Indian Development Foundation (IDF)

Indian Development Foundation, formerly the Indian Leprosy Foundation, is a national NGO founded by Dr. A.R.K. Pillai in response to a national call by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for NGOs to take up leprosy elimination work. Registered as a charitable trust under the Societies Registration Act and the Bombay Public Trusts Act, the organisation was renamed Indian Development Foundation in 2005 after India achieved leprosy elimination status, expanding its mandate into health, education, and women's empowerment. IDF holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 2012, and provides tax exempt donation status to supporters under Section 80-G of the Income Tax Act.

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (regional offices in Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Jaipur)

Major Areas of Work

• Health: Leprosy and tuberculosis awareness, elimination support, and health education, delivered through field staff and volunteer teams in schools, colleges, and communities.
• Education: Improving access, provision, and promotion of education for marginalised children in rural areas, tribal villages, and urban slums.
• Women's Empowerment: Adult education and vocational skilling for women.
• Community Engagement: Awareness campaigns, mass media outreach, and volunteer led programmes to reduce stigma around leprosy and TB.

Major Initiatives & Programmes

• Sarva Sakhi Swabhiman (Project S-3): A women's empowerment programme providing adult education and vocational training.
• Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan: IDF is an implementation partner and NiKshay Mitra, supporting TB patients including through dry ration kit distribution.
• Leprosy and TB Awareness Talks: Ongoing health education sessions delivered by field staff and volunteers across schools, colleges, and institutions nationwide.
• Citizens' Diwali Meet: An annual community event connecting citizens with leprosy patients.

Impact

IDF has been operating for 40 years, supported by 780 monthly donors, around 1,600 volunteers, and a track record of 688 completed campaigns. It works through a core team of trustees and a network of over 5,000 social ambassadors worldwide, alongside a Chief Operating Officer led executive team based across its Mumbai head office and regional centres.

Partners

• Union and State Health Ministries
• Municipal Corporations
• Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (Government of India)
• Schools, colleges, and NSS (National Service Scheme) volunteer networks
• Corporate supporters and donors

IDF suits people interested in public health awareness work, particularly around leprosy and TB, combined with grassroots education and women's empowerment programming, rather than single-issue or research-only roles. It appeals to people motivated by long-running, field-based community engagement (40 years of continuous work), and to those who want to work within an organisation with a large volunteer network and direct links to government health missions such as the TB elimination programme.