The inaugural observance will commemorate the coming into force of India’s CSR framework on April 1, 2014, under Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013.
NEW DELHI (India CSR): India will observe India CSR Day on April 1, 2026, with the occasion being presented as a historic date to honour and recognise the contribution of Indian businesses to nation-building through corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitments, according to the event poster.
The inaugural observance will be jointly hosted by India CSR, CyberPeace and Dr Bhaskar Chatterjee, father of Indian CSR and Sustainability, and will be streamed live on CyberPeace TV YouTube from 4 pm to 5 pm IST.
The event will be held under the theme, “CSR for India. India for CSR,” and organisers said three major announcements will be unveiled on the occasion.
The 2026 observance will mark 12 years of CSR legislation in India.
The significance of the date is rooted in the evolution of India’s CSR framework. The country’s CSR provisions under Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013 came into force on April 1, 2014, giving India a formal legal framework for corporate social responsibility and making it one of the first countries to mandate CSR spending for eligible companies.
Since then, CSR has emerged as a key pillar of corporate participation in social development, with companies contributing to areas such as education, healthcare, environment, rural development, livelihood generation and community welfare.
The organisers said the occasion will honour and recognise the contribution of Indian businesses to nation-building through CSR commitments, while also celebrating India and the dedication of the Indian Armed Forces.
“India CSR Day is not merely a celebration of a date. It is a celebration of a national idea — that businesses are not separate from society, but partners in building a stronger, fairer and more compassionate India. April 1 holds historic importance because India’s CSR law came into effect on this day in 2014, giving a formal direction to corporate contribution towards social development,” said Rusen Kumar, Founder of India CSR.
“April 1 is not just a date on the calendar; it marks the beginning of India’s structured CSR journey under the law. This occasion is meant to honour India Inc., recognise the Bharatiya model of CSR, and inspire deeper commitment to nation-building through responsible business action,” added Rusen Kumar, author and a true voice of Indian CSR.
The ocassion has been positioned as a public platform to celebrate the role of business in social transformation and to reaffirm the growing importance of CSR in India’s development journey.
(India CSR)
