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Dr. Suri
Sehgal received the prestigious Dr. M S Swaminathan Award for Leadership in
Agriculture.
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(In Picture: Dr. Suri Sehgal, founder and CEO of S M Sehgal Foundation, attending the award ceremony virtually from the United States.)
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We are
thrilled to announce that Dr. Surinder (Suri) Sehgal, founder with his wife
Edda of S M Sehgal Foundation (India) and Sehgal Foundation (USA), has been
honored with the prestigious Dr. M S Swaminathan Award for Leadership in
Agriculture for 2022.
The award is
presented annually to a distinguished agricultural expert whose contributions
toward enhancing food security and poverty alleviation have significantly
impacted farmers and national agriculture.
Trust for
Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS), a renowned Think Tank located at
the Pusa Campus in New Delhi, instituted this award in 2004 in honor of Dr. M S
Swaminathan, a stalwart of Indian agriculture.
Dr. Suri
Sehgal's visionary leadership and relentless dedication have contributed
immensely to the advancement of agriculture, food security, and rural
development. This award is dedicated to his outstanding contributions and the
transformative impact he has made on farmers and rural communities.
A documentary
on the life of Dr. Sehgal was shown during the award ceremony. While Dr. Sehgal
received the award and shared the award acceptance speech virtually, Ms. Anjali
Makhija, CEO of S M Sehgal Foundation, received the award on behalf of Dr.
Sehgal during the award ceremony held at NAAS, Pusa, hosted by the TAAS. Over
170 people attended the award function. Read More..
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Manohar Lal, a farmer from the Parsa Ka Bas village in the Alwar district of Rajasthan, has a family of seven members and is a member of the School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC). Inspired by the work of S M Sehgal Foundation, Manohar proposed constructing a new classroom for the children. He promptly took care of all the necessary formalities within the committee for approval. After the committee’s approval, he decided to initiate the construction of a classroom from his savings. Read more..
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Small acts of generosity can create a lasting impact. Start today!
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Bolstering Farmer Producer Organizations
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S M Sehgal Foundation (Sehgal Foundation), with the support from Walmart Foundation, initiated Bolstering Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in the districts of Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka, with an intent to strengthen the FPOs in the region. The project trains and builds the capacities of these FPOs, including governance, financial management, and technology adoption.
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Walmart Foundation-Flipkart Foundation Collaborate
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(In Picture: Mr. Manohar Lal Khattar, CM, Haryana, with
Rajneesh Kumar, chief corporate affairs officer, Flipkart, and Mr. Nishant Gupta, strategic liason, Walmart Foundation in India.)
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S M Sehgal
Foundation, in partnership with Walmart Foundation and Flipkart Foundation,
announced the implementation of an integrated project to promote sustainable
solutions for effective crop residue management and to build eco-consciousness
among children and youth. The project is being implemented by Sehgal Foundation
in the State of Haryana with philanthropic grant funding from the Walmart
Foundation and Flipkart Foundation with the goal of reducing the pollution. Read more..
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Driving Social
Change with Mr. Gaurav Mehta, DCB Bank
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(Mr. Gaurav Mehta, head of Marketing, Public Relations, & Corporate Communications, DCB Bank in conversation with Pooja Murada, principal lead, Outreach for Development, S M Sehgal Foundation.)
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In another episode of SMSF CONNECT Podcast, Mr.
Gaurav Mehta, head of Marketing, Public Relations, & Corporate
Communications, DCB Bank, discusses advocating awareness initiatives to bring
change through the ESG model. Under a CSR partnership with DCB Bank, an
emerging new-generation, private sector bank, S M Sehgal Foundation has been working
in water management and agriculture development. Listen to the episode here..
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Felicitation for
Transform Lives, one school at a time
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(In Picture: Sh. Bhanwar Jitender Singh, former cabinet minister, GoI, and Cabinet Minister Sh. Tika Ram Jully presenting the award.)
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S
M Sehgal Foundation was felicitated by Shri Bhanwar Jitender Singh, former
cabinet minister, Government of India; and Shri Tika Ram Jully, cabinet
minister, Government of Rajasthan, for the outstanding contribution to
transforming the government schools in Alwar District, Rajasthan, under
Transform Lives one school at a time program and the Krishi Jyoti
project.
