WRITTEN BY: PARINITA GUPTA
(August 02, 2023) After setting up an established professional career in the global seed industry and traveling extensively all across the globe, international crop scientist Dr. Surinder Sehgal, and Mrs. Edda Sehgal set up Sehgal Foundation, by utilising their financial resources and expertise in business and agriculture to empower communities and individuals in rural India. Their mission is to create a positive and sustainable difference, making a lasting impact on the lives of people in these areas.
The Sehgal Foundation adopts a community-based approach that prioritizes empowerment and accountability instead of charity. Their primary focus is on serving rural communities and expanding their reach to as many villages and people as possible. “Edda and I undertook an ambitious mission to ‘strengthen community-led development initiatives to achieve positive social, economic, and environmental change across rural India,” said Dr. Suri.
Dr. Surinder Sehgal, founder of The Sehgal Foundation
The Sehgal Foundation has five main program areas: the ‘Water Management Program’, which collaborates with communities to implement rainwater harvesting and storage systems for immediate use or to replenish groundwater. On the other hand, the ‘Agriculture Development Program’ aims to promote sustainable livelihoods in India by empowering farmers, particularly women farmers, with knowledge and skills in improved agricultural practices and new technologies.
Under ‘The Local Participation and Sustainability Program,’ communities are educated about the significance of active involvement in local institutions, leading to improved last-mile delivery of government programs. The ‘Transform Lives Program’ aims to enhance the lives of schoolchildren by providing access to clean drinking water, improved sanitation facilities, a beneficial learning environment, and essential digital and life skills training.
Sehgal Foundation strives to bring its mission of positive change to all of the many communities that we call home, whether in rural India or with our partners in the US. As a rural development NGO, we have a skilled and dedicated team that creates these sustainable programs to address rural India’s most pressing needs.” said the Global Indian.
The Sehgal Foundation envisions a world where every individual can lead a secure, prosperous, and dignified life. To achieve this vision, their mission is to empower community-led development initiatives that bring about positive social, economic, and environmental change in rural India.