e holistic concept of regenerative agriculture gained added traction in 2023 as partof a multi-stakeholder CSR partnership that began with 15,000 coffee growers across30,000 hectares of coffee plantations in the Hassan and Chikkmagaluru districts ofKarnataka. e collaboration continued with private sector partners, public institutions,and civil society representation. e regenerative agriculture concept to support localbiodiversity, conserve water, reduce gas emissions, build resilience to climate change,enhance soil health, and promote sustainable food production was in perfect harmonywith SMSF values and efforts.In the early years of SMSF work in four Mewat villages, the team provided localvolunteers with three-to-four months of intensive practical training in the field on allprogram areas. ose supporters of SMSF’s agriculture work on the ground were referredto as Kisan Mitras (farmers’ friends). As field assistants, like the village champions, theytended to mobilize all types of work in the local villages. Initially, their primary incentivecame from their targeted work completion and achievements. Sometime later, monthlyremuneration was introduced.Kisan Mitras provided agricultural information at the Ghaghas Community Centerand helped organize Kisan Gosthees (farmers meetings and training events) to disseminatenew information on agriculture technologies. With greater expansion into more states inIndia, this approach became less common due to strict targets and timelines.Krishi Mitras (women farmers) began connecting initially through Farmer ProducerOrganizations. ey received trained under a SMSF master-trainer model that includedinformation on advanced agricultural practices and inputs (e.g. seeds), agriculturalmachinery innovations, and nutrition information. In addition to sharing their expertisewith other farmers and nearby communities, the women took part in sanitation drives.e SMSF team had expanded from a small team working in one district in one state in1999 to many integrated teams working in multiple states, along with many partners andin collaboration with small farmer groups, FPOs, etc.Since its inception, SMSF maintained the founders’ commitment to completetransparency and accountability in all financial and other interactions and in allpartnerships. As the organization surged ahead in growth and scope, work onmaintaining alignment of all internal systems and policies with financial and legalaccountability requirements continued. A comprehensive internal procurement policywas now being applied to every project being done. e policy defined roles,responsibilities, and financial limits for all materials and services. ese were furtherdefined according to different levels in the process, such as requisitions, technical reviews,quotation verifications, negotiations, etc.
With delivery of materials, steps included verification being recorded in a stockregister and/or measurement book for construction work by the site person in charge,and a completion report prepared by the supervisor, along with Geotagging (applicationof geographical ID metadata), depending on the activity, before going to a technicalexpert. e tech expert ensured the quality and associate quantities viz-á-viz the projectproposal before report submission for payment.All CSR projects are subject to scrutiny per India’s Companies Act of 2013. Once aCSR project is completed and the grant funding is utilized, the utilization certificate (UC)for grant funds is audited by a chartered accountant to ensure that the project expenseswere in accordance with the project proposal. SMSF submits the completion report andthe UC to CSR partners whose own auditors reverify the information. e auditors ofvarious CSR partnerships have included companies such as Deloitte, Grant ornton,KPMG, Ernest & Young, and Mazars Forvis. Per statutory requirements, SMSF accountsare also audited annually by independent auditors for filing of tax returns with the taxauthorities. All the steps are carried out to assure complete transparency andaccountability in all operations and partnerships—in keeping with the values of thefounders and embraced and reinforced by SMSF team members at all levels of theorganization.On August 22, 2023, S M Sehgal Foundation received the highest-possible rating(VO 1A) in the not-for-profit/NGO category, as awarded by Credit Rating InformationServices of India Limited (CRISIL). A subsidiary of S&P Global, CRISIL is an Indiananalytical company that provides ratings, research, and risk and policy advisory services.e independent voluntary organization (VO) grading by CRISIL is only providedafter comprehensive scrutiny. e highest VO 1A rating for SMSF indicated “very strongdelivery capability and financial proficiency.”For more than a month, CRISIL had carried out a detailed due-diligence evaluationof SMSF policies and procedures, standard operating procedures, financial statements,reporting systems, compliances and risk mitigation capabilities, etc., across all functions.SMSF was also evaluated on whether the organization actually practiced its vision,mission, and core values. e CRISIL team gathered direct feedback from partners,vendors, employees, trustees, and community members.is highest rating was a welcome testimony, especially for potential donors andpartners, that S M Sehgal Foundation is a transparent and credible organization. ougha CRISIL rating is valid for one year, the SMSF activities evaluated were, are, and willcontinue to be the norm, not just a one-year activity.
Expanded EmpowermentWhen S M Sehgal Foundation built the community center in the village of Ghaghas inMewat district (now Nuh), the intent was to eventually hand over the ownership to thecommunity. When the local Farmer Producers Organization (FPO) needed more spaceand was ready to expand in 2022, the timing coincided well with a plan for the SMSFcommunity radio station Alfaz-E-Mewat to seek a new location that could reach a broadergeographic audience.e SMSF team determined a sale price for the community center in an amount thatwould clearly demonstrate that the group had earned the space and low enough that itwould not be a burden to the community. Once the transaction plans were confirmed,Pooja O. Murada and the radio team conducted the search for a new broadcast location.e ideal arrangement would offer the desired long-term stability, allow the communityradio station to continue serving the core listening audience in Nuh district, and alsoexpand the broadcast reach into neighboring areas, especially Alwar district, where SMSFhad deepened its engagement.In September 2023, the foundation’s community radio station relocated to Sri KaranNarendra Agriculture University in Alwar district, Rajasthan. e new location, on thegrounds of the Navgaon Agriculture Research Station, met a key objective of connectingwith more diverse communities. In addition to reaching the Meo population in Nuh,broadcasts would reach Alwar’s Rajasthani and Sikh communities. For the station name tobetter reflect the new diversity of the listening audience, Alfaz-e-Mewat was officiallyrenamed Community Radio Connect, or CR Connect.
An important aspect of the smooth transition was that the proximity of the new spacedid not increase staff travel time from Gurugram. e current team members were ableto continue to manage local operations. Additional advantages in the new locationincluded a sense of security and community support that came with being located onuniversity premises and easy accessibility on a main highway. Community membersconveyed immediate enthusiasm and support, which prompted the station to extendbroadcast hours into the late evening. is was one more step toward implementation of24-hour broadcasting that Pooja and the radio team hoped to one day realize.As geographical boundaries were not limits to online communication, the Outreachfor Development team adapted its strategy to build a stronger online presence. SMSFfeatured regular updates, success stories, and multimedia content on social mediaplatforms with live interactions and connections with increasingly diverse audiences.Online ads helped boost outreach and drive traffic to current development campaigns.e Outreach team became proactive in evaluating and using new online tools suchas artificial intelligence (AI) for communication analytics and search engine optimization(SEO). e team could now track engagement and monitor content performance toevaluate specific campaign effectiveness. e use of such data-driven insights helped torefine messaging, target the most appropriate audiences, and inform futurecommunication strategies.e SMSF YouTube channel, launched in 2023, was enhanced with varied videoformats to cater to different viewer preferences. e goal of the podcast platform, SMSFConnect, launched in 2024, included guest interviews and conversations to further thereach and impact of SMSF rural development work. e monthly electronic newsletterwas renamed Connect Updatespace. Delivery via email ensured that interested stakeholdersstayed informed with curated updates, and remained engaged in ongoing SMSF work.Overall goals of this forward-looking communications approach were to maintainand further enhance the organization’s visibility and credibility in CSR and otherdonor/partnership communities so that meaningful work would continue to expand.Dissemination of timely information that strengthened stakeholders’ engagementsupported the long-term sustainability of SMSF to empower more rural communities.e hoped-for 24-hour radio broadcasting milestone was finally reached in 2024.With the radio transmitter running around the clock, the CR Connect FM 107.8 was ableto join Radio Garden, a global platform offering access to live radio stations worldwideand also available on a free app and website. Community members living in differentparts of the world could now listen to local content in their native dialects, regardless ofwhere they lived.
As SMSF teams continued to work with Farmer Producer Organizations, farmersadvantages increased by utilizing economies of scale and access to technology, credit, andmarkets. Women farmers now represented the majority of producers in FPOs. At multistakeholder interface meetings (farmers, government, and academic representatives)discussing programs, services, and innovations made in the agriculture sector, theenthusiastic participation of women attendees demonstrated substantial elevation in therecognition of women as farmers.A new version of an old idea began to gain momentum with women farmers. eoriginal goal of a Custom Hiring Center (CHC) model, as promoted under variousgovernment schemes since the 1990s, was to assist India’s small and marginal farmers in amove toward mechanization and better farming practices. To generate income, the ideawas to provide farmers with access to expensive agricultural tools and machinery nototherwise available in a particular village at affordable rental rates. However, the modeldidn’t offer opportunities for individual ownership. e CHCs were generally managedby community institutions or FPOs.SMSF had introduced a women-centric, collective-based CHC model in EastChamparan, Bihar, as part of a CSR-partnership in 2017. A group of ten-to-twelvewomen were provided with multiple machines, such as tractors. ough the model wasreplicated in a few other project locations, challenges emerged when the interventionrequired longer-than-anticipated “hand-holding” support. Many women were reluctantto operate some of the high-tech machinery. More importantly, managing the rentalprocess, housing, and costly equipment maintenance in the absence of individualownership made the venture hard to effectively sustain.Considering those challenges, the SMSF team pivoted from the original noownership model to create individual entrepreneurship models and agricultural tooloperator groups. Farm machines could be assigned to specific operators trained in toolmaintenance and utilization. By encouraging accountability, ownership, and incomegeneration, the new model proved far more sustainable.By 2023, only two functional (old-model) CHCs operated through FPOs (inPrayagraj and Kolar). For other locations, the “individual operator” model became amuch more effective agriculture intervention for SMSF. Women farmers with sharedinterests joined selfmanaged Farmer Interest Groups (FIGs) within FPOs where theyreceived training on modern agriculture methods and water usage.e same FIGs could then utilize the locations as renting facilities for access to certaintypes of farm machinery to FIG members and other women farmers to earn someincome for the group. Medium-to-high-cost machines, such as reapers, seed drills, chaffcutters, and others were available depending on the needs of the location. Women-runFIGs also enabled other farm-based enterprises such as the use of a mustard oil expeller
machine. Mustard oil was used medicinally and in cooking, especially for making papad(flatbread made from lentils or other flour dough).e mustard oil expeller unit in particular became a useful intervention for helpingwomen farmers to improve their business skills. SMSF set up women-led expeller oil unitenterprises in a few locations with women in Self Help Groups (SHGs).Most women in the groups had no business experience and required training supportto become financially self-dependent. ey were in charge of all operations with hands-ontraining to operate and maintain the machines, use cellphones to call for repairs, use theexpeller to produce the mustard oil, and then sell the product. Other trainings to createsustainable income and skill-building included recordkeeping, accounting, packagingdesign, and marketing.Principle Lead Pawan Kumar noted that the women in the SHGs began to createownership in their work. ough not inclined at first to think in business terms, thewomen started thinking about ways to save money on inputs, operations, and labor. Headded, “e real test will begin when all support stops, and the women will have tohandle operations, market their products, create benefits, and distribute the benefits to allmembers. Otherwise there will be no way to attract the interest of other womenmembers. In the end, a business has to run a profit, and business volume has to increase.Money is the driving force for all kinds of empowerment and, without money, womenwill remain dependent on husbands and will not be decision-makers. Once a womanstarts getting her own income and can take care of some expenses on her own, she willmore naturally think of her personal health and hygiene, her children’s education, and soon.”For many women who earlier had such limited opportunities to step outside theirhomes, this initiative opened doors to entrepreneurship and greater social mobility.Women in SHGs became cohesive economically and socially. e work promotedconnectivity and friendships that allowed for networking and flexibility with childcareand other domestic responsibilities.During a visit to SMSF in Gurugram by two economics professors and ten studentsfrom St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota, the group was able to go toRangala village in Nuh, where a women’s SHG mustard oil extractor business had beenlaunched. e businesswomen were proud to describe their impressive enterprise andshow visitors their newly designed labels and bottles. Each SHG member had a jobresponsibility, such as operating the machine, maintenance and repairs, book-keeping,packaging, marketing the oil, etc.One woman explained how she was able to repair the expeller machine when itbroke. She had ordered the needed part online for only Rs. 10. She then removed andreplaced the broken part with instructional help by cellphone, and the group was quicklyback in business.
