Spotlight
Jalagam 3.0 Wraps Up in Delhi
(Jalagam 3.0- National Workshop on Water Security highlights)
Jalagam 3.0, a water conference organized by S M Sehgal Foundation (SMSF), was designed to deepen community awareness through capacity-building and experience-sharing workshops. The initiative focuses on strengthening community resilience mechanisms that sustain grassroots water conservation efforts. With the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) and Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, as knowledge partners, the event in Delhi brought together policy leaders, practitioners, innovators, and community voices to reflect on the urgent question: “How do we make water resilience everyone’s business?” Read more.
Stories of Change
Every year, International Women’s Day gives us a reason to stop and look around. Milestones matter, but so does the steady work that continues behind the scenes. At S M Sehgal Foundation, we’ve learned over many years of working across villages that real change doesn’t come from the outside. True change grows from within communities. And more often than not, women are the ones who are holding that growth together as farmers, mothers, frontline workers, mobilizers, and so much more. This Women’s Day, we share a few of their stories, not as statistics, but as lived experiences from the field.
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Partnership Highlights
(Women FIG in Kolar, Karnataka)
Strengthening Market Linkages for FPOs in Karnataka
In Kolar, Karnataka, farmers are finding new ways to grow their incomes. A recent Buyer–Seller Meet at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kolar, organized by S M Sehgal Foundation with support from Walmart Foundation, brought fifteen FPOs together with companies and credit partners to open real market opportunities. Soon after, 380 mango farmers joined a large training with experts from the Karnataka State Mango Board to learn better farming practices, reduce losses, and connect with buyers. Women’s FIG groups began selling their value-added products, earning ₹12,500 on the first day.
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Month At A Glance
(Anjali Makhija at the Clean Gomti Dialogue and Delhi Climate Innovation Week)
Anjali Makhija Speaks at Key Climate and CSR Platforms
Anjali Makhija, trustee and CEO of SMSF, recently spoke at national forums including Delhi Climate Innovation Week hosted by IORA Ecological Solutions; the Clean Gomti dialogue convened by the State Transformation Commission, Government of Uttar Pradesh in Lucknow; and the 7th SIAM CSR Conclave.
She spoke about SMSF’s work with villages that are leading Nature-Based Solutions and elaborated on the value of strong CSR partnerships, highlighting the collaboration with BMW India Foundation and the importance of community ownership and women’s leadership in water and climate initiatives. Across these platforms, she shared how practical field experience informs policies and partnerships that generate lasting change.
(District level conference on community participation)
Community Voices Lead School Development in Alwar
S M Sehgal Foundation convened a district-level conference on community participation in school development in Alwar, bringing together SMC/SDMC members, gram panchayat representatives, principals of transformed schools, and officials from the Department of Education. Senior officials, including Chief District Education Officer Mahesh Gupta, District Education Officer Mahesh Mehta, CBEO Umrain Seema Sharma, and CBEO Malakheda Anshu Sharma, spoke about the importance of community ownership in sustaining school improvements.
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(Handover of E-resource centre)
Women Leadership School and E-Resource Centre Strengthen Opportunities in Kolar
Under the Uttam Gram Initiative, the S M Sehgal Foundation team organized a Women Leadership School program and handed over a new E-Resource Centre to the community. Women and Child Development Officer Mrs. Shanta Bandari led sessions on leadership, confidence, and decision-making, along with practical guidance on government schemes, SHGs, financial inclusion, and livelihood options under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). The Women and Child Development Department also presented a letter of appreciation to SMSF, recognizing the foundation’s support in setting up the E-Resource Centre and the continued work to improve access to information and opportunities for women and children.
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Community Radio Connect Completes 14 Years of Broadcasting!
On the occasion of World Radio Day, we celebrate the power of community voices. A recent feature by The Better India highlights how CR Connect FM 107.8 is empowering women in rural Haryana. Through participatory programming and local storytelling, the station encourages women to voice concerns, influence village decisions, and actively shape their community’s development and future.
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Dr. Vikas Jha and Nasir Hussain on Revitalizing Gram Sabha
Dr. Vikas Jha, principal lead, and Nasir Hussain, assistant program lead, Local Participation & Sustainability at S M Sehgal Foundation, recently authored an insightful article in the Institute of Social Sciences’ Panchayati Raj Update on revitalizing the gram sabha. The article underscores that strengthening grassroots democracy hinges on active engagement from line departments, gram panchayats, communities, self-help groups (SHGs), civil society organizations, and focused state-level campaigns.
Read the full article here
(In the field interacting with community members and gathering information for the article.)
Village Institutions Help Drive Farm Mechanization in Nuh
This article highlights how village-level institutions are helping farmers adopt farm mechanization in Nuh, Haryana. Through Village Development Committees (VDCs), farmers are gaining access to modern tools, demonstrations, and support from agri-entrepreneurs, making it easier to adopt improved practices.
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More from SMSF
Podcast
SMSF Connect Podcast features a bouquet of interesting programs about rural development and other social issues and themes. TUNE IN to our podcast channel on I-RadioLive. Podcasts also available on Spotify.
Contributors: S M Sehgal Foundation team
Photo Credits: S M Sehgal Foundation staff
Design and Production: Outreach for Development team
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