Established as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work in 1936, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) is the first school of social work in India to train and equip people with zeal for voluntary community and social work. It was set up at the instance of the trustees of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust on a recommendation by Dr Clifford Manshardt, an American missionary, who had carried out several urban community programs in Mumbai in the 1920s, and who was TISS's first director. Dr Manshardt envisioned a post-graduate school of social work of national stature that would engage in a continuous study of Indian social issues and problems and impart education in social work to meet the emerging needs for trained human power. TISS has tremendously influenced the direction of social work education and research in the country.

After being renamed as the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in 1944, TISS had grown to become a national institution in just about 20 years, when in 1964, it received the status of a Deemed University under the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India. Since then, it has been expanded continuously in terms of its educational program and infrastructure. While responding to the changing needs of the social and educational system in the country, it has gone far beyond the initial concern of social work education.

TISS has never limited itself to the mandate of a conventional university; rather, it has worked for the promotion of sustainable, equitable and participatory development, social welfare and social justice through:

Over the years, TISS has made a significant contribution to policy, planning, action strategies and human resource development in several areas, ranging from sustainable rural and urban development to education, health, communal harmony, human rights and industrial relations. Its focus has always been on the disadvantaged and the marginalized sections of the society like organized and unorganized labour, women, children, Dalits and tribals.

A century-old bond was further strengthened when the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), UK and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) entered into an academic alliance. The Jamsetji Tata Trust has sanctioned Rs. 156.70 million to support research collaboration between LSE and TISS. The Memorandum of Understanding between the Jamsetji Tata Trust, TISS and LSE was signed at LSE in June 2007.
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