e farmer smiled wide and said happily, “Now we don’t have to ask men for money—we give them money!”As of early 2025, the group was selling their oil locally and they had a plan to expandthe sales reach to increase their profits.Animal husbandry assistance from SMSF to women farmers focused on thehealthcare and rearing of milch animals, particularly goats. Women volunteers weretrained as Pashu Sakhis (friend of animals) through demonstrations by veterinarians inanimal nutrition, basic veterinary diseases, medicines, and first aid care. Resultingimprovements in animal health and milk production led to greater profits from milk salesfor hundreds of goat farmers.Village sanitation continued to be an empowerment issue for women. Restoringtraditional water bodies such as ponds and tanks were of particular benefit to women andtheir livestock. More women became active members of tank users groups. Replacingnonfunctional drainage systems in villages with soak pits and soak wells removed thestagnant, foulsmelling water that was a constant breeding ground for bacteria.Similar interventions improved anganwadi (childcare) centers and encouraged newmothers as part of awareness sessions to utilize the services of ASHA (accredited socialhealth activists) workers for infant healthcare. Swasthya Sakhis and Swasthya Sahelis (localwomen health workers for women and girls) provided education in areas of menstrual,reproductive, and basic health, hygiene, and nutrition. Women in Nuh continued to relyon the CISC toll-free hotline to learn more about government services and benefits andhow to access and use them.By the end of 2023, SMSF capacity-building interventions with women farmers hadtouched the lives of 2.03 million women across 2,000 villages in twelve states. e outputof small and marginal farmers was vastly improved by adopting climate-resilientagriculture practices, water-efficient irrigation methods, solar technology, farmmechanization for small fields, crop diversification, and how to use information andcommunication technology.Within a year, SMSF teams would be working with twenty-six FPOs, including morethan 50,000 farmers in thirteen states. In some women-led FPOs, women constituted theboard of directors and ran the business, using their collective strength to develop theirentrepreneurship skills. e Government of India’s 2020 mandate to form 10,000Farmer Producer Organizations by 2027–28, with at least one third representation bywomen, was achieved in less than five years.32With the influx of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in the developmentsector, the SMSF Rural Research function focused on integrating tech solutions and AIinnovations in agriculture and water programs and exploring the integration of plausiblesolutions to make team workflows and processes more efficient. Chief Technology Officer
Niti Saxana would steer the new research function and propel the integration oftechnology in all agriculture and water programs using a testing and evaluating scale todemonstrate to partners that SMSF offers state-of-the-art, impactful, and sustainabledevelopment solutions.Almost seven years after leaving for the originally planned three-to-four-yearcommitment in South India, hydrologist Salahuddin Saiphy returned to the Gurugramoffice in early 2024. e impact of the COVID-19 pandemic had extended his stay in thesouth. He had successfully established project offices, teams, and ongoing partnerships inTelangana, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. SMSF’s presence as a highly respected andcredible NGO in the development sector in South India was secure. SMSF was beingrecognized by local communities for carrying out successful project interventions thatcontinued to positively transform the lives of rural families.Check dams constructed on the Chitravathi River in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, andthe tank desilting in Kolar, Karnataka, under the newest iteration of the long-term (since2011) CSR partnership initiative called Jaldhara (waterway), had made a significantpositive impact on multiple villages in those regions. e initiative significantly improvedthe water, both surface and groundwater, and provided access to safe drinking andirrigation water to multiple villages.e increased irrigated area and multi-cropping was enhancing farmers’ incomeopportunities. Self-service water-dispensing units, called water ATMs, typically accessedwith prepaid cards, now dispensed clean and safe drinking water. Newly created WaterManagement Committees (WMCs) and Tank User Groups (TUGs) were ensuring longterm sustainability.e Jaldhara CSR partnership project received a National Water Award from theMinistry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, in the “Best Industry for CSR activities inthe field of Water Conservation” category. e honor made Coca-Cola India Foundationthe first beverage company in India to receive a National Award for its water stewardshipefforts.33Learnings and innovations made throughout this decentralization pilot for SMSF inthe southern regions were already being incorporated or modified in every community orstate where SMSF was working. is continued based on what worked best or didn’twork during Salahuddin’s assignment there.34In addition to providing guidance as needed to Water Management teams in Haryanaand elsewhere, Salahuddin’s role now included leading a new SMSF Adaptive TechnologyWater Management Center. His work, in collaboration with the Rural Research andTechnology program team, was to explore, pilot, and prepare for the scaling up ofadvanced adaptive technologies in the water sector. Priorities focused on identifying low-
cost solutions for various water scarcity challenges. ese included exploring a process forrecycling domestic wastewater at the village level for possible use in crop irrigation, andapplying adaptive tools and methods for monitoring water quality and volume.One of the first problems tackled was a challenge discovered and identified with soakpits. Water Management teams had constructed more than 2,200 soak pits across severalstates of India over the previous two decades to handle rural household domesticwastewater, especially in areas that lacked a sewage network. However, most of the pitshad become clogged and nonfunctional due to the lack of proper operation and timelymaintenance.After multiple interactions with villagers, field team members, and other stakeholders,Salahuddin created a pilot design for a soak pit model that was self-cleaning. Using lowcost PVC gate valves for water flow improved the efficiency and life of soak pits and alsominimized the efforts required for operation and maintenance. With better functionalityand longer life, the new flushing soak pits were still (as of this writing) workingsuccessfully after a year in a village of Nuh.A promising pilot technology to make saline groundwater fit for drinking and use incrop irrigation included a process called capacitive deionization (CDI). CDI removes saltsfrom water, similar to reverse osmosis, but with minimal discarded water. e innovativewater-purification technology efficiently “electrosorbs” salt ions from water. Electrostaticforces cause the ions to desorb and flush out in a concentrated brine stream. is is a lowenergy and eco-friendly alternative to traditional desalination methods. However beforepiloting in the fields, discussions began with the International Centre for Clean Water,IIT Madras, BITS Pilani, Goa campus, and other innovators of this technology to findthe most appropriate and low-cost technology for installation.e team began looking into a water-enhancement technology promoted by aJapanese company that circulated saline water through beads made of ash originatingfrom lava to change the structure of water molecules. e water is made suitable forirrigation by increasing the surface tension without removing salts, making it easier forplants to absorb. e company claimed positive results on strawberries and other crops inthe UK. A farmer in Nuh agreed to pilot the method to confirm the claim, and then scaleup the venture if it was found suitable.A similar nature-based solution, called a decentralized wastewater treatment system(DEWATS), with a capacity of 50,000 liters/day, treated domestic grey wastewateroriginating from rural households. e new process made it suitable for irrigationpurposes without using pumps, electricity, or chemicals. Most important, the system waseasy for villagers to operate and maintain. e treated water can meet the irrigation waterrequirements of fifty-to-sixty acres of land without any source of surface water irrigationand with highly saline groundwater.35
SMSF leaders and teams in all program areas recognized the opportunities offered byintegrating artificial intelligence (AI) technology into SMSF projects and programs. Astructural design and technology expert, Senior Manager Sam Kapoor, was put in chargeof SMSF’s AI integration. Sam described the overarching goal “to innovate new ideas intoall our work.” He added, “AI is the future. Technology provides unlimited opportunitiesto explore ways to best integrate and diversify new ideas and innovations that can bescaled to align with needs and requirements of communities and prospective partners.”e three main AI areas used at SMSF now included IOT, generative AI, andmachine learning. IOT (internet of things) devices were now being used to monitorenvironmental conditions, such as water and soil, in real time, providing personalizedinformation and guidance to farmers.36 is allowed farmers to optimize their resourceuse and make informed decisions to improve their crop yields.Generative AI (generating content accessed from large datasets) gave the team accessto vast knowledge and data that could be used for analysis and training, as well as tocreate new content descriptions and reports. AI in “machine learning” was being used tocompile input, enabling machines to “learn” from the compilation. Some examplesincluded online water quality monitoring sensors and monitoring dashboards. einstallation of digital flow meters on recharge structures recorded accurate measurementsof recharged water volumes, etc.e Water Management team continued to partner with premier research andacademic institutes and other organizations to achieve the objectives of communitypartnerships. Core work on water conservation played a major part in the programgrowth as water harvesting work scaled up significantly. Considerable expansion to morestates resulted in the creation of more Water User Groups (WUGs) for the sustainabilityof projects and enhanced promotion of water ATMs for dispensing clean and safedrinking water.e advanced filtration technology (generally reverse osmosis) in water ATM unitdispensaries that purified the water for consumption began to fail after a year or two. eproblem issues were identified as “lack of operation” and the “absence of timely repairs.”e maintenance of ATMs generally depended on metro/city-based companies, and thosecompanies did not provide service support to remote village locations.To address this challenge, SMSF teams began providing maintenance trainings toVillage Development Committees, Water Management Committees, and Tank UserGroups. ose empowered community groups were then able to handle the propermanagement, operation, and maintenance of the water harvesting and conservationinterventions to ensure their long-term sustainability.Structured lesson plans that Lalit’s team had been developing since 2023 forconducting trainings on fluoride removal were ready before the end of 2024. e
completed training resource was divided into ten lesson plans. A field trial of the draftresource was conducted for thirty-six participants from diverse backgrounds in academia,medicine, water, research, government officers, and NGO teams.e final design for fluoride removal technology was then used to train about eightygrassroots practitioners to apply this knowledge to benefit the communities they work for.According to an annual survey conducted later by CAWST, the training sessions, inperson or virtually, on different WASH topics (water, sanitation and hygiene) positivelyimpacted more than 1.1 million people in more than 300 organizations across the globe.e next goal was publication of the resource that would benefit those strugglingthroughout the world with fluoride issues.32. “10,000 FPOs Achieved Under Government’s Flagship Scheme:PIB” Indian Cooperative, Feb 25, 2025; and“Govt says achieved goal of setting up of 10,000 farmer producer organisations.” e Economic Times, Feb 28, 2025.https://economic times.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/govt-says-achieved-goal-of-setting-up-of-10000-farmer-producer-organisations/articleshow/118628591.cms?from=mdr33. “CSR: Coca-Cola India’s 500+ Water projects impacts 1 million people, bags the National Water Award.” eCSR Journal. June 28, 2023. https://thecsrjournal.in/c orporate-social-responsibility-csr-news-coca-cola-indias-500-water-projects-impacts-1-million-people-bags-the-national-water-award/ “Best Industry for CSR activities in the fieldof Water Conservation” for Coca-Cola industry’s Jaldhara Project. e CSRUniverse Team. June 28. 2023.34. With team leads in place in each region by 2025, the South India team had grown to fifty people, and theirprojects accounted for almost 30 percent of SMSF work.35. e Adaptive Technology Water Management team signed a memorandum of understanding in 2025 with twopremier research and development institutions: International Centre for Clean Water, an initiative of Indian Instituteof Technology Madras, and Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani to collaborate in developmentand piloting of innovative new low-cost water management technology and solutions suitable for rural communities.36. IOT is the vast network of physical objects (things) embedded with sensors, software, and other technologiesthat connect and exchange data with other devices and systems across the internet.
