India's largest collaborative convening
Where samaaj, sarkaar, and bazaar align on shared problems, coordinated approaches and pathways towards inclusive, resilient economic growth.
Not ready to book yet?
Get speakers and agenda drops.
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Sep 15 - 16, 2026
India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
109
21
52
52
21
years to 2047
India's demographic dividend window will peak in 2040. The decisions made in policy, practice, and capital between now and 2040 compound through 2047. The moment for high-leverage intervention is not approaching, it's now.
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People who can change things share a room.
India's hardest problems live in the gaps between civil society, government, and markets. No single actor can close them alone. charcha is where all three come to the same table, to align and act.
The ecosystem, in one room.
Meet government decision makers, practitioners and funders, and turn chance conversations into meaningful collaborations
Representatives from Tata Trusts, The Rockefeller Foundation, NITI Aayog, LinkedIn, Dasra, Pratham, Azim Premji Foundation, CSEP, Mann Deshi Foundation, The/Nudge and 120+ organisations are attending. We want you in the room. Book your seat.
Not a conference.
A catalyst.
Every session is scoped to an outcome. You leave with something to act on — playbooks, commitments, and collaborations that continue long after.
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The entire ecosystem at one table
Government officials, foundation heads, founders, field implementers — the unusual actors who don't otherwise share a corridor.
Fishbowls, sprints, sandboxes, labs, panels
Built around participation, not broadcast. Every format is designed to produce decisions, not conversations.
"charcha brings together the unusual actors who don't generally come together — to get inspired, connect, and hopefully co-invest toward scalable solutions."
Deepali Khanna
"This is where people come together to learn, connect and be inspired. I am leaving energised and hopeful. This event is world-class."
Jessica Jensen
India’s biggest challenges cannot be solved in silos.
When diverse perspectives meet, better questions emerge. And better questions often lead to better solutions.
Honest cross-sector conversations
Not curated success stories. Real intelligence from policymakers, practitioners, and investors on what's working — and what isn't.
Actionable insights and practical learning
Every format is built around participation. You co-produce the outcomes, not just observe them.
Opportunities for collaboration and partnership
Serendipitous alliances, co-investment conversations, cross-sector frameworks. The connections that don't happen at siloed events.
Six editions. Growing momentum.
15,000+
Attendees
1,000+
Speakers
35+
Co-hosts & Partners
A room of builders.
The leaders, founders, policymakers, and practitioners turning ideas into action.
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Six fronts of collective action.
Exploring the ideas, institutions, and innovations driving inclusive development.
Philanthropy & CSR
Tech4good
Inclusive Livelihoods
Policy & Governance
Entrepreneurship & Informal Livelihoods
Rural & Agri Livelihoods
Education and Skilling
Climate & Green Jobs
What charcha'25 felt like.
charcha is also the texture.
A village you can walk through - running on real AI.
Follow a family through their day - the ASHA, the farmer, the shopkeeper, the child - reimagined by AI built for Bharat from the start.
Meet a household whose day AI just changed.
The village is the unit of intervention; the household, the unit of change. Step inside and follow a family through their day - the ASHA, the farmer, the shopkeeper, the child — and see everyday life lifted by AI built for Bharat from the start, not retrofitted onto it.
Performances, screenings, photo exhibitions, sidebar gatherings — the unstructured magic between sessions.
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LinkedIn Lawn
Brought stakeholders together to spark conversations and collaborations across the livelihoods ecosystem.
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Grassroot Artists
Musical traditions across regions, languages and forms, reflecting India’s diversity
Film Screening
A narrative on the invisible labour behind AI and its impact on marginalised communities.
CSR Pulse
A closed-door conversation between CSR and philanthropy leaders toward stronger collaborations
Entrepreneurs Meet
Brought together alumni from the Mulago Foundation and the^delta Social Entrepreneurship ecosystems
Photo Exhibition
The People of India photo exhibition by Haran Kumar captured lived realities across rural and urban India
An ecosystem of enablers.
Government, philanthropy, business, and civil society rallying around a shared agenda for progress.
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Not ready to book yet?
Get speakers and agenda drops.
Two ways to be in the room.
