Elephants in Haathi Gaon in Jaipur in Rajasthan Photograph Credit : Shubhobroto Ghosh

“As the global community observes World Food Day on October 16, 2026, under the guiding theme “Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow.” attention turns intensely toward building truly sustainable food and agricultural systems. In India, achieving comprehensive food security requires looking far beyond food availability to address the profound confluence of agriculture, animal welfare, and ecosystem conservation. True food security cannot exist in isolation from how we treat sentient creatures and the fragile natural networks that sustain all life on Earth,” says Gajender Kumar Sharma, Country Director of World Animal Protection in India.
 

Livestock farming for food is also linked to the destruction of pristine forests, and World Animal Protection has been promoting plant-based diets for a more responsible and environmentally friendly footprint. Proper labelling of vegetarian, non-vegetarian, and vegan products also goes a long way toward making consumers aware of their impact on the planet. The recently concluded BRICS Summit in India declaration mentions zoonotic diseases and includes cooperation on zoonotic threats and global health security, as well as biodiversity conservation, conservation of rare species and big cats, and sustainable livestock development. The government of India has very kindly informed World Animal Protection that animal welfare and wildlife trade will be addressed in future BRICS gatherings, where appropriate.
 

The government of India is positive toward embracing the concept of One Health, which encompasses animal welfare, human health, and environmental protection. Factory farming exacerbates the risk of zoonoses and the risks of epidemics. In the wake of coronavirus, it has become an imperative to treat animals humanely in all situations and to make systemic changes to animal rearing processes that are utilised to produce meat, fish, dairy, and eggs. World Animal Protection has welcomed the second Anti-Microbial Resistance Plan of the Government of India to address the damage to animal welfare, harm to human health, and the destruction of the environment that accompanies the irresponsible use of antibiotics in the chicken and livestock rearing industries. World Animal Protection continues to engage with various stakeholders on both wildlife and food systems to eliminate cruelty to animals.
 

Engaging with important stakeholders on the occasion of World Animal Day and Wildlife Week, World Animal Protection conducted a sensitisation programme with over two hundred and fifty students, parents, and teachers during an NGO gathering organised by the Cambridge School, Srinivaspuri on the occasion of the Parent-Teacher meeting. The occasion was a very fruitful one that resulted in many memorable interactions that brought to light many instances of animal abuse in food, fashion, and wildlife in entertainment. Several individuals expressed their interest in finding humane alternatives to cruel animal products like fur, leather, feathers, and silk, and also resolved not to patronise animal abuse in the wildlife entertainment sector by avoiding elephant rides and refusing to attend close-contact sessions with big cats in captive tiger venues in countries like Thailand.
 

As part of the ongoing corporate engagement, five tour companies, UnBound Expeditions, Going Wild Tours, Hetalbon Resort , North East Travels and Wild Paw Adventures have taken the wildlife friendly pledge of World Animal Protection and do not offer elephant rides in their itineraries. Engagement continues on developing humane food systems with relevant government and non government agencies as well.
 

Highlighting the importance of keeping wild spaces in India and free from the impacts of factory farming needs robust research and investigation. In this regard it is notable to read the book, ‘Rewilding India: The CWS Story’ written by Deepa Padmanaban and edited by Dr. Krithi K. Karanth. There is considerable work to do in India to determine how rearing animals for food impacts our wild spaces and this book gives us food for thought on the importance of wild areas in India and beyond.
 

Today we are witnessing unprecedented cases of wildlife trade all over the world, and India has become a hotbed of wild animal seizures that point to a growing demand for non-native exotic pets. World Animal Protection is also grateful to influencers like Bhagyashree and Koneenica Banerjee for promoting compassion to animals in all walks of life. Our campaign for humane treatment of all sentient beings continues in all possible ways.
 

For more information, please contact

Contact Person: Mr. Gajender Kumar Sharma, Country Director, World Animal Protection in India

Email: gajenderksharma@worldanimalprotection.org.in

Mobile Phone: +91 9313333283

Radhika Bordia, Journalist; Ashwin Yardi, Non-Executive Chairman, Capgemini India; Chetna Sinha, Founder, Mann Deshi Foundation & Mann Deshi Mahila Bank; Ravi Sreedharan, Founder & President, ISDM

Among the voices contributing to the day's conversations were Ashwin Yardi, Non-Executive Chairman of Capgemini India; Chetna Sinha, Founder and Chairperson, Mann Deshi Bank and Mann Deshi Foundation; and Ravi Sreedharan, Founder and President, ISDM. Their perspectives reflected the breadth of the development ecosystem and the different institutional, community and leadership dimensions required to sustain social change.

DoDM 2026 explored a fundamental question facing the social sector: while many organisations create meaningful change, far fewer are able to sustain it. Programmes can lose momentum, reforms can unravel, and movements can struggle beyond funding cycles or changes in leadership. The fourth edition examined what enables change to endure across organisations, systems and communities.

The day's conversations spanned four interconnected tracks across governance, government systems, funding and impact: “Building Institutions, Not Just Organisations”, which examined the governance, leadership and resilience needed for institutions to endure beyond individuals and funding cycles; “From Schemes to Systems”, which explored how public systems can become more adaptive and capable of sustaining change at scale; “Funding the Future We Say We Want”, which examined the funding relationships and forms of capital needed to support long-term change; and “What is Impact Beyond the Numbers?”, which explored how the sector can move beyond outputs to understand whether change is truly taking root and enduring over time.

Chetna Sinha, Founder and Chairperson, Mann Deshi Bank and Mann Deshi Foundation, said, “For social change to last, communities must have the agency, institutions and resources to shape their own futures. Our experience with rural women has shown that financial inclusion, entrepreneurship and community institutions can root change in people's lives. Lasting change is about creating the conditions in which communities can continue to lead, adapt and expand their own progress.”

Ravi Sreedharan, Founder and President, ISDM, said, "Social change may happen because of good programmes or even good individuals. But for social change to last, it needs Social Purpose Organisations that are resilient and equipped to work over long periods in specific geographies or on specific issues. That is where Development Management comes in: strengthening the leadership, management and organisational capabilities that keep them effective as they grow and contexts change. DoDM 2026 is an effort to bring these questions to the centre of the sector's conversation."

Sharad Agarwal, Co-Founder, ISDM, added, “Sustaining social change requires a greater focus on the systems that development programmes operate within. Outcomes endure when those systems are accountable and responsive to the communities they serve, and when we invest in what carries progress forward, not just in what a programme delivers today."

Since its inaugural edition in 2023, DoDM has grown into a platform for conversations on Development Management, with 4,000+ participants, 400+ speakers and moderators, 270+ research papers presented and 50+ track partners across its editions. DoDM 2026 featured plenary conversations, Development Management Cases, masterclasses, research paper presentations, interactive discussions and Development Management Clinics, creating multiple formats for participants to engage with real questions of organisational and systemic change.

DoDM 2026 brought together diverse perspectives to deepen the conversation on what it takes to move from creating change to sustaining it. By examining the institutional, systemic, financial and impact dimensions of social change, the convening sought to advance a more enduring approach to development, one that enables organisations, systems and communities to build, adapt and carry progress forward over time.

About Indian School of Development Management (ISDM)

Since 2016, ISDM has prepared leaders with functional expertise, managerial judgment, and ethical responsibility to build strong, resilient social purpose organizations that create sustained impact at scale. Its work is anchored in three core efforts: leadership development through its flagship Post Graduate Program in Development Management, advancing Development Management as a distinct discipline integrating management, social science, public policy, and practice, and ecosystem capacity building across NGOs, foundations, social enterprises, and policy spaces.

SDM develops leaders who solve complex social challenges and strengthen institutions across India’s development ecosystem. As the institutional home of Development Management, ISDM integrates leadership, management and development practice to drive social transformation at scale.

PGP-DM

ISDM's Post Graduate Program in Development Management (PGP-DM) prepares leaders to take on India's most complex development challenges, and build the conviction and capability required to lead India’s social transformation. The 11-month program is spread over eight terms, and combines development perspectives with management rigor to equip you with the skills, knowledge and empathy required to lead work with real impact at scale.

Magic Bus India Foundation celebrated Daan Utsav, highlighting how sustained individual giving supports young people through education, skilling and livelihoods

The How India Gives 2025–26 study estimates that 68% of Indians give in some form, amounting to around Rs. 54,000 crore annually in household giving. The opportunity now is to build on this generosity and encourage more people to engage with the causes they support over the long term.

For Magic Bus India Foundation, individual giving plays an important role. It creates another way for people to connect with the organisation’s mission of helping young people move from school to work.

Small contributions can add up 
In education and skilling, change does not happen overnight. A young person’s journey can include life skills, education, career guidance, employability training and, eventually, access to livelihood opportunities. Supporting that journey requires time and continuity.

This is where regular individual giving can make a difference. A contribution of Rs. 500 a month is Rs. 6,000 a year. If 10,000 people contribute the same amount, together they can create Rs. 6 crore in annual support.

Preity Karandikar, CMO & Individual Giving Head, Magic Bus India Foundation, said, “The future of giving is not just about making a donation. It is about creating a sense of participation. When people understand the journey their contribution supports and can see how their support makes a difference, giving becomes more meaningful. That connection can turn a one-time act of generosity into a sustained commitment to social change.”

“It is not always about how much one person gives,” Karandikar added. “When many people contribute consistently, even smaller amounts can come together to create meaningful impact. A first donation can also be the beginning of a longer relationship with a cause.”

An opportunity for the wider social sector
People want to know who they are supporting, how their contribution is being used and whether it is making a difference. This makes trust, transparency and regular communication increasingly important.

For Magic Bus, the opportunity goes beyond acquiring more donors. It is about building a community of people who believe in the potential of young people and want to support their journey.

For the wider NGO sector, this could mean moving beyond one-time transactions towards deeper, longer-term engagement with individual supporters. The focus needs to be on building lasting relationships that keep them connected to the causes they choose to support.

About Magic Bus India Foundation
Magic Bus India Foundation is one of India’s leading NGOs in education and skilling. Since 1999, the organisation has impacted over 5 million young people across India through scalable and inclusive development programmes.

Magic Bus works with underserved communities to enable young people to complete education, build critical life skills, employability skills, and access sustainable livelihood opportunities. Its programmes focus on creating long-term pathways towards individual agency, economic empowerment, and enabling communities to move out of cycles of poverty.

The Adolescent Programme supports adolescents aged 12–18 through life skills education, Foundational Literacy & Numeracy (FLN), STEAM learning, and future-ready skills. Implemented across 22 states and Union Territories, it is strengthened through partnership with 10 state governments and NITI Aayog, and has reached over 40 lakh adolescents, with girls accounting for 52% of participants. Its Livelihood Programme equips youth aged 18–25 with transferable life and employability skills reaching over 3.5 lakh youth annually and enabling more than 84% to access sustainable jobs. Young women represent 60% of participants. The Rural Livelihood Programme strengthens entrepreneurship among peri-urban and rural communities by strengthening life skills, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills, and has supported the creation of over 2,500 entrepreneurs, 96% of whom are women.

For more information, visit: www.magicbus.org

Smile Train India Celebrates World Smile Day with a mobile "Smile Wall on Wheels"

Through Smile Walls at partner locations, patients, families, cleft care teams and visitors were encouraged to add messages or drawings about the people and moments that bring them joy. The activities were part of Smile Train’s wider World Smile Day campaign, which uses the simple act of sharing a smile to spread kindness and build awareness for children with clefts.

In Delhi, Smile Train India took the celebration beyond fixed locations through Smile Wall on Wheels, a mobile Smile Wall traveling to schools and public spaces across North, South and Central Delhi, including Delhi University North Campus and various popular market areas. The school visits continue Smile Train India’s awareness outreach with children and educators. At public stops, people can write what makes them smile on the wall and learn where families affected by cleft conditions can seek support.

Mamta Carroll, Senior Vice President and Regional Director for Asia, Smile Train, shared, “World Smile Day gives us a wonderful reason to bring people together. Across India, our partners are creating spaces where families and communities can share moments of happiness while learning more about cleft care. With Smile Wall on Wheels in Delhi, we are taking that conversation into schools and everyday public spaces, so that more people know support is available for children born with clefts.”

The nationwide celebrations build on last year’s Smile Wall initiative, which brought partner hospitals, schools and communities together around the same question: What makes you smile?

People can learn more about the World Smile Day campaign at www.smiletrain.org. Families in India seeking information about cleft care can call Smile Train India’s toll-free helpline at 1800 103 8301.

Launched in India in February 2026, the Accelerator brought together four nonprofits - Teach For India, Antarang Foundation, Foundation For Excellence, and Latika - to develop and customize AI agents addressing specific needs within their missions. Over the six-month program, the organizations received one-on-one and group coaching from Salesforce experts, technical consulting from employee volunteers, and access to Salesforce technology. Through the program, each organization turned its deep domain expertise into an agentic AI solution, built around the people it serves and the processes that support them.
 

India Cohort Pioneering Agentic AI Solutions
The four nonprofits are leveraging agentic AI to simplify time-intensive work, expand access to critical support, and help frontline teams serve more people effectively. The solutions span teacher support, career guidance, scholarship processing, and disability entitlements, with human expertise remaining central to each use case.

• Teach For India developed an AI-enabled Teaching Assistant and Coach that gives teachers on-demand access to contextual guidance, mentorship and personalized resources. It plans to pilot the solution with 100 Teach For India Fellows and 100 teachers using Firki, Teach For India’s dedicated online teacher education platform. The pilot aims to reduce the time teachers spend finding support by 70% and achieve 90% teacher-rated accuracy and relevance, with plans to subsequently expand the solution to 2,500 teachers using Firki.

• Antarang Foundation has developed a conversational AI copilot to support career facilitators in delivering more personalized and effective guidance to young people. Grounded in live student data from Salesforce and Antarang’s certified resources, the copilot provides classroom-specific insights, relevant career pathways, facilitation tips, and suggested follow-up actions. By reducing preparation time and helping facilitators better understand and respond to individual student needs, the solution aims to make high-quality career guidance more consistent and scalable. Antarang aims to train 200+ facilitators and reach 150,000 students through this initiative by 2027.

• Foundation For Excellence built an intelligent scholarship Agent that reads, extracts and validates application documents of student records in Salesforce. By enabling teams to review exceptions instead of every document, FFE estimates it could reduce screening time by 60%, return approximately 1,400 working days each cycle and double processing capacity.

• Latika developed Asli Intelligence, an internal AI Legal Guide that creates personalized, district-specific plans for families of children and young adults with disabilities. Asli, meaning “real” in Hindi, draws on more than 30 years of Latika’s experience supporting people with disabilities and their families. Based on factors such as age, disability, income and location, it identifies relevant entitlements, required documentation and next steps, helping social workers guide families while enabling lawyers at Latika to focus on complex cases and advocacy.

Comments on the news:
Arundhati Bhattacharya, President & CEO, Salesforce, South Asia, said, “Six months ago, these organizations brought us ideas grounded in the realities of their missions. Today, they have translated deep domain expertise into practical agents built around trusted data and clear human roles. This cohort shows that AI’s most meaningful role in the social sector is not replacing people, but extending their knowledge, reclaiming their time and helping them serve more communities with relevance and care.”
 

Sunya Norman, SVP of Impact, Salesforce, said, “AI has incredible potential to help nonprofits extend their impact, and this cohort is showing what’s possible. By bringing together AI, funding, and the expertise of Salesforce employees, these organizations are building solutions that can save their teams time and help them reach more teachers, students, job seekers, and families. I’m excited to see how they continue this work and further support the communities they serve.”
 

Elizabeth Samuel, Director of Firki, Teach For India, said, “We are excited to use the whatsapp bot with our teachers. We are hopeful that this will support the educators in their planning and other skills and through this, equip them to provide an excellent education to their students. Through this, we intend to make learning more accessible to educators.”
 

Priyanka Sanghai , Jt. Executive Director  Antarang Foundation, said, “For us at Antarang, AI is not about replacing the career facilitator, but giving them a copilot - one that provides the insights and support they need to understand each student better and help young people expand their aspirations, explore career choices they may never have considered, and find a clear pathway towards the career they choose. Through this project with Salesforce, we have been able to bring this idea to life and explore its potential to strengthen career guidance at scale.”

Jo, Chopra, Executive Director, Latika, said, “Asli Intelligence is so cool we never even thought to dream of it. Now that it exists, our dream is that it will become available to every disabled person in India. Finally, all that they are entitled to: within reach and ripe for the picking!”
 

This marks the next phase of the Accelerator, as the organizations pilot, refine and scale their solutions. Together, the four use cases offer a practical blueprint for human-centered agentic AI—technology that handles complexity while keeping people, trust and accountability at the center of impact.
 

*Salesforce, the #1 CRM, powered by AI technology and capabilities.
 

About Salesforce
Salesforce helps organizations of any size become agentic enterprises -integrating humans, agents, apps, and data on a trusted, unified platform to unlock unprecedented growth and innovation.
 

Visit www.salesforce.com/in/ for more information.

Smile Train India Launches Comprehensive Cleft Care Reference Centre at Dr. Rela Institute, Chennai

The CCRC builds on one of the earliest multidisciplinary cleft care programs established in 2001 with Smile Train partnership in India. This program, led by Dr Syed Altaf Hussain, has been functioning in the new state-of-the-art facility at the Sree Balaji Medical College Hospital & Dr Rela Medical Centre since 2022 with a highly experienced multidisciplinary team which provides care across different stages of a patient’s cleft journey.

The program brings together expertise across cleft surgery, including complex procedures such as orthognathic surgery (OGS), velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) surgery and alveolar bone grafting (ABG), as well as nutrition, oral health, orthodontics, speech and ENT care. These clinical services support both patient care and the development of cleft care professionals.

Through the CCRC, Dr Rela Institute and Medical Centre will further strengthen its focus on sharing clinical expertise, strengthening multidisciplinary practices and building capacity among healthcare professionals. The academic/ university affiliation to Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research further strengthens its role as a referral, research and resource hub for cleft care professionals from India and abroad.

The inauguration comes as Smile Train marks 25+ years of supporting cleft care in India. Through its partnerships with hospitals and local medical professionals, Smile Train has worked to expand access to free, safe and quality cleft care while strengthening the capacity of healthcare professionals to provide treatment within their own communities.

Susannah Schaefer, President & CEO, Smile Train, said, “The launch of the Comprehensive Cleft Care Reference Centre at Dr Rela Institute and Medical Centre reflects our commitment to building sustainable models of care that extend beyond individual treatment. By bringing comprehensive clinical expertise together with training, research and knowledge sharing, centres such as this can strengthen the broader cleft care ecosystem. This is another important step by Smile Train towards ensuring that people with clefts have access to quality care throughout their treatment journey.”

Mamta Carroll, Senior Vice President & Regional Director, Asia, Smile Train, said, “Cleft care has evolved significantly in India, with greater recognition that surgery is only one part of a much longer care journey. The CCRC at Dr Rela Institute and Medical Centre brings together surgery, nutrition, speech, orthodontics, oral health and ENT care, alongside training and research. By building on an already strong programme, the centre can serve as an important platform for strengthening referral networks, developing cleft professionals and advancing comprehensive cleft care across the region.”

Dr Syed Altaf Hussain, Plastic Surgeon and Director, Dr Rela Institute and Medical Centre, said, “Every person with a cleft has a different care journey, often requiring multiple interventions and specialists at different stages of growth and development. Over the years, we have built a multidisciplinary programme that allows these specialists to work together around the patient's needs, including managing complex cleft conditions. The inauguration of the CCRC will enable us to build further on this work, strengthen referral care and expand our contribution to training, research and knowledge sharing.”

The Comprehensive Cleft Care Reference Centre will serve as a platform for high-quality multidisciplinary cleft care while extending its expertise through referrals, professional training, research and knowledge exchange. By combining comprehensive patient care with capacity building, the centre aims to strengthen cleft care beyond the institution itself.

Smile Train’s sustainable model empowers local medical professionals with training, funding and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care within their communities. Over the past 25 years, Smile Train has supported more than 800,000 cleft surgeries in India, working with a network of partner hospitals and medical professionals across the country.

About Smile Train India

For cleft treatment-related queries or support, please call our toll-free helpline number: 1800 103 8301.

For more information, please visit www.smiletrainindia.org.

