TISS was established in 1936 as Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work in Mumbai. In 2014, TISS introduced the Secular Ethics for Higher Education credit course in Mumbai. The inauguration was attended by the Dalai Lama, who was reported to have stated that, "Since women have been shown to be more sensitive to others’ suffering, their leadership may be more effective. His Holiness suggested it's time for men to withdraw and for women to step forward."
