From policy to practice, from voices to action.

The Viksit Bharat Series at the School of Social Work, TISS, Mumbai brought together academics, practitioners, policymakers, and communities under the theme “Social Policies and Practices: Pathways to Viksit Bharat" on 16 March 2026. It created a platform to collectively reimagine pathways to inclusive and equitable development through dialogue, reflection, and grounded engagement.

Chaired by Prof. Bipin Jojo (Dean, School of Social Work), with reflections from Prof. Badri Narayan Tiwari (Vice-Chancellor, TISS) and keynote insights by Ms. Preeti Sudan (IAS [Retd.] and Former Chairperson, UPSC), the Inaugural Session underscored the urgent need to bridge the gap between policy formulation and lived realities.

Speakers emphasised participatory, life-cycle, and system-level approaches to policymaking linking childhood, adolescence, and youth with institutional accountability and governance structures. Discussions across panels on youth and children, women-led development, and grassroots engagement highlighted critical concerns: demographic transitions, fragile education-to-employment pathways, rising youth unemployment, and intersectional inequalities shaped by gender, caste, and location. A key message that emerged was that young people must be recognised as active agents in decision-making, while policies must move beyond skill-building to ensure dignity, sustainability, and meaningful livelihood pathways.

The vibrant Shetkari Mela further created a space for dialogue between farmers, students, and practitioners, foregrounding ecological knowledge, sustainable agriculture, and the importance of resilient rural systems. It reinforced how grassroots knowledge and community participation are central to shaping responsive and context-sensitive policy practices.

The session on women-led development highlighted the shift from viewing women as beneficiaries to recognising them as leaders of change. Conversations addressed structural inequalities, gaps in justice systems, and the need for intersectional, community-driven approaches that centre dignity, participation, and empowerment.

Across conversations, one message resonated strongly: meaningful development must be rooted in lived experiences, strengthened through community participation, and guided by inclusive, context-sensitive policymaking. The theme—Social Policies and Practices: Pathways to Viksit Bharat—was reflected not only in discussions but in the collective commitment to bridge policy and practice through grounded, accountable action.