Open Forum is a non-partisan, non-religious, non-profit organization that encourages Indians around the world to actively participate in the progress of the country that defines their identity. Open Forum's development-oriented programs are designed to build principled leadership, empower visionaries, inspire collective action, and unite India towards a common vision while creating opportunities for Indians and the Indian diaspora to serve India by applying their skills, time, and resources towards grassroots projects and sustainable strategies for change. The core fellowship program aims to inspire a new generation of global Indian leaders through structured grassroots public service opportunities. Open Forum projects embody a firm and demonstrated commitment to promoting peace, inclusiveness, secularism, and the empowerment of India's people.

The Open Forum fellowship is a profound personal experience and an opportunity to understand participatory development through intense voluntary service. The structured program encourages participants to leave their comfort zones, place others' interests before their own, test their own potential to affect change, explore their relationship with India, and understand what it means to lead by committing themselves to innovative grassroots projects. Open Forum believes that giving one's time and energy, without any attachment to the outcome, regardless of the circumstances, is an unparalleled personal experience in service. At the same time, the fellowship is a chance for fellows to address their own identity, recognize their personal boundaries, and understand how to produce change in their environment(s). The fellowship is deeply rewarding, a transformational and challenging personal journey, and part of Open Forum’ collective experiment for change.

Approach to development:
Open Forum’ approach to development involves a total investment of body, mind and soul into the process of “being the change.” Fellows take individual personal responsibility to execute and complete projects, defined in partnership with local development organizations that address particular community challenges. Recognizing the project as a foundational cornerstone or platform for change, Open Forum pushes fellows to actively test their and creatively explore the possibilities of community-oriented leadership.

By engaging talented young Indians from around the world to tackle India's most pressing challenges, we can nurture a new brand of socially conscious leaders with the character, knowledge, commitment, and vision to transform India and the world. This is based on several observations and assumptions:

(1)	India's greatest challenges are not financial. There is a lot of money available for good ideas. However, the sectors that comprise the nation's backbone (education, civil services, development, health services, social sector, politics, etc) have a dire need for committed and visionary talent to drive sustained progress.
(2)	Contribution to the development sector should be valued. The most talented people in India should have viable opportunities to contribute to the country, and be rewarded for their contribution to national progress.
(3)	Young people want to contribute, but they are looking for both the opportunities and incentives to act. By developing a selective program to engage committed and able young people, we can generate an aura of prestige around opportunities for young Indians to take responsibility for national progress.
(4)	Encouraging civic engagement within the youth will transform the way they interact with society, and inspire others to follow suit.