New Delhi – November 21, 2025: The Flipkart Foundation, the charitable arm of the Flipkart Group, hosted the third edition of its annual conference, Sampark 2025: Empowering Communities, Unlocking Potential, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The convening brought together leaders from civil society, global development institutions, and corporate CSR to advance community-led development and India’s inclusive growth priorities.
The event opened with a welcome address by Sarah Gideon, Vice President – Corporate Communications & CSR, Flipkart Group, along with the unveiling of the Foundation’s Sand Art Film and the latest edition of its Stories Compendium, reflecting key developments and progress across its community initiatives. This was followed by Stories of Change shared by beneficiaries from AIACA and Smile Foundation, highlighting how skilling and livelihood opportunities are helping them grow and support their households.
Delivering the Special Address as the Chief Guest, Smt. Leena Nandan, IAS (Retd.), spoke about the need to recognise how climate change is impacting communities across India and the importance of strengthening citizen engagement to support climate-resilient development. She shared that empowering communities to participate actively in environmental action is central to India’s long-term progress.
Mohammed Asif, Executive Director (CEO), Plan International (India Chapter), delivered the keynote address. He underscored how strong, trust-based community partnerships can create change that lasts beyond individual programmes, and highlighted the importance of ensuring communities have an equal voice in shaping development outcomes.
The panel discussion, ‘Partnerships for Lasting Scale: Weaving Networks for Collective Action,’ brought together senior leaders from GAIN, Nasscom Foundation, Samhita Social Ventures and Sesame Workshop India underscored that meaningful impact requires long-term, trust-based partnerships and collective decisions informed by evidence, rather than isolated efforts.
Speaking at the conference, Sarah Gideon, Vice President – Corporate Communications & CSR, Flipkart Group said, “Sampark reinforces our belief that communities are not just beneficiaries, they are central architects of change. The conversations today showed the strength that emerges when people, institutions and partners collaborate with a shared purpose. Our commitment at Flipkart Foundation is to deepen this cooperation, enable wider access and strengthen pathways that allow communities to shape their own long-term progress. When communities lead, the impact is not only meaningful but enduring.”
Reflecting on the Foundation’s work and the discussions at the convening, Puja Trisal, Director, Flipkart Foundation, said, “Sampark is a platform where we listen to communities, learn from partners and recognise the progress made together. This year’s dialogues reminded us that meaningful change takes time, trust and consistent collaboration. We are building our efforts step by step, learning from communities and shaping our programs around their realities rather than assumptions. We remain committed to walking alongside our partners and the people we serve, because real impact is always a shared journey.”
The event concluded with a recognition ceremony honouring Sampark Saathis, acknowledging the contribution of NGO partners and community organisations working closely with the Foundation to strengthen last-mile impact and long-term resilience.
