About CDFA

Founded by Mohmmad Salman with a collective of young scholars, policy enthusiasts, and development practitioners, CDFA operates at the intersection of academia, policymaking, and grassroots engagement. It seeks to bridge the gap between knowledge and action by integrating rigorous research with community-driven insights and policy engagement.

Based in India with a growing network of national and international collaborators, CDFA serves as a dynamic knowledge hub that nurtures innovation in public thought and strategic policy intervention. It explores diverse and contemporary issues ranging from governance, development, and human rights to science and technology, geopolitics, and environmental sustainability. Through in-depth research reports, policy briefs, working papers, curated events, and public dialogues, CDFA stimulates debate, encourages collaborative solutions, and strives to reimagine the possibilities of inclusive and equitable governance. As an emerging voice among global policy institutions, it is rooted in democratic values, scientific temper, and a deep commitment to social justice.

Rooted in the belief that transformative change emerges from intersectional thinking, CDFA bridges the gap between academia, grassroots experiences, and policymaking. It aims to cultivate a vibrant intellectual ecosystem that encourages collaboration across disciplines, institutions, and regions — with a special focus on marginalized voices and underrepresented perspectives.

Mission

The mission of the Centre for Discourse, Fusion, and Analysis (CDFA) is to function as a catalytic force for knowledge production, critical inquiry, and transformative action across the interconnected domains of governance, development, history, international affairs, science, society, and public discourse.

We aim to:

1. Promote Interdisciplinary and Contextual Research
   Conduct rigorous, inclusive, and field-sensitive research that spans disciplines such as public policy, international relations, history, political economy, sociology, gender studies, environmental science, and technology studies. Our research is rooted in both academic inquiry and ground-level realities.
2. Bridge Knowledge and Policy
   Translate evidence-based insights into actionable policy recommendations that shape better governance, inclusive development, social justice, and sustainable futures — at the local, national, regional, and global levels.
3. Engage with Critical Historical and Contemporary Questions
   Investigate historical trajectories, cultural processes, and socio-political transformations to deepen the understanding of contemporary challenges. We strive to bring historical sensitivity into modern policymaking and democratic practice.
4. Strengthen Democratic Dialogue and Public Discourse
   Foster a vibrant ecosystem of open, plural, and informed dialogue by bringing together academics, policymakers, civil society actors, grassroots communities, and media voices. We believe discourse is the foundation of a just and equitable society.
5. Advance India’s Role in the Global Order
   Examine India’s foreign policy, strategic interests, and global engagements while exploring the geopolitical and diplomatic currents shaping the 21st century. We advocate for a foreign policy that is ethically grounded, regionally responsive, and globally relevant.
6. Champion Equity, Rights, and Inclusion
   Uphold the dignity, rights, and aspirations of marginalized and vulnerable communities. We work to expose systemic exclusions and promote inclusive policies that embrace diversity in all forms — caste, gender, religion, ethnicity, and geography.
7. Promote Scientific Temper and Technological Foresight
   Address emerging issues at the intersection of science, technology, society, and policy — including climate change, AI, public health, data justice, and innovation. We support ethical frameworks and future-readiness in public systems.
8. Support Youth Leadership and Civic Engagement
   Mentor the next generation of changemakers through fellowships, internships, research opportunities, and capacity-building. We invest in young voices and critical thinking as central to democratic transformation.
9. Co-create Knowledge with Communities
   Ground our work in participatory, grassroots-driven methods that prioritize listening, collaboration, and co-creation with those most impacted by policy decisions.
10. Disseminate Knowledge Accessibly
    Publish thought-provoking reports, policy briefs, journal articles, blogs, and media products to make research accessible, relevant, and impactful for a diverse audience.

Through these interlinked goals, CDFA strives to reimagine the role of research in society — not as an elite pursuit, but as a democratic and transformative practice that informs governance, shapes futures, and empowers people

Core Values

At the heart of CDFA lies a commitment to ethical, inclusive, and transformative values that shape our institutional conduct, intellectual production, and societal engagement. These core values define not only what we do, but how we do it, with integrity, openness, and vision.

1. Integrity and Intellectual Independence

We uphold the highest standards of truth, transparency, and academic honesty. CDFA is politically non-partisan and institutionally autonomous, resisting pressures from political, commercial, or ideological interests. Our research and recommendations are rooted in evidence, ethics, and sincerity of purpose.

2. Inclusive Pluralism and Social Justice

We are committed to creating an inclusive world where diversity is celebrated, and social justice is pursued relentlessly. CDFA draws from plural traditions like secular, constitutional, spiritual, and ethical — including South Asian humanism, Islamic compassion, Ambedkarite justice, Gandhian non-violence, and global civic values. We work to amplify voices across caste, gender, ethnicity, religion, region, ability, and class lines, ensuring no one is left behind.

3. Democratic Dialogue and Civic Reason

Dialogue is at the core of our approach. CDFA fosters spaces for civil discourse, disagreement, and critical inquiry — essential to a thriving democracy. We champion deliberative processes over dogma, reason over rhetoric, and participation over polarization.

4. Interdisciplinary Innovation and Critical Thinking

We believe the complexity of today’s problems requires cross-disciplinary collaboration. CDFA encourages intellectual risk-taking and the fusion of history, policy, economics, philosophy, technology, and the arts to generate holistic insights and novel solutions.

5. Ethical Global Engagement and Responsible Foreign Policy Thinking

As an institution rooted in India and connected to the world, CDFA supports an ethical, non-hegemonic approach to international relations — grounded in peace, cooperation, justice, and decolonial thinking. We support multilateralism, solidarity among peoples, climate justice, refugee protection, and the responsible use of power in global affairs.

6. Collaboration and Co-Creation

We work with scholars, practitioners, communities, governments, and media to ensure knowledge flows both ways, from theory to practice and vice versa. Co-creation, empathy, and deep listening shape our fieldwork, partnerships, and public engagement.

7. Transparency and Accountability

CDFA upholds rigorous institutional accountability, internal democratic functioning, and ethical governance. We are committed to being transparent with our data, decisions, funding, and methods.

8. Youth Leadership and Capacity Building

As a youth-led think tank, we nurture emerging scholars and practitioners through mentorship, education, and field experience. We believe the future belongs to those who think boldly, act ethically, and lead responsibly.

9. Peacebuilding, Nonviolence, and Human Dignity

In an era marked by rising hate and conflict, CDFA stands for peace, reconciliation, and human dignity. Inspired by transformative global traditions, from Islamic notions of justice (adl) and compassion (rahma) to universal human rights — we commit ourselves to a world free from structural violence and cultural erasure.