India needs to have a unique happiness model, experts assert at the Philanthropic Forum 2026

New Delhi: In a major push towards redefining how national well-being is measured, top Indian thinkers and leaders gathered at the Philanthropic Forum 2026 to advocate for a home-grown, holistic happiness model rooted in ancient Indian values.

The forum, jointly organized by the Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation (SPMRF) and the IM Happiness Foundation, served as a platform to discuss the future of Indian philanthropy and the distinct, comprehensive nature of happiness in Indian ethos compared to Western metrics. It was held on May 15 at Prime Minister Memorial and Library(PMML), New Delhi.

A Unique Ethical Framework

Delivering the keynote address, Binay Kumar Singh, Director of SPMRF, highlighted India’s historically unique and deeply compassionate worldview, even during times of conflict.

“World over, the view is that everything is fair in love and war. It is only in India where we say everything is not fair in war, and no collateral damage is acceptable, even in war,” Singh stated, emphasizing that India’s civilizational values extend empathy even to adversaries.

A major highlight of the event was the official launch of the IM Happiness – Happiness Index Recognition Awards (HIRA) 2026, unveiled by Binay Kumar Singh alongside other dignitaries.

HIRA is a pioneering initiative designed to acknowledge and celebrate the efforts of social impact makers through the lens of Indian value systems.

“Purushartha based India’s Happiness Index measures well-being as the balanced fulfillment of Dharma (meaning), Artha (security), Kama (joy), and Moksha (inner freedom). HIRA is an endeavour to integrate these core ancient Indian values with modern happiness and wellbeing.” Aishwarya Jain, Founder, IM Happiness Foundation said.

Speakers at the forum collectively argued that to accurately measure the happiness of Indians, the methodology must be built on Indian culture, principles, and societal structures.

Kalyani Chawla, Founder of Rezon Silverware, opined that no Artificial Intelligence(AI) could replace the Shakti of Humans.

“Harnessing Nari Shakti is the key to improving India’s happiness index score. AI systems could take over many things that humans do, but happiness and philanthropy need soul.”

The speakers also emphasised size doesn’t matter when it comes to charity. “You don’t need massive resources to practice charity. Helping just one underprivileged person for a single day is a powerful and sufficient act of philanthropy.” Said Mainisha Rao, founder, Luxe Café.

The forum also witnessed intense deliberations on the evolving landscape of domestic charity and social good. Several prominent figures shared their insights on how modern philanthropy can align with traditional wisdom to drive sustainable social impact, including:

Padmasri Professor Ashutosh Sharma, Divye Agarwal, Founder of Binge Labs, Shormistha Ghosh, member of governing body, BRICS and founder In Tandem Global consultants, Anshu Khanna, Royal Fables, Maitri Devi Sisodia, civil servant and author, Ravi K Dhar, Director, Ashok Sawhney Foundation and Pavan Vijay, Founder, Corporate Professionals, amongst others.

The event concluded with a shared commitment among organizers and speakers to further develop the Indian happiness framework, transforming it from a conceptual discussion into a measurable, actionable tool for national progress.