Beyond 25 YearsOctober of 2024 marked the first twenty-five-years of S M Sehgal Foundationdevelopment work in rural India that began in 1999. e official quarter-century jubileeobservance was held at SMSF headquarters in Gurugram. e gathering included teammembers and families from all locations, seven of the original team of eight who firstlaunched SMSF work in Mewat, most former CEOs, and an assortment of special gueststhat included many partners, Sehgal family members, and various dignitaries. istwenty-fifth birthday of S M Sehgal Foundation was also notable because it fell in thesame year as Suri and Edda’s 60th wedding anniversary, Suri’s 90th birthday, and fifty yearssince Suri and Edda had become American citizens.Festivities began with welcoming remarks from CEO and Trustee Anjali Makhija—who had been working at SMSF almost all of the previous twenty five years. Anjali thenintroduced Jay Sehgal as emcee for the evening. Jay had been on site in India for manyweeks prior to help with the preparations. He kept the program lively with fun, touchingmemories, and excitement for the future.Suri and Edda Sehgal were unable to join the group in person, but they providedtheir remarks by video from their home in Ft. Myers, Florida. Suri spoke withappreciation and gratitude for all the hard work and accomplishments over the pastquarter century. He described how the foundation work “brought the outside world intorural India” and the impact was being felt “beyond India’s borders.”He mentioned the inspiring high school and university students in the US andaround the world who continue to create and bring their internship projects each year tolearn about rural development. He was pleased that SMSF’s innovative water technologies
had been presented at the United Nations and given freely to those needing water securityin Africa, Israel, and elsewhere around the globe. He noted that SMSF water specialistshad visited Sierra Leone in West Africa to share successful water harvesting techniques,and SMSF agriculture specialists had traveled globally to learn and share their work.SMSF’s innovative biosand filter models (i.e. MataKalp) were already being used incommunities in more than thirty countries.Suri reiterated, “We believe in learning and sharing.”He described his initial motivation for creating S M Sehgal Foundation with hisrecollection of leaving India in 1959 to pursue higher studies in the US, and how afterachieving financial security in his career, he remembered Gandhiji’s words, “Your wealth isnot yours; it belongs to the people. Take what you require for your legitimate needs, anduse the remainder for society.”Suri described the humble beginnings of SMSF “in a small rented house in Gurgaon,which served both as an office and living space,” traveling with Edda to India twice a yearfor several weeks each time, strategizing with and learning from that first core group ofsocial scientists. ey knew that the nonprofit sector in India did not have a goodreputation, so the team decided, “We must prove ourselves, that we are trustworthy, weare credible, and honest, and transparent. From the outset, we defined our overridingmanagement principle. We said we’ll be a loose and tight organization, very firm onprinciples, and somewhat flexible in operations.”ey committed SMSF to being secular/nonreligious and nonpolitical, and everyindividual, irrespective of the position in the organization, would be treated with utmostrespect. “And those same core values would apply with the community,” Suri affirmed,adding, “ose core values are the main reason for our success.”Suri recalled how, early on, the group defined the four components to the SMSFdevelopment model: every project must have impact, be replicable, be sustainable, and bescalable. He expressed special thanks to the two earliest CSR partners, both of which werestill partners (sixteen years and counting), then he extended his heartfelt gratitude to “allour partners, our dedicated staff, our Board of Trustees, the advisors, and the ruralcommunities we serve. is has been a wonderful journey. Success has come to us becauseof many good partnerships.”Suri added, “Silver is associated with a twenty-fifth anniversary because it representsdurability and strength, and for us, it symbolizes a strong sense of stability and groundingof our vision and values. is legacy has been built on continuing rural participation atthe village level and reflecting the inclusive spirit of the community, for only then canIndia continue to grow.”Edda Sehgal’s heartfelt welcome to everyone present included the Sehgals’ childrenand grandchildren, noting that this was the first visit to India and the foundation for
some grandchildren. She acknowledged SMSF’s tremendous strides and achievements ashaving been possible only because of “our dedicated and hardworking staff and ournumerous partners.” Having recently seen the Mahatma Gandhi quote, “Be the changethat you want to see in the world,” Edda said she was reminded of why she and Suristarted the foundation in the first place. During their decade in the agriculture businessacross India, they had observed deplorable conditions in many villages, and they also sawthe tremendous impact their agriculture work had when villagers began to prosper.Reflecting on the many differences in the villages where SMSF had worked over theyears, Edda said that one of the most inspiring changes she saw was in the women. “In thebeginning, they sat on the sidelines, heads covered, not speaking. Now they are very vocaland participate actively in the development and life of their villages. is transformationfills me with joy.”e audience responded to Suri and Edda with warm appreciation. e Sehgals’children and grandchildren came forward, and daughter Vicki spoke for the family,sharing her appreciation for, and ongoing commitment to, the inspiring work beingdone by SMSF in rural India.e rest of the program included other commentaries, the release of a coffee tablebook highlighting SMSF accomplishments, and a video about the first twenty-five years.At the end of the formal program, Jay asked all SMSF team members to come onto thestage, where they immediately began dancing. e joyful remainder of the eveningincluded food, drinks, and more dancing to vibrant Rajasthani music.Two months later, in early December 2024, about twenty SMSF leaders, partners,and advisors gathered in Fort Myers, Florida, where Suri and Edda Sehgal now live, toparticipate in a day-long planning session. Such meetings had been held every few yearssince the founding of the organization to review progress and discuss future goals for S MSehgal Foundation.e group included CEO Anjali Makhija and COO Anjali Godyal (the “dynamicduo” as Suri considered them, “Makhija through her leadership and Godyal throughresource mobilization”). CFO Ramesh Kapahi discussed and evaluated the phenomenalgrowth of SMSF in the last five years in terms of financial outlay, geographical outreach,and human resources. e reach of the work had expanded over that five years from 869villages in eight states to 3,036 villages in thirteen states. e staff had expanded from 279employees to more than 400 in that same time period. Suri and Edda Sehgal each sharedtheir appreciation for the progress and stability of the organization and employees as theyaffirmed the ideas and plans for continued strategic growth and expansion.e following evening, a banquet celebration included well over a hundred USpartners, friends, and family. Again Jay Sehgal emceed the evening, introducing guestsand sharing stories. Attendees spoke of their appreciation and support for the work beingdone by the foundation for so many years. Many of those present had been to India to
see the work in the villages firsthand. e same was true for those who had attended a fewsmaller gatherings Jay hosted with SMSF partners and friends in Iowa and Minnesotaduring the preceding weeks. Attendees had the opportunity to see the Sehgals and theirfamily members enjoy a gathering that fully reinforced their decisions to createfoundations in India and in the US to make a positive difference in the world.Ramesh Kepahi reflected that evening, and again later, “I feel personally blessed to bepart of this journey that has provided me with ample opportunities for professional andfinancial growth, and for the Sehgals’ trust in me. e most fascinating and importantlearning for me from Suri and Edda Sehgal’s lives is how they have stuck with the corevalues, culture, and strong fundamentals. is is invaluable for me. Nobody at SMSF wasever scolded or terminated for making mistakes, yet at the same time there was nocompromise on integrity issues. When a person is empowered and has the opportunity towork under such congenial conditions, a sense of ownership automatically sets in andsimultaneously becomes completely aligned and internalized with the organizationalobjectives.”A New Year’s letter from CEO and Trustee Anjali Makhija to SMSF trustees, advisors,and the entire foundation team, wished everyone “a very cheerful and bright 2025! Mayyou have immense joy in the coming year and grow in your life with happy moments,new challenges, and a collaborative work culture.”e message continued with a special announcement, “We are very pleased towelcome Ms. Vicki Sehgal as cochair of the SMSF board this year. We look forward toher inputs in the areas of teaching and learning in lieu of her tremendous experience ineducation. Now that Ms. Edda Sehgal has assumed an emeritus position, we especiallyacknowledge her for being a guiding light and advocate in the area of women’sempowerment. We will continue to appreciate her support and wisdom in the years tocome. We are extremely thankful to our board members and advisors for contributing tothe programmatic and strategic direction of the organization. As Dr Sehgal alwayssuggests, we will maintain our focus on the three i’s: integrity, innovation, and impact.”Anjali’s message acknowledged the significant quarter-century milestone of theorganization and expressed her thanks for all individual contributions, noting some newaward recognitions and a validation of the MatiKalp technology from TERI University.She thanked advisor Jan Dirk Geertsema for facilitating a productive interactive teamworkshop that resulted in the preparation and draft of a strategic 2030 plan for thehealthy growth of the organization, adding, “Once the plan is presented to the SMSFBoard, we look forward to active and meaningful contributions from all team membersto its implementation over the next few years. We also look forward to piloting newadaptive technologies and integrating AI in our programs.
