Part III · Society and Organisation

Chapter 11

The NGO and Advocacy Sector

Arena 2.4 · weight 3 · reading 25.7 · opposed majority

11.1Scope

The web of NGOs and associations that runs campaigns.¹

The arena is measured by the organised web of NGOs and advocacy: money reaching organisations, network centrality, service footprint on the ground, litigation, UN submissions and global allies.

Principal evidence: Network out-strength of civil-society nodes and their global allies (church/mission, Muslim bodies, UN/USCIRF/foreign govts, index producers, litigant and rights NGOs, unions vs RSS/Sangh network, temple bodies), T58b.

11.2Significance

Litigation, protests, UN submissions, fact-finding reports, media campaigns.

11.3Indicators and weights

Table 11.1 lists the 5 indicators of the arena, the weight of each within the arena, and each indicator’s reading (the Hindutva-aligned share, from 0 to 100).

Table 11.1. Indicators of arena 2.4

Indicator	Weight	Reading
Money reaching organisations in India (₹ cr a year)	0.25	15.1
Network centrality (out-strength of civil-society nodes)²	0.30	30.1
Service footprint (units on the ground)³	0.10	69.5
Litigation output (landmark contested cases)⁴	0.15	22.3
UN and rights reporting (UPR submissions)⁵	0.10	0.0
Arena reading	1.00	25.7

11.4Reading

The arena reads 25.7, 24.3 points below parity, and is classified as opposed majority (a reading below 45). With a weight of 3 of a total 107.7, it contributes 0.72 points to the composite reading of 45.7.

The indicators diverge: the highest reading is for service footprint (units on the ground) (69.5), the lowest for UN and rights reporting (UPR submissions) (0.0).

Figure 11.1. Readings of arena 2.4 by indicator

050100

Money reaching organisations in India (₹ cr a year)15.1

Network centrality (out-strength of civil-society nodes)30.1

Service footprint (units on the ground)69.5

Litigation output (landmark contested cases)22.3

UN and rights reporting (UPR submissions)0.0

Arena reading25.7

Hindutva-alignedOpposed

Each bar divides the indicator between Hindutva-aligned (left) and opposed (right) holdings. The vertical rule marks parity.

11.5Measures and exhibits

The exhibits below are the Atlas’s own views of the data behind each measure: shares by side, the largest units, breakdowns by source, recipient and country, money-flow diagrams and time series. Full row-level ledgers are in the data file (Appendix D).

Measure 1. Money reaching organisations in India (₹ cr a year)

Reading 15.1%

Figure 11.2. Hindutva-aligned vs opposed, counted rows (₹ crore a year)

Hindutva-aligned 710 ₹ crore a year · 11.8%Opposed 3,990 ₹ crore a year · 66.4%Transactional 417 ₹ crore a year · 6.9%Neutral / not counted 896 ₹ crore a year · 14.9%

Data table

	₹ crore a year	Share
Hindutva-aligned	710	11.8%
Opposed	3,990	66.4%
Transactional	417	6.9%
Neutral / not counted	896	14.9%

Figure 11.3. The 15 biggest of 523 (₹ crore a year)

Akshaya Patra Foundation (ISKCON-linked)317

Others / small named recipients (<Rs 5 cr in 3 yrs), family UNC213

Ramakrishna Mission / Math205

India Alliance (DBT Wellcome Trust India Alliance)160

Powering Health159

Piramal Swasthya154

Others / small named recipients (<Rs 5 cr in 3 yrs), family LW133

Partner organisations in South Asia/India of CARE USA (Schedule F, unnamed)98.0

Evidence Action — Scale-Up of In-Line Chlorination in 64593.3

Dr. Reddy's Formulations Ltd80.8

Partner organisations in South Asia/India of Sankara Eye Foundation USA (Schedule F, unnamed)79.5

BIOLOGICAL E LIMITED76.8

Partner organisations in South Asia/India of American India Foundation (Schedule F, unnamed)76.4

Ekal Vidyalaya (Ekal Abhiyan)69.8

Sewa International (India partners)65.1

Hindutva-alignedOpposedTransactionalNeutral / not counted

Data table

	₹ crore a year	Side
Akshaya Patra Foundation (ISKCON-linked)	317	Hindutva-aligned
Others / small named recipients (<Rs 5 cr in 3 yrs), family UNC	213	Opposed
Ramakrishna Mission / Math	205	Hindutva-aligned
India Alliance (DBT Wellcome Trust India Alliance)	160	Neutral / not counted
Powering Health	159	Opposed
Piramal Swasthya	154	Neutral / not counted
Others / small named recipients (<Rs 5 cr in 3 yrs), family LW	133	Opposed
Partner organisations in South Asia/India of CARE USA (Schedule F, unnamed)	98.0	Opposed
Evidence Action — Scale-Up of In-Line Chlorination in 645	93.3	Opposed
Dr. Reddy's Formulations Ltd	80.8	Transactional
Partner organisations in South Asia/India of Sankara Eye Foundation USA (Schedule F, unnamed)	79.5	Opposed
BIOLOGICAL E LIMITED	76.8	Transactional
Partner organisations in South Asia/India of American India Foundation (Schedule F, unnamed)	76.4	Neutral / not counted
Ekal Vidyalaya (Ekal Abhiyan)	69.8	Hindutva-aligned
Sewa International (India partners)	65.1	Hindutva-aligned

