Sangam Collaborative Launched to Aid 70M Indians

The Sangam Collaborative, a new philanthropic initiative spearheaded by the Piramal Foundation and the Gates Foundation, has officially launched. This consortium aims to improve health, education, and nutrition outcomes for an estimated 70 million individuals in five Indian states.

The initiative was unveiled at the AVPN Global Conference 2026 in New Delhi, targeting residents in Jharkhand, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Bihar. Its core mission focuses on strengthening public service delivery within these regions.

Bolstering Public Service Delivery

The primary objective of the Sangam Collaborative is to enhance public service delivery by focusing on several critical areas. This involves improving institutional capacity, developing leadership, and optimizing processes within the health and education sectors.

The Collaborative will also prioritize talent acquisition and the establishment of robust data systems, collaborating with both local and international technical experts. This operational framework draws inspiration from a successful model previously implemented in Bihar.

In Bihar, a sustained partnership involving the state government, the Gates Foundation, and the Piramal Foundation significantly strengthened public health institutions and data infrastructure. This precedent guides the new initiative’s strategic approach.

Leaders Emphasize Collaborative Impact

Leaders from the participating foundations underscored the importance of this joint effort. Piramal highlighted that enduring positive change arises from reinforcing public systems that directly impact people’s daily lives, fostering a more robust, inclusive, and prosperous ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India).

Suzman acknowledged India’s remarkable progress in poverty reduction over the past decade, crediting effective government programs and the scalable application of technology. He reiterated the Gates Foundation’s ongoing commitment to its partnership with India through ventures like the Sangam Collaborative.

Chandra stressed that addressing large-scale poverty in the target states requires more than isolated philanthropic efforts. He advocated for a synergistic combination of governmental scale, philanthropic risk capital, and the extensive reach of civil society organizations to achieve impactful change.

Ram Shriram of the Dhanam Foundation echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the necessity of collective action and a long-term commitment to effectively tackle multidimensional poverty. Kate Hampton of the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation suggested that strategic investments in stronger systems and leadership could accelerate pathways out of poverty on a large scale, offering valuable insights globally.

While the collaborative approach and its potential impact were detailed, the specific financial commitments made by the participating organizations to the Sangam Collaborative were not disclosed at the time of the announcement.