“I continue to seek suggestions from all members of our increasingly diverse andtalented team. We look forward to strengthening the emerging talent so that we enjoy acreative balance of veteran and newer team members to ensure fresh ideas and maintainenthusiasm within the organization. Together, we will take the organization forward andcreate an even larger impact with India’s rural communities.”Anjali closed her New Year message with warm wishes and thanks for everyone’s“contribution and support in our vision for an empowered rural India. Have a wonderful2025.”ree weeks into 2025, S M Sehgal Foundation CFO Ramesh Kapahi sent notice tothe SMSF Board of Trustees and Advisors that Dr. Suri Sehgal had submitted hisresignation as chairperson of SMSF, to be effective as of April 2025.In his letter, Suri said, “I have enjoyed serving the foundation over the past twentyfive years. It has been the most satisfying period of my professional career. Together, wehave positively impacted the lives of millions in rural India, and I am immensely proudof all we have accomplished. I am confident that the foundation will continue to thrive,pursuing its mission with ambition and purpose, and cementing its position as one of themost impactful nonprofits in the country.“While I am stepping down from my current role, I would be pleased to continuesupporting the foundation in an emeritus capacity. Additionally, I propose Mr. Rajat JaySehgal as my successor and cochair, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees. Ifirmly believe he is well-equipped to advance the vision and mission of the foundation.“As I prepare to transition into retirement, I extend my sincere thanks to each of youfor your trust, encouragement, and collaboration over the years. I look forward tocontinuing to support the foundation’s endeavors and witnessing its sustained success intransforming rural communities across India.“With sincere thanks and warm regards, Suri Sehgal”Ramesh added this to Suri’s announcement: “Dr Sehgal’s tenure as founder and leaderof S M Sehgal Foundation, and his commitment to social causes stands as a beacon ofexemplary leadership. His visionary perspective, commitment to ethical governance, anddedication to societal impact have set a high standard for many of us in the nonprofitsector as well as the agriculture sector worldwide. With this development, we have abigger responsibility, to strive hard to live up to his expectation and the benchmark he hasset for the team to serve the rural community.”Jay Sehgal’s subsequent message to the SMSF board members and advisors includedconveying his strong mixed emotions about Suri’s decision as well as Suri’s faith in him tocarry on in his stead. He described the tenure of his uncle and mentor as “a beacon ofexemplary leadership and unwavering dedication to social causes, building a legacy that
will forever inspire and guide us. Dr. Sehgal’s visionary perspective, ethical governance,and relentless commitment to societal impact have set an unparalleled standard, not onlyfor our foundation but for the broader nonprofit and agriculture sectors worldwide. etransformative work he championed has positively impacted millions of lives across ruralIndia, and we are all immensely proud to have been part of this mission under hisstewardship.”Discussing moving forward, Jay said, “is transition presents us with an even greaterresponsibility to uphold the values and vision that Dr. Sehgal has instilled in thisfoundation, striving to meet the high expectations and benchmarks he has set for us . . .Let us honor his remarkable legacy by redoubling our efforts to serve rural communitieswith dedication, passion, and purpose.”Jay ended with the assurance that “Cochair Vicki Sehgal and I look forward toworking with you and the S M Sehgal Foundation team to continue to build on thefoundation Dr. Sehgal has laid, and carry forward his vision for a brighter, more equitablefuture.”In March, Anjali Makhija made the formal announcement to the SMSF teamsregarding this very significant transition in leadership, acknowledging and praising Dr.Suri Sehgal as “a living legend who has always dared to dream big.”She then wrote, “I am delighted to announce that Dr. Sehgal has nominated JaySehgal as his successor and chairperson of the board of S M Sehgal Foundation. With Jay’sextensive experience in leading the organization during the early years of the foundationas executive director, and thereafter serving on the board, Jay brings a uniquecombination of leadership, grassroots experience in community work, and a robuststrategic vision. Aligned with the Sehgals’ vision, Jay is an advocate of a people-centricapproach, ensuring that we build a strong, long-term, sustainable organization with amotivated team, with focus on efficiency, impact, and quality.”Adding a personal touch to the description of Jay’s appropriateness for this new role,Anjali shared a little about Jay’s formative years with SMSF, “In those early years, Jayalways said that he was here to learn. Jay, Pooniaji, Lalit, and I used to go together forcommunity meetings in the villages. Jay readily came with us during the early hours ofthe morning or late in the evening. Jay helped us pick up stones in the summer heatalong with members of the community when we built the first check dam. Right from thebeginning, he was a strong advocate of women’s leadership. I have no doubt when I saythat, among our board members, he has the strongest hands-on community connection.He understands the challenges we face in our work with the communities. Whenever hecomes to India, he makes sure to visit our projects on-site in the villages.”
Anjali described Jay Sehgal’s leadership qualities further in April when he was in Indiato officially step into the new role as chairperson of S M Sehgal Foundation. In the SMSFheadquarters auditorium in Gurugram, Jay spoke to the assembled team about his visionfor the future. He began by expressing his appreciation for the entire team and his desireto stay close with them and continue to learn. He emphasized, “e brains are here. AndI learn from you so I can make good decisions. We can never stop learning from eachother and the community.”He offered an example from his earliest years at SMSF. Upon seeing the poor anddirty conditions in the villages, he wanted to create a clean village by providing garbagebins. As a computer scientist, he focused on structure. But the social scientists on the teamtold Jay that the issue involved was far more complex. However, Jay remained adamantand provided the garbage bins.He smiled, sharing how he returned to the village a few weeks later to find garbagepiled near the empty bins and children playing with the bins as toys. He said thisexperience underscored his “need to learn more.”He told the team, “is is why we are not a top-down organization. We learn fromthe people. is is why I go to the villages so often. We all need to be there to see what theneed is in the community. We all need to realize that whether we work in finance, civilengineering, etc., we all need to be social scientists to be able to answer to thecommunity.”Ever since Jay’s tenure as CEO ended and he’d moved to Iowa to work with SehgalFoundation in the US, he kept his commitment to stay current with the people andprograms. When he was India, whether for a week or two, or for a few months, hearranged to visit people in the villages and meet with SMSF teams in the field, the civilengineers, agriculture and water experts, and others.Jay recalled the intensive village champion trainings on how to engage and mobilizecommunities to be participants in their own development. “We all need to have that samemindset and spend time on the front lines to understand the needs. We need to becomemultifunctional in order to understand and enhance the work.”He stressed, “From this training perspective, we are all social scientists. Regardless ofour roles, we are all village champions. Every one of us should continue to learn aboutour programs to be able to answer questions and be full partners on the ground. We allneed to understand how all the program components work—so we can talk about andrepresent what we are trying to do here. Time spent in the villages is a resource thatfurthers development.”Jay emphasized the importance of sharing knowledge and what we learn, “We havetremendous knowledge within this organization in all program areas, with so much goingon. And we build our credibility by sharing that knowledge with other organizations alsoworking at the grassroots. All those working the front lines need the information we have
learned from experience. e bottom line is not about being a huge organization; thebottom line is making a difference in people’s lives.”Jay added, “I like to share with folks I meet with in the US that SMSF is an ‘opensource organization’ (an IT phrase meaning freely available for modification anddistribution). All others interested in development are invited to come and take what wehave learned. And we will share your knowledge with others as well. Knowledge-sharing isa priority.”Jay cautioned, “We don’t want to become a stale, dragged-down, stagnantorganization. We must grow and change over time, apply technology to our work, askhow we can do better. As individuals and as a group, we all have to evaluate what we aredoing and ask, ‘Why am I doing it? Is it needed? Could it be done better?’ Our goal is toimprove ourselves, to be a ‘lean organization’—to see what we can do to make our workmore effective and evolve.”e term “lean organization” had been discussed often over the years at SMSF,meaning an emphasis on continuous improvement in all processes, efficiency andresponsiveness to the needs of partners and beneficiaries, and minimizing waste within aflexible structure.Jay suggested to the assembled group that they google the term “business processimprovement” and apply the principles described “so we can do what we do better.”Using the metaphor of a sailing ship, Jay described how Suri and Edda Sehgalstabilized the ship. ey began in rough waters, settled in calm waters, and moved steadilyforward. “Now that we are in stable waters, challenges will come, but we are on the righttrack. We are well prepared to keep our ship stabilized. We are on the right track withprograms of empowerment in food security, water security, and community participation,and transforming the lives of schoolchildren is building a promising future for them.”Jay closed with this advice, “It’s the work that matters. Remember that you areempowered, you have knowledge, you are making impact.”He added that he felt “honored” to be able to continue to lead SMSF. He assured theteam, “In this new position, I will do my best to support you in doing your work, so thatwe can all shine. We are a ‘people organization’ and our ethics and vision remain intact.As we grow, we grow together.”Reminding the team of the three priority elements he often repeated as important forgrowth at work—family, health, and work—he advised, “If you take care of the first two,your work will be better.”After some cheering and clapping from the team, Jay offered the Q&A opportunity.He suggested an open-door management principle, saying, “I am here for you any timeto discuss goals and ideas for growth and positive change. I will trust you with theoperations.”
