The Symposium, initiated as the Madurai Symposium in 2003 by DHAN Foundation, has grown into a vibrant biennial platform that brings together a wide spectrum of stakeholders in development—Community Organizations, Civil Societies, Governments, Banks, Insurance Companies, CSR Foundations, Philanthropists, Academia, and Development Practitioners. For nearly two decades, Madurai was the hub where thousands of participants converged to share knowledge, innovations, and best practices in advancing inclusive development and addressing poverty.

Since 2021, the Symposium has expanded beyond Madurai and is now hosted across multiple cities including Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Aurangabad, and Vizag. This wider reach enables diverse regional stakeholders to engage and deliberate on pressing themes such as water, microfinance, livelihoods, health, gender, climate resilience, and food systems.

Through conventions, conferences, workshops, exhibitions, and cultural events, the Symposium continues to serve as a “Unique Knowledge Mart in Development”, offering space for dialogue, collaboration, and collective action towards building a just, ethical, and sustainable society.

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