Cleft Con India 2026, celebrating the strength, resilience, and spirit of India’s cleft community

This year's edition featured a keynote address by Michael Dehal, Senior Portfolio Manager at Dehal Investment Partners of Raymond James Ltd. Born with a cleft lip and palate, Michael shared how he transformed his personal journey into a story of resilience, going on to build a successful career in finance while championing greater awareness and acceptance for individuals born with clefts. His address offered the audience unique insights into overcoming stigma, building confidence, and using lived experience to inspire change.

The day brought together cleft warriors and families for candid conversations and firsthand accounts of courage and transformation, alongside sessions exploring the emotional, social, and medical dimensions of living with a cleft, and the importance of early intervention and comprehensive care.

Susannah Schaefer, President & CEO, Smile Train, said, “Every year, Cleft Con India shows us the power of community – of individuals, families, and medical partners coming together to change the narrative around facial differences. We remain committed to ensuring every child in India has access to free, quality cleft care, no matter where they are born.”

Mamta Carroll, Senior Vice President & Regional Director, Asia, Smile Train, added, “Cleft Con India is a reminder that pride and confidence are as much a part of comprehensive cleft care as surgery itself. This year's theme, Cleft Proud, Smile Loud, captures exactly what we see in India every year – a community that refuses to be defined by stigma, and instead leads with strength and self-acceptance.”

With over 35,000 children born with clefts in India each year, many continue to face bullying and isolation because of their facial differences. Left untreated, cleft can lead to difficulties in eating, hearing, speaking, and breathing – but timely medical intervention can transform outcomes, allowing children to thrive physically, socially, and emotionally. Smile Train works with a network of 130+ medical partner hospitals across 30 states and Union Territories in India, supporting 100% free, comprehensive cleft care through a sustainable model that trains and funds local medical professionals.

Events like Cleft Con India play a critical role in raising awareness, reducing stigma, and reinforcing the importance of early medical intervention and long-term support for individuals affected by clefts. Beyond the personal stories, discussions, and performances, this year's gathering reaffirmed the strength of community in fostering acceptance – a reminder that every individual has the right to be cleft proud, and to smile loud.

About Smile Train India

For cleft treatment-related queries or support, please call our toll-free helpline number: 1800 103 8301.

Smile Train experts at the Asian Society of Paediatric Anaesthesiologists (ASPA)

Smile Train supported ASPA 2026 as part of its broader focus on strengthening pediatric anesthesia capabilities. Through training, education, knowledge-sharing and partnerships with medical professionals and institutions, the organization works as a facilitator and enabler to strengthen systems for safer surgical care globally, including in India.

Smile Train’s participation included Dr. Faye Evans, Sr Pediatric Anesthesiologist and Smile Train Medical Advisory Board Member, alongside experts from India, including Dr. Vibhavari Naik, Senior Consultant Pediatric Anesthesiologist, Smile Train Advisory Council Member bringing together global and local perspectives on pediatric anesthesia and patient safety.

Children have distinct anesthesia needs compared with adults. Differences in their airways, physiology and responses to medication require specialized expertise and careful monitoring throughout the surgical journey. This becomes particularly important in cleft care, where children may have specific airway, feeding and nutritional considerations. Anesthesiologists therefore play an integral role in the multidisciplinary cleft care team, working closely with surgeons, nurses and other specialists.

Dr. Faye Evans, Sr Pediatric Anesthesiologist and Smile Train Medical Advisory Board Member, said, “One of the most powerful ways to improve surgical safety is to create opportunities for medical professionals to learn from each other. When global expertise is combined with local clinical experience, solutions can be adapted to the realities of different healthcare settings. ASPA provides an important space for this exchange, and the learnings generated here have the potential to travel far beyond the conference room and benefit children and medical teams across geographies.”

A key pillar of Smile Train’s approach is skilling and capacity building to enhance knowledge and skill capabilities. By supporting continuing education and training opportunities, Smile Train helps strengthen local expertise so medical teams can deliver safe, quality care within their own communities. Platforms such as ASPA complement this approach by enabling specialists to exchange clinical experiences and strengthen pediatric anesthesia practices.

Dr. Vibhavari Naik, Sr Consultant Pediatric Anesthesiologist and Smile Train Advisory Council Member, said, “In India, the opportunity lies in building strong, confident medical teams that are equipped to respond to the specific needs of children. Investing in skills has a multiplier effect—the knowledge gained by one healthcare professional can strengthen teams, institutions and ultimately the quality of care available to many more children. Continued collaboration between specialists will be important as we work towards making safe surgical care more accessible across the country.”

Smile Train’s support for ASPA 2026 reflects its belief that improving child healthcare requires sustained collaboration across institutions, geographies and medical disciplines. By connecting global expertise with local knowledge and supporting the development of healthcare professionals, the organization continues to strengthen the people and systems that enable safe, comprehensive cleft care.

About Smile Train India
For cleft treatment related query or support, please call our toll-free helpline number: 1800 103 8301.

Leaders and partners from across the social impact ecosystem at the launch of the DT4SI Toolbook by ILSS's Koita Centre for AI & Digital Transformation (KCADT)
 

Launched under ILSS’s Koita Centre for AI & Digital Transformation (KCADT), DT4SI toolbook seeks to make the discovering the AI & digital journey easier by contextualising and categorising digital tools for the social sector. The tool book brings together information that can help organisations understand what a tool does, what problem it can address, where it may be useful, its key features, pricing and relevant use cases.
 

DT4SI also brings together case studies from social purpose organisations that have successfully adopted AI & digital technologies. These examples are intended to make AI & digital transformation more tangible by showing how organisations are using technology in real settings, what they are trying to solve and what they have learned along the way.
 

The toolbook also aggregates learning resources and courses to help organisations build the internal capabilities required to use digital technologies effectively. Together, these resources create a pathway from awareness to understanding, from understanding to choose, and from choice to action.
 

Lastly, DT4SI is intended to evolve beyond a repository of tools and information. Its long-term ambition is to create a collaborative space where social purpose organisations, technology providers, practitioners and experts can learn from one another and contribute to the sector's digital transformation journey.
 

Anu Prasad, CEO, India Leaders for Social Sector said, “India has emerged as a global technology powerhouse, with deep capabilities in software, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence and technology services. AI and digital technologies are increasingly embedded in how corporate India operates. The opportunity now is to bring India's growing AI and Digital capabilities accessible to Social Purpose Organisations working to solve population-scale challenges and advance India's development. For many social purpose organisations (SPOs), the challenge is knowing where to begin, what technology is relevant to their needs, which tools are appropriate, and who can help implement them. For close to a decade, ILSS has believed the social sector's greatest constraint isn't a shortage of purpose or passion, it's a shortage of capacity. That gap isn't just a technology gap, it's an equity gap, and equity is exactly what ILSS exists to protect. The bigger question is often how to make these choices with confidence, using evidence, real-world use cases and learning from other organisations in the sector. It is this gap that ILSS's Koita Centre for AI & Digital Transformation (KCADT) is seeking to address with the launch of 'Digital Toolbook for Social Impact' (DT4SI), a single, freely accessible space bringing together trusted service providers, real case studies, mentors and practical resources, with no gatekeeping, so that any non-profit leader, anywhere, can begin decoding their own digital-enabled strategy.”
 

Rekha Koita, Co-Founder, Koita Foundation said, "Digital and AI capabilities are non-negotiable in the social sector today. As any organisation looks to scale, technology is the only thing that will enable it to maintain and improve programme quality and consistency. Over the last 10 years, working closely with nearly 35 organisations and engaging with many more, I have seen tremendous growth in the availability of new technology and now AI, along with a real increase in the number of NGOs embarking on this journey. But what I have also learnt, from working with organisations on the ground, is that access to tools or funding alone is not enough. The real gap is between the availability of technology and the ability to use it effectively. We need to stop viewing technology as a tech project, an overhead, or an MEL exercise, and instead treat it as a core part of organisational capacity building. That means asking three simple questions together as a sector, what NGOs need to do differently, what donors and funders need to do differently to enable this ecosystem, and what platforms like KCADT's DT4SI can do to make that capacity building faster, easier and more accessible."

The toolbook was launched at an ILSS-hosted leadership event in Mumbai, featuring a panel, ‘Accelerating Social Impact with AI & Digital’, that brought together senior leaders from the philanthropic, corporate, and technology ecosystems, including Rizwan Koita (Chairperson, NABH; Co-founder Koita Foundation; Co-Founder Citius Tech), Rekha Koita (Co-Founder, Koita Foundation), Ms Amrtha K. Rangan (COO, A.T.E. Chandra Foundation), Gayatri Nair Lobo (CEO, Educate Girls), Maharshi Vaishnav (CEO, Motilal Oswal Foundation), and Abhejit Agarwal (Head, Sustainability & CSR, Axis Bank).
 

The event featured a live presentation and demonstration of the DT4SI toolbook, followed by a panel discussion that explored the opportunities and barriers to AI and digital adoption within the social sector. The discussion highlighted that while SPOs are increasingly primed for AI- and digital-led transformation, many continue to face challenges in accessing affordable, contextually relevant tools and replicable models. Panellists also shared examples and case studies from the field, demonstrating how organisations are already overcoming these barriers and using India-specific solutions to drive meaningful impact on the ground.
 

The need for such a toolbook emerged from ILSS's work with social purpose organisations and from its research on the state of digital transformation in India's social sector. The research found that organisations across different geographies and areas of work face common challenges: uncertainty about available technologies, difficulty identifying and articulating their technology needs, questions around affordability and budgeting, and uncertainty about how to navigate an increasingly crowded technology landscape. DT4SI toolkit will continue to expand its collection of tools, solution providers, case studies, learning resources and insights as more organisations across the sector experiment, learn and share their experiences.
 

About India Leaders for Social Sector
Established in 2018, India Leaders for Social Sector (ILSS) is India's pioneering leadership and institution-building organisation dedicated to strengthening the leadership infrastructure of the social sector. ILSS believes that India's greatest development challenge is not a shortage of purpose, but a shortage of leadership capacity. Through its four Centres of Excellence—Talent and Leadership Development, Fundraising, Board and Governance, and AI & Digital Transformation—ILSS develops leaders, strengthens institutions, and advances knowledge to help social purpose organisations build resilience, strengthen governance, mobilise resources, embrace innovation, and create sustainable social impact at scale. Through executive education, flagship convenings, original research, and practitioner-led thought leadership, ILSS is advancing leadership and institution building across the sector. ILSS has trained over 1,300+ leaders, partnered with 800+ social purpose organisations, facilitated 250+ leadership placements, and built a robust community of alumni network. Guided by its vision of "Transformed Leaders. Transformed Society. Transformed World.", ILSS aims to partner with 1,000 leading social purpose organisations and empower 5,000 impact leaders by 2030.

Let’s Talk RED – Youth in Action

For years, menstrual health efforts have focused largely on helping girls access menstrual products, information and hygiene. But creating a stigma-free experience requires changing the environment around them too — including the attitudes and behaviours of the boys growing up alongside them as classmates, friends, brothers and, eventually, partners and colleagues.

Ujaas, an initiative of the Aditya Birla Education Trust founded by Advaitesha Birla, has been working to bring boys into this conversation. Its impact assessment of 2,402 boys in Maharashtra points to measurable shifts in how they understand and engage with menstruation. Following the intervention, understanding of puberty increased by 83.6%, comfort discussing menstruation rose by 59.8%, and confidence to support female peers increased by 51.7%. The proportion of boys who believed they should understand menstruation rose from 50% to 72%, signalling a growing recognition that menstrual health is not only a girls’ issue, but a shared responsibility.

At the same time, the findings reveal an important gap between changing attitudes and everyday behaviour. While confidence in supporting female classmates increased from 54% to 82%, the proportion of boys demonstrating an appropriate response when a classmate had stained her clothes moved from 43% to 40%.

For Ujaas, this gap is significant. It shows that changing what boys know and believe is only the first step; the real test is how that understanding translates into behaviour when a girl is in a moment of vulnerability. The next step is therefore to move from awareness and intention towards empathy, sensitivity and the confidence to respond appropriately.

Speaking on the insights, Ms Advaitesha Birla, Founder Ujaas an initiative of Aditya Birla Education Trust said, “Menstrual health is not exclusively a women’s issue. It is a shared social responsibility. Involving boys in this movement transforms period awareness from a passive topic into active, everyday allyship. At Ujaas, our mission goes beyond imparting knowledge; it’s about inspiring empathetic behavior so that dignity, safety, and respect become the default culture across our institutions and communities.”

It is this understanding that Ujaas launched Let’s Talk RED – Youth in Action, its youth-led menstrual health platform, which brought together students from four Mumbai colleges on 24 August. The initiative moved the conversation beyond the biology of menstruation to explore how stigma, myths, language and everyday responses can affect girls, and what young men can do differently as friends, classmates and family members. Students reflected on the Menstrual Rights Charter and examined how changes in language, behaviour and institutional culture can contribute to more respectful and menstrual-friendly campuses.

The initiative builds on the first edition of Let’s Talk RED, which provided girls with a platform to share the challenges they face around menstruation. Their experiences and perspectives culminated in a Charter of Demands for creating menstrual-health-friendly schools, colleges and enabling environments. This year, Ujaas is taking that conversation forward from sharing challenges to driving action, and from identifying what needs to change to enabling young people to become part of that change.

The discussion also brought forward a strong view among students that creating menstrual health friendly environments must begin with changing attitudes at an early age. The Period Ally Stats Board, which captured responses from 56 female and 31 male participants across 10 statements, highlighted an opportunity to move from awareness towards active allyship. Among male respondents, 50% said they already speak up when they hear jokes, teasing or comments that reinforce period stigma, while 38.9% said they would like to start doing so. Similarly, 44.4% said they already advocate for better menstrual facilities or support in their college or community, while another 44.4% said they would like to start. The findings reinforced the students' view that while systemic improvements such as better facilities and access to menstrual products remain important, sustainable change also requires addressing stigma, misinformation and social attitudes. The participating colleges will take these conversations forward through student-led awareness and peer engagement during the academic year.

A student panellist representing the participating colleges across Mumbai and Kalyan - Bhavan’s College (Andheri), Thakur College (Kandivali), KJ Somaiya College and BK Birla College (Kalyan) - said, “Once you understand what girls experience, you realise that menstruation is not something boys can simply stay out of. Being an ally can be as simple as knowing how to respond when someone needs help, not making a joke out of something that can already feel uncomfortable, and being able to talk about periods without making them a taboo. Even small changes in how we respond can make someone feel more comfortable, respected and supported.”

Ujaas will continue to work with the participating colleges through the academic year to support and follow up on these action plans, with the aim of extending menstrual friendly practices beyond the campus and into the wider environments in which young people live including their peer groups, families and communities.

The larger lesson from the Ujaas findings is that ending menstrual stigma cannot be the responsibility of girls alone. If girls are to grow up without feeling ashamed of a normal biological process, the attitudes of the people around them must change too.

For Ujaas, menstrual health progress is therefore not only about whether girls have access to products or understand how to manage their periods. It is also about whether the people and institutions around them know how to respond with empathy, respect and dignity — so that a period stain becomes a moment of support, not a moment of shame.

About Ujaas

Ujaas is an initiative of the Aditya Birla Education Trust, founded by Advaitesha Birla, working to normalise menstrual health across schools, communities and homes. With programmes across Maharashtra and Delhi, Ujaas combines structured menstrual-health education, community engagement, access to sustainable menstrual products and women-led livelihood models.

In 2025–26, the initiative reached 4,35,842 people through 13,194 menstrual-health education sessions across 1,704 educational institutions, including 63,841 boys and men, while engaging 62,794 community stakeholders. Its SHG-led Ujaas Green Sanitary Pad Manufacturing Units and Period Sakhi model also create livelihood opportunities for women while expanding access to sustainable menstrual products.

Citizens raising awareness on wild elephants and captive Amer Fort elephants in Jaipur at Patrika Gate Photograph: Shubhobroto Ghosh
 

Amer Fort remains one of India’s most iconic tourist destinations. Yet, its global reputation faces significant risks due to the practice of using captive elephants for daily tourist entertainment. Decades of scientific research, veterinary assessments, and investigative wildlife reports reveal a grim reality. The elephants suffer from chronic foot infections, painful arthritis, and severe psychological distress. These conditions stem directly from walking on hard concrete surfaces under scorching heat while carrying heavy iron howdahs and multiple tourists.
 

The welfare issues inherent in the Amer Fort elephant rides are systemic and deep rooted. Captive elephants are wild animals by nature. They undergo a brutal training process known as 'the crush' to break their spirit and make them submissive to human commands. At Amer Fort, many elephants are forced to work despite advanced age and serious medical ailments. Investigative audits have consistently found that a vast majority of these elephants suffer from compromised vision, permanent limb deformities, and severe nutritional deficiencies from poor diets.
 

Furthermore, the public safety risks associated with this practice are escalating rapidly. Elephants are highly intelligent, social, and emotional animals. When subjected to prolonged stress, isolation, and physical abuse, they can experience sudden bouts of psychosis, that results them in running amok. Over the years, multiple incidents at Amer Fort have seen stressed elephants turn aggressive, endangering international tourists, handlers, and local people. In an era where global travellers actively seek responsible tourism experiences, the continuation of animal exploitation severely damages Jaipur's tourism brand. An elephant named Chanchal was painted pink by the Russian artist Julia Buruleva for a photoshoot in 2025 and this elephant died earlier this year.
 

World Animal Protection is not merely demanding an end to the rides but presenting a viable solution. Under the phase out plan there lies a new framework whereby tourists can observe elephants in a natural sanctuary setting. This model promotes educational tourism, allowing visitors to watch elephants walk, bathe, forage, and socialise safely from a respectful distance.
 

Crucially, this proposed transition protects local livelihoods. The plan will propose that the current elephant handlers, known as mahouts, receive specialized training to transition into sanctuary guides, educational instructors, and caretakers. Financial models demonstrate that global tourists are willing to pay a premium for ethical wildlife encounters. This shift will secure stable, long term revenue for local communities while elevating Jaipur as a global pioneer in sustainable heritage tourism.
 

“As the international community celebrates World Elephant Day 2026, the eyes of the world are on Rajasthan. Progressive travel agencies worldwide are removing elephant rides from their itineraries. Global travel platforms are refusing to promote venues that exploit captive wildlife. Thirty companies have undertaken the wildlife friendly pledge of World Animal Protection in India to not offer elephant rides in their itineraries. World Animal Protection urges the Chief Minister of Rajasthan to act decisively and end elephant rides in Amer Fort and retire the elephants. Ending the Amer Fort elephant rides will honour India’s wildlife protection laws and secure a humane future for these gentle giants which are India’s National Heritage Animal,” says Gajender Kumar Sharma, Country Director, World Animal Protection in India.
 

For more information, please contact:
Gajender Kumar Sharma, Country Director, World Animal Protection in India
Email: gajenderksharma@worldanimalprotection.org.in
Phone Number : 9313333283

India is home to nearly 8% of the world’s recorded biodiversity, making it one of the world’s richest repositories of wildlife and ecosystems. Protecting this natural heritage requires sustained support for conservation efforts across landscapes and species, including many lesser-known flora and fauna that play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance. Through its annual grants programme, THT supports conservation practitioners working at the forefront of these efforts, enabling innovative, science-led and community-driven solutions across the country.

This year’s grants have been awarded across three categories, reflecting the diverse conservation challenges and solutions emerging from across the country.

2026 Grant Categories and Recipients

THT Conservation Grant

Supports organisations addressing India’s conservation challenges, with a focus on lesser-known species and critical habitats.

• Arulagam - One Health Approach for Conserving Critically Endangered Vultures and Hyena in Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Tamil Nadu

• Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology - Croak, Coexist, and Conserve: Conservation of Threatened Amphibians in Human-Shaped Landscapes of River Catchments with Community Participation in Western Ghats

THT Action Grant

Supports urgent, on-ground conservation projects for lesser-known species and habitats requiring immediate intervention.

• Devvrat Singh - Evidence-Based, Community-Led Conservation of the Indian Wolf in Bahraich’s Intense Human–Wolf Conflict Landscapes: Strengthening OECM Approaches

• Nagpur Centre for Peoples Social Forum - Community-Led Grassland Conservation and Fodder Security Around the Two Protected Areas of Vidarbha

THT Research Grant

Supports interdisciplinary research that informs evidence-based conservation action.