In adopting the role of chairperson, Jay Sehgal brought a renewed focus on theimportance of keeping intact the organization’s mission, vision, values, and culture oftrustworthiness and transparency in all leadership in every project location—with zerotolerance for dishonesty, corruption, or harassment. Suri Sehgal had found during hiscareer that the core challenge with business organization expansions over largergeographies was to identify the most-effective and trusted managers for each newlocation.Suri used a sports analogy to distinguish the roles between “coaches” and “players.”Players excel at execution in the moment and in brand building. Coaches specialize inlong-term strategic planning and the vital necessity for team development andmentorship. e coach role as leader requires a broad and consistent understanding of theessential values. At the same time, that person must be pliant in their leadership,incorporating the concept of freedom in how each individual’s work is carried out.Communications maven and Outreach for Development lead, Pooja O. Murada,described the SMSF work culture: “When I joined nineteen years ago, Dr. Sehgal askedme to define my own key responsibility areas. at sense of trust is still very much part ofhow we work today. While people are hired for specific roles, there’s still a lot of freedomto shape how those roles are carried out. We have always been encouraged to takeownership.”e same approach was taken for other key hires. e concept matched well withgrassroots work in general where empowering and mobilizing local citizens to beparticipants in their own development led to greater sustainability of the work beingdone.Advisor Jan Dirk Geertsema reflected in 2025 about his first meeting with Suri Sehgalat the SMSF main office more than two decades earlier, “I was immediately struck by theway he spoke about the people he had worked with and led through decades of growthand change. Suri outlined his vision for SMSF, ‘to be managed like an agile businessrather than a traditional, bureaucratic NGO.’ He believed strongly that people and theirtalents ultimately drive the results. He emphasized the need for exceptional, unbiasedleadership and consistent investment in employee engagement, accountability, and talentdevelopment—critical areas for any organization’s success.”Firm in the conviction that maintaining the organic and evolutionary growth of S MSehgal Foundation requires an evolutionary approach, Jay Sehgal began his new roleaffirming his vision: “Every expansion must be organic, growing on solid footing onlyafter securing the required capital, technical expertise, and trained manpower. Differentideas and methods will continue to be tried and adapted as needed, while maintaining thefundamentals.”Jay affirmed that what has always set SMSF apart from other nonprofits is its impact,the quality of its people and programs, the sustainability, and the environmentally
friendly infrastructure. “ose strengths will have to be reinforced in any expansion. Andwhatever we do, excellence will remain our driving force.”He reiterated his commitment to reinforcing those fundamentals: “We will maintainour culture of individual empowerment—from bottom-up rather than top-downprograms, just as we build and reinforce village-level institutions. We will sustain provenstrategies, stay current with cutting-edge adaptive technologies in all program areas—pruning, strengthening, and adapting as we scale what works. We will maintain opennessto new ideas and technologies from all sources. Changes in technology happen fast. esuccessful solutions in the past may not work in the future, so we must be open to newconcepts, new ways of thinking, examine every idea carefully and do what makes sense.Our challenges have yielded valuable learnings, and our effective strategies and initiativeshave provided many replicable models. But what we have learned is not proprietary. S MSehgal Foundation will remain an ‘open source’ organization that will continue to upholdthe values of transparency, honesty, and collaboration. We will always be on the lookoutfor others doing good work, so we can share our expertise and our work, continue tolearn from others, and grow alongside them as well. Our task will not be finished untilevery person in rural India can enjoy a secure, prosperous, and dignified life.”~
S M SEHGAL FOUNDATIONPlot No.34, Sector 44, Institutional Area, Gurugram, Haryana 122003INDIAPhone: 91 124 4744100www. smsfoundation.orgS M Sehgal Foundation is a public charitable trust in India with 80G status.With a vision that every person deserves to lead a secure, prosperous, and dignifiedlife, the mission of S M Sehgal Foundation (SMSF) is to strengthen community-leddevelopment initiatives across rural India to achieve positive social, economic, andenvironmental change with emphasis on gender equality and women’s empowerment.With support from partners around the world, Sehgal Foundation works alongsideIndia’s rural communities in grassroots programs and development interventions thatempower individuals and communities to escalate and enhance their own development.SEHGAL FOUNDATION in the US100 Court Ave, Suite 211 Des Moines, Iowa 50309-2256Phone: 1 515 288 0010www.sehgalfoundation.orgSehgal Foundation in the US is a501(c)(3) tax-exempt private foundation.Join the team and see what we can achieve together!“True philanthropy is not measured but by the size of one’s giving but by the depth ofone’s commitment to empower others to shape their own futures.” ~Suri and Edda Sehgal
Awards & RecognitionsS M Sehgal Foundation AwardsVision of Gandhi Award, Indian Assoc of MN & Dr. Dash Foundation, 202511th Annual Greentech CSR India Award for Rural Development, 2025Flipkart Foundation Key Partner recognition, 2024Community Engagement & Social Impact Award in Sustainable Agriculture by AI-LEAFInstitute at University of Minnesota, 2024Indian Chamber of Food & Agriculture, Karnataka CSR Leadership Award, 2024e Fortune Leadership Award for Most Trusted NGO, “10 trusted NGOs,” 2024Access Development Services silver plaque for Development Catalyst 2.0, 2024CRISIL VO grading 1A, for Very Strong Delivery Capability & Financial Proficiency,2023Credibility Alliance Minimum Norms Accreditation (2021-2026)GuideStar India Transparency Key Award, 2021Conference of the Parties (COP) of the UNCCD CSO Accreditation, 2019CSR Implementing Partner Award at CSR Summit by UBS Forums, 2019NGO of the Year Award at CSR Summit by UBS Forums, 2019Best NGO Practices Certificate by Gurugram, Haryana, District Administration, 2018Emerson Cup for Phase II Green Building, IGBC Green New Buildings, 2017Guidestar India Gold Certification for organizational accountability & good governance,2017Sabera Award for NGO of the Year, Special Jury Commendation, 2016Education Leadership Innovative B-School Award, DNA & Stars of Industry Group,Mumbai, India, 2014Felicitation certificate from Chief Minister Haryana, as partner in Haryana EducationDept. on Haryana Shiksha Utsav, 2014Indian Green Building Council, Platinum certification under Leadership in Energy &Environmental Design (LEED) for Core & Shell, Phase II building, Gurgaon, 2013Excellence in Information Integrity finalist for accuracy, consistency, & reliability of infocontent, & associated processes by II Coalition, Georgia, US, 2009U.S. Green Building Council, Platinum certification, Leadership in Energy &Environmental Design (LEED) for New Construction, Phase I bldg, Gurgaon, 2010Pinnacle NRI Award, NRI Institute, New Delhi, India, 2007Golden Peacock Award finalist for Philanthropy in Emerging Economies, Institute ofDirectors, New Delhi, India, 2006
Samaj Gaurav Samman National Award, Manav Dharm Mission, New Delhi, India,2006Bharat Samman Excellence Award, NRI Institute, New Delhi, India, 2005United Nations Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC) Special Consultative Status,2005Agriculture Development AwardsIndia CSR & Sustainability Award for Exemplary CSR Collaboration to the Krishi Jyotiproject, 2025Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Champawat, Uttarakhand, for impactful work under HDFCBank Parivartan & contributing to agriculture improvements in the region, 2024Global Sustainability Award in SDG 2: Zero Hunger category, 2024India CSR & Sustainability Award for Best CSR Initiative to Krishi Jyoti, 2023Agri-Business Summit & Agri Award for Agriculture Development, 2022FICCI Sustainable Agriculture Award 2021 (2nd) for Climate-Resilient AgricultureDevelopment, 2021Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Leader Award for Outstanding Service in Agriculture, 2017Mahatma Award for Social Impact in Agriculture & Livelihood, 2017Indian Council of Food & Agriculture 9th Global Agriculture Leadership Award, 2016Dept of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR), R&D Recognition for CropImprovement, 2006Water Management Awards5th Natl Water Award by Ministry of Jal Shakti, Dept of Water Resources, RiverDevelopment & Ganga Rejuvenation, Best Civil Society special mention, 20248th Annual ISC-FICCI Award for Best Nonprofit Engagement Model in Sanitation(Rural), 2024Govt of Punjab Engagement as a knowledge partner for Integrated State Water Plan &water programs, 20222nd Natl Water Award by Ministry of Jal Shakti, Dept of Water Resources, RD & GR,Best NGO in Water Conservation (3rd place), 2020Dalmia Bharat CSRBOX Impact Award for Best CSR initiative, WASH (water,sanitation, & hygiene), 2019Water Digest Water Award for Best NGO-Rural Drinking Water Solutions Provider,supported by UNESCO & Ministry of Water Resources, GOI, 2019FICCI Water Award, 3rd prize for Innovation in Water Technology for innovation:Creating Freshwater Pockets in Saline Aquifers, 2017
Certificate of Appreciation for contribution to Mukhya Mantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyanin district Alwar, Rajasthan, 2017Millennium Alliance Award, Technology Development Board, Dept of Science &Technology, GOI, FICCI, & USAID, 2014Millennium Alliance Award for Outstanding Work on Pressurized Recharge Wells forCreating Freshwater Pockets in Saline Groundwater Areas, 2014FICCI Water Award, 1st Prize in NGO Category, New Delhi, India, 2013Water Management Forum, Institution of Engineers, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India,Recognition for Outstanding Work in Water Conservation, 2013Bhaskar Foundation Jal Star Award, Dainik Bhaskar Group, New Delhi, India, 2012Rockefeller Foundation Top 100 Next Century Innovators Award Shortlist forStrengthening the Demand & Supply for Better Village Governance, 2013Water Digest & UNESCO Best Water NGO Award, New Delhi, 2009Mewat Development Agency recognition as Premium Organization for Water ResourceManagement in Mewat, 2008Water Digest & UNESCO Best Water NGO Award, 2008Transform Lives one school at a time Project AwardsBhamashah Award in the category of Shiksha Vibhushan by Directorate of Education,Govt of Rajasthan, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025Rotary Club of Alwar honor for transforming government schools & water managementinitiatives, 2024State-level Bhamashah recognition by Govt of Rajasthan, 2019Bhamashah Award for improving school infrastructure in govt schools of district Alwar,Rajasthan, 2018Bhamashah Certificate of recognition by village panchayat for Bhandwara schoolrenovation, Alwar, Rajasthan, 2018Bhamashah Award for improving govt schools of district Alwar, Rajasthan, 2017Certificate of Appreciation by Alwar District Administration for school renovationprojects supported by Mosaic India & Mosaic Co. Foundation, 2016Bhamashah Award by Govt of Rajasthan for work in govt schools of Alwar, 2016Certificate of Appreciation by Haryana School Education Dept under Mukhya MantriShiksha-Deeksha Yojana, 2013Haryana Dept. of Education Letter of Appreciation, Dastak-e-Taalim Program, 2011Individual AwardsAsian American Unity Coalition, Washington DC, Philanthropist of the Year Award, toDr. Suri Sehgal through Sehgal Foundation, 2025