All access pass
INR 5,000
Recommended. Both days. All sessions. All texture — performances, screenings, sidebars.
All sessions, both days
All programming - artists, exhibitions, and more
Networking
Lunch & snacks
1-day pass
INR 3,000
Pick the day that fits your work. Full access to programming on that day
All sessions on your chosen day
Networking
Lunch & snacks
At the heart of Delhi's ideas district, India Habitat Centre.
India Habitat Centre has long been home to some of India's most important conversations across policy, culture, business, and civil society.
Why charcha matters.
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The more we converse, the more we connect, the better it is for each one of us and the better it is for the billions of citizens we are all trying to serve.
"
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Shankar Maruwada
Co-Founder, EkStep
"
Charcha is important because we need to bring different actors together, what I call the “unusual actors.” They generally do not come together to share what they are doing & learn from each other
"
Deepali Khanna
VP - Asia Regional Office, The Rockefeller Foundation
"
It was a pleasure and a delight for me to participate in charcha and interact with key stakeholders contributing towards resilient livelihoods for all.
"
Amitabh Kant
India's G20 Sherpa, Former CEO - NITI Aayog, Government of India
"
Convenings like charcha are the right places to discuss the work that’s essential for the social ecosystem to bloom. We are talking about how to bring more women to work, which I relate with a lot.
"
Ghazal Alagh
Co-founder & Chief Innovation Officer, Mamaearth
Glimpses from charcha'25.
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Every charcha builds on the last.
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2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
Frequently asked questions.
Who should attend charcha?
charcha is designed for social entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, funders, policymakers, researchers, corporate leaders, practitioners, and anyone working to create sustainable livelihood opportunities in India
Is charcha only for organisations working in livelihoods?
No. While livelihoods is the central focus, charcha welcomes stakeholders from adjacent sectors such as education, skilling, technology, finance, entrepreneurship, gender, agriculture, and public policy.
What can participants expect at charcha?
Participants can expect keynote sessions, panel discussions, masterclasses, fireside chats, networking opportunities, ecosystem showcases, and interactions with some of India's leading changemakers and decision-makers.
Will there be opportunities to network?
Yes. Networking is a core part of the charcha experience. Participants can connect with peers, funders, government representatives, ecosystem leaders, and potential collaborators throughout the event.
How can I stay informed?
Sign up for updates and follow the*spark forum on social media for speaker announcements, agenda updates, registration details, and more.
How can I partner with or support charcha?
We welcome partnerships from organisations across government, philanthropy, business, and civil society. Reach out to us at forum@thespark.org.in to explore opportunities.
charcha in the news
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Across various industries, convenings have demonstrated the value of bringing stakeholders under one roof and amplifying their knowledge, relationships and learnings through curated interactions.
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Mint
August 30, 2022
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Dr Chintan Vaishnav, Chair, Startup20 and mission director of Atal Innovation Mission - NITI Aayog, said that Charcha ‘23 is a livelihood programme within the G20 Startup 20 platform.
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Deccan Chronicle
November 23, 2023
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Market leaders from the technology space will be hosting dialogues on the future of livelihoods
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Times of India
August 11, 2023
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Leading development sector stakeholders across governments, markets and civil society would be convening to foster dynamic conversations on building a strong backbone for resilient livelihoods
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The Hindu
August 16, 2024
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The Decoded: Women and the Future of Digital Work in India report — launched at Charcha 2025 — finds only 37% of women use mobile internet and that women participate in the digital economy without advancing in it.
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YourStory
November 17, 2025
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Companion press release on Hindu BusinessLine — the*spark forum's Charcha 2025 charts pathways for resilient livelihoods and collaborative action towards Viksit Bharat 2047.
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The Hindu BusinessLine
November 19, 2025
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the*spark forum's Charcha 2025 charts pathways for resilient livelihoods and collaborative action towards Viksit Bharat 2047 — the flagship press release covering the 6th edition's agenda, themes and impact.
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The Hindu
November 19, 2025
Building India's alignment infrastructure
India's hardest problems live in the gaps between civil society, government, and markets - where no single actor can move alone. Since 2020, charcha has been the table where all three meet, align, and act.