• Centre for Ecology, Development and Research (CEDAR) - Remnant and Restorable Ecosystem (RARE) Assessment: Developing a Blueprint for Conservation and Restoration of Himalayan Oak Forests

• MS Swaminathan Research Foundation - Coastal Habitat Monitoring for Enhanced Resilience, Species Conservation, and Community Well-Being

Congratulating this year’s grantees, Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Founder & Trustee, The Habitats Trust, said, “India's biodiversity is far beyond its iconic wildlife. It includes thousands of lesser-known species and ecosystems that quietly sustain ecological balance and support millions of lives. Through The Habitats Trust Grants, we are proud to support the conservationists working tirelessly to protect this natural heritage. Their work not only strengthens biodiversity conservation today but also helps secure a healthier and more resilient future for generations to come.”

Rushikesh Chavan, Director, The Habitats Trust, said, “The quality and diversity of applications this year reflects the growing momentum of conservation efforts across India. From protecting overlooked species and restoring critical habitats to generating research that informs conservation action, these projects show how local knowledge, scientific expertise and community participation can come together to create meaningful and lasting impact.”

This year, The Habitats Trust received 117 applications from all across the country. Following a rigorous five-stage evaluation process, 27 projects were shortlisted for field evaluation, of which 10 finalists presented their proposals before an expert jury.

The jury comprised Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson, HCL Group and Founder & Trustee, The Habitats Trust; Dr. M. K. Ranjitsinh, wildlife expert and architect of India’s Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972; Bahar Dutt, wildlife biologist and environmental journalist; and Brian Heath, Founder & CEO, Mara Conservancy, Kenya. Projects were evaluated on their conservation relevance, scientific rigour, feasibility, stakeholder engagement, scalability and long-term impact.

Since its inception in 2018, The Habitats Trust Grants has supported 38 conservation projects across 21 States and 5 Union Territories, disbursing more than Rs. 16.2 crore to strengthen grassroots conservation efforts across India. By investing in research, innovation and on-ground action, the programme continues to empower conservation practitioners working to protect the country's extraordinary biodiversity and build resilient ecosystems for the future.

For more information, please visit www.thehabitatstrust.org/tht-research-grant.php

About The Habitats Trust

Founded in 2018 by Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of HCL Technologies, and Shikhar Malhotra, CEO and Vice-Chairman of HCL Healthcare, The Habitats Trust (THT) is focused on addressing some of the most pressing developmental challenges arising from biodiversity loss, the climate crisis and global water scarcity. It is committed to undertake pioneering work that goes beyond sustainability and offers regenerative models for a thriving world. THT today works in 32 states and UTs of India with over 120 partners covering an area of over six lakh hectares. Over the last six years THT has made innovations for solving complex multidisciplinary challenges by using cutting-edge technology, ecological restoration, and species and habitats conservation.

For more information, please visit www.thehabitatstrust.org

The investigation found that poor animal welfare and unhygienic dairy practices were not isolated incidents but recurring patterns across locations. Many dairy units were operating in residential neighbourhoods or near public spaces, often within 10 to 300 metres of homes and water bodies, raising concerns about public health, environmental contamination and regulatory compliance.

Investigators documented overcrowding across a majority of facilities, with animals routinely subjected to prolonged tethering, including double and triple tethering and, in many cases, restraint through the nose or mouth. Dairy units housed anywhere between 10 and 500 animals, with an average of approximately 50 animals per unit.

The report records widespread evidence of compromised animal welfare, including malnutrition, untreated wounds, swollen joints, skin infections and behavioural signs of distress. Calves were frequently found tethered for extended periods, often without adequate shelter, while investigators documented multiple instances of Khal baccha practices used to stimulate milk let-down. Indications of oxytocin use, including visible bottles, syringes and admissions by some dairy operators, were also recorded during the investigation.

Investigators further observed that milking was commonly carried out in highly unhygienic conditions, often adjacent to open drains, sewage and accumulated waste. Milk was frequently stored in open containers, while manure and slurry were routinely discharged into open drains. In several locations, improper carcass disposal and dairy waste management practices pointed to broader environmental and public health risks.

The investigation also highlighted systemic challenges facing the sector. Across multiple states, dairy owners reported inadequate access to veterinary care, vaccination programmes, insurance and government support. These findings, coupled with inconsistent enforcement of existing regulations, suggest significant gaps in oversight and accountability.

Key Observations

• 100 plus dairy units investigated across six states between 10 February and 15 April 2026.

• Dairy operations ranged from 10 to 500 animals, averaging around 50 animals per unit.

• Overcrowding and prolonged tethering, including double and triple tethering, were commonly documented.

• 2 instances of Khal baccha practices and 90 per cent of units used oxytocin

• In urban areas, 70-80% of dairy units are close to residential areas, and around 5-10% units are close to water bodies in cities.

• In rural areas, 40-60% of the dairy units work close to residential areas, similar to cities, and around 20% are close to water bodies in villages.

• Established operational patterns: Similar husbandry, milking and waste management practices were observed across multiple locations, indicating standardized operational methods rather than isolated occurrences.

• Limited regulatory monitoring: There was little evidence of regular inspections or timely corrective action, suggesting gaps in routine enforcement.

• Gaps in farmer support systems: Limited access to veterinary care, training and institutional support appears to contribute to poor welfare and management practices.

• Low accountability: Inadequate oversight allows non-compliance with existing animal welfare standards to continue with few consequences.

• Cross-state consistency: The recurrence of similar findings across different states indicates that these challenges are widespread rather than location-specific.

• Need for stronger implementation: Existing regulations require more consistent implementation, monitoring and accountability to drive meaningful improvements in animal welfare.

Investigation videos-

1. Video 1: youtu.be/8G-YPiSSPbE

2. Video 2: youtu.be/es7xD-IpAII

This investigation demonstrates that poor animal welfare and unhygienic dairy practices are not isolated incidents but systemic issues observed across multiple states where we conducted our investigations. The findings highlight the urgent need for stronger implementation of existing laws, better oversight and greater accountability to safeguard animal welfare, public health and environmental standards," said Abhishek Pandey, CEO, Sentient World.

Following the investigation, Sentient World calls for stronger implementation of existing animal welfare, environmental and public health regulations governing dairy operations. The organisation also urges regular inspections of dairy units, improved veterinary support for farmers, and greater accountability to address practices that compromise animal welfare and hygiene.

About Sentient World

Sentient World is an organisation working to document and expose animal welfare concerns through evidence-based investigations, research and public awareness initiatives. By bringing credible documentation to light, the organisation seeks to strengthen accountability and encourage meaningful improvements in animal welfare standards across sectors.

A shared commitment for a water-secure Gurugram
 

Rapid urbanisation has placed Gurugram's urban water bodies under significant stress. Encroachments, unplanned development, sewage inflow, solid waste dumping, the loss of feeder channels, and shrinking catchment areas have contributed to the degradation of the city's lakes and ponds. Many of these water bodies have suffered from siltation, declining water quality, reduced storage capacity, and weakened groundwater recharge, impacting biodiversity, ecological balance, and the city's long-term water security.
 

Recognising the need for scientific and sustainable restoration, MCG has partnered with The Art of Living Social Projects, the social service arm of The Art of Living, which brings extensive experience in pond and lake rejuvenation, watershed management, ecological restoration, and community-led environmental initiatives.
 

Under the partnership, The Art of Living Social Projects will provide technical expertise and implementation support for the rejuvenation of selected urban ponds. The work will begin with detailed technical assessments, including baseline surveys, pond condition assessments, and catchment mapping to develop site-specific restoration plans.
 

The restoration process will include desiltation, removal of accumulated waste, strengthening of pond embankments, restoration of water-holding capacity, and improvements to inlet and outlet systems. Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) will be implemented to improve water quality, support native aquatic biodiversity, and strengthen the surrounding ecosystem through native tree plantation and biodiversity enhancement measures.
 

Community participation will remain central to the initiative. Capacity-building programmes, awareness campaigns, stakeholder consultations, volunteer participation, and improved waste management practices will encourage local ownership of restored water bodies while creating cleaner, healthier public spaces for residents.
 

To ensure lasting impact, the initiative also includes periodic water quality monitoring and continuous assessment of restoration outcomes, helping build a sustainable framework for the long-term management of Gurugram's urban ponds.
 

By combining scientific expertise, ecological restoration, and community participation, this collaboration aims to revive urban water bodies, improve groundwater recharge, strengthen biodiversity, and enhance climate resilience, contributing to a healthier and more water-secure Gurugram for generations to come.

About The Art of Living Social Projects

The Art of Living, a non-profit, educational, and humanitarian organisation founded in 1981 by the world-renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is committed to addressing India’s pressing water challenges. Through its large-scale water conservation projects, the organisation works to mitigate water scarcity by restoring rivers, reviving ecosystems, and improving the quality of life for communities across the country.
 

To learn more about these initiatives or explore CSR partnerships, visit: Best NGO for CSR projects in India.
 

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World Cleft Awareness Day, Smile Train India Marks 800,000+ Free Surgeries
 

Nearly 35,000 children are born with clefts in India every year, yet many miss the critical window for treatment due to myths, misinformation, and stigma. Delayed care can lead to feeding difficulties, malnutrition, speech and hearing impairment, and long-term social and emotional challenges. Early diagnosis and timely surgery are key to better outcomes and access to comprehensive care. World Cleft Awareness Day seeks to raise awareness, dispel misconceptions, and ensure every child born with a cleft receives timely treatment.
 

Smile Train India treats surgery as one part of a larger picture. Its holistic model includes nutritional support, speech therapy, and orthodontic treatment, helping children thrive fully in life. Underpinning this is a sustainability-first strategy: Smile Train India trains and empowers local surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, and multidisciplinary cleft teams to deliver care locally. By strengthening partner hospitals, the organisation ensures children can access high-quality, free cleft care close to home, while building healthcare capacity that outlasts any single intervention.
 

This year's awareness push has drawn wide-ranging support, with partners, donors, ambassadors, cleft affected individuals and families, well-wishers, and the broader community coming together to mark WCAD, many taking to social media and other platforms to share their voices and extend the conversation beyond the medical community and into everyday households.
 

"We've made real progress expanding access to treatment, but awareness remains our toughest battle," said Mamta Carroll, Senior Vice President and Regional Director – Asia, Smile Train. "Every day, children arrive at our doors months or even years later than they should have — not because treatment wasn't there, but because their families never knew cleft could be treated or feared the stigma that so often surrounds it. If we can close that awareness gap, we can reach these children in time and make sure not a single one is left waiting."
 

This World Cleft Awareness Day, Smile Train India urges parents, caregivers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, media, and communities to play an active role in raising awareness, encouraging early diagnosis, and challenging misconceptions surrounding clefts.
 

To learn more about how Smile Train India’s sustainable approach, please visit smiletrainindia.org. For cleft treatment-related query or support, please call our toll-free helpline number: 1800 103 8301.

NIIT Foundation has been Great Place To Work® Certified for the third consecutive year, reaffirming its commitment to fostering a culture of trust, collaboration, inclusivity, and purpose
 

The certification is based on an independent assessment conducted by the Great Place To Work®, which captures employee’s experiences and perceptions of their workplace. This year, NIIT Foundation recorded an overall Trust Index Score of 86%, with 458 employees participating in the survey. The organisation also performed strongly across key workplace dimensions, including Corporate Image (89%), Pride (89%), Leadership Behaviour (88%), Communication (88%), and Justice (87%), reflecting the confidence employees have in the NIIT Foundation's culture and leadership.
 

Commenting on the recognition, Sapna Moudgil, CEO, NIIT Foundation, said, "This certification is especially meaningful because it reflects the voices and experiences of our people. It is a recognition of the culture we have built together, one rooted in trust, collaboration, inclusivity, and a shared commitment to our purpose. As we continue to grow, we remain committed to fostering a workplace where every employee feels valued, respected, empowered to learn, and inspired to create meaningful social impact."
 

The survey also highlighted several areas where NIIT Foundation scored above the Great Place To Work® benchmark. Employees appreciated the organization's emphasis on professional development, fair and inclusive management practices, workplace safety, and its welcoming environment for new team members. Many also expressed pride in the NIIT Foundation's contribution to society and the positive impact of its work, reinforcing the strong sense of purpose that defines the organization.

Established in 2004, NIIT Foundation works to bridge the digital divide by expanding access to education, digital literacy, employability, and skill development opportunities for underserved communities. Through partnerships with government agencies, corporate organizations, and civil society the NIIT Foundation delivers high-impact programs that empower individuals, strengthen communities, and stay true to its commitment of reaching the unreached.
 

The Great Place To Work® Certification is another milestone in NIIT Foundation's journey of investing in its people while advancing its social mission. It reflects the NIIT Foundation's ongoing efforts to foster a workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired to contribute to meaningful and lasting change.
 

About NIIT Foundation

NIIT Foundation (NF) is a not-for-profit education society (NGO) established by the promoters of NIIT in 2004. The Foundation implements CSR programs for Corporates and Corporate Foundations and also builds strong partnerships with NGOs to drive sustainable and scalable development.
 

Its mission is to positively impact the underprivileged of the country through educational initiatives and skill development programs. NIIT Foundation has a mandate to reach the unreached, uncared and unattended to ensure inclusive development of India. With a strong pan-India footprint, NIIT Foundation reaches underserved communities across 28 states and 3 Union Territories.
 

Guided by its mandate to bridge the education and employability gap at the grassroots level, NIIT Foundation implements a wide range of programs and initiatives, including Career and Skill Development programs, Digital Literacy, Financial Literacy, Cyber Security, Community Awareness programs, the Digital Bus initiative, Hole-in-the-Wall Learning Stations, and AI-enabled programs in the IT–ITeS domain.
 

NIIT Foundation is a Great Place To Work® (GPTW) certified organization for three consecutive years and ISO 9001:2015 certified, reflecting its strong people-centric culture, robust governance, and commitment to quality and continuous improvement.
 

NIIT Foundation works on social development initiatives, including education, digital inclusion, and skilling for underserved communities. All programs and partnerships are undertaken solely by NIIT Foundation. Any reference to any other similarly named entity in relation to NIIT Foundation’s initiatives is incorrect unless explicitly specified.
 

To know more, please visit our website, www.niitfoundation.org, and follow us on our social media channels.
 

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/niitfoundation/?originalSubdomain=in 

Twitter: x.com/NIIT_Foundation 

YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC0mLKG8oDG-sFWH2XhoDgMQ 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NIITFoundation 

Bhagyashree playing with a horse Photo credit: Bhagyashree

 Jaipur is called the pride of Rajasthan. Every day, thousands of tourists visit beautiful palaces, colourful markets and the historic Amer Fort, admiring the rich culture and royal heritage of the Pink City that is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

“I learned about the lives of the elephants behind these rides. Hidden behind the bright decorations and tourist photographs are nearly eighty elephants living a life of pain and captivity. These gentle animals are taken away from the forests where they truly belong and are forced to spend their days carrying tourists under the hot sun. Many remain chained for long hours, deprived of proper food, medical care, rest and the freedom to move naturally. When they are not giving rides at Amer Fort, they are often made to continue working in Haathi Gaon, where their suffering silently continues.

Elephants are not meant for entertainment. They are highly intelligent and emotional wild animals. Just like humans, they form deep family bonds,care for their young ones and feel joy, fear, grief and loneliness. In the wild, elephants walk long distances every day, swim across rivers and live in close social groups. Seeing them reduced to a life of chains and commands for human amusement is heartbreaking,” Bhagyashree says.

 “What disturbed me even more was learning how many elephants are trained. Baby calves are often separated from their mothers and forced to undergo a cruel process called “the crush” to break their spirit and make them obedient enough for rides and performances. It is difficult to imagine the fear and trauma these young animals go through simply to entertain people for a few minutes,” Bhagyashree adds.

 Bhagyashree feels most tourists, whether from India or abroad, are unaware of this suffering. They only see a decorated elephant and a memorable ride, without realising the pain hidden behind it.

“India has recognised elephants as our National Heritage Animal, yet these magnificent beings continue to suffer in captivity for tourism. I believe we can celebrate Rajasthan’s culture and history without causing cruelty to animals. True heritage should reflect compassion, dignity and respect for life. I have seen elephants in the wild and can state that these majestic animals belong in the wild, and not in captivity. I stand with World Animal Protection in calling for an end to elephant rides in Jaipur and for the rehabilitation of these elephants into proper sanctuaries where they can finally live with care, peace and some freedom for the rest of their lives. Wildlife belongs in the wild, not in chains for entertainment,” emphasises Bhagyashree.

World Animal Protection would like to thank Bhagyashree wholeheartedly for the compassion she has shown for the captive elephants in Jaipur. The timing is especially appropriate given that World Animal Protection, as part of a coalition of two hundred and forty one organisations comprising the Asia For Animals coalition, has written to the Chief Wildlife Warden of Rajasthan requesting him to end elephant rides in the wake of the unfortunate death of an elephant named Chanchal, who was painted for a photoshoot of an artist named Julia Buruleva from Russia. Also, World Animal Protection welcomes the announcement of animal welfare standards by the Ministry of Tourism in places that are frequented by tourists and it is hoped that stringent animal welfare standards will lead to the cessation of elephant rides in places like Amer Fort in Jaipur.

“We are very pleased to have a compassionate and conscientious celebrity like Bhagyashree join our ranks to end elephant rides and combat animal cruelty," says Gajender Kumar Sharma, Country Director, World Animal Protection in India. “We hope her plea to end elephant rides will encourage more people to stop riding elephants and ultimately bring this spectacle to an end with the help of the government of Rajasthan."

For more information and video statement of Bhagyashree, please contact World Animal Protection at : shubhobrotoghosh@worldanimalprotection.org.in.

A joint initiative by APD and ABB India, launched in November 2022, RoW was started to address critical gaps in access, affordability, and awareness of rehabilitation services, particularly in last-mile regions.
 

APD’s Rehab on Wheels team reaches communities with on-ground rehabilitation support, bringing services closer to PWDs
 

Operating through a transdisciplinary approach, RoW provides physiotherapy, medical consultations, assistive device assessments, audiology services, and caregiver training through both fixed centres and mobile units. By delivering services directly within communities, the initiative reduces dependence on urban healthcare facilities and ensures continuity of care.
 

During FY 2022–26, the initiative has also:

• Conducted 6,000 plus awareness and sensitisation activities

• Delivered 300 plus assistive device assessments and distributions

• Organised 12 medical camps, exceeding planned targets

• Strengthened early identification and intervention through engagement with ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, and local stakeholders
   

Marking the fourth year of Rehab on Wheels, GNV Subba Rao, Global Head of Operations, Center - Automation & Head of ABB Innovation Center, India, said, “Over the past three years, Rehab on Wheels has evolved into a critical last-mile intervention that is bridging gaps in access, affordability, and awareness of rehabilitation services. Today, we are seeing tangible outcomes in terms of improved mobility, reduced pain, and stronger community participation. More importantly, the initiative is enabling early identification, strengthening referral systems, and building local capacity, making rehabilitation more sustainable at the community level.”
 

A rehabilitation session underway as community members participate in exercises and receive support
 

Dr. N.S. Senthil Kumar (PhD Rehabilitation), President of APD Futures at The Association of People with Disability (APD, India), added, “Rehab on Wheels today stands as a strong example of how innovation and partnerships can address the inherent gaps in healthcare access. The scale it has achieved, along with the outcomes on the ground, reinforces our belief that such models can be expanded to reach many more underserved communities.”
 

What began as a single mobile unit is now scaling into a fleet of 3 buses, thanks to many other corporates showing interest in supporting Rehab on Wheels, an innovative, time-tested program helping APD to expand its reach across Bangalore and surrounding regions, demonstrating a scalable model for inclusive, community-based rehabilitation in India.
 

About The Association of People with Disability (APD)

APD is a pioneering non-profit organisation, established in 1959 by the late Ms N. S. Hema. APD has impacted over 6 lakh People with Disability from underprivileged communities from remote, rural, and poor socioeconomic backgrounds. Various programs by APD cover 18 out of 21 disabilities stated in the RPWD Act 2016. With a diverse and inclusive team of over 230 members (45% Women and 30% PwDs), APD reaches out to over 60,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries annually. APD is managed by a professional team of developmental and technical experts overseen by an eminent Board of Governors and Trustees. The Association maintains the highest standards of governance, has been acknowledged by multiple donors, and is accredited by independent agencies like the TISS, Credibility Alliance, RCI, and NIPMAN Foundation.

To learn more, visit www.apd-india.org.
 

About ABB

ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered, and operated. Building on more than 130 years of excellence, ABB’s ~105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. 
 

ABB has been present in India for more than a century and has been manufacturing for more than 75 years. ABB India has more than 8000 employees across manufacturing, R&D, design and business services, with a pan-Indian presence. ABB India is working closely with partners and customers to electrify, automate, and digitalize energy-efficient solutions to partner with India’s net-zero journeys.
 