Bhamashah Award dist. level for significant contributions establishing digital librariesacross Rajasthan, to Manoj Sharma 2025Bhamashah Award dist. level, outstanding contributions to school transformation &developmental initiatives in Alwar, Rajasthan, to Sunder Lal & Jitendra Koli, 2025World Food Prize Foundation Top Agri-Food Pioneers recognition, to Pawan Kumar,2024Dept. of Education, Alwar, Rajasthan, recognition for consistent efforts to transformgovernment schools under the Krishi Jyoti project, to Shailesh Pant, 2024Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development recognition for contributing tobroadcasting for vulnerable groups, to Pooja O. Murada, 2024M S Swaminathan Lifetime Achievement Award, to Suri Sehgal, 2023BW Social Impact Award, to Anjali Makhija, 2023Dept. of Education, Alwar, Rajasthan, recognition for consistent efforts to transform govtschools, to Pawan Kaswan, Mahadev Sharma, & Joginder Jakhar, 2023e Times Now Amazing Indians Award finalist in Rural Development, to AnjaliMakhija, 2022India Assoc. of Minnesota, Person of the Year Award for impactful COVID relief serviceto Indian & Minnesota communities, to Jay Sehgal, 2022Apollo Tyres Foundation Ek Naam Recognition for work in water management &sanitation, to Project Coordinator Geeta, 2022Karnataka Book of Records Certificate of Honor for participation in the London Bookof Records, to Pooja O. Murada, 2021Lead India Foundation “Power Women” certification for work in communications &outreach, to Pooja O. Murada, 2021United Nations Development Program in partnership with National Water Mission,Ministry of Jal Shakti, Dept. of Water Resources, River Development & GangaRejuvenation, & Stockholm International Water Institute Women Water Championrecognition, to Kunti Devi, 2021BWW Parivartan Inspire Award for Leadership & Vision, to Dr. Suri Sehgal, 2019University of Iowa International Impact Award for work with rural communities inIndia, to Jay Sehgal, 2018Indian Confederation of NGOs (iCONGO) Global Indian Karmaveer PuraskaarLifetime Achievement Award, to Dr. Suri Sehgal, 2013ArcelorMittal, New Delhi, India, Special Recognition for Women’s Empowerment, toBlock Facilitator Kamlesh Sherawat, 2013ArcelorMittal, New Delhi, Special Recognition for Women’s Empowerment, to ProjectCoordinator Devika Batra, 2013
ArcelorMittal, New Delhi, Special Recognition for Women’s Empowerment forproviding a grassroots platform for women, to Pooja O. Murada, 2013Amity University NOIDA Woman Achiever Award for Outstanding Accomplishments &Contribution in the Social Sector, to CEO Jane Schukoske, 2014Japanese Award for Most Innovative Development Project (MIDP), GlobalDevelopment Network, Bogota, Colombia (3rd place) for Good Governance Now!,2010American India Foundation, NY, USA, Leadership in Philanthropy Award, to Dr SuriSehgal, 2011Indo-US Education Conclave & D.Y. Patil University, Maharashtra recognition forSignificant Contribution to Indo-US Education Cooperation, to CEO JaneSchukoske, 2011CII Woman Exemplar Award for her contribution in the field of education, to BlockFacilitator Kamlesh Sherawat, 2010Bharat Samman Lifetime Achievement Award from NRI Institute, New Delhi, India, toDr. Suri Sehgal, 2005Book AwardsInternational Book Award for Together We Empower: Rekindling Hope in Rural India byMarly Cornell, published by Sehgal Foundation, 2016International Book Award for Seeds for Change: e Lives and Work of Suri and EddaSehgal by Marly Cornell, published by Sehgal Foundation, 2016National Indie Excellence Award (NIEA) for Together We Empower: Rekindling Hope inRural India by Marly Cornell, published by Sehgal Foundation, 2016Benjamin Franklin Award in biography & multicultural for Seeds for Change: e Livesand Work of Suri and Edda Sehgal by Marly Cornell, published by Sehgal Foundation,2015Foreword Reviews Indie Fab Book of the Year, Silver Award in biography for Seeds forChange: e Lives and Work of Suri and Edda Sehgal by Marly Cornell, published bySehgal Foundation, 2014Community Radio AwardsAlliance for Community Radio Stations, Rajasthan Community Radio, for climate-smartprogramming to Connect FM 107.8, 2025National Sustainability Award, Community Broadcasting, Ministry of Information &Broadcasting, 2023National Community Radio Award, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, 2019Sandvik India Gender Award, for gender programming on Alfaz-e-Mewat, 2019
Manthan Award, for giving voice to Mewat to Alfaz-e-Mewat FM 107.8, 2019UNESCO, appreciation for excellent work, Festival of Democracy project, 2019Manthan Award Asia Pacific, finalist, Alfaz-e-Mewat FM 107.8, 2013
Glossary73rd and 74th Amendment Act of 1993. Provided constitutional status to localpanchayats and municipalities, enabling them to function as self-governinginstitutions.Alfaz-e-Mewat. Rural Voices of Mewat. Original name of the Connect FM communityradio station created and sponsored by SMSF.Anganwadi center (AWC). Childcare center.ANM. Auxiliary nurse-midwife.ASHA. Accredited social health advocate.Baoli. Old step well that once numbered in the thousands across India.Charpai. Traditional Indian bed with wooden legs and a woven rope sleeping surface.Chaupal. Community building or space, used as a gathering place especially for men ofthe village.Check dam. A dam built between hillsides to capture rainwater.CISC. Citizen information and support center.“Commit Less and Deliver More.” Phrase introduced by SMSF in 2002 to represent acommitment to uncompromising integrity, even in the face of indefinite delays.Contour bunds. Loose-stone structures placed at specific angles to slow water flow,increase percolation into the ground, minimize soil erosion, and improve soilmoisture.CSR. Corporate social responsibility.Dai. Traditional midwife.Daincha (Sebania bispinosa). A green-manure plant that is able to grow in saline soil.DLSA. District Legal Services Authority.Farm bunding. Soil embankments created around farm fields for better irrigation.Fatwa. Nonbinding decision/legal opinion/ruling by an Islamic scholar, leader, orrecognized authority, subject to second opinion or answer. Answers to applicantqueries are based on the Quran, believed by Muslims to be God’s divine code ofconduct across all facets of life.FVGA. Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association. A cooperative formed by villagers topool their agricultural products for sale in the market, making it possible to bypassmiddlemen.“Four, Four, Four.” SMSF catchphrase introduced in 2002 for a goal to achieve anddemonstrate satisfactory levels of transformation in four villages, using fourprograms, within four years.
Fresh water. Nonsaline water, not necessarily free of bacteria or sediments.Gabions. Loose stones covered with wire mesh that serve as free-draining walls to slow theflow of water, increase percolation, minimize soil erosion, and improve soil moisture.e wire mesh helps hold the stones against high water currents.Germplasm. Genetic resources of a plant, such as a collection of seeds.Gotra. Tribal cultural lineage, akin to a family name in Brahman, Kshatriya, and Vaishyacastes of Hindu social system.Gram. Village or villages.Gram panchayat. Village self-governing body.Gram sabha. Assembled village electorate, assembly of eligible voters.Gram swaraj. Concept of village self-governance and sustainability promoted byMahatma Gandhi.Gram vikas sanstha. Village-level institution.Groundwater. Water beneath the surface of the ground.Gulley plugs. Loose stones, placed strategically to slow the flow of water.HIRD. Haryana Institute of Rural Development.Hizaab or hijab. Head covering worn by Muslim women.HSRLM. Haryana State Rural Livelihood Mission.Ibtada. NGO based in Alwar, Rajasthan.ICDS. Integrated Child Development Services.ICRISAT. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics.ICT. Information communication technology.Indira Awaas Yojana. Social welfare program providing housing for rural poor.IRRAD/Institute of Rural Research and Development. Name used by SMSF from 2006until 2014 while considering a legal name change.ISVD. Integrated Sustainable Village Development.Jal Chetna Yatra. Water awareness mobilization campaign.Jalsa. Public gathering of Muslims.Jhola or jhola chhap doctor. Practitioner conducting medical practices without therequired degree or license.Kisan gosthees. Farmer meetings and training events.Kisan mitras. Farmers’ friends, volunteers.Krishi Chetna. (krishi = agriculture, chetna = awareness). Farmer training programKrishi Jyoti. (krishi = agriculture, jyoti = light). Farmer training programKrishi sakhi. Farmers’ friend.KVKs. Krishi Vigyan Kendras. Agricultural extension centers financed by the IndianCouncil of Agricultural Research.
LEED. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.Madrasa. Educational institution, school.Mahila. Woman.Mahila Gram Sabha. Gathering of village women voters.Meo. Muslim tribal culture of Mewat (majority population of Mewat).Meoni. Mewati woman, in the local dialect.Mewat. (now called Nuh) A district as of 2005; formerly part of Gurgaon and Faridabaddistricts of Haryana.Mewati. Dialect spoken by Meos.MGNREGA. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.Moulvi or Maulvi. Muslim religious leader, Muslim scholar.MP. Member of parliament, similar to US senator.NRI. Nonresident Indian.Mufti. Islamic scholar who gives legal opinions.Nallah bunds. Use of bricks or stone masonry on slopes and water catchment areas toslow or divert water to increase percolation of water into the ground (arresting silt,improving soil moisture, and reducing erosion).NCPCR. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights.NGO. Nongovernmental organization.Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA). Clean India Mission. Previously called Total SanitationCampaign (TSC), a program following the principles of community-led sanitation.NRHM. National Rural Health Mission, a poverty alleviation project implemented bythe Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India.NRLM. National Rural Livelihood Mission.NRM. Natural Resource Management.Nukkad natak. Street theater.Pal. Meaning protector; tribal culture/clan.Panch(es). Member(s) of the panchayat, elected as representative by a geographical subsetof voters.Panchayat. (Panch = five. Ayat = assembly). Participatory local self-governing body; wiseelders.Panchayati Raj. System of local self-government in rural India.Patrika. Indian local newspaper.PDS. Public Distribution System.PHC. Primary health center.PRI. Panchayati raj institutions.Rs. Rupees.
RTE. Right to education, referring to an Act of the Parliament of India.RTI. Right to information, referring to an Act of the Parliament of India.Sarpanch(es). Elected head(s) of a village-level self-governing institution, similar to amayor.SHG. Self Help GroupSGSY. Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana. A government program launched in 1999to help the poor.“Small Interventions, Big Impact.” SMSF phrase introduced in 2002 reflecting apreference for “fulcrum-like” interventions, small actions that made a big differencein changing direction, like a small rudder changes the direction of a big ship.“Small Is Beautiful, But Big Makes Impact.” SMSF phrase introduced in 2005 reiteratingthe value of small actions that make a big difference.SMC. School Management Committee.“Success Builds Success.” SMSF phrase introduced in 2002 that reflected criteria forselecting a model village with most potential for success.SVLI. Strengthening Village-Level Institutions.Sweet water. Potable (drinkable) water. Fresh water that lacks impurities.Ulemas. Elite Muslim religious scholars.Unnat Bharat Abhiyan. Government program to uplift rural India in collaboration withengineering institutes.Unnat Krishi. (unnat = improvement. krishi = agriculture) Farmer training programlaunched by SMSF and K+S Fertilizer in Alwar, Rajasthan.VC. Village champion. Young person from village communities selected for developmentadvocacy training.Vikas Patrika. Development newsletter.VLI. Village-level institution.Water-augmentation system. e integrated infrastructure components combined tocollect, conserve, store, and recharge water.“Water Is the Engine Which Drives All the Programs.” SMSF phrase introduced in 2006for new emphasis on water management.“Where Water Is Running, Make It Walk; Where Water Is Walking, Make It Crawl;Where Water Is Crawling, Make It Stand.” SMSF phrase introduced in 2006 toaddress water crisis need to capture and percolate water into the ground.
