Forbes India recently hosted the national finale of ‘We Serve India – Season 2’, bringing the spotlight back to grassroots changemakers driving meaningful social impact across the country.

Held in Gandhinagar, the event marked an important milestone for the initiative as it expanded its vision in alignment with the United Nations’ global themes for 2025.

According to a press release from the magazine, the finale brought together an influential gathering of grassroots leaders, policy influencers, CSR and ESG heads, UN representatives and members of the development sector to celebrate community-led innovation. The platform recognised individuals and organisations creating measurable impact across key areas such as innovation in education and skill development, environmental sustainability, inclusive healthcare and accessibility, tech-led social innovation, and women-led social innovation.

At its core, ‘We Serve India’ champions change that is rooted in compassion, innovation and purpose-driven leadership. Building on the success of its inaugural edition, Season 2 adopted a sharper national and global lens, strengthening its focus on scalable solutions with the potential for long-term impact. The first season had identified over 150 changemakers and showcased their journeys across digital and broadcast platforms, setting the foundation for a larger movement.

The recently concluded national finale honoured five national winners and five runners-up whose work demonstrated community-driven transformation with the ability to scale. The recognition followed months of nationwide nominations and a rigorous evaluation process conducted by EY, along with regional recognition events held across the North, East, South and West zones.

The event witnessed the presence of senior government dignitaries, leaders from the United Nations and development organisations, academicians, philanthropists and representatives from Lions Clubs International, making it one of the largest national convenings focused on social innovation and grassroots leadership.

A key highlight of the finale was a panel discussion on ‘Scaling Grassroots Innovation Across the Global South’ where experts discussed pathways for creating replicable, sustainable and community-rooted solutions that can be adapted across geographies.