ABB is a pioneering technology leader that works closely with utility, industry, transportation and infrastructure customers to write the future of industrial digitalization and realize value.

To learn more, visit ABB Group | Helping industries outrun – leaner and cleaner | ABB.

APD’s Circle of Collaboration, Bengaluru Edition, sparked dialogue on accessibility, public accountability, government participation, and data-driven inclusion

The event brought together stakeholders from government, industry, civil society, and the disability community to advance evidence-based action on accessibility and inclusion. It follows a series of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) 2026 initiatives by APD, including a policy dialogue on embedding disability inclusion within ESG frameworks, the development of a Digital Accessibility Indicator, a multi-stakeholder panel discussion and a public exhibition that debuted in New Delhi before travelling to Bengaluru.

As India marks a decade of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, the event focused on generating evidence for policy and mobilising communities to map public spaces. The discussions were particularly timely following the recent Karnataka High Court guidelines on improving accessibility in public and private buildings, highlighting the need for better data, stronger implementation, and community participation. Through the Yes to Access platform, citizens report local accessibility data to help persons with disabilities, caregivers, and allies identify navigable locations. To recognise districts that have actively contributed to expanding this accessibility database, the organisation honoured the top five-performing districts on the platform. Meanwhile, the newly launched Policy Research Fellowship will support data-driven research to improve institutional accountability and policy implementation.

The event was inaugurated by Dr Suman Kumar, Director of the Ali Yavar Jung Institute of Speech and Hearing Disabilities. Delivering the Special Address, Dr Manik Gursal I.A.S., Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Government of Maharashtra, reflected on the evolving disability-inclusion landscape in India, stating, "The true measure of inclusion lies in whether persons with disabilities can participate fully in everyday life with dignity and independence. Building such an environment requires a long-term commitment to equity, opportunity, and shared responsibility across society."

An interactive exhibition showcased the journey of the Yes to Access initiative. Two panel discussions explored how technology and inclusive design can improve infrastructure planning, as well as the role of families and volunteers in building more inclusive communities.

Speaking at the event, Sukanto Aich, CEO, APD, said, "As we mark a decade of the RPwD Act, we must shift the focus from intent to impact. Accessibility demands policy, evidence, meaningful community participation, and sustained collective action. Through the Policy Research Fellowship and Yes to Access, APD advances this agenda by combining research with citizen-led engagement to drive systemic change."

The event concluded with a collective commitment to turning accessibility from policy intent into lived reality through sustained collaboration, evidence-based action, and community leadership.

About The Association of People with Disability

The Association of People with Disability (APD) is a Bengaluru-based non-profit organisation working towards empowering persons with disabilities through inclusive education, livelihoods, skill development, community-based rehabilitation, policy advocacy, and accessibility initiatives. Through collaborative programmes and partnerships, APD works to build equitable and inclusive systems that enable persons with disabilities to participate fully in society.

Grammy-Nominated Producer Maejor with the students of Tibetan Children's Village (TCV) as part of an OHM collaboration in Dharamshala
 

The initiative reflects OHM’s belief that creativity, awareness, and community are essential to human flourishing, and that timeless principles of human connection and inner balance can be meaningfully applied in modern life. By bringing Frequency School's mindfulness and wellness education platform into alignment with OHM's awareness and wellbeing practices, the collaboration creates a living environment for human development that bridges ancient wisdom with modern scientific understanding.
 

At the heart of the partnership is OHM's proprietary digital curriculum, a self-paced educational framework built around universal spirituality, nervous system awareness, systems thinking, conscious technology literacy, and the integration of science and spirit. These globally accessible modules are designed to support clarity, emotional resilience, and self-awareness.
 

The collaboration also includes OHM’s non-invasive frequency-based longevity support, developed under the guidance of biophysics researcher Dr. Jeff Sutherland, PhD, and designed to support nervous system regulation, recovery, and overall wellbeing. These protocols are designed to support healthy cellular communication and balance in the body's natural energy field for all program participants.
 

For Roy, the initiative also reflects a deeply personal connection to India, culture, and conscious education.
 

Sathi Roy, a first-generation Bengali American and Founder of Our Highest Mantra, said, "This partnership reflects our belief that human flourishing begins with connection — connection to ourselves, to community, to creativity, and to a deeper sense of meaning. As a first-generation Bengali American, supporting an initiative that gives back to India while uplifting the work of the Tibetan Children’s Village carries deep personal meaning for me. Dharamshala carries a unique spiritual and cultural significance that makes it a powerful home for this initiative. By bringing together music, conscious education, and supportive environments, we hope to help young people cultivate emotional resilience, creativity, self-awareness, and a stronger sense of possibility for their future.”
 

The seeds of this collaboration were planted during the filming of Empathy: The Pursuit of Joy – A Hero’s Journey, a documentary project that brought Maejor and Frequency School together on the TCV campus. Dr. Natalie Petouhoff, Executive Producer, and Josh Sikkema, Director, of the film, describe the program as a living embodiment of the film’s central idea — that the greatest gift we can offer one another is to truly see, hear, and acknowledge each other. Grounded in the neuroscience of empathy and joy, the initiative shows how ancient wisdom and modern science come together to expand perspective, unlock possibility, and create more meaningful ways of living, working, and playing together. And they are excited to include the children’s music in the film’s soundbath soundtrack, as the music will not only play a key role in how the stories are told, but this creative hub in Dharamshala enables their talent to be heard globally.
 

While filming a workshop with Maejor on campus, a student shared on camera her dream of creating music, but didn't know where to begin. That moment became the catalyst. The initiative now provides students with computers, DAW software, and hands-on instruction in music creation and recording, while opening a global pathway for their work to be heard as part of the film's worldwide sound bath soundtrack, building confidence, inclusion, and self-expression through healing harmonics.
 

OHM's frameworks are embedded within Frequency School's Impact Initiative, a model that blends mindfulness, wellness, and creativity through the transformative power of sound, establishing music studios and wellness labs for youth in underserved communities to address critical gaps in education and wellness.
 

Maejor, Founder of Frequency School, said, "Our goal is to offer young people hands-on tools to explore sound as both a therapy and educational force, nurturing mindfulness, creativity, and inner balance. Dharamshala, long regarded as a global spiritual crossroads, provides a natural home for this initiative."
 

The collaboration brings together ancient wisdom, modern technology, and community-centered education to create a new model for youth wellbeing and creative development. Together, the music studio and wellness lab are envisioned as a space where music, creativity, and human connection support long-term wellbeing to nurture long-term human development.
 

Tsultrim Dorjee, Upper TCV Director, said, "This music studio is a beautiful evolution of the energy we felt on campus last year with the Empathy Documentary Film team and Frequency School. It gives our students a real sense of ownership over their creativity, turning the school learning program into a truly hands-on experience where their new talents can finally take root."
 

As the initiative grows, Dharamshala has the opportunity to become a global example of how music, mindfulness, education, and technology can come together to support the next generation of human wellbeing and creative expression.

OHM is actively fundraising to bring coherence-based programs to more communities worldwide. Frequency School Studios is also fundraising to expand its tech-integrated hubs globally, welcoming monetary donations, computers, monitors, speakers, DAW software, and other music recording equipment.

APD's Circle of Collaboration event in New Delhi marked the integration of GoI's Sugamya Bharat App and Yes to Access

The integration comes at a time when accessibility efforts in India increasingly require more than infrastructure improvements alone. Sustained progress requires collaborative monitoring, stronger accountability, and active participation from governments, civil society organisations, and citizens.

India has – at conservative estimates – 2.68 crore citizens who live with a disability. However, even 10 years after the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, public spaces like parks, offices, educational institutions, and restaurants often lack basic accessibility facilities like ramps, wheelchair-friendly toilets. That’s where these apps come in – for regular citizens to audit and report the accessibility of public places. While the Sugamya Bharat App enables citizens to report accessibility barriers and supports the objectives of the Accessible India Campaign, Yes to Access enables citizens to assess and report the accessibility of public spaces at scale, creating a map that helps persons with disabilities, caregivers, families, and allies identify accessible locations.

Together, the platforms aim to strengthen citizen-led accessibility monitoring and create more responsive systems for identifying and addressing barriers faced by persons with disabilities.

The announcement was made during Circle of Collaborations, a convening designed to showcase the power of partnerships in advancing accessibility and inclusion. The event brought together government representatives, disability rights advocates, civil society organisations, accessibility practitioners, designers, and development sector leaders to reflect on progress made and explore pathways for greater collaboration.

The event was inaugurated by Ms. Manmeet Kaur Nanda, IAS, Additional Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. The inaugural panel also featured Dr. S. Govindaraj, Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities; Mr. Anand Shekhar, Chief Executive Officer, WaterAid India; and Ms. Puja Anand, President, Association of Designers of India. The session was moderated by Dr. Bhumika Modh, Head – Public Policy and Collaborations, APD, and was preceded by a welcome address from Mr. Jacob Kurian, Honorary Secretary, APD.

The inaugural discussion explored the evolving accessibility landscape in India. Speakers reflected on the importance of data-driven inclusion, public-private collaboration, community-led systems change, and the growing need for stronger standards and capacity-building around digital accessibility.

The event also featured an interactive exhibition showcasing the journey, impact, and future vision of the Yes to Access initiative. Highlights included the Yes to Access Journey Timeline, tracing key milestones and learnings; the Wall of Collaborations, recognising organisations and individuals who have contributed to the accessibility movement; and the Data and Impact Zone, featuring a live dashboard that enabled visitors to engage with accessibility-related insights and outcomes.

The exhibition further included Way Forward, a space dedicated to exploring future opportunities for collaboration and participation, and Postcards to the Future, an interactive installation inviting attendees to share their aspirations and commitments towards a more accessible and inclusive India.

Speaking at the event, Ms. Manmeet Kaur Nanda, IAS, Additional Secretary, DEPwD, said, "Accessibility cannot be achieved by any one institution alone. It requires governments, civil society organisations, industry, and communities to work together towards a common goal. Platforms such as Yes to Access and the integration with Sugamya demonstrate how collaboration and technology can help accelerate our collective journey towards a more inclusive India."

Dr. Bhumika Modh, Head – Public Policy and Collaborations, APD, said, "The integration of the Sugamya App with Yes to Access is an important milestone in strengthening citizen-led accessibility monitoring and action. Through Circle of Collaborations, we wanted to showcase the power of partnerships in creating sustainable change and invite more stakeholders to join us in building a future where accessibility is embedded by design."

Ahead of the event, Mr. Jacob Kurian, Honorary Secretary, APD, said, "Through Circle of Collaborations, we wanted to highlight the collective effort that drives progress on accessibility. The exhibition showcases the role of partnerships, innovation, and community participation in creating more inclusive environments. As India continues its digital transformation, ensuring that accessibility is embedded by design will be critical to building a future that works for everyone."

Circle of Collaborations was envisioned as both a celebration of collective progress and a call for deeper collaboration towards accessible futures that are equitable, participatory, and inclusive by design.

Following the New Delhi edition, Circle of Collaborations will be hosted in Bengaluru on June 13, 2026, at Saanchi Gallery, Bangalore International Centre, bringing together a wider network of partners, practitioners, institutions, and advocates committed to advancing accessibility and inclusion across India.

About The Association of People with Disability

The Association of People with Disability (APD) is a Bengaluru-based non-profit organisation working towards empowering persons with disabilities through inclusive education, livelihoods, skill development, community-based rehabilitation, policy advocacy, and accessibility initiatives. Through collaborative programmes and partnerships, APD works to build equitable and inclusive systems that enable persons with disabilities to participate fully in society.

World Environment Day event of World Animal Protection involving youth in Jaipur on 5 June 2026 Photograph : Shubhobroto Ghosh

On World Environment Day, we recognize the vital importance of elephants to the environment. Elephants are vital ecosystem engineers that maintain and regenerate ecosystems through seed dispersal, habitat clearing, and nutrient recycling. By eating, crushing, and moving vegetation, they promote the growth of diverse plant life and capture atmospheric carbon. Elephants consume vast quantities of fruit. As they travel long distances, they deposit these seeds in nutrient-rich dung, effectively planting new forests. Some plant seeds actually require passing through an elephant's digestive tract to germinate. They trample dense brush and eat smaller saplings. This clears competition and opens up canopy gaps, allowing larger trees to absorb more sunlight and store significant amounts of carbon. As they roam, elephants create paths, dig deep wells to tap underground water, and knock down vegetation, providing smaller animals with access to food and water. 

Unfortunately elephants are killed for their ivory, become victims of human wildlife conflict and are illegally captured for human entertainment and subject to tortuous training process to make them amenable for rides. Speaking on the occasion, Tricia Croasdell, Chief Executive Officer of World Animal Protection, said, “The event today is an important one for building understanding of how best to protect elephants. Elephants, like all wild animals, are not suited to close, hands-on encounters with people. They belong in the wild, not in captivity or for riding at venues like Amer Fort in Jaipur. Seeing elephants in real life can be a dream come true for many people, but to protect their welfare, we must watch elephants from a distance, in their natural habitat, or at a true sanctuary. I encourage everyone to research before booking elephant activities and spot the signs of elephant exploitation, such as captive breeding and unnatural performances. I am buoyed by the fact that so many children will be involved today, using art and speaking about why we need to 'Keep Wildlife Wild' – a huge thank-you from me for helping to spread this important message.”

Gajender Kumar Sharma, Country Director of World Animal Protection in India, emphasised the importance of keeping elephants wild and not letting them be abused in captivity. “India’s National Heritage Animal belongs in the wild where they are an integral part of the environment. They do not belong in Amer Fort in Jaipur for rides and entertainment. We request the Chief Minister of Rajasthan to listen to the voice of India’s future and end elephant rides in Jaipur and retire the elephants,” he said.
 

For more information, please contact : Gajender Kumar Sharma, Country Director, World Animal Protection in India 

Email : gajenderksharma@worldanimalprotection.org.in

Mobile phone : 9313333283

(L-R) Sudarshan Suchi, Reliance Foundation; Poonam Muttreja, PFI; Rajesh Tandon, PRIA; Subodh Mishra, Cohesion Foundation Trust; Sivakumar Surampudi, ITC

Distinguished voices contributing to the day’s discussions included Dr. Rajesh Tandon (PRIA), who spoke on the state of government-civil society collaboration; Prof. Bina Agarwal (University of Manchester), on women’s land rights as the foundation for economic agency and intergenerational change; Mr. Gagan Sethi, on the lessons of 25 years of community-centred practice and what the next chapter demands; Mr. Sudarshan Suchi (Reliance Foundation), on how philanthropic capital can be aligned with public systems to reach the last mile; Ms. Saranya Pradhan (McCain Foods India), on how private sector engagement with women and youth in agriculture builds both livelihoods and supply chain resilience; Mr. Biraj Patnaik (National Foundation for India), on resourcing the civil society ecosystem and sustaining organisations that hold the long view; and Mr. Sivakumar Surampudi (ITC Limited), on market-linked models that connect rural women and youth to economic opportunity.

The Outcome Report 2020–25 captures a period of significant growth and impact for the organisation. Over the last 5 years, Cohesion supported more than 15,000 women farmers, reached 67,409 children through education and early childhood development programmes, linked over 43,000 individuals to government welfare schemes, strengthened more than 150 community-based organisations, and enabled community-led water management initiatives that created 259,188 kilolitres of additional water storage across 78 villages.

Speaking at the event, Rajesh Kapoor, Chief Executive Officer, Cohesion Foundation Trust, said, “25 years ago, we began with a belief that communities themselves hold the knowledge, resilience and leadership needed to drive lasting change. Our journey has reinforced that belief time and again. Whether it is women farmers strengthening livelihoods, families accessing essential entitlements, or communities managing natural resources, meaningful development happens when people are empowered to lead it. As we look ahead, our ambition is to help transform a million lives by 2030 through community-owned development.”

The Outcome Report also sets out Cohesion's strategy for the next 5 years, the organisation's stated goal is to transform 1 million lives by 2030 through community-owned development. Building on its ‘Model, Replicate and Scale’ approach, the strategy will focus on climate-resilient livelihoods, women’s leadership, youth empowerment, stronger community institutions and evidence-driven engagement with public systems and development partners.

About Cohesion Foundation Trust

Cohesion Foundation Trust was set up in 1996 by a multi-disciplinary team of professionals. The team equipped with the experience of different facets of development, started as a support body, providing professional services to other organizations. The support included services like community organization; project finance & management services including planning, monitoring & evaluation; designing & maintenance of Impact assessment and Management Information Systems; research, capacity building, democratization of development process & empowerment; advocacy works etc. As a strategic move in the year 2000-01, Cohesion initiated its implementation units, with a view to enrich the exchange of learning through support activities.

Today, that story is changing.

Before & After, the land tells Jalna's story

With support from the Save Groundwater Foundation (SGF), USA, Project JalTara by The Art of Living Social Projects through Vyakti Vikas Kendra India (VVKI) is helping recharge groundwater across villages in Jalna. The initiative uses scientifically designed recharge structures to capture rainwater and restore underground aquifers, improving water availability and farm resilience.

Turning Rainwater into a Resource

Jalna, in Maharashtra’s Marathwada region, is highly vulnerable to erratic rainfall, recurring droughts, and groundwater depletion. Despite seasonal rains, much of the water is lost as surface runoff due to hard basalt rock formations, black cotton soil that limits infiltration, and shallow rocky terrain. Over time, excessive groundwater extraction has further reduced borewell levels and agricultural productivity.

Project JalTara addresses this through a decentralised, low-cost, community-led water conservation model. It uses simple recharge structures made of gravel, sand, and stones that filter rainwater and allow it to percolate into the ground, replenishing aquifers.

Reviving Water Security Across Villages

The project was implemented across 10 villages in Jalna district, including Ambhor Shelke, Khandvi, Khandviwadi, Kirtapur, Pashta, Watur, Sondeo, Shrishti, Swargaon, and Pimprula.

Earlier, these villages faced dry wells, drinking and irrigation shortages, barren fields, and heavy dependence on tanker water.

Post-implementation, communities report improved groundwater levels, better soil moisture, and increased water availability. Farmers who earlier managed one crop cycle are now able to cultivate up to two in several areas, with reduced dependence on external water sources.

Additional benefits include improved vegetation, reduced soil erosion, better soil moisture retention, and increased awareness of water conservation. Women, in particular, have seen reduced burden from long water-fetching journeys.

Community Participation at the Core

A key strength of Project JalTara is strong community participation. Villagers were actively involved in site selection, construction, and maintenance, ensuring local ownership and long-term sustainability. The model’s simplicity and low maintenance make it easily replicable in other drought-prone regions.

The initiative also demonstrates how traditional ecological knowledge, when combined with scientific design, can deliver scalable water solutions.

Challenges on the Ground

Implementation in Jalna’s semi-arid terrain came with challenges, including hard rocky soil, extreme heat, and tight pre-monsoon timelines. Mobilising remote communities and coordinating sustained participation required continuous effort and planning.

Despite these constraints, the project was successfully completed through collaboration and efficient execution.

A Scalable Pathway for Rural Water Security

Project JalTara shows that meaningful solutions to water scarcity do not always require large infrastructure. Simple, locally adapted interventions can restore groundwater, strengthen agriculture, and improve rural livelihoods.

By capturing rainwater and replenishing aquifers, the initiative offers a scalable model for long-term water security in climate-vulnerable regions.

About The Art of Living Social Projects

The Art of Living, a non-profit, educational, and humanitarian organisation founded in 1981 by the world-renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is committed to addressing India’s pressing water challenges. Through its large-scale water conservation projects, the organisation works to mitigate water scarcity by restoring rivers, reviving ecosystems, and improving the quality of life for communities across the country.

To learn more about these initiatives or explore CSR partnerships, visit: Best NGO for CSR projects in India.

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Young minds learning, growing, and building a brighter future at Ranga Rao Memorial School for Differently Abled

Started in 1988, Ranga Rao Memorial School for Differently Abled is a free residential school initiated for visually challenged girls. The school operates under “Child centric project” and is supported by ‘Department of the Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens’ Karnataka State. In the academic year 2017-2018 the school has received award of Best Service Organization in disabled sector from the Empowerment of Differently abled and senior citizen on the World Disability Day.