Acknowledgmentse paramount goal of Together We Empower: Rekindling Hope in Rural India was tocreate a reliable and accurate account of S M Sehgal Foundation’s groundbreakinggrassroots work in rural India. is endeavor over three editions entailed countlessinterviews and gathering of stories, reports, correspondence, and other materials, officialas well as personal, from foundation team members, associates, and volunteers at all levelsin the organization as well as partners, interns, and villagers.In every case, those involved provided gracious assistance and cooperation along withenthusiasm and support for making sure the facts were right, even when interpretationsof some events appeared to be contradictory. Readers from inside and outside SMSFprovided feedback to each draft of the material, which made it possible to ask morequestions, uncover more complete details, and make sure this edition is a true descriptionof the organization and its evolution over time.Humility runs deep within those associated with SMSF. eir tenacity and steadycommitment frequently calls to mind Mahatma Gandhi’s comment, “In a gentle way,you can change the world.” I am enormously grateful to each of those gentle andcommitted people, those who allowed me to use their names in the book, and also for themany others not specifically named who, through their work, continue to fulfill theSMSF vision of helping people in rural India lead more secure, prosperous, and dignifiedlives.My special thanks to Pooja O. Murada for guidance, confirming information on theground in India, and our continued communications partnership; and to Anjali Makhijafor her continued guidance, counsel, and collaboration while creating this new edition.I thank Dr. Ellora Mubashir, whose writings and research served as an invaluablereference to the first edition. I am grateful to the late Dr. M S Swaminathan for the firstForeword, and Dr. Prabhu Pingali for the Foreword to this edition. For theirindispensable assistance, my sincere thanks goes also to Saheed Ahmad, Dr. Kiran Bedi,Tad Cornell, Ryan Clutter, Ernie Feil, Janet Gage, Jan Dirk Geertsema, Anjali Godyal,Debika Goswami, Arti Manchanda Grover, Nasir Hussain, Zafar Hussain, Dr. Vikas Jha,Dr. M.L. Kansal, Ramesh Kapahi, Sam Kapoor, Shargundeep Kaur, Pawan Kaswan,Pawan Kumar, Mayapriya Long, Aparna Mahajan, Dr. Pradeep K. Mehta, the late Dr.N.R. Madhava Menon, Voncille Meyer, Jaan Mohammad, Patricia Morris, Pooja O.Murada, Navneet Narwal, Kari Niedfeldt-omas, Dr. Ajailiu Niumai, Dr. KevinO’Brien, Ajay Pandey, B.R. Poonia, Dr. Kiran Prasad, Ambassador Kenneth Quinn, Dr.D.R. Prasada Raju, Padmavathi S, Salahuddin Saiphy, Niti Saxena, Jane Schukoske, Dr.Ben Sehgal, Veena Sehgal, Vicki Sehgal, P. Vani Sekhar, Anne Seltz, Kamlesh Sharawat,Dr. Lalit Mohan Sharma, Dr. Prem Sharma, Bhamy Shenoy, Dr. Deep Shikha, Roy
Skodnick, Maureen Smith, Dara Srykin, Geert Van Brandt, Indu Verma, and everyother partner and team member of SMSF and SF in the US.My profound appreciation and admiration go to Suri and Edda Sehgal for theprivilege of partnering with them in sharing their inspiring work, and for theirunwavering commitment to empowering rural India; and to Jay Sehgal for his passion,energy, and commitment to carrying forth the vision.
IndexAalabar, 53, 55Adinarayanappa, 201Agonanganwadi (childcare) centers in, 105chosen as ISVD village, 25distribution of plots in, 94ISVD healthcare program in, 43library in, 68VLIs projects in, 63wastewater soak pits in, 62women’s self-help groups in, 64Agriculture Development programanimal husbandry practices, 209–210, 242–243chisel plowing, 62cooperatives, 44–45, 66during COVID-19, 218–219crop yield improvement, 96ending of crop burning, 233–234farm mechanization, 207–208, 209, 210farmers resource centers, 95hill agriculture, 234horticulture and, 208importance of, in Mewat, 21–22issues contributing to poverty, 26ISVD programs, 44–47, 55Kisan Mitras, 235–236Krishi projects, 148–149, 171–172, 233laser land leveling, 207–208Mobile Agri Clinic, 210–211number of beneficiaries of (through 2014), 172Package of Practices (PoP) kits, 206partnership with Misr Hytech Seed, 148partnership with Mosaic Company, 112, 129–130
projects in Goela, 62regenerative agriculture, 235Rural Research function, 244SHGs, 241–242stress tolerance technologies for crops project, 10–11success of, 110–112women farmers, 54, 55, 148–149, 209, 235, 236, 240–243agriculture in IndiaCustom Hiring Centers (CHCs), 240–241FIGs, 242FPOs, 214, 233, 234, 235, 236, 240, 243Green Revolution and, 1ICRISAT, 11Institute of Plant Biotechnology Outreach research, 10–11seed industry, 11workforce, 4See also Water Management programAhmad, Saheed, 118Ahmed, Sayeed, 142Alam, Aftab, 110Alfaz-e-Mewat. See communications: community radio stationANANDANA, 130–131, 162anganwadi (childcare) centers, 42, 94, 105Annan, Kofi, 5Aparajeeta, 204–205Arsheeda, 69–70artificial intelligence (AI), 239, 244, 247Asha ki Kiran (Ray of Hope) campaign, 145ASHA (accredited social health activist) workers, 65Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology andthe Environment (ATREE), 14Asthana, M.D., 184, 222Ayub, Arshad, 145, 187Ayub Khan, 45–46Bahl, Arvind, 6
BaLA concept (Building as Learning Aid), 196Balachander, Jayshree, 185Bama, Susheel, 141baolis, 108Better Life Options Program, 67Bihar, 150biogas, 78Bloch, Frank S., 134boyscricket clubs, 42education of, 53Family Life Education and, 41, 42gender sensitization and, 41, 42Brown, William L., 15e Caged Phoenix: Can India Fly? (Gupta), 102Capacity Building Center, 81–82, 87Carmichael, William, 136–137Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA), 41, 67Chatrath, Sanjiv, 118Citizen Information and Support Center (CISC), 172–173, 243Clinton Global Initiative, 67Coca-Cola India Foundation, 130–131communicationsduring COVID-19, 223–224documenting SMSF’s successes, 130formats used, 156–157, 190helplines via phones, 172–173IT connectivity and, 26online/digital, 117, 144, 196, 198, 212, 215, 223–224, 229, 231, 239Transform Lives one school at a time, 196use of “positive deviance” in, 190–191virtual internships, 183communications: community radio stationbeginning of, 141, 144, 232broadcasting license, 106–107
during COVID-19, 215–217, 219, 224information gap between communities and broader public bridged by, 96, 106programming on, 141, 144, 145, 146, 175, 203–204relocation and renaming of, 238–239scalability of, 145–14624-hour broadcasting, 240women and, 141–143, 144community participationanganwadi (childcare) centers and, 105awareness of government programs, services, and directives and, 87, 113–114awareness that change was possible and, 105–106beyond Mewat district, 148campaign for, 101–103Capacity Building Center and, 82citizen sense of ownership, 177education of villagers as effective change makers, 88, 89–95, 146–147empowerment of villagers and, 88fatwa against SMSF and, 124focus on programs with greatest demand by, 20in Ghaghas, 36–38, 46–47importance of, 6, 20, 135, 147, 160, 256increase in, 60, 61, 134, 159–160ISVD citizen participation initiative, 101–102, 128legal literacy and, 133, 134, 136, 137, 147–148, 160, 176local officials resistance to, 100in Mewat, 12, 150microplanning, 151–154in monitor food grain distribution, 174in Rangala Rajpur, 13, 20role models of, 59, 60School Management committees, 175strengthening of grassroots leadership, 83strengthening of village councils and institutions, 131–132sustainability of projects and, 138, 227–231as team members, 126Transform Lives one school at a time, 196–197
types of, 38VCs and, 69VLIs, 46–47See also communications: community radio stationCommunity Radio in India (Sreedher and Murada), 225cooking fuel, 78Cornell, Marly, 177–178Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) mandate, 160–161, 192initiatives, 162, 187, 192, 198, 199–200, 206–207, 211, 225–227, 233, 234, 235,236–237COVID-19 pandemiccommunity radio station during, 215–217education during, 217lockdown, 215SMSF projects during, 215, 217–225SMSF’s Strategic Development Task Force during, 227Credibility Alliance, 67Credit Rating Information Services of India Limited (CRISIL), 237daincha, 111Dar, William D., 11demonstration village(s)importance of panchayat and sarpanch, 140Modi government and, 164–165Notki as, 85–86, 94, 97, 98–99, 113, 138–139, 154, 155as open-defecation-free, 158SMSF vision of, 83–84Devi, Vimla, 152–153, 158Dharma Vana Arboretum of Hyderabad (now called Dharmavana Nature Ark), 14, 77Dhaula, 25Dingerhedi, electricity bills in, 104disability camp, 113educationadult literacy, 143attendance, 68, 159of boys, 53
of children in ecofriendly practices, 233during COVID-19, 217, 224–225entrepreneurship training, 66Family Life Education skill-trainings, 40in Ghaghas, 62of girls, 10, 12–13, 49, 53, 69, 70, 224in Goela, 62–63issues hindering, in school buildings, 195legal literacy and, 133, 134, 136, 137, 147–148, 160, 176legal right to, 114Life Skills Education, 40–41radio station and, 145RUDSETI vocational training, 39School Management committees, 175Transform Lives one school at a time, 196–198, 201, 218, 224–225of villagers as effective change makers, 88, 89–95, 146–147water literacy, 95electricity bills, 104Engaging the Community for Sustainability of Integrated Village Development trainingguide, 228–230entrepreneurship training, 66familiesNGOs’ programs for, 15patriarchal culture in, 4poverty and size of, 4, 22–23, 43status of girls in, 41Family Life Educationboys and, 41, 42conservative Muslim villagers and, 23end of formal, 126–127expansion of, 41fatwa and, 121–122girls and, 23, 27, 41, 67, 126–127pilot for, 15success of, 40
villagers opinions of, 32women working for, 68Farmer Interest Groups (FIGs), 242Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), 214, 233, 234, 235, 236, 240, 241, 243fatwa, 117–126“Four, Four, Four” campaignagriculture intervention scope, 45catchphrase created, 27evaluation of, 78–79expansion of, 57–58first year’s progress, 57maintaining focus within parameters of, 40multifaceted water approach, 49villages chosen, 24–25, 29–30Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (FVGA), 22, 44–45, 66, 95Gandhi, Mahatmaon change, 31on exploitation of villagers, ixGram Swaraj and, 87as panchayati raj system advocate, 28Suri Sehgal and, 2Geertsema, Jan Dirk, 183, 253, 259gender sensitizationboys and, 41, 42of husbands, 55of SMSF staff, 56, 157germplasm, 11–12Ghaghaschosen as ISVD village, 25community center, 59–60, 124–125, 238cricket club formed in, 42Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, 22, 45improvements in education in, 62library in, 68literacy rate of women in, 53
