New Delhi: Corporate social responsibility can help bring together industry, government and civil society to tackle India’s pressing social challenges, Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary said Wednesday at the inaugural Vision to Impact CSR Conclave 2026 hosted by People for Action.
“True impact begins when vision is translated into action and action is sustained through collaboration,” Chaudhary said, emphasizing the role of CSR in building partnerships and advancing a more inclusive and empowered India.
The conclave brought together representatives from government, business, civil society, education, health care, culture and digital media for cross-sector discussions on social responsibility and sustainable impact.
The programme featured five thematic panels covering health, education, art, inclusion and social media. Keynote and special sessions focused on leadership, empowerment, cybersecurity and nation-building.
Afsana Cherian Kapoor, founder of People for Action, said the conclave was created to bring together people and institutions committed to turning ideas for a better India into action.
“Meaningful social change begins when diverse voices come together with a shared intent to act,” Kapoor said, adding that the discussions and collaborations at the event highlighted the potential of collective action to create lasting impact.
One of the key features of the conclave was the Impact Wall, a collective pledge in which panelists stated the number of lives they aspired to positively impact by September 2027. The combined figure crossed 250 million lives, according to the organizers.
The event also included two award ceremonies recognizing contributors to the Courage Stories and Amplifying Impact Through Social Media sessions. The awards recognized efforts in social impact, inclusion and the use of storytelling and digital platforms to promote social change.
The conclave featured participants from a range of sectors, including C.K. Mishra, Padma Shri Dr. Harsh Mahajan, Poonam Muttreja, Shalini Jatia, Rinika Grover, Shreya Goswami, Dheeraj Sanghi, Sandhya Awasthi, Abhishek Singh (IAS), Archie Sehgal, Padma Shri Dadi Pudumjee, Nupur Kundu, Shivani Verma, Amaan Ali Bangash, Surbhi K. Modi, Saurabh Wasson, Shaheen Malik, Ajeet Singh, Alina Alam and Anjali Dada, among others.
The programme also included an empowerment and awareness session on cybersecurity led by Rajneesh Gupta, joint commissioner, Transport Range, Delhi Police and former joint commissioner, IFSO. Podcast conversations with Avantika Tokas of Bharat Charcha provided another platform for discussions emerging from the conclave.
People for Action said it works to create platforms and initiatives that bring together individuals, organizations and institutions committed to meaningful social change.
