Introduction
India Sanitation Coalition (ISC) is a leading Indian platform focused on improving sanitation, hygiene, and water access through collaboration between government, private sector, civil society, and development partners. Hosted by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, ISC works to accelerate progress in WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) across India.
ISC is widely recognized for helping shape sustainable sanitation solutions, mobilizing WASH financing, promoting public-private partnerships, and advancing India’s sanitation agenda aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
History and Background
Establishment of India Sanitation Coalition
ISC was launched in June 2015 at Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry as a collaborative platform designed to bring multiple organizations together to support safe and sustainable sanitation in India. It was created during a period when sanitation became a major national priority under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Founders and Leadership
ISC was co-founded by late Rashid Kidwai and Naina Lal Kidwai, both known for bringing private sector leadership into the development space. The organization continues to honor Rashid Kidwai’s legacy through the RAKIS innovation awards.
Why ISC Was Created
India’s sanitation challenges historically included:
- Open defecation
- Poor wastewater management
- Limited rural sanitation systems
- Hygiene awareness gaps
- Inadequate financing for WASH infrastructure
- Weak cross-sector coordination
ISC was created to help bridge these gaps through partnerships and innovation.
Mission and Purpose
The mission of ISC is to enable and support safe, inclusive, and sustainable sanitation by bringing stakeholders onto a common platform and driving catalytic action in the WASH sector.
Core Objectives
ISC focuses on:
- Unlocking WASH financing
- Encouraging corporate participation in sanitation
- Building partnerships with governments
- Supporting sustainable sanitation policy dialogue
- Sharing best practices and research
- Advancing SDGs related to water, health, gender, cities, climate, and partnerships
SDG Alignment
ISC states that its work contributes to SDGs 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, and 17.
Governance and Structure
Institutional Host
ISC operates from the FICCI Federation House in New Delhi and benefits from FICCI’s national network and policy engagement capacity.
Steering Committee
ISC has a steering committee composed of leaders from business, philanthropy, development organizations, and WASH experts. Publicly listed members include representatives linked with UNICEF, Water.org, WWF India and others.
Secretariat
ISC also maintains a professional secretariat led by executive staff, including a CEO and thematic directors.
Funding and Grants
Funding Model
ISC appears to operate through partnerships, sponsorships, institutional support, program collaborations, and sector engagement rather than functioning as a traditional grantmaking foundation. As a coalition platform, its strength lies in convening resources and expertise.
WASH Financing Focus
A core ISC workstream is WASH Finance, which examines funding gaps, investment opportunities, and mechanisms to scale sanitation systems in India. This makes ISC relevant to CSR teams, donors, investors, and development finance institutions.
Awards and Recognition Support
ISC also channels support through awards and accelerators that recognize innovation and impact in sanitation.
Major Programs and Initiatives
- Lighthouse Initiative
- The Lighthouse Initiative was commissioned by India’s Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. It was piloted in 75 gram panchayats/villages across 15 states and emphasizes inclusive sanitation and “leaving no one behind.”
- Climate Resilient Cities
- ISC supports dialogues and advisory mechanisms around low-carbon, resilient, and clean urban systems connected to sanitation and sustainable cities.
- Saucha Initiative
- This model uses anchor organizations, master trainers, corporate volunteers, and gram panchayats to spread hygiene and sanitation behavior change messaging.
- Solid Waste Management
- ISC has also highlighted projects supporting circular economy approaches, including initiatives in Maharashtra.
Impact and Examples of Work Funded
National Convening Power
ISC has become a recognized platform for bringing together:
- Government ministries
- Corporates
- NGOs
- Financial institutions
- Researchers
- Development partners
This coordination function is highly valuable in a fragmented sector.
Awards and Sector Recognition
The ISC-FICCI Sanitation Awards have recognized more than fifty corporate houses since 2017 for sanitation and hygiene leadership.
Innovation Pipeline
The Rashid Kidwai Innovation in Sanitation (RAKIS) Awards and Accelerator support entrepreneurs developing new sanitation technologies and service models.
Knowledge Leadership
ISC annual conclaves create a forum for policymakers, experts, and businesses to exchange solutions and scale impact. The 2025 conclave marked 10 years of pioneering WASH efforts.
Why ISC Matters to Interns and Researchers
For interns, students, policy analysts, CSR professionals, and public health researchers, ISC is a strong example of how multi-stakeholder governance can solve national development challenges.
Internship learning areas may include:
- WASH policy research
- Sustainability strategy
- CSR and ESG programs
- Public-private partnerships
- Social innovation ecosystems
- Development communications
- Impact measurement
Conclusion
India Sanitation Coalition is one of India’s most visible collaborative sanitation platforms. Rather than acting as a conventional charity, it operates as a coalition builder that connects business, government, philanthropy, and civil society to improve sanitation outcomes nationwide.
Its work in financing, innovation, policy engagement, awards, and knowledge-sharing has made it influential in India’s WASH ecosystem. For anyone studying sanitation reform, sustainable development, or public-private partnership models, ISC offers an important case study in scalable impact.
