Gujarat has had a long tradition of voluntary work. The Gandhian influence in social reconstruction and the continuing philanthropic proclivity has helped to cover a large field of development activity in the state. This paper attempts a review of non-governmental development activity in the last 80 years with the focus on changes after the 1960s in the role and relevance of NGOs. What have been the development-related problems that Gujarati civic society is likely to confront in the 21st century and where do NGOs fit in?