sanitation in, 19, 55VLI in, 46–47, 62water management in, 21, 36–38, 47–48, 60, 62women’s self-help groups formed in, 56girlseducation in maturing bodies and reproductive health, 49education of, 10, 53, 69, 70, 224Family Life Education and, 23, 27, 41, 67, 126–127fatwa against SMSF and, 117, 118, 122, 124, 125fetching water by, 12–13health checkups for, 68Life Skills Education, 40–41, 81status in families of, 41Global Circle of Knowledge program (TFL), 15Global Development Network (GDN), 136, 137Godyal, Anjali, 134, 161–162, 183, 211, 225–226, 227Goelaagriculture cooperative in, 66biogas plant in, 78chosen as ISVD village, 25cricket club formed in, 42education in, 62–63Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association in, 45library in, 68self-help groups in, 64VLIs in, 62wastewater soak pits in, 62Gogate, Shashi, 142Gram Swaraj, 87gram vikas sansthas. See village-level institutions (VLIs)Grover, Arti Manchanda, 231–232Gupta, Dipankar, 102Gupta, M.D., 11, 12Gurgaon, 74–77, 97, 178–179Gurugram. See Gurgaon
Haryana Development and Panchayats Department, 132–133Hayfa, 67–68health/healthcarecataract diagnoses, 68during COVID-19, 219–220delivery huts as alternatives to home births, 98, 113education of girls in maturing bodies and reproductive health, 49“Five Cleans” for midwives, 43fluoride contamination in groundwater and, 203–205, 217–218, 248of girls, 68government role in, 22, 42immunizations, 68improvements in, 95–96for infants, 243institutions serving Mewat, 42ISVD programs, 43in Mewat district, 12, 19radio station and, 145, 203–204SMSF, projects in Mewat, 22street plays, 66swasthya sakhis, 64, 65water and, 19See also sanitationhorticulture, 208Husain, Mubarik, 141Hussain, Javed, 145, 187Hussain, Nasir, 118, 122, 123Hussain, Zafar, 118, 123Hybrid Parent Research Consortia on Pearl Millet, Sorghum, and Pigeon Pea, 66–67Ibtada, 148, 149IndiaConstitution, 4, 83Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) mandate, 160–162, 192COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, 215cultural heritage of, 65
erosion of sense of community spirit and responsibility in, 38Good Governance Day, 165government services in, 38–39groups desiring maintenance of status quo, 177initiatives launched by Modi government, 164–165, 173–174(See also Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs))NGO compliance in, 7Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 114seed industry in, 11SMSF headquarters location in, 3–4Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (advance India campaign), 176women and patriarchal culture of, 4information communication technology (ICT) tools, 172–173Institute of Plant Biotechnology Outreach (University of Ghent, Belgium), 10–11Institute of Rural Research and Development (IRRAD)LEED and, 74, 75–76, 97, 114, 115opening of, 97–98organizational scalability and, 78Phase I, 74, 75–77Phase II, 114–115purpose of, 73–74rental of extra space, 79SMSF name and, 73–74, 156Integrated Rural Development Program, 28Integrated Sustainable Village Development (ISVD) modelagricultural program, 44–47, 55areas of focus, 26–27basic facts about, 25–26citizen participation initiative, 101–102, 128“consortium” approach used, 31expansion of, 40, 70–71, 79flexibility in, 57healthcare programs, 43identification of programs with most impact, 70implementation in twenty villages, 107initial meetings with chosen villages, 25–27
interdisciplinary workshops, 96meetings, 31–34overview of programs, 68–69as partnership with villagers, 33, 34scalability, 78, 99, 128, 129skills development and entrepreneurship training, 66SMSF credibility and, 29–31team members, 30–31, 54villages chosen, 24–25, 29–30water literacy education, 95International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), 11International Development Enterprises, 49JalKalp water filter, 202, 203, 205Jatwa, Lakshmi, 148–149Jha, Vikas, 137, 150Jyotisar, 65–66Kapahi, Rameshduring COVID-19, 215, 221–222, 223Phase 1 construction of new facility and, 75, 76Phase II of IRRAD and, 115on quarter-century milestone of SMSF, 252–253Sehgals and, 76–77on Suri and Edda as founders and leaders of SMSF, 254on team members, 181on trust of and respect for team members, 72–73Kapoor, Sam, 247Kaswan, Pawan, 201Kavita, 64Khan, Bhure, 108–110Kidwai, A.R., 97Kotla, 107–108Kriti Kendra, 66K+S Fertilizer Ltd., 149Kumar, Pawan, 148, 209, 241–242Kumari, Hema, 224
Lall, Ashok B., 76“Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)” certification, 74, 75–76, 97,114, 115Life Skills Education, 40–41, 67, 81literacy, 10, 68–69Local Area Development Fund, 20–21Local Participation and Sustainability (LPS) program, 227–230Madhava, N. R., 148Makhija, Anjalibasic facts about, 6–7, 211, 231decentralization of programs and, 232on empowerment of women, 158Family Life Education and, 15, 41fatwa and, 117, 118, 120, 121on increase in confidence of women, 79on Jay as Suri’s successor, 255–256meetings with panchayati raj and sarpanch, 31–34on microplanning, 151–152at quarter-century jubilee celebration, 249quarter-century milestone message by, 253–254strengthening of village councils and institutions and, 131, 132, 159visits to villages by, 19on work done by other NGOs, 19Mead, Margaret, 178–179Mehta, Pradeep, 137Meo Muslims, 7–8, 54, 117–126Mewat districtagendas of outside individuals and organizations, 17agriculture’s importance in, 21–22basic facts about, 3, 7, 13, 21, 52, 54community participation programs in (2012), 150–151criteria for choosing villages for programs, 23–25CSR collaboration in, 206–207as “development resistant,” 177distribution of rations in, 93–94, 218
education of villagers as effective change makers, 88, 89–95government services in, 38–39healthcare in, 12, 19, 42Hindus and Muslims in, 7–8increase in number of villages with SMSF programs, 136infant mortality, 43labeled as “development resistance” by NGOs, 17latrine construction in all panchayats in, 63popularity of, 144sanitation in, 51–53self-destructive and dependent mindset of villagers, 37, 38SMSF agricultural projects in, 22SMSF funds to NGOs in, 5–6, 9, 15–16SMSF healthcare project in, 22SMSF rehabilitation of underutilized common lands in, 48–49soil in, 111, 112transportation in, 39See also speci c villagesmicroplanning, 151–154Mid-Day Meal Scheme, 101, 147Minard, Mick, 142Misr Hytech Seed, 148Missouri Botanical Garden (St. Louis, Missouri), 15Mobile Agri Clinic, 210–211model villages. See demonstration villagesModi, Narendra, 164–165, 173–174, 214Mohammad, Jaan, 118, 123, 141Mosaic Company, 112, 129–130, 221, 222Mother Dairy, 44–45Mrinalini, Meenakshi, 212Murada, Pooja O., 106, 130, 141, 142, 145, 159, 191, 225, 232Nabbi, 61Narwal, Navneet, 113, 133, 136, 160Nasra, 64–65Nehru, Jawaharlal, 28
N. Menon, R. Madhava, 134–135nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)compliance in India of, 7during COVID-19, 219, 220focus of, 99Mewat labeled as “development resistance” by, 17partnerships with, 112, 129–131, 143, 148, 149promises from, 33responding to earthquake and tsunami in Asia, 67SMSF funding of, 5–6, 9, 11, 15–16, 19, 67SMSF partnerships with, 39, 143, 148, 149, 173–174SMSF’s rating as, 237SVLI training by, 159training and microenterprises to fight poverty, 29transparency of, 8trust and credibility of, in South India, 199, 200United Nations and, 67Notki, as demonstration village, 85–86, 94, 97, 98–99, 113, 138–139, 154, 155Nuh district. See Mewat districtOkamoto, Satoko, 183One World South Asia (OWSA), 112panchayats (panchayati raj)accountability of, 140constitutional status provided to, 28–29Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru and, 28meetings with Poonia, 31–34Panchayat Advisory Group, 133SMSF training project, 132–133village selection and, 23, 29VLI and, 46, 47as way to address poverty, 28, 29Pandey, Ajaybasic facts about, 87, 113, 133, 191, 211cooking-gas cylinder refill experience of, 90education of villagers as effective change makers, 88, 89–95
on effective citizen participation, 88empowerment efforts and, 101, 102, 103legal literacy and, 147Pengali, Pradhu, xiiPI Foundation, 210–211Poetry of Purpose: A Portrait of Women (Gogate and Minard), 142Poonia, B.R.advice given to Jay by, 18basic facts about, 6, 38fatwa and, 119–120, 121, 122, 124Ghaghas water-augmentation system and, 36–38meetings with panchayati raj and sarpanch, 31–34partnerships with NGOs, 148Rangala Rajpur dam project and, 20on solving problems, 34on talented former employees doing development work elsewhere, 141povertyagriculture issues and, 26family size and, 4, 22–23, 43Integrated Rural Development Program and, 28panchayati raj system to address, 28, 29training and microenterprises to fight, 29Proagro Group, 2, 6, 7, 17, 178Puranchand, 45Qasim, Maulvi, 126Rangala Rajpurcheck dam project, 13, 20–21, 48, 60–61chosen as ISVD village, 25drinking water and, 12Integrated Watershed Development Program, 108Raniyala, 113Razia, 142–143, 144, 187Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE, 2009), 114Rural Development and Self Employment Training Institute (RUDSETI), 39, 66Rural Research Center, 81, 82
SM Sehgal Foundation (SMSF)advisors and trustees, 59, 183–186awards, 51, 67, 137, 163–164, 178, 225, 244–245basic facts about, ix, 3, 5, 7, 8–9, 33, 163, 252broadcasting license, 106–107building on success, 20business culture, 9–10, 59, 72, 188, 236, 259Capacity Building Center, 81–82catch phrase “Small Interventions, Big Impact,” 14“closing the loop” as necessary, 34, 39community centers, 59–60community empowerment and, 6core values’ ownership statements, 157during COVID-19, 215, 217–225credibility of, 29–31, 58CSR partnerships, 162, 187, 192, 198, 199–200, 206–207, 211, 225–227, 233, 234,235, 236–237decentralization of programs, 199, 232–233developed village vision of, 83–84documentation and, 80, 81, 137–138, 156evaluation of programs, 157fatwa against, 117, 118–126fifteen year milestones, 168, 178–179, 188–190final fifteen-year anniversary celebration, 178–179first first annual international conference on community-led initiatives and localparticipation, 134–135first funded project, 10–11first solo funded projects, 12–13Fort Myers quarter-century milestone celebration, 252–253funding of, 73, 130, 132, 137, 161, 192–193, 211, 220funding of other NGOs, 5–6, 9, 11, 15–16, 19, 67funding to Institute of Plant Biotechnology Outreach (Belgum), 10–11gender sensitization of staff, 56, 157headquarters location, 3–4impacts of projects, 166–167, 168–169importance of partnership with villagers, 33, 34, 177