Philanthropy in India, after a slow start, has started to gain maturity. It is beginning to deliver benefits that have started impacting people around the country.

Here are four trends in philanthropy and social impact that have made exciting progress in 2017:

1. Strategic, patient and focused funders are going deeper and wider than ever before

Between 2011-2013, most social investments went into financial inclusion and clean energy. Today, there are over 10 high-impact areas which are drawing significant funding, including education, water and sanitation, healthcare, and agriculture.

2. Leapfrog ideas are becoming a reality

2017 saw tremendous progress in applied research ranging literally from rocket science to molecular biology. Team Indus, well known in 2016 as the winner of the Google X-Prize, has made major technical strides towards the launch of its mission to the moon and has become a global icon of private space exploration.

3. A maturing entrepreneurial ecosystem will create breakthrough NGOs

This year was exciting for all of us because all these companies were going through growing pains around getting their first products into pilots, rethinking business models, and figuring out how to expand effectively. Some will survive and some won't, but at a macro level it means that the ecosystem is going through a natural cycle.

4. Social impact engagement for everyone

For those who want to contribute resources, newer crowdsourcing platforms like Milaap and Rang De allow people to identify specific causes and donate financially. Organizations like Social Venture Partners (SVP) and Dasra afford people the opportunity to learn about specific sectors and not only donate their money, but their professional expertise as well.

Read the full article about philanthropy in India by Anuja Master Bose at Times of India.