What started with two students is now a huge residential school that is changing the life of hundreds of visually impaired girls. It not only provides a safe haven and quality education, but also helps in holistic development and prepares students to live a life with dignity outside the school. Extra-curricular activities like dance, yoga workshops, bird watching, singing competition, vocational training, self-defence, skill marshal arts class and for low vision students exclusive basic tailoring course etc. are a part and parcel of life at RMSD. The school follows the state syllabus learning through Braille system taught by highly qualified teachers and imparts technology upgradation basic & computer skills.

It also provides parent counselling and organizes house-to-house visits to bring about awareness on the importance of educating and opportunities to visually impaired girls. Also, the all-round excellent performance of the students is a proof to the dedication and high-quality service rendered by the teachers and staff of RMSD.

About Ranga Rao Memorial School for Differently Abled (RMSD)

Ranga Rao Memorial School for Disabled (RMSD) is a free residential school for visually challenged girls from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, giving them confidence to be responsible for themselves. It is the only school in the Karnataka State exclusive to the Girls, the current strength of the school is 96, with a committed set of teachers and Ranga family members serving them for the last 37 years. Students who passed out from the school are today working at various institutions and leading their life with dignity which stands testimonial to the noble cause initiated by the NR group.

Over the last 37 years, RMSD has transformed the lives of countless visually impaired girls by focusing on holistic development, inclusive learning practices, and access to advanced digital tools.

RMSD, a free residential school for visually impaired girls from Grade 1 to Grade 10, functions under the ‘Child-Centric Project’ supported by the Department of the Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens, Karnataka State. The school not only offers education, but also provides lodging, boarding, and healthcare facilities. It was established in 1988 to empower visually impaired girls in and around Mysuru through education and vocational training. Additionally, it equips students with life skills, music, dance, and basic cooking training.

DKMS Foundation India brings together changemakers and medical leaders at the Lifesaver Honours Night in Bengaluru to support blood cancer patients
 

The event brought together key stakeholders whose collective efforts have driven the expansion of the blood stem cell donor registry and enhanced patient care in India. It highlighted the importance of sustained collaboration across the medical community, institutions, and civil society to address the growing need for stem cell donors, while also drawing attention to ongoing efforts to raise awareness and bridge gaps in access to timely, life-saving transplants for patients across the country.

Among the prominent guests at the evening were Karthik Reddy, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Bengaluru City, and Mandira Bedi, actor, television presenter, and fitness advocate, who lent their support to the cause.

“Our mission to provide a second chance at life is a collaborative effort spanning medical science, corporate social responsibility, and public advocacy,” said Patrick Paul, Executive Chairman, DKMS India. “The Lifesaver Honours is our way of expressing gratitude to those who go above and beyond to bring hope to patients in need. Their commitment continues to form the backbone of our work in India.”

Dr. Elke Neujahr, Global CEO, DKMS said, “Every year, thousands of donor searches are initiated globally, highlighting the ongoing need for matching donors. At DKMS, we are committed to ensuring that every patient in need can find a suitable match.”

“This is only possible through collaboration. To save lives it takes voices that inspire action, institutions that mobilise communities, medical teams that deliver excellence, and individuals whose dedication never stops.”
 

A key highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Honour to Dr. Latha Jagannathan, Medical Director and Managing Trustee, BMST Bengaluru, in recognition of her contribution to the fight against blood cancer and blood disorders. “I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition and to stand alongside those committed to this cause,” said Dr. Latha Jagannathan. “It is a privilege to contribute to work that brings hope to families when they need it most.”
 

The evening also served as a platform to discuss key challenges in blood stem cell transplantation, including gaps in donor availability, awareness, and timely access to treatment, while highlighting the need for stronger collaboration across the healthcare ecosystem to improve patient outcomes.
 

The evening honoured winners across four distinct categories:

Category 1: Awareness
Excellence in Blood Cancer & Blood Disorders Reporting: Awarded to Afshan Yasmeen, Deputy Editor, The Hindu, Bengaluru, for impactful reporting that brought the cause to the forefront of public discourse through the story, “A Silent Burden: Thalassaemia Patients in Karnataka Battle Disease with Hope and Hardship”
 

Category 2: Registration
Outstanding Institutional Partner: Recognising Manipal Institute of Technology (MAHE), Manipal, for leading the way in youth donor registration.
Outstanding Corporate Partner: Celebrating EXL Technologies, India, for integrating the DKMS mission into their CSR and employee engagement initiatives.

Category 3: Medical Excellence
Collection Centre of the Year: Awarded to BMST, Bengaluru, for demonstrating exceptional standards in donor care and stem cell collection.
Medical Advisory Group Felicitation: A special honour for 10 distinguished members of the medical community for their expert guidance.

Category 4: Special Recognition
Lifetime Excellence Award: A leadership-discretionary honour recognising an individual who has made a unique, transformative impact on the lives of patients with blood cancer and blood disorders.
 

About DKMS Foundation

DKMS Foundation, India, is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the fight against blood cancer and other blood disorders, such as thalassemia and aplastic anemia. The foundation aims to improve the situation of patients in India and across the world by raising awareness about blood stem cell transplantation and registering potential blood stem cell donors.

For more information, please visit www.dkms-India.org.

The MoU was signed by Dr. Pulkit Khanna, Dean, JIBS, and Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar, Founder, Cheistha Kochhar Foundation. This collaboration marks the beginning of a shared commitment to leveraging behavioural science for scalable social impact, leadership development and community engagement.
 

Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar and Ms. Pulkit Khanna, Dean (JIBS), signs a MoU at O.P. Jindal Global University

The partnership aims to bridge academic research with practical implementation by designing interventions that are evidence-based, context-sensitive and outcome-driven. By combining academic rigour with on-ground experience, both institutions seek to create meaningful frameworks that can address complex societal challenges and enable sustainable impact.
 

Speaking on the occasion, Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar, father of the Late Cheistha Kochhar, reflected on her vision and legacy, and emphasized the role of Nudge practice in shaping inclusive development pathways.
 

Gen. Kochhar remarked, “This partnership is deeply aligned with the vision of Late Cheistha Kochhar, who was among the early pioneers of Nudge Practice in India. By bringing together academic excellence and real-world application, we aim to design interventions that are not only evidence-based but also socially relevant and scalable. Through this collaboration with JIBS, we look forward to nurturing future leaders and translating nudge-based behavioural insights into meaningful impact on the ground.”
 

Prashant Gautam, Cheistha’s Husband, also highlighted the growing relevance of nudge theory and behavioural science as powerful tools for designing effective social interventions and influencing public policy outcomes.

Dr. Pulkit Khanna, Dean, Jindal Institute of Behavioural Sciences, expressed appreciation for the collaboration and noted that such partnerships play a vital role in strengthening the application of behavioural science for societal benefit. She conveyed confidence that the initiative would foster meaningful research, practical interventions and long-term impact across diverse communities.
 

The event brought together academia, practitioners and stakeholders for an engaging exchange of ideas, reinforcing the importance of collaboration in driving innovation and impact.
 

The program concluded with awards ceremony, including the presentation of Cheistha Kochhar Rolling Trophy to the winning participants from Christ University, NCR Delhi for their project "GreenCart Default,” a behavioural intervention designed to make sustainable choices easier on quick e-commerce platforms.

The India Mental Health Alliance (IMHA) today announced that it has crossed 300 member organisations across 30 states and union territories, marking a significant milestone for India’s evolving mental health ecosystem.
 

The India Mental Health Alliance

More than a growth milestone, the development reflects a broader shift across stakeholders towards greater collaboration, shared learning, and coordinated action for mental health, which has long operated in fragmented silos. IMHA was established on the belief that meaningful progress in mental healthcare requires bringing clinical and lived experience expertise together; aided by resource mobilization from philanthropy, government and the private sector collectively.
 

Neha Kirpal, Co-Founder, IMHA, said, “Reaching 300 members is significant because of what it makes possible for everyone. When cross-sectoral organisations have a shared alliance to connect, share on-ground learnings across their cultural contexts, and build capacities together; the entire ecosystem becomes stronger and more effective. IMHA’s role has been to act as a catalyst and facilitator, creating the possibilities for partnerships, and pathways that enable knowledge, expertise, and support to flow more freely across the nation. This kind of collaborative infrastructure is essential to move mental health from the margins to the mainstream as a developmental priority in our journey towards Viksit Bharat.”
 
Over the past year, this vision has translated into a focused effort to - Connect, Convene, Collaborate, and build Capacity across the mental health ecosystem. IMHA’s key initiatives towards these goals in this past year have included:

• A national member directory with QR-enabled discoverability tools for all members, funders and public institutions to connect with organisations from across India

• Active digital communities, including an active nationwide WhatsApp group

• Ongoing member engagement across geographies with regional meet ups

• Building members’ capacities through monthly curated sessions and consultations with global experts; themes include organisational strengthening, youth mental health, lived experience expertise, public health integration, cross-sector programming, and engagement with funders and government

Together, these efforts are helping organisations discover one another, exchange knowledge, and collaborate more effectively across the country. 

Building on these connections, IMHA has also prioritised convening as a core pillar of ecosystem-building by creating spaces for organisations to come together, exchange ideas, and forge partnerships. Through its ‘Connecting India for Mental Health’ series, IMHA hosted its first regional meet-up in Mumbai, with upcoming convenings planned in:

• Guwahati (May 2026)

• Chennai (August 2026)

• Bangalore (December 2026)

This builds on the momentum of IMHA’s first Annual Convening last year, a landmark closed-door gathering of 130+ Alliance members from across the country for deeper dialogue and partnership-building; the second edition of the Annual Convening to be announced shortly for the month of Oct/Nov 2026. 

This culture of shared learning is further anchored in IMHA’s Knowledge Centre, a hub for credible, India-specific mental health resources. The platform currently hosts 300+ curated resources, including toolkits, capacity-building materials, lived experience-led resources, laws and policies, landscape reports, and data-driven insights. Designed for NGOs, funders, policy makers, students and mental health professionals; the Knowledge Centre will now expand into video-based learning from Indian experts and increased regional language content to deepen contextual relevance.

Vasvi Bharat Ram, Founder Chairperson, India Mental Health Alliance, says, “A truly developed India must also be a mentally healthy India. Economic growth, educational outcomes, workforce productivity, and social cohesion are deeply linked to the mental well-being of citizens. Building this requires coordinated investment, long-term thinking, and shared responsibility across multiple fronts, from systemic capacity-building and workforce development to knowledge creation and improving the overall quality of care. Philanthropic capital, government funding, and private sector investment each have a distinct role to play to build a mental health ecosystem that is more accessible, resilient, and responsive to India’s needs.” 

Therefore, IMHA is actively expanding the pool of unrestricted philanthropic capital dedicated to long-term ecosystem-building in mental health, with recent pledges from donors such as Manisha Dhawan from the Convergence Foundation of India and renowned philanthropist Dr. Pheroza Godrej.

As India moves towards 2047, IMHA’s expanding strength reflects a new, decentralised approach to mental health: one rooted in equity, shared ownership, cross sectoral collaboration; with lived experience experts and their carers at the centre of all care design. 

About The India Mental Health Alliance
The India Mental Health Alliance (IMHA) is a Section 8 not-for-profit organisation launched in 2023 as a partnership between Vasvi and Ashish Bharat Ram, Amaha Health and Children First. IMHA is a cross-sectoral platform working to strengthen India’s mental health ecosystem by convening stakeholders, building capacity, and catalysing collaboration at scale. As a growing national alliance of 300 cross-sectoral member organisations from 30 states & UTs, IMHA helps mobilize existing strengths, identify care gaps, and enables stronger coordination & collaboration pan-India. Its capacity-building efforts support community organisations, healthcare & educational institutions, as well as individual mental health practitioners through multi-channel knowledge sharing and learning initiatives. IMHA also hosts a growing Knowledge Centre with 300+ multilingual resources to democratise access to mental health information. Through its work, IMHA aims to mainstream mental health as a national development priority; improve quality of care; embed Lived Experience Expertise (LEE) in care design and practice; champion social justice in mental health; and mobilise greater long-term, unrestricted philanthropic capital to support systemic, scalable solutions across India. 

Mars Impact Fund, the philanthropic arm of Mars, Inc., visited Humane World for Animals India’s Animal Birth Control centre in Lucknow
 

In India, millions of street dogs live in close proximity to people, which can present a complex urban challenge. The program model emerging from Lucknow demonstrates that when science-led strategic solutions are combined with compassion and community ownership, there is a replicable pathway for cities seeking effective, lasting and humane solutions to human-dog conflict.
 

What sets this approach apart is its emphasis on communities and street dog caregivers as active participants in the solution, not just beneficiaries. Community volunteers, residents, Resident Welfare Associations and community dog caretakers play a central role, from monitoring street dogs to managing designated feeding zones and collaborating with field teams to identify unsterilized dogs. Today, more than 475 Abhay Sankalp societies—local resident groups formed to support humane street dog management and coexistence— are active across the city, bringing together over 15,000 community members.
 

This Humane World for Animals program is supported by the Mars Impact Fund, which is helping strengthen community-led approaches to companion animal welfare in urban India. Since its inception, the program has sterilized and vaccinated over one lakh street dogs, achieving more than 80% sterilization coverage in the city. Notably, 25% of these efforts have been enabled through community participation, reflecting a growing shift towards shared responsibility in humanely and sustainably managing street dog populations.
 

During their visit, members of the Mars team also interacted with community members and volunteers directly involved in the program, gaining insight into how local participation is shaping outcomes. The visit included a dog behavior awareness workshop with children, offering a glimpse into how early education helps to explain dog behaviour, reduce fear-driven responses, prevent conflict, and foster empathy and safer interactions between people and animals.
 

"Witnessing the Lucknow program firsthand is a powerful reminder of what's possible when science, compassion, and community come together. This is exactly the kind of sustainable, scalable impact we aim to support through the Mars Impact Fund. Humane World for Animals India has created a replicable model that not only improves the welfare of street dogs but also strengthens the bond between people and pets. At Mars, we believe in creating a better world for pets, and this program is a perfect example of how we can achieve that by empowering local partners to drive meaningful change from the ground up," said Michelle Grogg, Executive Director, Mars Impact Fund.
 

Keren Nazareth, senior director, Companion Animals and Engagement, Humane World for Animals India, said, “Lasting change for street dogs is as much about people as it is about dogs. While interventions like sterilization and vaccination remain critical, when community residents are informed, involved and supported, they become the strongest drivers and agents of coexistence. The Mars Impact Fund‘s support allows us to deepen that engagement on the ground and build solutions that are humane and sustainable.”
 

Facts:

• Humane World for Animals India, in collaboration with the Lucknow Nagar Nigam in Uttar Pradesh, started the ABC program in Lucknow in 2019.

• More than one lakh dogs have been sterilized so far. Chitti, the 100,000th community dog sterilized under the program, was found by a resident volunteer injured on the street and brought to the Lucknow facility.

• Each week, 250-300 dogs are sterilized, vaccinated and released back to their original locations. The initiative is supported by a team of over 30 trained staff members, six vehicles and a strong network of community volunteers.

• A monitoring survey in December 2024 found that 84.3% of Lucknow’s street dogs have been sterilized and vaccinated.

• Over 31,000 public concerns related to street dogs were effectively addressed through humane interventions such as sterilization, vaccination and community awareness.

• The Mars Impact Fund was launched in 2026 as an $85 million global fund dedicated to complement the company’s existing sustainability and philanthropic efforts with long-term, strategic investments that strengthen communities, advance scientific opportunity and improve companion animal wellbeing. The fund builds upon Mars long-standing global partnership with Humane World for Animals, and its support for the organization's programs in India began in 2020.
  ​

Humane World for Animals (formerly known as Humane Society International) works in India and across the globe to improve the welfare of street, community and companion dogs and cats. We promote humane, sustainable approaches to reduce street animal populations and support peaceful coexistence with people, offering solutions in place of lethal or inhumane methods. Since 2013, more than 400,000 street dogs have been sterilized and vaccinated in India through Humane World for Animals’ programs. The charity’s street dog programs, in addition to its work to increase access to care for companion animals in underserved communities, help people care for their animals and prevent cruelty and abandonment, is advanced in North America, South Africa, Mexico, India, Chile, Costa Rica, Romania and Bolivia.
 

About Humane World for Animals

Together, we tackle the root causes of animal cruelty and suffering to create permanent change. With millions of supporters and work happening in over 50 countries, Humane World for Animals—formerly called Humane Society International—addresses the most deeply entrenched forms of animal cruelty and suffering. As the leading voice in the animal protection space, we work to end the cruelest practices, care for animals in crisis and build a stronger animal protection movement. Driving toward the greatest global impact, we aim to achieve the vision behind our name: a more humane world.

For more information, please visit humaneworld.org.
 

About Mars, Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a $65bn+ family-owned business, our diverse and expanding portfolio of leading pet care products and veterinary services supports pets all around the world and our quality snacking and food products delight millions of people every day. We produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including ROYAL CANIN®, PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, CESAR®, M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, Pringles®, Cheez-It®, and BEN’S ORIGINAL™. Our international networks of pet hospitals, including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™ and ANICURA™ span preventive, general, specialty, and emergency veterinary care, and our global veterinary diagnostics business ANTECH® offers breakthrough capabilities in pet diagnostics. The Mars Five Principles — Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom — inspire our more than 170,000 Associates to act every day to help create a better world for people, pets and the planet.
 

Save The Elephant Day protest by World Animal Protection at Patrika Gate in Jaipur on 16 April 2026 Photo credit: World Animal Protection
 

The event was organised in the wake of the death of a 70-year-old elephant named Chanchal in February 2026, who had been used in a photoshoot where she was painted pink by photographer Julia Buruleva. Although her death is believed to be unrelated to the photography event. Nonetheless, the shooting event raised major questions on ethics surrounding the treatment of animals, especially wild animals like elephants, that suffer from their incarceration in captivity.
 

“For years we have seen the unfortunate scene of captive elephants being paraded as props in Amer Fort for tourists, including foreign tourists, to the detriment of their health and welfare and it is high time this practice stopped,” says Gajender Kumar Sharma, Country Director, World Animal Protection in India. Numerous studies have repeatedly shown that the status quo on Amer Fort elephants is untenable and the need is imminent for them to be retired from the daily rides and given a satisfactory retirement in a wildlife friendly sanctuary for the rest of their lives.
 

Studies by Animal Welfare Board of India and Project Elephant of Ministry of Environment And Forests have shown the Amer Fort elephants show major distress due to their captive nature and that the way forward is by ending the elephant rides in Jaipur, in Amer Fort, Haathi Gaon and other venues where they still take place. In the wake of the photoshoot that has made news all over, it is amply clear and self evident that the elephant being painted with a scantily clad model woman on top was hardly the epitome or symbol of Indian culture that has respected the elephant with the status of National Heritage Animal of India.
 

Elephants are wild animals, who live sociably in the wild and display many human emotions like love, fear, bonding, sadness and mourning and they are deprived of these traits in captivity. Moreover the continued illegal trade in live elephants from certain parts of India to fuel the captive elephant industry in places like Jaipur give cause for concern for elephant conservation in the wild. We also witness retrogressive practices like elephant safaris in Kaziranga National Park in Assa and Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand. “Elephant rides across India must be brought to an end, and tourism activities involving captive elephants including those involving international visitors/tourists need to be strictly regulated. World Animal Protection urges the Government of Rajasthan, the Ministry of Environment and Forests, and Project Elephant to take immediate action, including establishing a clear timeline for the retirement of elephants currently used for rides in Jaipur and across the country,” says Gajender Kumar Sharma, Country Director, World Animal Protection in India.
 

The demonstration in Jaipur, with active participation from volunteers and local residents alongside World Animal Protection staff, reflects a growing awareness that wild animals belong in the wild. Elephants are not entertainers, nor are they props for photographs in captive settings. Elephants deserve to live free. Wildlife belongs in the wild.
 

For more information please contact: Gajender Kumar Sharma

Email: gajenderksharma@worldanimalprotection.org.in

Phone: 9313333283

At the IncluEd Shiksha Samvaad held on April 13, 2026, in New Delhi, that question moved from rhetoric to reality.

Education Leaders at IncluEd Shiksha Samvaad in New Delhi launch the Micro Improvement Compendium

Hosted by Sol’s ARC in collaboration with Shikshagraha, Peepul, and Bachpan Manao, the one-day convening brought together over 125 participants from government, education systems, civil society, and schools, with a clear focus: move beyond intent and enable action on inclusive education.

While India’s policy frameworks, from the National Education Policy (NEP) to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, underscore inclusion, the challenge remains deeply operational. Children are often present in classrooms but not meaningfully participating. Gender disparities persist, with 57% of enrolled CWSN being boys and 42% girls, pointing to deeper structural and social barriers.

