Championing Purpose: Sumana Bhasin’s Journey in CSR and Social Impact

In a country where development narratives often sideline vulnerable populations, Sumana Bhasin has become a steadying force in India’s corporate social responsibility ecosystem. As Chief Growth Officer at Impact Guru Foundation (IGF), she combines programmatic rigor with partnership fluency to scale health, education, and women-centred initiatives across India.

A legacy of leadership and a global upbringing

Sumana belongs to a family with deep public-service roots. Growing up with a father posted with the United Nations in West Africa, she absorbed a global view of development challenges and cross-cultural practice—experience that later informed her program design and stakeholder approach. (Biographical notes and event profiles list her early international schooling and family background.)

From creative industries to social impact

Before moving into the development sector in 2014, Sumana’s career path included exposure to the fashion and design domain and entrepreneurial product/retail projects—details reflected in biographical profiles and a NIFT association referenced in public listings.

While major press coverage tying her to specific fashion brands or senior corporate hospitality roles is limited in public archives, her creative and design background is consistently noted in bios and conference introductions.

Anchor work in the social sector

Since 2014, Sumana has been active in age-care and health programming, beginning with HelpAge India and moving to IGF-India, where she leads fundraising, corporate partnerships, and program growth.

Under her stewardship IGF has amplified initiatives such as mobile primary care (Care on Wheels), menstrual health & sanitation drives, and digital upskilling for nurses and frontline health workers. Her role in strengthening IGF’s corporate engagement and fundraising is visible across NGO profiles and event writeups.

Leadership, recognitions, and sector influence

Sumana has served as CSR Advisor to the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce & Industry (IFCCI) CSR committee and is referenced in compilations of Indian women leaders; event materials and profile pages also cite national-level recognition for CSR initiatives. These references corroborate her visibility and influence in the CSR community.

Beyond the office

A creative at heart, Sumana has participated in music and short social documentaries, and maintains active involvement in CSR forums and panels. Her combination of creative sensibility and operational discipline enables IGF to build programs that are both empathetic and measurable.

The path forward

As CSR moves from ad-hoc philanthropy toward strategic social investment, leaders like Sumana Bhasin — with cross-sector experience, international context, and NGO leadership — are helping shape accountable, scalable models for impact.

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