Skoll Foundation Announces India's Indus Action as a 2026 Skoll Award for Social Innovation Recipient
Indus Action turns government intent into real-world impact by helping millions of Indians claim the public benefits they are owed
WASHINGTON, April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Skoll Foundation announced Indus Action as one of the three organizations that will receive the 2026 Skoll Award for Social Innovation. The $2 million award provides unrestricted support to nonprofit organizations with a proven track record of advancing transformational social change on intractable global issues.
Through innovative public-private partnerships, thoughtful community integration, and systems-level thinking, the 2026 award winners are driving measurable progress on child health in Pakistan, early learning and development in South Africa, and civic technology and public benefits access in India. Together, these remarkable organizations are advancing a sustainable world of peace and prosperity for all.
The Foundation will present the awards and celebrate the leaders of each recipient organization during the 23rd annual Skoll World Forum, held April 21–24 in Oxford, U.K. and online. The Awards Ceremony will take place Thursday, April 23, from 5:00–6:30 p.m. BST at the New Theatre in Oxford and via livestream. Click here to register to attend the Forum online, or email [email protected] to request a press pass to attend the Forum in person.
"Every person deserves the opportunity to live a life of dignity, where there are no roadblocks to education, health care, the opportunity to work, or bring new life into the world," said Tarun Cherukuri, founder and CEO of Indus Action. "And all that's needed is simple, accessible design and protocols to bring our universal public good vision to life."
"This year's winners of the Skoll Award for Social Innovation prove that when bold, creative leaders set their sights on a problem, their resolve and commitment lead to global systems change. Through innovative partnerships with affected communities and cross-sector collaboration, they are driving impact and lasting change in the fields of health, education, and public benefits," said Marla Blow, CEO & President of the Skoll Foundation. "Even in the face of profound shocks to the social impact space, these organizations are not simply maintaining their impact; they are increasing it exponentially. We hope their stories will inspire other social entrepreneurs to continue their pursuit of transformational change."
More details about Indus Action:
India spends $150 billion annually on more than 5,000 social protection programs, yet complex processes prevent nearly 800 million citizens from accessing the benefits they are entitled to receive. An estimated 25 percent of legislated benefits — including those for students, workers and new mothers — never reach their intended recipients, trapping millions in cycles of poverty. Indus Action bridges this gap through a three-pronged approach: building government delivery capacity; leveraging technology to design open-source, citizen-centric solutions; and using research to improve benefit-delivery systems. By engaging both citizens and state agencies, Indus Action is transforming constitutional commitments into impact by ensuring vulnerable Indians can access education, health care and financial programs that provide pathways out of poverty. By 2030, the organization aims to seamlessly connect 30 million citizens to all the benefits for which they are eligible.
About the Skoll Foundation: The Skoll Foundation catalyzes transformational social change by investing in, connecting and championing social entrepreneurs and other innovators who support them who are advancing bold, systemic solutions to the world's most pressing problems. In 2025, the Skoll Foundation directed nearly 80 percent of its funding in support of global social entrepreneurship, with 55 percent directly reaching its community of Skoll Awardees and other social entrepreneurs.
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