"When only 12% of CWSN make it from Grade 1 to Grade 12, we are not looking at a dropout crisis — we are looking at a belonging crisis. A Viksit Bharat that counts on its demographic dividend cannot afford to lose entire categories of children before they ever reach their potential. Inclusive classrooms are not a welfare measure; they are the foundation of a truly future-ready India," said Khushboo Awasthi, Co-founder of ShikshaLokam and Weaver of the Shikshagraha movement.

At the heart of the convening was the launch of the Micro Improvement Project and its accompanying Micro Improvement Compendium - a guidebook designed to make inclusion practical, immediate, and scalable. The compendium brings together 50 classroom practices drawn from 11 schools across 6 cities, further informed by work across states such as Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Daman & Diu. From peer buddy systems and visual routines to inclusive school events and home-school communication tools, the practices are designed to be low-cost, adaptable, and implementable within existing classroom realities.

“We believe inclusion is not just about intent, but about ensuring every tool is free, accessible, and within everyone’s reach,” said Sonali Saini, founder of Sol’s ARC.

Released as a digital public good, the guidebook is freely available for educators and systems to adopt and adapt, with the larger goal of embedding inclusion into everyday school practice rather than treating it as a specialised intervention.

“The burden of inclusion should never rest on the child; the responsibility lies with the system to adapt. True inclusion is measured not by how much a learner adjusts, but by how much our pedagogy and institutional design evolve to meet them,” said Kruti Bharucha, Founder & CEO, Peepul. On Peepul’s commitment to creating inclusive learning spaces, she further added, “We are determined to shift classroom practices across the country, ensuring that every learner, regardless of their starting point, has a system that is designed to help them thrive.”

The initiative builds on the growing momentum of the Shikshagraha movement, which has demonstrated how small, localised actions can scale across systems, with over 13.7 lakh micro-improvements initiated, 3.5 lakh leaders driving change, and more than 1.76 lakh schools participating across 12 states and 250 districts. This signals a shift from isolated pilots to ecosystem-driven change.

The Samvaad itself was designed as an immersive, practice-led experience. Participants engaged with interactive workshops, including a sign language session, experience zones showcasing inclusive practices, and panel discussions featuring policymakers, educators, and individuals with lived experience. The emphasis throughout was on making inclusion tangible, actionable, and replicable across contexts.

"Inclusion is simply about every child feeling wanted, heard, and that they belong. A teacher must be a keen observer and a collaborator: asking whether a child can see the board, hear the instruction, and feel that they matter. Inclusion is not only about ramps and toilets; it is about the moment a child looks up and feels seen — because the child who feels they belong today becomes a confident learner tomorrow. That is the true power of the teacher," said Dr. Sharad Sinha, Head, Department of Teacher Education, National Council of Educational Research and Training.

Beyond the event, the Micro Improvement Project will be scaled through state-level workshops, partner networks, and digital platforms, alongside integration with tools like the IncluEd chatbot to provide teachers with contextual, on-demand support. The guidebook will continue to evolve based on classroom feedback, building towards a living repository of inclusive practices.

The discussions also surfaced deeper systemic challenges from gaps between RTE and RPwD provisions to benchmark disability thresholds that leave many children unsupported, and the everyday reality of teachers navigating inclusion without adequate tools or training. Yet, the convening reinforced a central insight: meaningful change does not always require large reforms; it can begin with small, intentional shifts in everyday practice.

"The challenge of building an inclusive, future-ready education system is too complex for any one actor to solve alone. Many organisations are already creating powerful solutions — but often in isolation. Shikshagraha brings these efforts together as a collective force, so we can share, learn, and build beyond what any one of us can do individually. That is how real, systemic change happens — and we are thrilled to have Sol's ARC as a partner in this movement," Awasthi added.

As the event concluded with a collective pledge - “I accept, I involve, I include,” the message was clear: inclusion in education cannot be delivered top-down. It must be owned, practiced, and sustained by the ecosystem.

And sometimes, that shift begins with just one small change.

About IncluEd

IncluEd is a platform that brings together diverse stakeholders across the education ecosystem to drive conversations and action on inclusive education.

About Sol’s ARC

Sol’s ARC works towards building inclusive education systems by enabling schools and educators with practical, accessible solutions for diverse learners.

About Peepul

Peepul is an education-focused non-profit dedicated to transforming public school systems in India. Partnering with governments to deliver impact at scale, Peepul currently reaches nearly 5 million students and 60,000+ teachers across 50,000+ schools in Delhi and Madhya Pradesh.

Beyond academic excellence, Peepul reimagines the classroom as a safe, equitable, and future-ready environment where no child is left behind. Through its "Exemplar" school model, the organisation has institutionalised specialised support via Enrichment Rooms and dedicated Special Educators, empowering all stakeholders to build teacher capacity for neurodiversity and integrating robust child protection protocols and strategic mental health partnerships.

About Shikshagraha

Shikshagraha is a people-powered movement to improve all 1 million public schools in India, so that every child experiences enriching learning and is ready for the future.

Real change begins with the child at the centre — their learning, confidence, well-being, and aspirations, and with those closest to the child. The movement enables parents, women and youth to demand and support quality education, and equips teachers, school leaders, and officials with tools for micro-improvements towards systemic change.

Currently, 40+ civil society, industry and philanthropic partners in the Shikshagraha network are collectively strengthening 1,17,000+ schools across 47 districts across 14 states & UTs. This includes enabling education leaders to lead need-based school improvements and amplifying women, youth and community participation in the public education system.

Shikshagraha works towards improving schools where the need is greatest, supports leadership on the ground, and shifts the norms that hold education back. Through visible practice change and collective action by communities, governments, civil society, and markets, it reimagines what public schools can and must deliver.

Visit shikshagraha.org for more details.

In a remarkable display of grit, discipline, and sporting excellence, athletes supported by M3M Foundation under its flagship Lakshya Sports Program delivered an outstanding performance at the Kettlebell Sport Haryana State Championship 2026, held at The Shriram Millennium School, Gurgaon.

M3M Foundation Trustee and Chairperson, Dr Payal Kanodia with athletes at Kettlebell Sports Haryana State Championship 2026

Organised by the Kettlebell Sport Haryana Association under the aegis of Kettlebell Sport India Association, the championship witnessed participation across Sub-Junior, Junior, Senior, and Veteran categories, bringing together top kettlebell athletes from across the state.

20 athletes represented M3M Foundation’s iMpower Club, collectively secured an exceptional tally of 30 medals, including 18 Gold, 9 Silver, and 3 Bronze, reaffirming the transformative impact of structured sports training and opportunity on underserved youth.

The championship also marked a historic moment with the participation of Haryana’s first Para Kettlebell Athlete from iMpower Club, reflecting M3M Foundation’s commitment to fostering inclusivity and ensuring that sporting platforms remain accessible to talent across all abilities.

Young athletes such as Rohit, Rajnish, Sajid, Resham, and others delivered extraordinary performances, with several participants completing over 105 kettlebell lifts in a single go—a feat that demonstrated not just physical strength, but immense determination, stamina, and mental resilience. Coming from families of migrant workers and economically vulnerable communities, these children exemplified how talent, when nurtured with the right support, can transcend barriers and expectations.

Further elevating the spirit of the championship, Dr. Payal Kanodia, two time Gold Medallist at the world kettlebell championships, an accomplished international kettlebell sportsperson, joined the event alongside her sons, Master Kian Kanodia and Master Krishiv Kanodia, in an inspiring demonstration of encouragement and solidarity with the young athletes. Their participation reflected a powerful message of family-led inspiration and support for grassroots sports.

Adding to the prestige of the event, distinguished IUKL (International Union of Kettlebell Lifting) judges also participated in ceremonial kettlebell lifts during the championship, lending international sporting recognition to the event and inspiring athletes through their presence and engagement.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Payal Kanodia, Chairperson & Trustee, M3M Foundation, said, “Every child deserves the opportunity to discover their strength and pursue excellence, regardless of their background. Witnessing our iMpower athletes—especially children from migrant worker families and our para athlete—compete with such confidence and determination is truly inspiring. Their achievements reinforce our belief that when young talent is nurtured with the right platform, mentorship, and encouragement, they can achieve extraordinary milestones. At M3M Foundation, we remain committed to building champions both on and off the field.”

The championship performance stands as yet another milestone in M3M Foundation’s ongoing mission to democratize access to quality sports training and competitive exposure for underserved communities. Through its Lakshya Program, the Foundation continues to nurture grassroots talent, empower young athletes, and create pathways for inclusive sporting excellence. 

About M3M Foundation

M3M Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the M3M Group, working across education, health, livelihoods, sports, and environment. With a reach across 22 states and over 1,300 villages, the Foundation has positively impacted more than 5 million lives, driven by a vision of inclusive, sustainable, and transformative nation-building.

Students across Mangalore colleges join DKMS Foundation India’s awareness drive, stepping forward to register as potential stem cell donors during the initiative

The initiative, conducted in collaboration with leading institutions in the Dakshin Kannada region such as Srinivasa University, St. Joseph’s Engineering College, Canara Engineering College, Mangala Group of Institutions, Vijaya College, Alva’s Group of Institutions, Karavali College of Pharmacy, and Dr. P. Dayananda Pai – P. Satisha Pai Government First Grade College, saw strong participation from students, faculty, and volunteers, highlighting growing awareness around stem cell donation and its life-saving potential for patients with blood cancers and disorders such as thalassemia, and aplastic anemia.

Students, faculty, and volunteers at St. Joseph’s Engineering College, Mangalore, participate in the DKMS Foundation India drive with record stem cell donor registrations

"Every new donor who joins the registry represents hope for a patient waiting for a match. But this drive means more than numbers. A stem cell match is determined by genetic markers — and those markers vary with ancestry and ethnicity. When we register donors from a community as vibrant and diverse as Mangalore, we are not just adding to a list; we are expanding the circle of hope for patients whose genetic profile may only match with someone from this very region. Diversity in our registry is not a goal — it is a matter of life and death for patients who have no other option,” says Patrick Paul, Executive Chairman, DKMS India.

Students, faculty, and volunteers across leading colleges in Mangalore came together for DKMS Foundation India's week-long stem cell awareness drive

Ms. Prathibha K N, Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics and NSS Coordinator, St. Joseph’s Engineering College, Mangalore, said, “The DKMS awareness sessions, conducted as part of our NSS activity, were highly informative and impactful, clearly explaining how stem cell donation can save the lives of patients battling diseases such as leukemia. The sessions also helped address common misconceptions, and we saw genuine curiosity among students translate into action, with many stepping forward to register. Having registered myself as a donor last year, I deeply value the importance of such initiatives. More than the numbers, this drive helped build empathy and a lasting sense of social responsibility among young people.”

In India, one person is diagnosed with a blood cancer or blood disorder every five minutes, and nearly 70% of patients requiring a stem cell transplant depend on unrelated donors. Yet, with only 0.09% of the eligible population currently registered as stem cell donors, large-scale youth-led drives such as this remain critical to bridging the country’s donor gap.

With over 2,50,000 registered donors in India and over 250 lives already impacted through stem cell donations, DKMS Foundation India continues to strengthen the country’s donor pool, with sustained student-led participation playing a critical role in improving match possibilities for patients from diverse genetic backgrounds.

Individuals aged 18–55 in good health can register as potential donors at www.dkms-india.org/register-now.

About DKMS Foundation India
DKMS Foundation, India, is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the fight against blood cancer and other blood disorders, such as thalassemia and aplastic anemia. They aim to improve the situation of patients who have blood cancer and other blood disorders in India and throughout the world by raising awareness about blood stem cell transplantation and registering potential blood stem cell donors. For more information, please visit www.dkms-India.org.

Teams from Spiti, Nubra Valley, and Sarvoday supported by M3M Foundation showcase their products at Kisan Kumbh 2026, IIT Delhi

The M3M Foundation’s stalls featured enterprises from regions including Laddakh, Spiti, and other rural geographies, with active participation from teams from Spiti and Nubra Valley, along with Sarvoday products, enabling beneficiaries to showcase, market, and sell their products like cold pressed mustard oil, hand grind spices, Sea buckthorn juice, pulp, berries, roasted barley, products made from yak wool. These products were widely appreciated by visitors for their quality and authenticity. The stalls attracted over 2,500 visitors, providing significant exposure and direct market access to grassroots producers.

The participation resulted in strengthened market linkages, increased visibility for rural enterprises, and direct customer engagement, reinforcing the importance of such platforms in bridging the gap between producers and consumers.

In a proud moment, M3M Foundation was appreciated on stage by Shri Shyam Singh Rana, Hon’ble Agriculture Minister of Haryana, in the presence of General V. K. Singh, Hon’ble Governor of Mizoram. The event was also graced by Shri Nitin Gadkari ji, Hon’ble Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, as the Chief Guest.

Dr. Aishwarya Mahajan, Managing Trustee and President, M3M Foundation, said, “M3M Foundation is currently working across 8 states with over 10,000 farmers, including in remote regions such as Laddakh and Spiti. In areas like Nubra Valley, we have enabled food processing systems, ensuring that farmers are not only engaged in cultivation but also in value addition. More than 5,000 women farmers are actively involved in both farming and processing, strengthening rural livelihoods.”

The Foundation’s initiatives continue to focus on enabling market access, promoting value addition, and strengthening women-led agricultural enterprises across diverse geographies.

Dr. Payal Kanodia, Chairperson and Trustee, M3M Foundation, added, “At M3M Foundation, our approach is to work closely with farmers, especially women, and strengthen their role as decision-makers in agriculture. We are not only supporting them in cultivation but also enabling value addition, market access, and sustainable practices, so that farming becomes more resilient and profitable. Platforms like Kisan Kumbh help amplify their efforts by connecting them directly with larger markets and opportunities.”

M3M Foundation’s participation at Kisan Kumbh 2026 reflects its continued commitment to strengthening grassroots enterprises and creating meaningful, market-driven opportunities for farmers across India.

About M3M Foundation

M3M Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the M3M Group, working across education, health, livelihoods, sports, and environment. With a reach across 22 states and over 1,300 villages, the Foundation has positively impacted more than 5 million lives, driven by a vision of inclusive, sustainable, and transformative nation-building.

Magic Bus India Foundation Earns Great Place To Work
 

Great Place To Work® is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and the leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention and increased innovation.

Balbir Singh, CEO, Great Place To Work, India, said, “At Great Place To Work®, we believe a great workplace is built through trust, purpose, and a people-first approach. By earning this Certification, Magic Bus India Foundation has demonstrated its commitment to prioritising employee experience and cultivating a culture where people thrive. This milestone celebrates the team’s dedication to creating a workplace that inspires excellence.”

Speaking about the recognition, Jayant Rastogi, Global CEO, Magic Bus India Foundation, said, “Being certified as a Great Place to Work® for the sixth consecutive year is a significant milestone for Magic Bus. It reflects the strong culture we have built and the commitment of our people, who bring our purpose to life every single day. This recognition is a testament to the passion, resilience, and belief of our teams in creating opportunities for young people from underserved communities. Their dedication enables us to equip youth with the skills, confidence, and pathways to sustainable livelihoods, helping them transform their futures and contribute meaningfully to India’s growth story.”

Monika Bawa, CHRO, Magic Bus India Foundation, added, “We are proud to receive this recognition, which reflects the strong culture and shared values that define Magic Bus. Our people are at the heart of our work, and we remain committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment that encourages collaboration, continuous learning, and well-being. By investing in our teams and enabling them to grow, we empower them to drive meaningful impact and advance our mission of transforming young lives.”

By placing people at the centre of its approach, Magic Bus continues to strengthen a culture that encourages purpose-driven work, professional growth, and shared success. This recognition underscores the organisation’s ongoing efforts to create a workplace where teams are inspired to collaborate, innovate, and drive lasting social impact.

According to Great Place To Work research, job seekers are 4.5 times more likely to find a great boss at a Certified great workplace. Additionally, employees at Certified workplaces are 93% more likely to look forward to coming to work, and are twice as likely to be paid fairly, earn a fair share of the company’s profits and have a fair chance at promotion.
 

About Magic Bus India Foundation

Magic Bus India Foundation is one of India’s leading NGOs in education and skilling. Over the past 27 years, the organisation has expanded its reach and impact across the country through innovative, inclusive, and gender-responsive programmes.

With a strong focus on school-to-work transition, Magic Bus enables adolescents and youth from underserved communities to build the life and employability skills needed to break cycles of poverty and empower future generations. Magic Bus is also empowering women aged 25 years and above, in peri-urban and rural areas, to enable their economic and financial independence.

Through its Adolescent Programme, Magic Bus equips adolescents aged 12 to 18 years with life skills and Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), reaching over 38 lakh adolescents. The programme is implemented across 22 states and Union Territories and is strengthened through partnerships with 11 state governments and NITI Aayog, with interventions across nearly 30% of India’s aspirational blocks. Girls account for 52% of participants.

The Livelihood Programme empowers youth aged 18 to 25 years by equipping them with life and employability skills. Since 2015, over 7.15 lakh youth have been skilled, with 80% placed in sustainable jobs. Young women constitute 60% of participants, reflecting a continued focus on gender equity.

The Rural Livelihood Programme empowers women by strengthening life skills, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills. The programme has supported over 2000 women across seven states to establish and sustain enterprises and move towards financial independence.

For more information, visit www.magicbus.org.

About Great Place To Work®
Backed by 30 years of data, Great Place To Work® is the global authority on workplace culture. Through its proprietary For All™ Model and Trust Index™ Survey, it gives organizations the recognition and tools to create a consistently positive employee experience. Its mission is to help every place become a great place to work for all, driving business growth, improving lives, and empowering communities. Through globally recognized and coveted Great Place To Work Certification™ and highly competitive Best Workplaces™ Lists, Great Place To Work enables employers to attract and retain talent, benchmark company culture, and increase revenue. Its platform enables leaders to truly capture, analyze and understand the experience of every employee, and compare outcomes with data collected from more than 100 million employees in 150 countries worldwide. 

Follow Great Place To Work on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram or visit www.greatplacetowork.in.

PwC India Foundation strengthens climate resilient livelihoods for more than 400 farming households through flood recovery initiatives

In Moga, the initiative begins at the household level. PwCIF is supporting more than 90 beneficiary households, with kitchen gardens and backyard poultry, to move towards natural farming, boosting household income and improving nutritional outcomes. Each garden, of about 600 sq. ft., provides year-round access to safe, chemical free vegetables and enables families to save an estimated INR 1,500–2,000 per month on vegetable purchases.

At the same time, the project is building proof points for scale. Ten multi-crop model farms are demonstrating how natural farming, intercropping and soil friendly practices can improve farm economics, with model farmers targeted to increase their incomes by 40%. As these practices gain traction, neighbouring farmers are beginning to replicate them, creating a growing circle of indirect beneficiaries.

To further strengthen farm-based livelihoods, the initiative includes a community-based jaggery processing unit that supports value addition to locally grown sugarcane and better price realisation for farmers. Shared fossil fuel‑free multi-seeding drills are also being used as village-level tool banks to enhance farm efficiency and encourage climate-smart cultivation practices.

As part of the ongoing efforts, the PwC India leadership team visited Moga to engage with farmers and community groups, assess the progress of natural farming and livelihood diversification projects, and reaffirm the organisation's long-term dedication to disaster resilience and livelihood restoration programs.

"PwC India Foundation's role in Punjab is centred around helping farming communities transition from crisis to resilience," said Jaivir Singh, Vice Chairman, PwC India Foundation. "By merging natural farming, diversified livelihoods, and robust village institutions, we aim to support farmers in Moga and Tarn Taran to rebuild with dignity with these initiatives in turn creating replicable models that can be curated to different local contexts across more districts in the country."

The successful implementation in Moga laid the foundation for an extension of the initiative to Tarn Taran. In this flood-affected border district, PwCIF is collaborating with more than 325 households to restore agricultural land, integrate natural farming, and strengthen village disaster response and resilience committees.

Beyond Moga and Tarn Taran, PwCIF’s broader engagement across India focuses on restoring livelihoods, strengthening critical local infrastructure and building community-led disaster preparedness across districts affected by floods. The Foundation aims to create integrated, scalable models that can support farming communities in navigating future climate and livelihood risks, while contributing to India’s long-term sustainable development.

