, and values-based leadership.

Mirai Chatterjee left behind the possibilities of a Harvard and Johns Hopkins education to spend more than forty years with SEWA, the Self-Employed Women's Association, one of India's most influential organisations working with women in the informal economy. A public health professional and labour activist, she went on to serve as Director of Social Security, helping millions of self-employed women gain access to healthcare, childcare, insurance, and social protection.

What sets this work apart is who designs it. Rather than delivering services to women, SEWA built systems shaped and run by its members, listening closely to their needs and turning those insights into community-led models that could grow across the country. Mirai traces how this approach allowed SEWA to scale while staying rooted in the realities of the women it serves.

Drawing on years of working closely with SEWA founder Ela Bhatt, Mirai describes an organisation built on trust, participation, and shared leadership. She speaks about cooperative models, decentralised decision-making, developing leaders from within, and advocating for policy change at the national level. She also reflects on one of the hardest questions any institution faces: how to make sure it continues to thrive long after its founders step back.

Hosted by Prof. Neharika Vohra, Chairperson of ADCLOD, this episode is a reflection on collective action, women's empowerment, and how grassroots institutions create change that lasts.

What happens when a successful investment banker leaves a global career to reimagine how children learn? In this episode of the ADCLOD Podcast with Social Sector Leaders, Prof. Neharika Vohra speaks with Ramji Raghavan, founder of Agastya International Foundation, about his journey from international finance to building one of the world's largest experiential learning initiatives.

Ramji reflects on Agastya's evolution from a bold idea into a movement that has reached millions of children through mobile science labs, innovation centers, and community-based learning programs across India. He shares insights on nurturing curiosity, building a culture of innovation, managing large-scale social impact, and creating learning experiences that inspire children to ask questions, experiment, and imagine new possibilities.

The conversation offers a compelling perspective on purpose-driven leadership, institution-building, and the power of curiosity as a force for individual and societal transformation.