We are grateful to the Upadhyaya Foundation for convening the first India Animal Welfare Forum (IAWF) — a national platform that brought together funders, NGOs, researchers, and practitioners working across India’s animal welfare landscape.

By creating space for dialogue, specialised sessions, and honest exchange, the Forum recognised something the sector deeply needs: an ecosystem approach — where collaboration, learning, and shared vision help shape the future of compassionate action for animals.

Collaboration vs. Independent Action: What Drives Greater Impact?

At the Forum, Meghna Banerjee, Co-founder of HEAL, joined the panel “Collaboration vs. Independent Action: What Drives Greater Impact?” — a debate-style session exploring how organisations navigate partnerships, innovation, and strategic decision-making in a complex field.

Drawing from HEAL’s on-ground experience, Meghna highlighted why collaboration remains central to our work:

• Growing organisations can learn a lot from working alongside larger organisations.

• There is strength in numbers — especially when pursuing legal interventions and public interest litigations (PILs).

• Collective expertise acts as a force multiplier in complex cases and conservation problems.

• Sectoral partnerships with government departments, non-profits, and enforcement agencies critical for addressing challenges like environmental and wildlife crime.

The Forum also saw participation from HEAL co-founder and secretary Suvrajyoti Chatterjee; Vasudha Mishra, Project Coordinator; and Durba Mitra, Legal and Admin Officer — reflecting the importance of diverse voices within the ecosystem.

Spaces like IAWF remind us that progress for animals is rarely linear. It grows through dialogue, shared learning, and the willingness to build together. Thank you Upadhyaya Foundation for this initiative.