PPI's 5th Anniversary!+ Gram Vaani’s Community Radio
Policy Post #197
Dear Reader,
When we hit “send” on our very first Policy Charcha five years ago, we didn’t know where this journey would take us, only that we wanted to make public policy feel more open, relatable, and possible for anyone who cared to engage.
Run by a tiny and deeply committed team, it’s been half a decade of building something we believed was missing, and watching it grow into something far bigger than we imagined.
Since then, we’ve sent out 196 editions of this newsletter (this one makes 197!), welcomed 1,984,000 reads, and built a thriving network of city chapters across India. Along the way, we’ve partnered with many universities and non-profit organisations, learning from each collaboration and widening the circle of policy conversations that matter.
PPI is more than a platform, it’s a community. And where we’re headed next? We want to go further, deeper, and more collaboratively, and if you know a partner who’d benefit from what we do, connect us. The next five years are waiting.
Now onto this week’s Policy Charcha Dr. R.S. Sharma, the mind behind Aadhaar and CoWIN, reflects on building digital systems that touch a billion lives. Economist Noah Smith asks what it will really take for India to industrialise and seize its growth moment. And fresh Yale data uncovers how Indians think, feel, and act on climate change. Big shifts, bold questions, and the stories behind them, all in one read.
As always, thank you for reading and championing better policy.
With that, we bring to you: Policy Post #197!
Policy Charcha 💬
The best of Podcasts, Videos, Essays, Fellowships and other Career resources from the world of Policy and Governance from the week gone by!
💡 Essay Highlight:
India Wants to Industrialise — But Are We Chasing the Wrong Dream?
We’ve been told for years that India’s big leap will come from factories buzzing with cutting-edge tech. But what if the real path to industrialization is far less flashy, and far more doable? In this sharp piece, Prakash Loungani and Karan Bhasin break down the myths holding us back, from unrealistic manufacturing ambitions to policy blind spots, and chart a grounded, clear-eyed path forward.
This is a reality check, and it might just change how you think about India’s growth story.
👥 Community Updates:
Yesterday, we marked PPI’s 5th anniversary with an evening brimming with ideas, conversations, and community in Delhi. The room was buzzing, old friends, new faces, policy enthusiasts and that unmistakable spark when people come together to talk about building better systems.
We kicked off with Panel 1: “Your Path: Building an Impactful Social Enterprise in India” a candid, inspiring discussion featuring Prateek Kanwal (Co-Founder, Kautilya School of Public Policy; MPP, Harvard), Saubhagya Raizada (Impact Consultant; Founder, Minerva Impact), Jhoomar Mehta (Founder, Prod), and Aparajita Bharti (Founding Partner, The Quantum Hub; Co-Founder, YLAC). From balancing vision with execution, the panel unpacked what it takes to start, sustain, and scale impact-driven work in India while sharing anecdotes from their journeys.
After a round interactions over snacks, we screened our short film “PPI @ 5” a small love letter to the journey we’ve shared with all of you.
Next came Panel 2: “Careers in Public Policy: A Multi-Sectoral Perspective”, with , Uthara Ganesh (Head of Public Policy, Snapchat Inc., India & South Asia), Satyam Vyas (Founder & CEO, Arthan & Climate Asia) and Suryaprabha Sadasivan (SVP, Chase India). They spoke about building a “career portfolio”, skill-building, and important things one should keep in mind while choosing a career in the policy space such as, if we need a masters degree in order to land a high paying job in this space (spoiler alert: you don’t), a session that ended with engaging questions.
And then came one of our proudest moments: the launch of our E-book: The A to Z of Public Policy in India.
This guide is your one-stop resource to:
Explore opportunities: internships with top organisations in the policy and development space
Learn and upskill: through masterclasses and hands-on workshops tackling real-world challenges
Connect and grow: with mentors and a community that shares your drive
We promise there’s a lot more to come, Keep your calendar open and your curiosity high, details are on their way.
Here’s to the next chapter of building, learning, and imagining policy together.
If you believe in what we do, please share PPI and the newsletter with friends, colleagues, family and fellow changemakers, every conversation helps our community grow. Join our WhatsApp city chapters here!
💡 Organisation highlight
TrustBridge: works to strengthen India’s rule of law so the economy can grow fairly, predictably, and sustainably. They focus on making our legal and regulatory systems more efficient, transparent, and capable, from boosting the capacity of independent regulators to improving contract enforcement.
Gram Vaani: giving India’s grassroots a voice. Through community-owned audio platforms, they connect people in local languages, share critical information, and make sure voices from the margins are heard loud and clear.
📊 Database Highlight:
Explore our revamped Policy Schools Database! Now covering policy schools and policy/development programs in 20+ countries worldwide. Check it out!
🔎 Databases and Guides:
Discover your ultimate career resource sheets for everything related to public policy! Our comprehensive mega-lists include150+ hiring organisations, 200+ scholarships, and 150+ courses. Dive in and unlock your next big opportunity!
▶️Video Highlight:
Digital India’s Architect: A Conversation with Dr. R.S. Sharma
In this Sushasan episode, host Gaurav Goel (Founder & CEO, Samagra) sits down with the man behind Aadhaar and the CoWIN platform, two innovations that have reshaped India’s digital identity and healthcare delivery. From building the world’s largest biometric ID system to enabling a smooth vaccination drive for over a billion people, Dr. Sharma shares candid insights on leading complex reforms, leveraging tech for governance, and staying focused on the “why” behind every big change.
Climate + Health Corner
In Partnership With Swasti, The Health Catalyst
👉🏽 India’s Climate Anxiety Is Real — And Growing
A brand-new report from Yale Climate Connections finds that more than half of Indian adults are deeply concerned about the impacts of climate change, particularly extreme weather, agricultural loss, and water insecurity. This isn’t abstract worry, it’s lived experience. And it’s shaping how people think about their futures, their communities, and the kind of leadership they expect.
Careers Corner 💼
A curated list of some of the best jobs and internship opportunities this week from the world of public policy, the development sector, impact consulting and communications at large.
📩 Best bit - if you know of a job/internship opening that’s not listed here, kindly just add that as a comment on the sheet: giving 20,000+ people immediate access to it!
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