Gharni River: Desilted. Revived. Alive
 

With groundwater declining and monsoons often turning rogue, the response is bold, structured, ambitious, and practical - building resilience, restoring water bodies, and securing long-term water stability for the state.
 

A Nation Running on Empty

India’s water crisis is no longer a distant warning - it’s an everyday challenge. Nearly 80% of the country’s agricultural and domestic water needs rely on groundwater, while only about 20% come from rainfall and surface sources like rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. For more than two decades, extraction has outpaced natural recharge, causing water tables to fall. Disruptions in the hydrological cycle and increasingly erratic rainfall have intensified stress.
 

The imbalance is stark: an estimated 239 trillion litres of groundwater is extracted each year, yet only around 6% of rainfall is effectively stored, while nearly 78% flows into rivers and eventually the sea. Aquifers remain under severe strain, highlighting the urgent need for structured conservation, storage, and recharge systems.
 

Between Drought and Flood

For years, large parts of Maharashtra have swung between extremes - drought and flood. Failed or uneven monsoons bring acute scarcity, while heavy rainfall rushes away unchecked, causing damage instead of relief. Streams and rivers that once held water longer are now shallow and silted, reducing storage and weakening groundwater recharge. Increasing reliance on borewells and deeper wells further lowers water tables.
 

Communities face frequent droughts, declining agricultural productivity, crop losses, flood damage, and dependence on tanker water. This cycle - scarcity, over-extraction, runoff, and loss - reveals that the problem is not rainfall alone, but how water is managed. Structured, long-term conservation became not just necessary, but urgent.
 

Jalyukt Shivar 2.0: Turning Rain into Security

The initiative is driven by a single, practical goal: make Maharashtra drought-resilient through systematic water management. Its core objectives:

• Capture and store rainwater efficiently

• Strengthen groundwater recharge

• Stabilise and improve agricultural productivity
   

By rebuilding natural water-holding systems, Jalyukt Shivar 2.0 converts short-lived monsoons into year-round security - benefiting farmers, villages, and future generations.
 

Reviving Maharashtra’s Waterways

Jalyukt Shivar 2.0 revitalises rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes by desilting, deepening, and widening channels. Pond and lake silt is reused on marginal farms, improving soil fertility.
 

Maharashtra faces a challenging reality: 80–90% of rainfall falls within just a few months, and most of it runs off without recharging groundwater. Jalyukt Shivar 2.0 changes this, raising infiltration from 6% to 25–35% through scientific, phased interventions:
 

• Phase I (2013 - 2019): Focused on drought-prone regions, desilting, stream deepening, and water storage

• Phase II (2024 - 2026): Expands coverage, consolidates long-term water security
   

Scale & Impact

• 2,90,64,668 cubic metres of silt removed from rivers, including Gharni, Tavarja, Jana, Mudgul, and more

• 16,716 million litres of water conserved since 2013

• 12,38,175 total beneficiaries
  ​

Farm-Level Benefits:

• Higher yields: Consistent water and soil moisture support better cultivation and crop rotation.

• Stronger incomes: Multiple crop cycles and diversified farming reduce risk and stabilise earnings.

• Flood resilience: Wider, desilted streams prevent waterlogging, erosion, and crop loss.

• Lower drought risk: Recharged aquifers provide water even during dry spells.
   

National Recognition

In November 2025, The Art of Living Social Projects was honoured by the Ministry of Jal Shakti with two national awards - Best Civil Society at the 6th National Water Awards 2024 (for the second consecutive year) and Best NGO award under Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB 1.0).
 

These accolades recognise the scale, innovation, and measurable impact of Jalyukt Shivar 2.0 - a model for science-driven, community-led, long-term water resilience across India. As Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has said, “Our survival depends on water; it is the basis of our life force. We need to protect and nurture the sources of water.” This insight underlines the very ethos of Jalyukt Shivar 2.0: protecting water is protecting life.

About The Art of Living Social Projects

The Art of Living, a non-profit, educational and humanitarian organisation founded in 1981 by world-renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is deeply committed to addressing India’s pressing water challenges. Through large-scale water conservation initiatives, the organisation works to alleviate water scarcity, restore ecosystems and enhance the quality of life for communities across the country.
 

To learn more about the initiative or explore CSR partnerships, visit: Best NGO for CSR projects in India.
 

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Seema Singh spends time with children supported by MeghaShrey, the self-funded foundation through which she educates, mentors and empowers young lives across India

In a candid exchange with host Karishma Mehta, Seema opens up about her journey from a sheltered upbringing in Patna to building a life of extraordinary impact in Mumbai. What emerges is a portrait of a woman reshaping lives far from the spotlight.

Watch the full conversation here: youtu.be/9DuHfQiEO-I?si=f3_d0EXCbIcUH32W

At the heart of her work is MeghaShrey, an NGO she self-funds entirely, with no CSR grants and no corporate sponsorships.
 

Named after her children Meghna and Shrey, the organization has touched thousands of lives, from adopting a school of 1,000 girls in Bihar with scholarships and self-defense training, to vaccinating nearly 100,000 women against cervical cancer across rural Maharashtra, Bihar, Punjab, and Delhi.
 

She also supports 150 children in Mumbai with education and sports, and aids over 120 senior citizens at an old age home in Dahisar.

Her anti-dowry advocacy was sparked by something deeply personal, watching her household helper unable to marry off her daughter because the groom's family demanded a scooter. That moment, she says, changed everything.

Beyond philanthropy, Seema champions India's artisan economy through her fashion label SS by Seema Singh, created to support weavers and emerging designers hit hardest by the pandemic.

This is the kind of conversation you'll want to sit with.

Launch of Birth Anomalies Network of India (BIND)

In India, birth anomalies affect an estimated 600,000 newborns annually and contribute significantly to infant mortality, lifelong disabilities, and financial and emotional strain on families. As deaths from infectious causes decline in India, congenital anomalies account for a growing proportion of child mortality but often receive insufficient attention.

Gaps in Care for Children with  Anomalies

BIND seeks to align stakeholders across government, healthcare, research institutions, and civil society to strengthen surveillance and data systems, promote preventive measures, expand awareness of anomaly scans and newborn screening, improve timely access to quality treatment, and drive evidence-informed policymaking in a coordinated way. At the core of the initiative is the proposed National Birth Anomalies Registry, which aims to generate authentic data, identify preventable risk factors, and guide equitable resource allocation.

Speaking at the launch, Mamta Carroll, Vice President and Regional Director, Asia, Smile Train, said, “Birth anomalies have remained under-recognized in public discourse for far too long. BIND aims to create a unified platform that brings together clinicians, researchers, caregivers, policymakers and civil society around a shared national purpose. BIND is launched with an ambitious vision to a more enabling and inclusive environment where every child born with a birth anomaly has timely access to timely information, quality treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term support, and every family is empowered with the care and dignity they deserve.”

Dr. Anita Kar, Director, Birth Defects Research Foundation, Pune highlighted the research gap, stating, “India lacks robust nationwide data on the true burden, causes, and long-term outcomes of birth anomalies. Without strong surveillance and registry systems, policies remain fragmented and reactive. Children with congenital conditions require integrated, multidisciplinary care, from early diagnosis to safe and sustained comprehensive care supported by sustained public investment and evidence-based planning.”

The launch of this initiative on March 2, 2026, at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi and was attended by healthcare leaders, researchers, civil society organizations, affected individuals and families to advance a coordinated national agenda. A whitepaper outlining the roadmap for a proposed National Birth Anomalies Task Force and recommendations was released at the event.

About Smile Train India: www.smiletrainindia.org

About Birth Defects Research Foundation: www.birthdefectsindia.com

Rotary Club of Chennai Legends and Rotary Dist 3234 Donate 225 Free Bicycles to Schoolgirls in Chennai

Rtn. Anirudha Roychowdhury, Past Director of Rotary International, attended the event as the Chief Guest, while AKS. Rtn. Vinod Saraogi, District Governor of RI District 3234, participated as the Guest of Honour. The occasion was also graced by Rtn. Ravi Sundaresan, District Governor Nominee (2028–29), RI District 3234; Rtn. Dr. Latha Rajendran, Chair – DEI 2025–26, RI District 3234; Rtn. Dr. Kumar Rajendran, Project Chair, Rotary Club of Chennai Legends; and Rtn. Dr. M. Durga, Chair – CSR, Rotary Club of Chennai Legends.

Prior to the bicycle distribution, Rotary Club of Chennai Legends conducted a road safety awareness programme for the beneficiaries in association with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. The bicycles distributed were high-quality models manufactured by a leading Indian brand and specially designed for girls.

Meridian Global Ventures Private Limited extended support for the initiative through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding, while participating Rotary Clubs also contributed towards the project.

Speaking on the occasion, Rtn Dr. Kumar Rajendran said: “The Gift of Mobility is both important and empowering for these girls. It enables them to travel to and from school independently, without having to rely on others, thus ensuring continuity of education and safety. Along with the bicycles, we conducted a hands-on road safety programme to ensure that they ride safely and confidently. We are grateful to fellow Rotary Clubs and Meridian Global Ventures for their support. We will continue to donate bicycles every year in the future.”

He further added that Rotary Club of Chennai Legends identified deserving girl students. It may be noted that Rotary Club of Chennai Legends has been actively supporting livelihood initiatives by donating sewing machines to deserving women and providing free tailoring training at its vocational training centre.

For more details: cl@ri3234.org.

White Tiger in captivity : Shubhobroto Ghosh

For the American ambassador there are many wonderful opportunities to experience the beauty of elephants in India, a country that has revered the creature in art, history, folklore and culture and as the symbol of worship as Ganesha. The National Heritage Animal Of India, with more than sixty percent of their wild population found in India, is found in many national parks and sanctuaries in India where they can be observed in their regal splendor, interacting their own kind and indulging in patterns of behaviour that are similar to our own. Surely, for a representative of a foreign country, it is more befitting to watch these animals as nature intended them to be, rather than in unnatural surroundings where they have been reduced to pathetic caricatures of their natural selves.

Elephants in Haathi Gaon in Jaipur photo credit : Shubhobroto Ghosh

“World Animal Protection requests the representatives of all foreign countries in India, be they officials for tourists, to refrain from patronizing cruel elephant elephant rides, not only in Jaipur, but throughout the country. Wild animals should be admired where they belong in the wild, and India offers rich and diverse opportunities in this regard,” says Gajender Kumar Sharma, Country Director, World Animal Protection in India.

There is also the topic of abuse of captive tigers that has come into media spotlight of late. Seventy two tigers have died in captive facilities in Chiang Mai in Thailand reportedly due to a virus. More than two million Indians visit Thailand every year and numerous Indian tourists visit low welfare captive venues that house tigers in Thailand, to endorse captive animal abuse, specifically to ride elephants and take close up photographs with animals like tigers. The recent incident highlights the focus on the unethical and exploitative nature of this cruel industry that is abusing big cats for profit. With the Big Cat Summit announced to take place in India in 2026, World Animal Protection urges all authorities in the Ministry Of Environment and Forests and Ministry of Tourism to discourage any activities that promote the abuse of big cats in India and abroad, including close encounters with big cats in substandard zoos in countries like Thailand. “World Animal Protection has already exposed the plight of captive tigers in Thailand and continues to remain vigilant to ensure these atrocities do not continue,” says Gajender Kumar Sharma, Country Director, World Animal Protection in India.

There is also concern about the plight of a captive white tiger in Patna Zoo that has been seen to display stereotypic behaviour, a common pattern of behaviour in captive carnivores. World Animal Protection has extensive information and research material on this kind of behaviour that is considered to be the result of prolonged captivity and deprivation of natural stimulants that shape the lives of wide ranging carnivores like tigers. In this regard, World Animal Protection has alerted the Central Zoo Authority to the welfare aspects of this particular tiger, requesting immediate attention to alleviate the animal’s behavioural status and physical health.

In a fast changing and conflict ridden world, the motto of World Animal Protection remains, wildlife belongs in the world.

For more information, please contact : Gajender Kumar Sharma, Country Director, World Animal Protection

Email : gajenderksharma@worldanimalprotection.org.in.

Mobile phone : 9313333283

Inaugural lamp lighting at Vishwa Yuvak Kendra’s Aahvaan 2026, symbolising shared commitment to collaboration, impact, and inclusive development

The inaugural session set the tone by highlighting the evolution of CSR in India from compliance to strategic collaboration. Chief Guest Dr. Rajesh Tandon, Founder President, PRIA and Co-chair, UNESCO Chair in CBRSR, urged stakeholders to align social and financial capital and focus on grassroots impact evaluation and regional dialogue. In his keynote address, Guest of Honour, Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee, IAS (Retd.), Former DG & CEO, Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), noted that CSR has grown into a INR 36,000 crore ecosystem and must now prioritise accountability, measurable outcomes, and long-term nation-building.

Vishwa Yuvak Kendra’s Aahvaan 2026 brings leaders together to deepen NGO–CSR partnerships for inclusive growth and Viksit Bharat @2047

Across multiple panel sessions, participants examined evolving CSR regulations, livelihood generation, technology for social good, CSR implementation, strategic partnerships, and village-centric development. Discussions highlighted the need to move beyond skilling to sustainable livelihoods, integrate soft and life skills, strengthen post-placement support, and ensure long-term donor and corporate commitment.

Panels on technology for social good stressed inclusive design, equitable access, and treating technology as core infrastructure rather than a standalone solution. Speakers shared examples of digital platforms enabling healthcare, livelihoods, women entrepreneurship, and data-driven decision-making, while cautioning against exclusion, fragmented systems, and weak monitoring.

On Day 2, sessions focused on bridging gaps between CSR and NGOs, environmental stewardship, preventive healthcare, and alignment with government priorities, particularly in aspirational blocks. The Viksit Gaon, Viksit Bharat @2047 session underscored community-led development, diversified rural livelihoods, education funding, climate resilience, and accountability as pillars of inclusive growth.

The valedictory session reflected on key learnings and the way forward. Chief Guest Mr. Pavitra Kumar Dubey, IRS, Additional Commissioner of Income Tax, Delhi, called for CSR to move beyond checklist-driven approaches toward emotionally and strategically invested partnerships. Speakers emphasised capacity building, transparency, monitoring, and shared ownership as essential to sustainable impact.

Concluding the conclave, Mr. Uday Shankar Singh, CEO-Vishwa Yuvak Kendra, called for structured partnerships, shared knowledge platforms, and data-driven, community-empowering interventions. He emphasized that Aahvaan is not merely an event but a collective responsibility, calling for stronger bridges between grassroots realities and corporate decision-making, aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.

Sector leaders across the nation including Dr. Rajesh Tandon, Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee, Mr. Pavitra Kumar Dubey, Mr. Uday Wankawala, Mr. Vivek Prakash, Mr. Ashok Kumar Gupta, Mr. Vishal Bhardwaj, Mr. Chetan Kapoor, Mr. Arun Upadhyay, Mr. Sandip Kumar Katna, Mr. Mathew Joseph, Mr. M. Prabhakar Das, Ms. Sudha Jhijaria, Mr. Nishant Sinha, Mr. Dhiren Handique, Mr. Vipul Kant Upadhyay, Mr. Sandeep Kumar, Mr. Sujeet Sarkar, Mr. Ashutosh Burnwal, Ms. Monika Walia, Mr. Ajay Pandey, Mr. Sushant Verma, Dr. K.K. Upadhyay, Dr. Nayan Chakravarty, Dr. P.K. Sahoo graced the event and shared their thoughts. The programme was coordinated by Manjunath K, Programme Officer, Vishwa Yuvak Kendra.

Lives cannot wait-RDIF observed International Rare Disease Day 2026 at SGPGI, Lucknow

A special “Walk4Rare” Awareness Walk was organized to spread awareness among the general public. The walk created significant visibility and sensitized the community about the challenges faced by rare disease patients and their families.

The primary objective of the event was to provide a comprehensive platform for patients and caregivers to address their concerns related to diagnosis, treatment options, caregiving challenges, physiotherapy, and other essential medical assistance. Experts conducted interactive sessions to answer general queries and guide families regarding available support systems. The program also included cultural performances by patients and families, celebrating resilience and hope within the rare disease community.

Dr. Devendra Gupta, Chief Medical Superintendent of SGPGI, underlined the critical role of Patient Advocacy Groups in bridging the gap between patients, healthcare providers, and policymakers. He stressed that collaborative efforts are essential to ensure early diagnosis, accessible treatment, and sustained care.

Dr. Kaushik Mandal, Head of the Department of Pediatrics, SGPGI Lucknow, assured the community that the medical fraternity stands firmly with rare disease patients. He stated, “We are available 24x7 to support this community because we understand their suffering very closely.”

Mr. Saurabh Singh, Co-Founder & Director of Rare Diseases India Foundation (RDIF), stated that the Rs. 50 lakh funding cap under the National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021 is insufficient for many high-cost and lifelong treatments, particularly for Group 3 patients. He expressed concern that several patients are deteriorating after exhausting the sanctioned funds, leading to interruption or stoppage of treatment. He also highlighted that some rare diseases are still awaiting inclusion under the policy framework. Emphasizing that patients are not seeking free services but affordable and sustainable access to medicines, he added that the community remains hopeful for positive intervention from the Supreme Court of India to ensure justice and continuity of care.

The Program concluded with a strong message of unity, awareness, and collective responsibility — reaffirming the commitment to build an inclusive healthcare ecosystem where rare disease patients are not invisible but empowered.

More than a commemorative milestone, Purple Manthan was positioned as a strategic stock-taking, asking a critical question: Have we moved from rights on paper to inclusion in practice?
 

APD’s Resource Book on Accessibility in Educational Institutions unveiled at Purple Manthan 2026, marking 10 years of the RPwD Act
 

At the heart of the conclave was the launch of APD’s ‘Resource Book on Accessibility in Educational Institutions’, a first-of-its-kind, practice-oriented guide designed to help schools, colleges, and universities embed accessibility across infrastructure, digital systems, pedagogy, and campus life.
 

Developed by APD, the resource book distils over a decade of the organisation’s on-ground implementation experience, policy engagement, and institutional partnerships. It provides institutions with actionable frameworks, checklists, and design pathways to translate statutory mandates into measurable, everyday inclusion.
 

Launching the book, Mrs Manmeet Nanda, Additional Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), said, “The RPwD Act laid the legal foundation for accessibility, but its true impact depends on how consistently and thoughtfully it is implemented on the ground. This resource book is a timely and valuable contribution, offering institutions a clear, practical roadmap to translate policy into everyday practice. By bridging the gap between legislation and lived experience, it has the potential to significantly strengthen inclusive education in India.”
 

Dr N. S. Senthil Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, APD, said, “A decade after the RPwD Act, we must shift the conversation from compliance to commitment. Inclusion cannot remain a checklist; it must become a design principle. Through this Resource Book, APD seeks to equip institutions not just to meet legal standards, but to reimagine learning spaces where accessibility is foundational, not an afterthought. Purple Manthan is our call to action for the next decade, one anchored in accountability, collaboration, and measurable change.”
 

Purple Manthan 2026 featured high-level discussions on policy, practice, and innovation, with a strong emphasis on translating rights into real-world outcomes. Three thematic sessions, on Livelihoods, Accessibility, and Governance & Data, explored the structural and intersectional barriers that continue to limit full participation.
 

APD anchored the accessibility-focused session, moderated by Dr Bhumika Modh, Head – Policy Advocacy and Collaborations, APD, which examined the shift from legal mandates to mainstream implementation. The session explored how inclusive design, community-based approaches, and technological innovation can collectively build enabling environments for participation across physical and digital spaces. The conclave concluded with The Manthan, an interactive strategy articulation session led by Prof. Anil Suraj of IIM Bangalore, consolidating cross-sector insights into forward-looking recommendations for the next decade.

An MoU between The Art of Living Social Projects & Autocracy Machinery signals the launch of a nationwide mission to revive India’s water bodies
 

Responding to a Growing Need

The Art of Living Social Projects has received an overwhelming number of requests for lake and pond rejuvenation from across the country. In many inhabited areas - from expanding cities to small towns and villages - untreated sewage continues to flow into local water bodies. The consequences are stark: water turns dark and foul-smelling, oxygen levels plummet, fish perish, algal blooms spread unchecked, and once-thriving ecosystems slide into slow, suffocating decline.
 

The new partnership ensures that The Art of Living Social Projects can undertake scientifically designed restoration projects anywhere in India, supported by appropriate funding and technical capacity.
 

