Partnership Formed between ILSS and EkStep Foundation to Boost Digital Skills in India's Social Sector
In an audacious stride to propel India's social sector into the digital age, India Leaders for Social Sector (ILSS) and the EkStep Foundation join forces to advance the Koita Centre for Digital Transformation (KCDT) at ILSS. Originally a brainchild of ILSS and the Koita Foundation, KCDT serves as a beacon for non-profits to bolster their digital prowess, scale impact, and foster innovation.
(L-R): Anirban Chaudhury, Head, KCDT; Anu Prasad, Founder and CEO, ILSS; Shankar Maruwada, Co-Founder and CEO, EkStep Foundation
Their collaborative vision promises to bridge the digital divide in the development ecosystem, granting structured leadership training, practical toolkits, and an invigorating ecosystem for non-profits to effectively adapt and utilize digital tools.
"ILSS has long recognized that leadership in the social sector must evolve in light of the digital revolution," expressed Anu Prasad, Founder and CEO of ILSS. "Our partnership with EkStep and Koita Foundations through KCDT is our joint response to a critical need across the sector: non-profits need assistance, not merely tools, but the mindset and skillsets to lead digital transformation meaningfully."
Since its inception in early 2025 under the stewardship of Anirban Chaudhury, KCDT thrives as a hub for experimentation, co-creation, and capacity-building for non-profits across India.
"Through KCDT, we are cultivating a space that empowers social impact organizations to learn, adapt, and innovate using digital means—all while staying rooted in our human mission," declared Anirban Chaudhury, Head of KCDT. "We believe that the digital transformation of the sector must be inclusive, intentional, and guided by real-world insights from change-makers on the ground."
Over at the Koita Foundation, Rekha Koita shared her commitment to building long-term capacity in the sector by supporting initiatives like KCDT: "This partnership provides structured guidance, peer learning, and real-world application. It's about building digital confidence, not just digital systems."
Central to the collaboration is the Digital Transformation for Social Impact (DTSI) program—a tailored learning journey for non-profit leaders to bolster digital strategy and implementation. Complementing this is the upcoming Digital Toolbook for Social Impact (DiTSI), an open-access doorway to digital resources, case studies, and frameworks for seamlessly integrating digital tools across various operations, service delivery, fundraising, and impact measurement.
"Digital transformation in the social sector isn't about merely digitizing existing processes—it's about reimagining how we learn, interact, work, and deliver value to communities," articulated Shankar Maruwada, CEO and Co-founder of EkStep Foundation. "This collaboration marks a commitment to nurturing that capability in a way that's open, accessible, and community-led."
By connecting nonprofits, funders, technology partners, and knowledge experts, this initiative seeks to establish a robust foundation for systematic digital transformation in India's development sector.
Insights on Digital Transformation for Social Impact
Digital transformation for social impact harnesses technology and digital strategies to augment social welfare, mitigate global challenges, and expand opportunities for economically disadvantaged populations. Examples include initiatives to boost digital connectivity, champion digital literacy, and employ technology to improve access to vital services for underserved communities.
Participating Organizations
While particulars about a DTSI program remain elusive, organizations invested in similar endeavors include:
- The World Bank: involving itself in projects to expand digital connectivity and services in fragile regions, fostering innovation and inclusion.
- CanadaHelps: delivering Charity Growth Academy for capacity-building among smaller charities to enhance their digital impact.
- BCG: offering impactful consulting services concentrated on the social sector and its digital transformation endeavors.
For a more comprehensive understanding of a DTSI program, finding direct sources or further details would be beneficial.
- The Koita Centre for Digital Transformation (KCDT), a joint initiative by ILSS and EkStep Foundation, aims to empower non-profits with leadership training, practical toolkits, and an enabling ecosystem to effectively utilize digital tools. (KCDT, digital transformation, technology, non-profits)
- Anu Prasad, Founder and CEO of ILSS, believes that non-profits require mindset and skillsets, not merely digital tools, to lead digital transformation meaningfully in the social sector. (ILSS, leadership, digital revolution, non-profits, digital transformation)
- Anirban Chaudhury, Head of KCDT, emphasizes the importance of a digital transformation for the sector being inclusive, intentional, and guided by real-world insights from change-makers on the ground. (KCDT, digital transformation, sector, change-makers, real-world insights)
- The Digital Transformation for Social Impact (DTSI) program, a part of KCDT, offers non-profit leaders a tailored learning journey to bolster digital strategy and implementation, while the Digital Toolbook (DiTSI) provides open-access resources for seamlessly integrating digital tools across various operations. (DTSI, non-profit leaders, Digital Toolbook, digital strategy, digital resources)
