Head – CSR, OakNorth · Social Entrepreneur
From a village in Aligarh to leading global CSR —
20+ years of purpose, impacting 1.4 million lives.
Tara Chand is an accomplished CSR leader with over 20 years of experience across corporate, government, and nonprofit sectors in a cross-cultural environment — directing over US$40 million in CSR funds, managing 100+ nonprofit partnerships globally, and impacting 1.4 million lives.
Born and raised in a small village of Aligarh in a family of marginal farmers, he migrated to Delhi at the age of five. He completed his schooling from government schools in a Delhi slum, volunteered with a local nonprofit at 14, and went on to earn a Masters in Social Work from Delhi School of Social Work, University of Delhi.
Currently serving as Head – CSR at OakNorth (UK, India, US) and India Manager at Rishi and Milan Khosla Foundation, Tara also serves as strategic philanthropic adviser to business leaders and companies. He is co-author of international reports on early childhood development, giving in India, water & sanitation, and status of women in Bihar.
Born in a small village in Aligarh to a family of marginal farmers and agricultural labourers. Migrated to Delhi at age five. Grew up in a Delhi slum, educated in government schools — developing a passion for social work through volunteering at a local nonprofit at age 14 and the National Social Service Scheme (NSS).
Earned a B.A. (Hons) in Social Work from B.R. Ambedkar College, then a Masters from Delhi School of Social Work (2001–03). Co-founded AWSAR — Association for Welfare, Social Action and Research — in 2002 while still a student, with seed funding later provided by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India.
Served as Young Professional and Consultant at CAPART (Ministry of Rural Development), working across Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. Trained over one million rural youth under the Special SGSY Skill Training Project. Awarded by the Director General, CAPART for outstanding contribution. Simultaneously built AWSAR into an operational nonprofit.
Worked as Assistant Vice President advising HNIs and institutional philanthropists on giving strategy — a joint venture between Copal Partners and New Philanthropy Capital (NPC), UK. Mobilised INR 30 million for NGOs in Delhi and Madhya Pradesh, co-authored high-impact reports, and advised some of the world's most renowned philanthropists on their giving strategy.
Led CSR and Sustainability for Moody's across India, China, Sri Lanka and Costa Rica. Drafted CSR Policy for all Indian entities and devised CSR strategy aligned with business objectives. Led Moody's to win several prestigious CSR awards including FICCI and India Social Impact Awards.
Currently overseeing CSR strategy and implementation for all OakNorth group entities (UK, India, US), managing a $4M annual budget. Serves as personal philanthropic adviser to the founder and manages all giving for the Khosla family foundation. Ensuring the business moves toward NetZero through carbon farming projects and leading all CSR/ESG compliance, communications and reporting.
"Guidance at the right time has the power to change lives. Mentoring is even more important than giving money."
— Tara Chand
Drafted the Global CSR Policy, designed CSR strategy and established the CSR function from scratch. Currently managing $4M in annual social impact investments across nutrition, education, livelihoods, gender, and environment. Overseeing all CSR/ESG compliance, modern slavery, human rights, and sustainability reporting.
Co-founded in 2002 with Ministry of Rural Development seed funding. Enrolled 2,000+ children into mainstream education; trained 1,300 adolescent girls in vocational skills; operated Childline 1098 for 13 years across 250 villages, directly assisting 5,000+ children and raising awareness among 60,000 individuals. Delivered emergency relief in J&K floods, Chennai floods, and Covid-19.
Strategic adviser to business leaders, HNIs, and corporations from early-stage to mature organisations. Mobilised INR 30M for NGOs in Delhi and Madhya Pradesh at Copal–NPC. Advises founders on setting up family foundations and managing personal and institutional giving for maximum impact.
At CAPART (Ministry of Rural Development), trained over one million rural youth under the Special SGSY Skill Training Project. Worked with governments of Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi. Awarded by the Director General of CAPART and the Minister of Rural Development, Uttar Pradesh.
Recipient of FICCI CSR Award, CSR Impact Award, and Social Change Award. Invited as speaker by institutions including University of Villanova, Delhi University, IIPA, IIM, and IIT. Holds certificates in Public Policy Analysis (London School of Economics) and Sustainable Capitalism & ESG (UC Berkeley School of Law).
Co-authored international reports on Early Childhood Development, Giving in India, and Water & Sanitation (NPC, UK), and a report on Status of Women in Bihar (Kiawah Trust, UK). Speaker, thought leader, and contributor to studies on social issues and impact investing. 10,000+ LinkedIn connections and followers.
Tara Chand in conversation with leading organisations on CSR, social impact, nutrition, and community empowerment.
Live stream
A leadership in governance and CSR session exploring OakNorth's social responsibility approach and the convergence of corporate resources with community empowerment.
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CSR Conclave
Sharing insights at the Aahvaan Social Impact Summit on philanthropy advisory, public policy, government relations, and long-term sustainable CSR strategies.
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Nutrition
In conversation with Yamini Mehra on the convergence of stakeholders — Anganwadi centres, local NGOs, government — that drives sustainable reduction of malnutrition across Indian states.
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Short
A short-form feature on Tara Chand's perspective on community-led, long-term social impact and his journey from a Delhi slum to leading global CSR at OakNorth.
Watch on YouTubeOpen to CSR advisory, speaking engagements, nonprofit partnerships, philanthropic guidance, and social impact collaborations.