The Indian Social Institute is a national research institute celebrating its 75th anniversary. Immediately after Independence, the ISI was established to document and assess the social processes and forces operating in rural and urban India, in line with the idea of India that the architects of modern India, including Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Sardar Patel, and Ambedkar, visualised. This was a secular, democratic, liberal, socialist, and industrialised India with a scientific temper. Independence let loose institutional processes for social transformation. ISI’s unique selling point has been the focus on women, Dalits, tribals, vulnerable, disadvantaged, and marginalised sections of society. Its vision and mission were to highlight the reality of these sections and give the voiceless a voice, thereby empowering them. Empirical research has been ISI’s forte over the years, leading to policy implications and advocacy. Its research projects, knowledge production, publications, seminars, workshops, and training programmes have faithfully reflected the original thrust in changing socio-political contexts.

Prof. Lancy Lobo