Socially excluded groups such as Dalits, Adivasis, minorities, women are excluded in the development process due to their caste, ethnicity, religious and gender identities. The effects of such exclusion are staggering, deepening inequality and eventually, hampering them as stakeholder in the development process. Today, the term ‘inclusive development’ is gaining wider currency in development discourse across the world. Indeed, the process is seen as necessary by all societies as it is, first and foremost, to promote and engage in development that is inclusive. Development experts also have acknowledged that the very notion of development necessitates inclusiveness and asserted the need for paradigm shift towards inclusive development. Development can be inclusive, only if all excluded groups are entitled as stakeholders in the development process. Growth, progress, equity, caste, ethnicity, religion, gender, poverty and the environment can no longer be treated as loosely connected components of development. Recognizing their interdependence is at the core of improved and sustained development for all, viz inclusive development. This paper argues inclusive development is the key to alleviate the deprivation among these marginalized and excluded groups.