There were large-scale protests against the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu. The government of the day believed that foreign funders and social organisations were behind these protests and cancelled the foreign contribution (regulation) act (FCRA) licences of...

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If there is one thing that stands out about Sheela Bal Bhavan (SBB), it is the interest of most inmates in getting educated, so that they are equipped to become at any given point in time, useful members of society. For the 25 inmates of SBB, the Bhavan is their home and also for its trustees...

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Located in Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, is an institution doing pioneering work towards providing academic and vocational skills to children who are slow-learners, with delayed development parameters and specific learning disabilities. Its focus is on inclusive education. Bhavani Child...

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When Kaushik Das gave up a thriving career as a tea executive to dedicate his life to society, he dreamt of changing the lives of disabled people, not by giving donations to charities, but by setting up an organisation where they could work to support themselves. He converted this dream into...

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Construction sites are the largest employers of migrant workers, with approximately 11 million men and women working on projects across India. The children of these workers suffer from a lack of proper food, hygiene, sanitation, education, etc, and are left to fend for themselves in tiny...

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When Surabhi Srivastava from Mumbai was judged the winner of the prestigious 2017 ASME Innovation Showcase competition, it was a reconfirmation of her belief that technology should improve the quality of life for the disadvantaged. BrailleMe, the award-winning product developed by her...

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“What is the right approach?” is a question Dr Nikhil Datar has battled with for years while discussing the healthcare system. In a long journey of 20 years as an obstetrician and gynaecologist working for various medical organisations (and obtaining a law degree in the process), he has...

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It speaks volumes for the respect a teacher inspired in the community of Jains that a library set up by Masterji, as he was called, is still functioning with his vision. Motilal Sanghi, a matriculate, a teacher in a government middle-school in Jaipur, started the library with his own money,...

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When we first featured the ant (The Action Northeast Trust), in 2006 (Moneylife, issue dated 7 December), it was a fledgling organisation struggling, as all not-for-profits do, with issues of replicability and sustainability.    But, having survived the unprecedented ethnic violence...

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What began as a small NGO in a tiny district town—Nawalgarh (Rajasthan), the birthplace of many Shekhawati business families—the MR Morarka GDC Rural Research Foundation has today become a successful grassroot level implementing agency. Kamal Morarka set up the foundation in memory of his...

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When Laxmi Chand Tyagi and his wife, Shashi, moved to Rajasthan in 1983 at the behest of Acharya Kripalani, they knew the many challenges they would face. Their work with Jayaprakash Narayan’s  Sarvoday movement in the 1960s and 1970s, in some of the most backward villages of Uttarakhand and...

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When Vijaya Switha graduated from IRMA (Institute for Rural Management, Anand), she had the experience of working with craftspersons. The challenges they faced to produce and market led her to the one question, “What do rural enterprises in India need the most?” The answer was development of...

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Brahmavidya is the science of life which teaches human beings the spiritual laws of life without bringing religion into the picture. Brahmavidya Sadhak Sangh (BSS) is a charitable trust; all teachers and volunteers work in spirit of service, without any remuneration, to spread this unique...

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In the 1970s and 1980s, India was witnessing a decline in breastfeeding of infants. Increasing urbanisation and industrialisation, along with a global campaign by large commercial enterprises to encourage switch over to bottle-feeding as a more convenient and healthy option, were at the root...

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With over 30,000 graduates, 10,000 classical dance performances, audiences in 97 countries and a vibrant performing arts environment, Darpana Academy of Performing Arts is a centre for artists committed to excellence, innovation and the excitement of using the arts for change. Darpana is one...

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Will women apply for jobs, or will they remain housewives and always dependent? Neither; if Udyogvardhini of Solapur has its way. This is an NGO that helps and trains women to become entrepreneurs through self-help groups. It is the brainchild of Chandrika Chauhan, an award-winning...

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Aspate of crimes that have swept the nation, especially our booming metropolitan cities, show that it doesn't matter if a child is well-fed and or comes from a well-to-do, protected family—it can still be susceptible to abuse in places normally considered safe. It gets much worse, for...

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This story began in the early 1960s. A group of students from various colleges in Gujarat were disturbed about poverty, inequality and the exploitation people in our society, but could do little about it then. Many of them went to the USA for higher studies.   By the late 1970s, many...

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It is the dream of all parents that their child should pursue a professional course in engineering or medicine, after passing the entrance examination. Yet, how many are able to achieve this, even if their child is gifted? This is where Dakshana Foundation comes in, to help gifted children...

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Many years ago, Dr Rajendra  Dhamane noticed a mentally ill woman sitting amidst garbage eating her own stools. This shocked Dr Dhamane to such extent that he started feeding such women using family resources. The family used to initially feed them on the roads and leave them there. This went...

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