ABOUT NFD
An Institution Inspired by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai
In the mid-1960s, as India was shaping its development trajectory, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai recognised the need for a space where individuals could reflect deeply on national challenges, exchange ideas freely, and develop new approaches grounded in knowledge and public purpose.
​
He envisioned an institution that would not merely implement projects, but would encourage critical thinking, foster dialogue, and build enduring capacities.
The Nehru Foundation for Development (NFD) was established in 1966 to give institutional form to that vision. It was dedicated to creating intellectual resource groups, facilitating engagement between scholars and practitioners, and encouraging citizens to participate meaningfully in development processes.
​
NFD is registered as a public charitable trust in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, under the Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950. While its historical name reflects its origins, the philosophical foundation of the institution rests firmly in Dr. Sarabhai’s integrated approach to science and society.
​
From its inception, the Foundation has focused on encouraging critical thinking, public participation, and the exploration of alternative development pathways that are inclusive, ethical, and sustainable.
The Sarabhai Philosophy
Dr. Sarabhai combined scientific rigour with social sensitivity. For him, development was not confined to economic growth. It meant expanding human capabilities, strengthening institutions and ensuring that progress was equitable and sustainable.
His philosophy rests on a few enduring principles: Science is a way of thinking, not merely a discipline. Education must cultivate curiosity and responsibility. Development must be participatory and locally rooted. Institutions must build people’s capacities, not dependency. Long-term sustainability must guide action. These principles continue to inform the Foundation’s work across sectors.
From Ideas to Institutions
What began as a forum for dialogue gradually evolved into a network of specialised institutions addressing interconnected aspects of development.
Over time, institutions were nurtured in science education, environmental education, rural development, health and nutrition, livelihoods, crafts and cultural heritage, and urban sustainability. Each grew into a distinct entity while remaining aligned with the broader philosophy of knowledge-led, participatory development.
This institutional ecosystem enables the Foundation to maintain both depth and diversity, responding thoughtfully to emerging development priorities while remaining anchored in its founding values.
Founding Vision
Dr Vikram Sarabhai envisioned NFD as a platform that would bring together individuals motivated to think deeply about development challenges and share their ideas with wider society. The Foundation was conceived as a space for dialogue, learning, and intellectual exchange, supported by professional staff and institutional resources.
Rather than directly implementing programmes in its early conception, NFD sought to explore ideas, generate knowledge, and communicate perspectives that could influence practice and policy. Over time, this vision evolved into an institutional model that combined reflection with action, leading to the creation of specialised organisations working in diverse development domains.
Philosophy and Approach
NFD’s work is guided by an integrated and multi-disciplinary understanding of development. It recognises that education, environment, livelihoods, health, culture, urbanisation, and social justice are deeply interconnected, and that meaningful change requires attention to these linkages.
A central principle of NFD’s approach is community-driven and participatory development. The Foundation places strong emphasis on building people’s institutions at the grassroots level, enabling communities to organise, take ownership, and guide their own development processes. Capacity building, long-term engagement, demonstration of workable models, and learning-led scaling are core to this approach.
NFD also believes that education, communication, and knowledge sharing are integral to development. Across its work, it invests in documentation, dissemination, and dialogue to ensure that learning informs practice and policy.
NFD Today
Today, NFD functions as an institutional anchor supporting a diverse ecosystem of organisations working across science education, environment and climate change, natural resource management, health and nutrition, gender equity, livelihoods, crafts and cultural heritage, and sustainable urban development.
Through its affiliated and associated institutions, NFD combines grassroots engagement with institutional rigour and policy relevance. Its role is that of an enabler, convener, and steward, supporting innovation while ensuring continuity, governance, and alignment with public purpose.
As India navigates complex development challenges, NFD continues to offer a space for reflection, collaboration, and action, rooted in the belief that sustainable development must be people-centred, knowledge-driven, and ethically grounded.
Governance
The Foundation is governed by its Board of Trustees, which safeguards its mission and values. Its affiliated institutions maintain their own governance structures, ensuring domain-specific expertise and operational autonomy.
Across the ecosystem, common principles guide institutional conduct: transparency, financial prudence, non-political and non-partisan functioning, ethical fundraising, respect for diversity, and commitment to public good.
This hybrid model of autonomy and alignment has enabled sustained engagement across decades of social and environmental change.
A Continuing Journey
Over six decades after its founding, the Foundation remains committed to nurturing institutions, encouraging informed participation, and integrating scientific thinking with social responsibility.
In carrying forward Dr. Vikram Sarabhai’s vision, the institution continues to evolve, responding to contemporary challenges while remaining rooted in enduring values.
TESTIMONIALS
Client Success Stories: Hear What Our Clients Say
This is the space to share a review from one of the business's clients or customers.
CHRISTOPHER RAMIREZ
Arlington, Virginia
This is the space to share a review from one of the business's clients or customers.
MARCUS THOMPSON
Naperville, Illinois
This is the space to share a review from one of the business's clients or customers.
AISHA PATEL
Plano, Texas