One Purpos India Forum: 2,600 Leaders Just Unlocked India's Future

The One Purpos India Forum 2026, hosted by CSRBOX, drives an evidence-based agenda for the nation’s Purpose Economy. With participation from the Governor of Maharashtra, Chief Ministers of Delhi and Nagaland, and various Union and State Ministers, the event drew over 2,600 delegates, while CSRBOX’s latest findings underscore the need for CSR investments that are more responsive to actual requirements.

New Delhi, 28 October 2026: From 26 to 28 October, Hotel Pullman in New Delhi hosted the 13th iteration of the One Purpos India Forum (OPIF) 2026. Organised by CSRBOX, the event served as a central hub for India’s multifaceted development sector. Stakeholders from across the nation—spanning regions from Nagaland and Delhi to Assam and Rajasthan—converged to foster collaboration across government, corporate, philanthropic, civil society, sustainability, and technology spheres.

As India’s premier gathering for CSR, sustainability, philanthropy, and government alignment, OPIF hosted more than 2,600 delegates across 70+ sessions, featuring insights from 310+ speakers. The forum facilitated engagement among 620+ CSR and ESG leaders, 30+ IAS officers, and a broad spectrum of representatives from the development community.

Previously titled the India CSR & ESG Summit, OPIF builds upon CSRBOX’s 12-year history of uniting India’s CSR and ESG sectors. This broader scope reflects the evolution of the Purpose Economy and highlights the necessity of cross-sector partnerships to drive social, environmental, and economic progress.

Sharing the broader vision behind the forum, Bhomik Shah, Founder and CEO, CSRBOX, said: "India’s development priorities are interconnected, and addressing them requires us to move beyond working in silos. The next phase of the Purpose Economy will depend on how effectively government, corporates, philanthropy, civil society and technology come together to turn shared priorities into practical, scalable solutions. OPIF is an extension of CSRBOX’s 12-year journey of bringing the impact ecosystem together, creating a platform for meaningful dialogue, knowledge exchange and collaboration. Our focus must now be on strengthening these partnerships and translating collective intent into lasting impact for communities and the nation."

The event commenced with the India Water & Rivers Forum (IWRF), which convened government officials, water management experts, and youth advocates to address river resilience and water security. The session included contributions from Shri Swatantra Dev Singh, Hon’ble Cabinet Minister for Jal Shakti and Flood Control, Government of Uttar Pradesh; Shri Ashish Umadevi Nandkishore Jaiswal, Hon’ble Minister of State for Finance and Planning, Agriculture, Relief and Rehabilitation, Law and Judiciary, and Labour, Government of Maharashtra; Smt. Meghana Bordikar, Hon’ble Minister of State for Water Supply and Sanitation, Government of Maharashtra; Shri Bharat Lal, former Secretary General and CEO of the National Human Rights Commission of India and former Mission Director of the Jal Jeevan Mission; and Mr. Jason Morrison, President of the Pacific Institute and Head of the CEO Water Mandate. Additionally, youth representatives offered insights on how the younger generation can amplify community voices to support water and river resilience.

The One Purpos India Forum was inaugurated by Shri Jishnu Dev Varma, Hon’ble Governor of Maharashtra; Dr. Neiphiu Rio, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Nagaland; and Smt. Rekha Gupta, Hon’ble Chief Minister of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. This opening session also served as the platform for the release of the 12th India CSR Outlook Report 2026, titled From ₹5,500 Cr to ₹30,000 Cr: The CSR Journey of 301 Companies.

Published by CSRBOX, the report examines CSR disclosures from 301 major listed firms, tracking the evolution and shifting focus of India’s corporate social responsibility landscape. These entities represent roughly 1.5% of all CSR-contributing companies while accounting for nearly 40% of the total CSR expenditure in India.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Smt. Rekha Gupta said: "Platforms like the One Purpos India Forum play an important role in bringing together government, industry and civil society to work towards shared development priorities. India’s CSR ecosystem has immense potential to contribute to nation-building, and it is important that corporate resources, innovation and collective expertise are channelled towards meaningful social impact. I appreciate CSRBOX for organising the One Purpos India Forum 2026 and for its continued efforts towards strengthening the CSR ecosystem by facilitating collaboration, encouraging dialogue and connecting stakeholders across sectors. Such platforms can help transform collective intent into meaningful action and contribute to building a more inclusive and developed India."

The forum’s masterclasses provided attendees with practical, expert-led training on critical areas within the Purpose Economy. Sessions were conducted by organizations such as IORA Ecological Solutions, WELL Labs, J-PAL South Asia, NSE Social Stock Exchange, Atlassian, Ford, Impact Practice by CSRBOX, and JPMorganChase. Topics covered included ecological restoration, community-managed water security, evidence-based CSR funding, Social Stock Exchange preparedness, corporate volunteering, insights from impact evaluations, and the ethical application of AI for social good.

The Purpose Expo provided a space for organizations and social enterprises to display their innovations, initiatives, and solutions aimed at India’s development goals. It offered attendees a chance to interact with exhibitors, discover new methodologies, and forge connections within the CSR, sustainability, and social impact sectors.

During the valedictory session, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Hon’ble Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Minister of Rural Development, Government of India, stressed that CSR transcends regulatory requirements, representing a deeper commitment to society and the vulnerable. Reflecting on shared prosperity and equitable resource access, he stated: "To live is to give life to others. And CSR is an expression of that happiness."

The event concluded with the Doing Good for Bharat Awards, which honored changemakers across six categories: Environmental Stewardship, ESG and Sustainability; Social Responsibility; Start-ups and Social Enterprises; Grassroots Organisations; Philanthropy Organisations and Individuals; and Governance and Public Services.

As OPIF 2026 drew to a close, it reinforced a collective pledge to move The Way Forward, Together, transforming cross-sector collaboration into sustained, unified action for a more sustainable and inclusive India.

About One Purpos India Forum

Organised by CSRBOX, the One Purpos India Forum (OPIF) serves as a national platform uniting stakeholders from government, corporate social responsibility, ESG, sustainability, philanthropy, public policy, social innovation, and technology to advance India’s Purpose Economy. Building on CSRBOX’s established history of convening the CSR and ESG community, OPIF facilitates dialogue, knowledge sharing, and collaboration focused on the nation’s economic, social, and environmental development goals.

About CSRBOX

CSRBOX is an impact-driven organization operating at the nexus of business, government, civil society, and local communities. Through a combination of research, advisory services, technology, program execution, and ecosystem development, CSRBOX collaborates with stakeholders to bolster development efforts and foster measurable social impact.