Autocracy Machinery in Action: Innovation on Water, Under Water and On Land

Autocracy Machinery, an emerging Indian start-up, brings specialised equipment designed to operate on water, under water and on land - enabling thorough, end-to-end restoration. From removing invasive weeds and decades of silt to clearing sludge and stabilising lake beds, the machinery tackles the visible damage head-on.
 

Mechanical cleaning is the critical first step. Years of pollutants and sediment must be cleared before a water body can recover.
 

Nature-Based Healing: Bio-remediation and Phyto-remediation

Following the physical cleaning process, The Art of Living Social Projects will introduce ecological restoration measures to ensure long-term sustainability.
 

Bio-remediation involves using beneficial microorganisms to naturally break down sewage, organic waste and harmful pollutants present in the water.
 

Phyto-remediation uses carefully selected aquatic plants to absorb toxins, heavy metals and excess nutrients, thereby restoring water quality in a natural and environmentally friendly manner.
 

Advanced Oxygenation through Nano Bubbles

To strengthen natural restoration methods, The Art of Living Social Projects will introduce nano bubble technology - an advanced system for water oxygenation and purification.
 

These ultra-fine oxygen bubbles, less than 200 nanometres in size, remain suspended in water instead of rising to the surface. Containing over 95% oxygen, they disperse evenly and release oxygen gradually, boosting dissolved oxygen levels, supporting beneficial microbes and accelerating the breakdown of pollutants.
 

The result is clearer water, healthier aquatic life and stronger ecosystem recovery.
 

By combining mechanical, biological and technological solutions, this approach shifts restoration from a one-time clean-up into lasting ecological renewal.
 

Reviving Communities Through Water

India’s lakes and ponds are not idle waters; they are living ecosystems, climate buffers and anchors of community life. When a water body comes back to life, the impact reaches far beyond its banks - groundwater recharge improves, biodiversity returns, health risks decline and livelihoods strengthen, as communities reclaim spaces that once shaped their identity. Their restoration is not just an environmental priority, but a social and ecological necessity.
 

About The Art of Living Social Projects

The Art of Living, a non-profit, educational and humanitarian organisation founded in 1981 by world-renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is deeply committed to addressing India’s pressing water challenges. Through large-scale water conservation initiatives, the organisation works to alleviate water scarcity, restore ecosystems and enhance the quality of life for communities across the country.
 

To learn more about the initiative or explore CSR partnerships, visit: Best NGO for CSR projects in India
 

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NR Foundation donates 14 three-seater metal sofa sets to the District Hospital & Epidemic Diseases Hospital, Mysuru, enhancing patient comfort and supporting community healthcare

The donation was formally handed over in the presence of District Surgeon, Dr. Sathish N. V, Resident Medical Officer Dr. Hariprasadh J. and NR Foundation Chairman Sri R. Guru. The support comes in response to a requisition from the Office of the District Surgeon, which highlighted the urgent need for seating arrangements in outpatient departments and wards. With hundreds of patients and relatives visiting the hospital daily, the availability of proper seating is critical to easing their experience during long waiting hours.

“At NR Foundation, we believe that true service lies in addressing the everyday needs of people with dignity and compassion. Healthcare is not only about medicines and treatment, it is also about the environment in which patients and their families spend their time. By providing these metal sofa sets, we hope to ease their experience, offer comfort during difficult moments, and reinforce our commitment to community welfare. This initiative is a small step in our larger vision of supporting healthcare and uplifting lives across Mysuru and beyond,” Sri R. Guru, Chairman, NR Foundation

“We are deeply grateful to Mr. R Guru and NR Foundation for their generous support. The support of 14 three-seater metal sofa sets will greatly improve the comfort and dignity of our patients and their families, especially those who spend long hours waiting in the OPD and wards. Such contributions directly strengthen public healthcare facilities and reflect the compassion and commitment of the Foundation towards community welfare,” Dr. Sathish N. V, District Surgeon, District Hospital & Epidemic Diseases Hospital, Mysuru

This initiative builds on NR Foundation’s long-standing support for healthcare, including its critical contributions during the pandemic. At that time, the Foundation provided cots to the District Hospital, along with sanitizers and face masks, supporting both the community and the district administration in their fight against COVID-19. These efforts underscored NR Foundation’s commitment to standing by society during times of crisis.

Today, through the support of medal sofa sets, NR Foundation continues to reinforce its belief that small, thoughtful interventions can create meaningful change. The Foundation remains dedicated to healthcare, education, women empowerment, and skill development, ensuring that its legacy of compassion and service touches lives across Mysuru and beyond.

About NR Foundation

NR Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the NR Group, the makers of Cycle Pure Agarbathi. Guided by the values of compassion, community service, and sustainability, the Foundation is dedicated to creating meaningful impact across healthcare, education, women empowerment, and skill development. Over the years, NR Foundation has supported initiatives ranging from rural healthcare camps and livelihood programs to educational scholarships and cultural preservation projects. Rooted in Mysuru yet reaching communities across India, NR Foundation continues to uphold the Group’s legacy of service by fostering dignity, opportunity, and long-term social transformation.

Eminent healthcare leaders and scientific experts at the Metropolis Centre of Genomics Scientific Symposium in Mumbai

The symposium also marked the formal unveiling of Metropolis’ Centre of Genomics to the clinician community, reinforcing the Company’s broader clinical engagement initiative focused on embedding advanced molecular diagnostics into routine medical practice. As precision medicine gains momentum in India and globally, the forum highlighted the shift from episodic testing to integrated, molecular-driven care pathways enabling earlier diagnosis, precise risk stratification, and personalised treatment across oncology, neurology, and women & child health.

Ms. Ameera Shah, Promoter and Executive Chairperson, Metropolis Healthcare addressing at the Centre of Genomics Scientific Symposium

Across oncology, discussions centred on tumour profiling, biomarker-driven therapies, and the expanding role of next-generation sequencing in guiding targeted cancer care. Neurogenomics sessions examined inherited and rare neurological disorders, including genetic epilepsies and neuromuscular conditions, highlighting how genomic testing can reduce diagnostic delays and enable personalised management strategies. In women and child health, experts explored reproductive genomics, prenatal diagnostics, and genetic counselling, underscoring the role of early molecular insights in improving pregnancy outcomes and paediatric care. 

These thematic discussions were conducted through parallel sub-specialty sessions led by Key Opinion Leaders, Medical Advisory Board members, and distinguished national and international speakers, featuring panel discussions and case-based deliberations to deepen clinical engagement across specialties.

Clinicians also shared real-world case experiences demonstrating how genomics is enabling a transition from symptomatic management to evidence-based, targeted interventions, improving diagnostic clarity and reducing uncertainty in complex clinical scenarios. The discussions reflected a broader shift toward longitudinal, data-driven diagnostic journeys that support continuous and personalised patient management.

Commenting on the initiative, Ms. Ameera Shah, Promoter and Executive Chairperson, Metropolis Healthcare Limited, said, “The next phase of healthcare will be defined by how effectively genomic intelligence is embedded into clinical workflows at scale. The opportunity ahead lies in creating connected ecosystems where diagnostics, data science, and clinical expertise work seamlessly together. At Metropolis, we are focused on integrating molecular intelligence into everyday decision-making so that precision medicine moves toward becoming the standard of care, not the exception.”

Dr. Kirti Chadha, Chief Scientific and Innovation Officer, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd., said, “As genomic medicine expands, the real challenge is not access to technology but ensuring accuracy, interpretation, and accountability at every step. Scaling responsibly requires rigorous validation frameworks, structured reporting standards, and close collaboration between scientists and clinicians so that genomic findings are applied with clarity and confidence in patient care.”

The symposium featured participation from an eminent panel of national and international clinicians and experts, including Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee Dr. Suresh Advani, Senior Consultant, Medical Oncology, Jaslok Hospital; Dr. Aniruddha Deshpande, Professor, Sanford Burnham Prebys, La Jolla, California; Prof. Stefan Bohlander, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Auckland, New Zealand; Dr. Jyoti Bajpai, Senior Consultant, Precision Oncology, Sir H.N. Reliance Hospital and Apollo Hospital; Dr. Mehboob Basade, Senior Consultant, Medical Oncology, H.N. Reliance Hospital, Jaslok Hospital and Saifee Hospital; Dr. Anita Bhaduri, Senior Consultant, Histopathology, P.D. Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai; Dr. Charulata Sankhla, Neurologist, P.D. Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai; Dr. Rahul T. Chakor, Neurologist, Nair Hospital, Mumbai; Dr. Neelu Desai, Paediatric Neurologist, P.D. Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai; Dr. Pradnya Gadgil, Senior Consultant, Paediatric Neurology and Complex Epilepsy, SRCC Children’s Hospital; Dr. Mayank Nilay, Clinical Geneticist, Post Graduate Institute of Child Health, Noida; Dr. Sunita Tandulwadkar, Ex-President, FOGSI and Chief IVF Consultant and Endoscopist, Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune; Dr. Chander Lulla, Consultant Sonologist and Fetal Medicine Specialist, Head – Ultrasound, Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai and Senior Consultant at Reliance HN Hospital and Ria Clinic; and Dr. Anupkumar Rawool, Senior Consultant Clinical and Cancer Geneticist, Founder and Director, Sahaj Genetic Clinic, Pune.

About Metropolis Centre of Genomics 
The Centre of Genomics at Metropolis Healthcare Limited is an integrated precision diagnostics platform built on the Company’s long-standing expertise in molecular diagnostics and precision oncology. Bringing together two CAP-accredited national referral laboratories, advanced next-generation sequencing technologies, and multidisciplinary scientific expertise, the Centre delivers clinically actionable genomic medicine across India.

It supports high-impact specialties including oncology, neurology, reproductive health, transplant immunology, and rare diseases through a comprehensive portfolio of NGS-based assays, robust bioinformatics, clinical interpretation, and genetic counselling across the care continuum. By combining cutting-edge technology with strong clinical governance and scientific stewardship, the Centre transforms complex genomic data into actionable intelligence, enabling earlier diagnosis, targeted therapies, and personalised patient management.

Beyond its current capabilities, the Centre of Genomics serves as a platform for continuous test development, AI-enabled analytics, and deeper digital integration to further strengthen clinical outcomes and operational excellence. With active engagement in pharmaceutical programs, clinical trials, and international collaborations, it is positioned as a strategic partner for global research, companion diagnostics, and precision-led drug development.

About Metropolis Healthcare Limited 
Established in 1981, Metropolis Healthcare Limited is India’s second-largest diagnostic chain, led by visionary leader Ms. Ameera Shah, Promoter and Executive Chairperson. With over four decades of excellence, Metropolis has been a pioneer in delivering best-in-class diagnostic services to patients, healthcare providers, and corporates across India and Africa. The company’s extensive footprint spans 28 states, 7 Union Territories, and over 750 towns in India, supported by a robust network of more than 220 laboratories, 4,800+ service centers, and over 10,000 touchpoints. 

Each year, Metropolis serves millions of individuals by providing actionable health insights that empower better clinical outcomes. Metropolis offers a comprehensive range of more than 4,000 tests and profiles, including advanced tests for diagnosing cancer, neurological disorders, infectious diseases, and various genetic abnormalities. The company’s commitment to quality and accuracy is reinforced by its consistent CAP proficiency score of over 98% for the past decade, placing it among the top 1% of laboratories worldwide for quality assurance. The Metropolis philosophy is built on the pillars of technological superiority, a warm, patient-centric approach, and reliable diagnostic reports. 

For more information, please visit www.metropolisindia.com or click on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.

The Bhagwan Mahaveer Foundation announced the awardees for the 29th Mahaveer Awards, recognising outstanding individuals and institutions for their selfless service in the fields of Non-Violence & Vegetarianism, Education, Medicine, and Community & Social Service.

L-R: NIRMAN Odisha; Sangkhumi Bualchhuak Mizoram; Sri Shankara Cancer Foundation - Karnataka; CORD - Himachal Pradesh; Sarhad - Maharashtra

The awardees for the 29th Mahaveer Awards are: Sarhad, Maharashtra - Non-Violence & Vegetarianism; CORD, Himachal Pradesh - Education; Sri Shankara Cancer Foundation, Karnataka - Medicine; Smt. Sangkhumi Bualchhuak, Mizoram - Community & Social Service; and NIRMAN, Odisha - Community & Social Service.

Sarhad works to promote peace and non-violence in conflict-prone regions through cultural dialogue and youth engagement. CORD empowers marginalised communities, especially women and persons with disabilities, through education and rural development initiatives. Sri Shankara Cancer Foundation provides accessible cancer care through its hospitals and outreach programmes in Karnataka and Odisha. Smt. Sangkhumi Bualchhuak of Mizoram has dedicated decades to advancing women’s rights and community welfare. NIRMAN works with tribal communities in Odisha to strengthen livelihoods, women-led institutions, and food security.

Instituted to honour exemplary humanitarian efforts, the Mahaveer Awards are presented annually to individuals and organisations that have made sustained contributions towards the welfare of the underprivileged and the weaker sections of society. Each Mahaveer Award carries a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakh, along with a commendatory citation and a memento.

With the selection of the 2026 awardees, the total number of Mahaveer Award recipients has now reached 101, covering 26 States and 2 Union Territories. So far, 96 awardees have been honoured prior to this edition. Over the years, the Mahaveer Awards have been presented by eminent personalities including the President of India, Vice President of India, Governors, Chief Ministers, and Union Ministers at formal functions.

For the 29th Mahaveer Awards, 267 nominations received from across the country were carefully evaluated by an eminent Selection Jury, headed by Justice Shri M. N. Venkatachaliah, Former Chief Justice of India. The members of the Selection Jury include Acharya Shri Chandanaji Maharaj, Eminent Sanyasini; Dr. Justice Shri D. Y. Chandrachud, Former Chief Justice of India; Shri S.Gurumurthy-Part time Director RBI and Editor Thuglak, Prof B.M. Hegde Chairman Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan Mangalore Kendra,  Shri T. S. Krishnamurthy, Former Chief Election Commissioner of India; Shri D. R. Mehta, I.A.S. (Retd.), Former Chairman, SEBI; Shri Prabhat Kumar, I.A.S. (Retd.), Former Cabinet Secretary, Government of India; and Justice Shri G. S. Singhvi, Former Judge of the Supreme Court of India.

In his comments, Shri Sugalchand Jain, Founder, Bhagwan Mahaveer Foundation, said, “We believe that individuals and organisations dedicated to non-violence & vegetarianism, education, medicine, and community & social service play a vital role in the holistic development of our nation. For nearly three decades, through the Mahaveer Awards, we have been recognising the extraordinary contributions of such changemakers who work tirelessly for the welfare of society. We are honoured to recognise the awardees of the 29th edition whose inspiring efforts continue to uplift the underprivileged and promote compassion and social harmony. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to them and express our gratitude to the esteemed jury members for their thoughtful and meticulous selection process.”

The Foundation has also invited nominations for the 30th Mahaveer Awards from individuals and institutions engaged in selfless service in the four award categories. Nomination forms can be downloaded from the Foundation’s website: www.bmfawards.org. 

NDMC Students Bring Book Series “Smiles That Shine” to Life Through Theatre for National Cleft Day

As part of this initiative, Smile Train India rolled out "The ABCs of Change" (Awareness, Behaviour, and Confidence) across 10 NDMC schools, using storytelling, interactive learning, and creative engagement to build early awareness, empathy, and inclusion among primary school children. The programme integrates cleft awareness into classrooms, positioning children as active participants and ambassadors of change within their schools, families, and communities.

Central to the initiative is Smile Train India's picture book series, "Smiles that Shine," the first-of-its-kind children's series designed to promote empathy, kindness, and understanding around facial differences, including cleft lip and palate. Through imaginative storytelling and relatable characters, the books normalise differences, encourage conversations around self-confidence and identity, and help reduce stigma from an early age.

The school programme concluded with a three-day creative theatre workshop led by Rahul Khanna, a renowned theatre practitioner and storytelling facilitator. Primary school students from NDMC schools developed and performed short plays inspired by the "Smiles that Shine" stories, bringing the narratives to life through expressive enactment and reinforcing messages of empathy, inclusion, and acceptance.

Cleft lip and palate is a treatable birth difference, affecting approximately 1 in every 700 children. However, lack of awareness, social stigma, and misinformation often delay treatment, impacting a child's health, speech development, confidence, and social integration. By embedding awareness within schools, Smile Train India and NDMC aim to encourage a more inclusive environment for children with facial differences.

Speaking on the initiative, Kritika Choudhary, Director, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) said, "Schools are not only places of learning but also where empathy and inclusion are shaped. This partnership with Smile Train India brings together health awareness and creative learning. By engaging children through stories and theatre, we hope these values extend beyond classrooms into homes and communities."

Mamta Carroll, Senior Vice President and Regional Director, Asia Smile Train India, added, "Cleft care goes beyond medical treatment; it is about building confidence, dignity, and a sense of belonging. Through initiatives like Smiles that Shine, The ABCs of Change, and the culminating theatre workshops, we are using storytelling to help children understand and embrace differences, and to grow up with empathy, kindness, and inclusion at their core."

By anchoring cleft awareness within classrooms and creative expression, Smile Train India and NDMC reaffirm their shared commitment to early intervention, inclusive education, and community-led advocacy, ensuring every child born with a cleft has the opportunity to grow up healthy, confident, and included.

Over 35,000 babies with cleft conditions are born in India each year, and many of them go untreated because of social stigma, misconceptions and a lack of knowledge about the treatment that is available, by improving community level awareness. Smile Train’s school outreach program aims to spread awareness amongst the young minds.

For cleft treatment related query or support, please call our toll-free helpline number: 1800 103 8301.

Enabling Leadership, a non-profit organisation working to equip children from underserved communities with essential life and leadership skills, will host the ELevate 2026 National Finals on February 7 & 8 at the Reva University Campus in Bengaluru. Now in its fourth edition, ELevate has grown into India’s largest mixed-gender football league, the country’s biggest competition for original music compositions, and a national showcase of creativity and innovation through building-block challenges.

Regional Finalists from one of the villages presenting their original composition during the EL Create Regional event

The ELevate 2026 National Finals will be graced by Ms. Meena Chaturvedi, Vice Chair, Gainwell Group as Chief Guest, and Sri. Vikas Kishor Suralkar, I.A.S. Commissioner for School Education, Govt. of Karnataka as the Guest of Honour, who will join educators, donors, partners, volunteers, and supporters in celebrating the achievements of India’s future leaders.

The ELevate journey began over six months ago for the children with qualifiers and regional leagues conducted across 9 cities and 50 villages. More than 10,000 children from government and low-income schools participated in mixed-gender football matches, original music composition abd performance competitions, and building block challenges — demonstrating exceptional teamwork, resilience, and decision-making.

Speaking about the National Finals, Ravi Sonnad, CEO, Enabling Leadership, shares: “ELevate is not about winning trophies. It’s about what children learn about themselves along the way — confidence, courage, teamwork, and the belief that given the right opportunity, they can define their own futures. The awards Enabling Leadership has received in recent months recognise the scale and depth of our work, but ELevate represents its heart. When 650 children step onto a national stage — competing, collaborating, and presenting impact projects — they embody leadership in its truest form. With scholarships supporting their higher education journeys, we are ensuring that talent is met with opportunity.”

From this nationwide journey, 650 outstanding students emerged as National Finalists, representing 55 teams that will now compete at the ELevate 2026 National Finals in Bengaluru. In recognition of both excellence and potential, scholarships worth Rs. 25 lakh will be awarded to approximately 200 national winners, supporting their access to higher education and helping remove financial barriers to their future aspirations.

What sets ELevate apart is its focus on leadership beyond the field and stage. Alongside the competitions, students present impact projects — real-world initiatives designed and implemented by the children themselves to address issues in their schools and communities. These projects reflect the practical application of leadership skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, empathy, and initiative, nurtured through Enabling Leadership’s year-long programs.

Through football, music, and creative problem-solving, ELevate enables children to experience equality in action, challenge stereotypes, and discover their own voice.

About Enabling Leadership

Enabling Leadership is a global non-profit organisation that equips children from under-served backgrounds with the essential Life and Leadership skills necessary for them to work themselves out of the cycle of poverty and become productive and responsible adults.

The organisation currently reaches around 10,000 children across 7 cities and 45 villages in India, Cambodia, Singapore and Kenya. Its programs use the mediums of music (Enabling Leadership Create), football (Enabling Leadership Play) and Lego-type building blocks (Enabling Leadership Build) to inculcate 21st century skills, values and attitudes so students grow to be tomorrow’s role models, global citizens, and change makers.

For more details, please visit: enablingleadership.org.