Figure 11.4. The money flow: from whom, through which camp, to where954 flows counted, ₹17,627 crore.

Hindutva-aligned ₹446 cr · 2.5%Opposed ₹13,151 cr · 74.6%Transactional ₹1,253 cr · 7.1%Neutral / not counted ₹2,776 cr · 15.8%

Left: where the money comes from · Middle: the camp it strengthens · Right: where it goes

Figure 11.5. The biggest sources, by the camp their money strengthens (₹ crore)

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation4,884

IKEA Foundation1,630

Children's Investment Fund Foundation1,441

Wellcome Trust1,411

Michael & Susan Dell Foundation747

Donors to OPEN DOORS WITH BROTHER ANDREW565

Open Philanthropy / Good Ventures533

Ford Foundation385

Oak Foundation342

MacArthur Foundation325

CARE USA294

Bloomberg Philanthropies271

Hindutva-alignedOpposedTransactionalNeutral / not counted

Data table

	Hindutva-aligned	Opposed	Transactional	Neutral / not counted	Total
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation	1.82	2,450	937	1,494	4,884
IKEA Foundation	0	1,630	0	0	1,630
Children's Investment Fund Foundation	0	1,432	4.99	3.89	1,441
Wellcome Trust	5.92	908	0	498	1,411
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation	0	513	215	19.5	747
Donors to OPEN DOORS WITH BROTHER ANDREW	0	565	0	0	565
Open Philanthropy / Good Ventures	0	458	56.9	18.2	533
Ford Foundation	0	326	3.86	55.2	385
Oak Foundation	0	342	0	0	342
MacArthur Foundation	0	270	11.4	43.9	325
CARE USA	0	294	0	0	294
Bloomberg Philanthropies	0	102	0	170	271

Figure 11.6. The biggest recipients (₹ crore)

OPEN DOORS WITH BROTHER ANDREW565

India Alliance (DBT Wellcome Trust India Allianc481

Powering Health476

Piramal Swasthya461

Partner organisations in South Asia/India of CAR294

Evidence Action — Scale-Up of In-Line Chlorinati280

Dr. Reddy's Formulations Ltd242

Partner organisations in South Asia/India of San239

BIOLOGICAL E LIMITED231

Partner organisations in South Asia/India of Ame229

Scaling Pure Towards Meeting Aspirations & Clima187

Partner organisations in South Asia/India of Isl185

Hindutva-alignedOpposedTransactionalNeutral / not counted

Data table

	Opposed	Transactional	Neutral / not counted	Total
OPEN DOORS WITH BROTHER ANDREW	565	0	0	565
India Alliance (DBT Wellcome Trust India Allianc	0	0	481	481
Powering Health	476	0	0	476
Piramal Swasthya	0	0	461	461
Partner organisations in South Asia/India of CAR	294	0	0	294
Evidence Action — Scale-Up of In-Line Chlorinati	280	0	0	280
Dr. Reddy's Formulations Ltd	0	242	0	242
Partner organisations in South Asia/India of San	239	0	0	239
BIOLOGICAL E LIMITED	0	231	0	231
Partner organisations in South Asia/India of Ame	0	0	229	229
Scaling Pure Towards Meeting Aspirations & Clima	187	0	0	187
Partner organisations in South Asia/India of Isl	185	0	0	185

Figure 11.7. By country of origin (₹ crore)

US9,620

GB2,997

NL1,657

USA1,571

CA698

CH696

UK270

DK88.4

ES18.3

SE8.27

United States (Google/YouTube)3.95

Hindutva-alignedOpposedTransactionalNeutral / not counted

Data table

	Hindutva-aligned	Opposed	Transactional	Neutral / not counted	Total
US	21.3	6,191	1,248	2,159	9,620
GB	10.3	2,469	4.99	513	2,997
NL	0	1,657	0	0	1,657
USA	385	1,094	0	91.7	1,571
CA	0	686	0	12.6	698
CH	0	696	0	0	696
UK	29.6	241	0	0	270
DK	0	88.4	0	0	88.4
ES	0	18.3	0	0	18.3
SE	0	8.27	0	0	8.27
United States (Google/YouTube)	0	3.95	0	0	3.95

