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About Tara Chand

Born in Aligarh.
Leading global CSR.

Social impact leader, CSR professional, social entrepreneur, philanthropy advisor — a life shaped by resilience, education, and purpose.

Who is Tara Chand

22 years building
systems that last.

Tara Chand is a social impact leader, CSR professional, social entrepreneur, and philanthropy advisor. Born into a family of marginal farmers in a remote village in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, he moved to Delhi at age five. Growing up in a slum, he became the first person in his family to attend university.

Today he heads Social Responsibility at OakNorth and manages philanthropic initiatives for the Rishi & Milan Khosla Foundation — having deployed over $50M in social investments and reached 1.4M+ lives across India, UK, USA, China, Costa Rica, and Sri Lanka.

0Years
0Lives
$0Deployed
0NGOs
Areas of expertise

12 core disciplines.

CSR, ESG & Sustainability Strategy
Corporate & Family Foundations
Grants & Portfolio Management
Public Policy & Government Relations
Monitoring, Evaluation & Impact
Community Engagement & Volunteering
ESG Reporting & Communications
Philanthropy Advisory — HNIs
Climate Action & Sustainability
Child Protection & ECD
Livelihoods & Financial Inclusion
Research & Knowledge Development
Education & credentials

Academic foundations.

2001–03
M.A. Social Work
Delhi School of Social Work, University of Delhi
1998–01
B.A. (Hons) Social Work
B.R. Ambedkar College, University of Delhi
Certificate
Public Policy
London School of Economics, UK
Certificate
Sustainable Capitalism & ESG
UC Berkeley School of Law, USA
Memberships
Indian Association of CSR, Sustainability & ESG Professionals — Co-founder
AWSAR India — Board Member & Co-founder
National Association of Professional Social Workers — Member
Delhi Management Association — Member
Community programme — Seva Mandir, Udaipur, Rajasthan

Community programme — Seva Mandir, Udaipur, Rajasthan

AI for Global Health Conference — IIHMR University, Jaipur, 2026

AI for Global Health Conference — IIHMR University, Jaipur, 2026

My story

A journey of
purpose & perseverance.

My story began in a small village in Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh. My father left the village when I was five, arriving in Delhi with little money and no guarantee of employment. He worked as a daily wage labourer, a street hawker, and eventually learned carpentry through years of persistence — building a stable livelihood from nothing. His journey taught me that dignity comes from honest work, regardless of how humble the beginning.

Growing up in a Delhi slum, I took on small jobs including briefly working as a helper in a shoe factory in Noida. Those experiences showed me what limited opportunity costs talented people. At fourteen, I began volunteering with a local nonprofit. Through youth programmes and fifty street theatre performances, I discovered the power of collective action.

"I became the first person in my family to attend university — a moment that felt impossible for much of my childhood."

At twenty-two, I co-founded AWSAR India. I later co-founded IACSEP and served fourteen years as Honorary Director of Childline in Gautam Budh Nagar, UP. Today I lead Social Responsibility at OakNorth and manage philanthropic initiatives for the Rishi & Milan Khosla Foundation.

"To build a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable world where every person has the opportunity to realise their potential — one community, one opportunity, and one life at a time."

Tara Chand

Education and scholarship panel discussion Community programme — Seva Mandir

Education panel · Community programme, Udaipur

The three forces

मौका
Opportunity
Creating pathways where none exist
माहौल
Environment
Building conditions for growth
मार्गदर्शन
Mentoring
Guidance that changes trajectories