Ravi Sreedharan is an engineer from IIT-BHU and an MBA graduate from IIM Ahmedabad. He spent 24 years in the corporate sector, holding senior leadership roles at HSBC across Dubai, Hong Kong, Jakarta, and Cairo, including as CEO of Bank Ekonomi in Indonesia. Despite a successful career, Ravi chose to leave the corporate world to pursue a deeper purpose in social work.

Returning to India, he joined the Azim Premji Foundation, where he led Education Leadership and Management programs. Later, he spent a transformative year working in a remote Kerala village, building close ties with the community and mentoring several children who have gone on to excel in their lives. This experience inspired him to reflect on the challenges of scaling impact in the social sector.

Ravi identified a significant gap: many social organizations struggle with management issues like resource allocation, partnerships, and operations, limiting their ability to scale impact. Believing in the power of professional leadership to amplify the effectiveness of social initiatives, Ravi co-founded the Indian School of Development Management (ISDM) to address this need.

ISDM is a pioneering institution dedicated to Development Management, a field focused on managing social purpose organizations with an emphasis on people, the planet, and sustainable impact. In its 8 years, ISDM has launched the flagship PGP DM program, created extensive knowledge assets, and established Centers of Excellence in areas like Philanthropy for Inclusive Development, Data Sciences for Social Impact, and Innovative Finance. The institution has also worked extensively to build the capacity of individuals and organizations in the sector.

ISDM is on a mission to catalyze a new discipline and create a multiplier effect for the vast resources invested in philanthropy, transforming the social sector and positively impacting generations to come.