Measure 2. Network centrality (out-strength of civil-society nodes)

Reading 30.2%

Atlas network T58b

Measure 3. Service footprint (units on the ground)

Reading 69.5%

Sewa Bharati 35,000 (claim “over 35,000”), VKA 22,175, Ekal 90,603 projects × 0.5 vs FCRA associations 14,466, Catholic schools 14,429, CHAI 3,500

Figure 11.8. The 4 biggest of 4 (organisations)

Active FCRA-registered associations29,022

FCRA registrations cancelled 2011-202120,693

Active FCRA-registered associations14,466

FCRA associations receiving > Rs 100 cr (FY2024-25)15

Data table

	organisations	Side
Active FCRA-registered associations	29,022	Neutral / not counted
FCRA registrations cancelled 2011-2021	20,693	Neutral / not counted
Active FCRA-registered associations	14,466	Neutral / not counted
FCRA associations receiving > Rs 100 cr (FY2024-25)	15	Neutral / not counted

Measure 4. Litigation output (landmark contested cases)

Reading 22.3%

27 of 121 case participations (ecosystem_units.csv)

Measure 5. UN and rights reporting (UPR submissions)

Reading 0.0%

0 of 139 camp-coded stakeholder submissions (141 UPR rows in ecosystem_units.csv; 2 neutral)

Measure 6. Global allies (diaspora and foreign advocacy revenue)

Reading 23.7%

Moved to India Abroad: Diaspora & Soft Power.

Figure 11.9. Hindutva-aligned vs opposed, counted rows (₹ crore a year)

Hindutva-aligned 138 ₹ crore a year · 22.5%Opposed 446 ₹ crore a year · 72.5%Transactional 0 ₹ crore a year · 0.0%Neutral / not counted 30.6 ₹ crore a year · 5.0%

Data table

	₹ crore a year	Share
Hindutva-aligned	138	22.5%
Opposed	446	72.5%
Transactional	0	0.0%
Neutral / not counted	30.6	5.0%

Figure 11.10. The 15 biggest of 31 (₹ crore a year)

OPEN DOORS WITH BROTHER ANDREW188

Open Doors International Usa Inc61.0

Sewa International Inc60.1

KHALSA AID INTERNATIONAL41.2

RELEASE INTERNATIONAL37.2

International Christian Concern Inc32.0

Sikh Coalition Inc30.8

Indiaspora25.2

Hindu American Foundation Inc24.3

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh U S A Inc16.5

Vishwa Hindu Parishad Of America15.7

Indian American Muslim Council12.1

Justice For All12.0

Indian American Impact10.5

Sikh American Legal Defense And Education Fund Inc9.37

Hindutva-alignedOpposedNeutral / not counted

Data table

	₹ crore a year	Side
OPEN DOORS WITH BROTHER ANDREW	188	Opposed
Open Doors International Usa Inc	61.0	Opposed
Sewa International Inc	60.1	Hindutva-aligned
KHALSA AID INTERNATIONAL	41.2	Opposed
RELEASE INTERNATIONAL	37.2	Opposed
International Christian Concern Inc	32.0	Opposed
Sikh Coalition Inc	30.8	Opposed
Indiaspora	25.2	Neutral / not counted
Hindu American Foundation Inc	24.3	Hindutva-aligned
Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh U S A Inc	16.5	Hindutva-aligned
Vishwa Hindu Parishad Of America	15.7	Hindutva-aligned
Indian American Muslim Council	12.1	Opposed
Justice For All	12.0	Opposed
Indian American Impact	10.5	Opposed
Sikh American Legal Defense And Education Fund Inc	9.37	Opposed

11.6Evidence base

The arena rests on 868 coded units and 954 money flows. Of the units and flows, 68 are coded Hindutva-aligned, 1,526 opposed and 228 neutral, mixed or transactional. By source grade: 1,659 grade A, 28 grade B, 121 grade C, 10 grade D, 4 grade E.

The full set of rows for this arena, each with its source, is in the Atlas data file (Appendix D).

Notes

MHA FCRA; NGO Darpan; Atlas network T58b. ↩
Atlas network T58b. ↩
Sewa Bharati 35,000 (claim “over 35,000”), VKA 22,175, Ekal 90,603 projects × 0.5 vs FCRA associations 14,466, Catholic schools 14,429, CHAI 3,500. ↩
27 of 121 case participations (ecosystem_units.csv). ↩
0 of 139 camp-coded stakeholder submissions (141 UPR rows in ecosystem_units.csv; 2 neutral). ↩