Episode 7, Season 4

Host: Rathish Balakrishnan, Co-founder & Managing Partner, Sattva Consulting

Guest: Pankhuri Shah & Muzamil Baig, Co-founders, Project DEEP

Do you believe we could lift India out of poverty with the help of cash transfers?Because the evidence says yes: direct and unconditional cash transfers improve recipients’ incomes, asset ownership, and mental well-being. Instead of “being wasted on alcohol” and “making people lazy,” the cash is directed into building houses, buying livestock, paying off debt, and making investments.

In this episode, Co-founders of Project DEEP (Devising an End to Extreme Poverty), Pankhuri Shah and Muzamil Baig join Rathish Balakrishnan for an opinion-shifting conversation as they uncover:

- Myths we have about the poor (and the rich)

- How communities actually use cash transfers to grow income and build assets

- The role of the government in enabling these schemes

- Types of transfers, their benefits and limitations, and what is needed to make them most effective

- The what and why of Universal Basic Income

This is an episode you don’t want to miss out on. Tune in here!

Episode 6 | Decoding Impact - Season 4

Host: Rathish Balakrishnan, Co-founder & Managing Partner, Sattva Consulting

Guest: Govind Iyer, a Member on the Board of Trustees of The Rockefeller Foundation, Chairperson, SVP India, and Independent Director of Infosys & Karmayogi Bharat

Social sector spending in India is gaining momentum. Domestic philanthropy grew 7% y-o-y to ₹1.31 lakh crore (FY24), while CSR investments reached ₹34,000 crore in FY23–24 (Bain–Dasra India Philanthropy Report 2025; Sattva Consulting, CSR’s Next Act 2025).

As funding becomes more strategic and systems-focused, how can nonprofits position themselves to truly leverage this shift?

Govind Iyer, drawing on his experience across philanthropy, NGOs, and leadership, shares grounded, actionable insights with Rathish on what it takes to create long-term impact. Together, they unpack:

• Why leadership skills are essentials—not overheads—for nonprofits

• How NGOs can build and sustain donor trust

• What growing CSR and domestic philanthropy mean for the sector

• What real systems change looks like—and where India’s most urgent challenges lie

  
  

  Topics covered:

  1. Intro to the current social sector spending landscape

  2. Lessons for nonprofit leaders

  3. How can we encourage Indians to give more & how nonprofits can build trust among (potential) donors

  4. Rethinking what a “return” looks like in impact

  5. How to unlock giving at scale

  6. How CSR strategies are evolving

  7. The importance of CSR forums & platforms for collaborations

  8. How philanthropy can leverage government social spending + systems change

  9. How to strengthen nonprofit delivery capabilities & why donors should care

Episode 5 | Decoding Impact - Season 4

Host: Rathish Balakrishnan, Co-founder & Managing Partner, Sattva Consulting

Guest: Dr K. Srinath Reddy, Cardiologist & Founder, Public Health Foundation of India, Recipient of Padma Bhushan in 2005

We’re consulting doctors over video calls. Tracking our sleep on smartwatches. Decoding health reports in seconds on ChatGPT.

Technology is reshaping how we learn about and engage with healthcare. With information at our fingertips, it’s tempting to assume that tech is automatically advancing health equity, the right of every individual to live as healthily as possible.

But health equity isn’t just about access to healthcare services. In its truest sense, it’s about circumstances, recognising how social determinants like class, caste, gender, and environmental exposure shape health outcomes long before someone enters a clinic.

India’s urban mobile phone penetration stands at 125%; however rural penetration is only 58.8% (Mapping India’s Digital Landscape - Mobile Connectivity and Its Impact on Rural India, Affandy Johan, Ookla, 2025). The digital divide is stark, spanning device ownership, internet access, and digital literacy. This raises a critical question: will technology bridge healthcare gaps, or risk widening them further?

To unpack this complexity, we’re joined by Dr. K. Srinath Reddy, Founder and former President of the Public Health Foundation of India, to explore the nuanced intersection of health equity and technology.

Topics of discussion

1. Introducing health equity in India, the role of technology, and Dr Srinath

2. Why health equity doesn’t end with healthcare access

3. New challenges to our healthcare system + the impact of climate change on health

4. How do we build state capacity to deliver quality, accessible healthcare?

5. What's coming up in health-tech & what impact can these innovations have?

6. Why contextual health data matters for accurate diagnoses

7. What risks does tech carry? Which gaps can it widen in healthcare?

8. How do we design an equitable health system using technology?

9. The role of digital public infrastructure & building state capacity

10. AI in healthcare (pros & cons)

11. Financing an equitable health system

12. The power of Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts