Four Guiding Objectives
IDF's work is shaped by four commitments: honouring sincerely dedicated, socially committed individuals; helping poor and oppressed women gain productive skills and socio-economic awareness; encouraging youth talent and organising young people for nation-building; and extending concern to poor and deserving children for their health, education, and welfare.
Guided by the principle of teaching self-reliance — "Give a fish to the hungry, you help him for the present, but teach him how to fish, you help him forever."
One step is enough for me. Slow and steady wins the race. — A guiding spirit of IDF
Friend
Support one woman's training materials for a month.
Supporter
Fund a monthly stipend for a dress-making trainee.
Partner
Sponsor a Desasnehi-level honour for a committed individual.
Champion
Help sustain a full training cycle for ten women in a Bangalore slum.
Self-Reliance Training Program
From March 1996 to June 2001, IDF organised a self-reliance training program for 298 selected poor women in Bangalore slums. Each class had 10 members and ran for two months, covering dress-making and screen-printing. All materials were provided, and trainees received a monthly stipend — Rs.200 for dress-makers and Rs.100 for screen printers.
A survey of 182 dress-making trainees found 65 employed, earning Rs.1,000–2,000 per month, and 29 self-employed. On 24th July 2001, the Mayor of Bangalore, Smt. Prema Cariappa, met with 150 trainees. IDF provided two sewing machines to candidates, and the Lions Club contributed one.
Every Saturday, specialists spoke to trainees on socio-political and economic issues, building awareness alongside skills.
Join Hands with IDF
Your contribution supports educational programs, vocational training for women, and welfare for poor and deserving children. Every donation is tax-exempt under Section 80/G.
Learn How to CollaborateSince its modest beginnings in December 1995, India Development Foundation has grown into a quiet force for positive change across Bangalore and beyond. What began as a starlit conversation between two friends about India's future has blossomed into a movement that honours dedicated and socially committed individuals, empowers women living in difficult circumstances, and nurtures the dreams of young people. Through youth camps, training programmes, and community initiatives, the organisation works to bridge the gap between realities and possibilities, helping people in slums and underserved neighbourhoods find purpose, hope, and the confidence to spread their wings.
The foundation's guiding philosophy rests on four commitments that shape every activity it undertakes. By listening to the pulses of the community and responding to its needs, IDF creates spaces where learning, dialogue, and shared vision can flourish. Its bi-monthly newsletter keeps supporters connected to the stories of transformation unfolding across the city, while the annual youth camps invite participants to imagine, analyse, and dream about a glorious future for the motherland. Through patient, heartfelt engagement with individuals and communities, the organisation continues to build a legacy of service, opportunity, and achievement that will inspire generations to come.