Cover Story.
SMSF Annual Report Released.
S M Sehgal Foundation’s Annual Report for 2023–24 showcases impactful initiatives and achievements in rural development and community empowerment that highlight the team’s dedication to sustainable water management, agricultural innovation, and women’s empowerment across India.
This report also marks twenty-five years of the foundation’s work, sharing success stories and renewed hope in grassroots communities.
Click here to view the Annual Report.
Stories of Change.
In Class 9, Jyoti was introduced to life skills training in sessions conducted by S M Sehgal Foundation. Focused on goal-setting and planning skills, the sessions inspired her to pursue a career as an IAS officer. During a career counseling session organized by the foundation, Jyoti received valuable guidance that encouraged her to study subjects aligned with her interests. This led her to choose Humanities, a stream that resonated with her passions and future career ambitions.
Read more…
Small acts of generosity create lasting impact. Start today!
Make A Donation
Top Feature.
Jalagam 2.0.
We are pleased to announce the return of Jalagam! During 2023–24, DCB Bank and S M Sehgal Foundation collaborated to organize Jalagam, a series of capacity-building and experience-sharing workshops that served as a platform for changemakers to share insights, exchange experiences, and propose actionable recommendations for strengthening water security policies. After the robust success of this initiative, DCB Bank and S M Sehgal Foundation launched a second edition, Jalagam 2.0.
Jalagam 2.0 will commence in Indore.
Register Now!
Partnership Highlights.
Nestlé India Project Vriddhi.
Project Vriddhi, launched in 2019 by Nestlé India and S M Sehgal Foundation, is an integrated rural development initiative in Nuh district, Haryana.
Expanding from one to fourteen villages, it has so far benefited more than 18,000 people by addressing water and sanitation, nutrition, education, and agricultural livelihoods.
(Nestlé India and SMSF team with school kids)
Watch the video here.
CRM Interface Meeting.
An interface meeting in Kaithal, Haryana, under the Crop Residue Management Project supported by Walmart Foundation, highlighted efforts to reduce stubble burning. Officials and scientists shared government programs and encouraged better farming practices. A similar meeting was held in Kurukshetra, with the project benefiting 100 villages in the regions.
(Farmers attending the interface meeting)
Read more…
Footsteps in Sonbhadra.
In collaboration with Nestle India, Project Vriddhi V was successfully launched in a new location of Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh. The inauguration event commenced with a village walkthrough, followed by an interactive session with community members from Ailkar and Karmanu villages. The teams introduced the project and outlined planned interventions in these focus areas.
(Nestlé India and SMSF team)
Read more…
Kohler for WASH.
S M Sehgal Foundation and Kohler have launched a WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) project at a school in Ghasera Village, Nuh, Haryana.
An inaugural ceremony marked the initiative, attended by Kohler leaders Ms. Laura Kohler, chief sustainable living officer; Mr. Pankaj Kumar Rai, vice president of HR, K&B South Asia; and Ms. Anupama Gara, director of HR, K&B South Asia.
(Ms. Laura Kohler with community members)
Month At A Glance.
Mr. Ram Gada Visits S M Sehgal Foundation’s Intervention Areas.
Mr. Ram Gada, supporter of S M Sehgal Foundation from Minnesota, USA, visited key intervention sites in Nuh, Haryana, from January 28 to 31, 2025, engaging with educators, community members, and foundation leaders. Mr. Gada toured Government Senior Secondary School, Ujjina, meeting with school staff. He visited the Citizen Information Support Center (CISC) and spoke with the toll-free service team. On January 29, he met senior S M Sehgal Foundation leaders to discuss ongoing projects. On January 31, he visited Khohar Check Dam in Nuh, engaging with Village Development Committee members and praising water conservation efforts.
He later toured community radio Connect FM 107.8, recording a program with Naugaon school students and staff. Mr. Ram Gada lauded the foundation’s impact on rural development and community empowerment.

(Ms. Anjali Godyal, COO, with Mr. Ram Gada and school staff)

(Mr. Ram Gada at the community radio Connect station with Pooja O. Murada, principal lead, OFD)
Women Leadership School in Kolar.

(SMSF team with community members)
A Women’s Leadership School program was recently conducted in collaboration with the Zilla Panchayat Ukkunda, Kolar. Key stakeholders, including government officials, panchayat members, anganwadi teachers, ASHA workers, and members of Women FIG groups, came together to encourage women’s leadership and community-driven initiatives.
Read More…
CR Connect featured in IIT Bombay’s Calendar 2025.

(IIT Bombay June Calendar Issue)
IIT Bombay’s 2025 calendar features June dedicated to the audio series, Science in Everyday Life, on S M Sehgal Foundation’s community radio Connect FM 107.8, which was produced and broadcast in collaboration with IIT Bombay Spoken Tutorial.
Read More…
Watch the series here.
IAS Trainees Field Visit.

(SMSF team with the trainee officers during the school visit)
Eighteen IAS trainee officers from the 2024 batch recently visited the intervention villages in the Nuh district of Haryana.
The visit was organized in collaboration with the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration.
The primary objective was to provide the officers with a comprehensive understanding of rural development initiatives.
RWH Training Workshop.

(SMSF team with the participants of RWH Training workshop)
S M Sehgal Foundation organized a training program through its Water and Wastewater Resource Centre (WWRC) in collaboration with the Centre for Innovative and Appropriate Technologies (CIAT), Rural Technology Park (RTP), and the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR), Hyderabad. The four-day workshop focused on the multifaceted science of water, encompassing disciplines such as geology, geography, hydrology, meteorology, hydraulics, and water technology.
Let’s Connect with Mr. Ram Gada.
Mr. Ram Gada shares his journey from Gujarat, India, to Minnesota, USA, reflecting on his life and experiences. Listen to his podcast, SMSF Let’s Connect, to hear how he transitioned from a mechanical engineer to a philanthropist dedicated to giving back to India. Through his efforts, he has mobilized his community to support meaningful causes and make a lasting impact.
Listen to the podcast here
Blogs & Articles.
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.
Editorial Team: Pooja O. Murada, Marly Cornell, Priya Chaudhary
Contributors: S M Sehgal Foundation team
Photo Credits: S M Sehgal Foundation staff
Design and Production: Outreach for Development team