Provisions
for the availability of water facilities, constructing separate toilets for
boys and girls, and introducing digital libraries in rural areas of Alwar were
much appreciated.
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Champawat
Annual General Meeting
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(In Picture: Sh. R.S. Rawat, CDO, Champawat, addressing the crowd, with S M Sehgal Foundation team, Champawat.)
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The Annual General Meeting of
Champawat Monal Farmers' Producer Company, in partnership with HDFC Parivartan,
was successfully conducted. Attendees at the event included Mr. R.S. Rawat, chief
development officer; Ms. Vimmi Joshi, assistant project director cum district development
officer; Mr. Surya Pratap Singh, assistant project director ATMA; Mr. Prem Kumar,
branch manager of HDFC Bank; and Mr. Amit Pandey, branch manager of UBI. Rekha Devi, director of
CMFPC, presented the Annual Report during the meeting. CMFPC Director Geeta
Devi, and Manoj Negi shared insights into institutional development and progress.
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Addressing Delegates from Maldives on India’s Community Radio Landscape
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(In Picture: Ms. Pooja. O. Murada with the Maldives delegates.)
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Ms.
Pooja. O. Murada, principal lead, Outreach for Development, was invited to
address a delegation from Maldives to share about community radio and its
policy in India. The meeting was hosted by the National Academy of Broadcasting
and Multimedia (NIBM), New Delhi. A group of twenty senior officers from the
Government of Maldives spent time in India to understand various policies
related to Information and Broadcasting in India to advance their knowledge and
experience.
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Technical
Training for Farmers on Tomato and Ragi Package of Practices
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(In Picture: Farmers of Cholangunte, Kolar, with S M Sehgal Foundation team.)
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A technical
training was conducted under a CSR project for the farmers of Cholangunte,
Kolar, Karnataka, on the Tomato and Ragi Package of Practices—Experts included Dr.
Sadanad Mushrf, Shri Murali, and Shri Murgesh, from the horticulture
department, Mulabagal, who talked about pest management, intercropping, and the
scientific method of tomato cultivation. The session ended with distributing
Package of Practices (PoP) kits to the beneficiaries.
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On the occasion of
International Youth Day, a youth conference on “Participation of youth and
their responsibilities for sustainable rural development” was organized under
the Uttam Gram initiative at Phulumbri block, Aurangabad, Maharashtra.
Rajendra Desale, deputy
CEO, Water & Sanitation Department, Zilla Parishad Aurangabad; and Rajesh
Mahajan Taluka, education officer, were among the many notable attendees.
(In Picture: The students of College of Agriculture and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University's College of Social Work.)
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(In Picture: S M Sehgal Foundation team, Gurugram hoisting the national flag of India.)
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Independence
Day Celebration
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In the spirit of patriotism
and unity, the S M Sehgal Foundation team came together on India's 76th
Independence Day in 2023. The event was a reminder that while we celebrate our
freedom, we also acknowledge the responsibilities that come with it. We
celebrated our nation’s journey toward freedom and progress with pride and gratitude.
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Postcards from Interns Abroad
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“I had the
pleasure of researching and learning in depth about the foundation’s history by
reading publications and newsletters, which I compiled into an engaging and
concise comic script for a general audience. A special thank you to Pooja O.
Murada, Ma’am, for working with me to shape this project. This rewarding
internship with S M Sehgal Foundation strengthened my interest and previous
experience in the NGO sector and academic interest in subjects revolving around
international development.”
—Anagha Chakravarti, Rising Junior,
Georgetown University
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“My internship
at S M Sehgal Foundation was a unique opportunity to learn about development
challenges and NGO work in my country of origin, and expand my interest in
philanthropy and fundraising. The work atmosphere was always very open and
welcoming. I gained valuable guidance from my mentor, Sam Kapoor, and other
foundation members while also being able to share and implement my ideas. My family
and I are eager to be in touch with the foundation's incredible work around
rural India and support in any way we can move forward.”
—Priyasha
Chakravarti, Rising Junior, Georgetown University
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Training and
Workshop Sessions
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(In Picture: Participants in DWQT training at Addategala, Andhra Pradesh.)
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Drinking Water Quality Testing Training
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S M Sehgal Foundation conducted a four-day training workshop on "Drinking Water Quality Testing" in Addategala, Andhra Pradesh, delivered by S M Sehgal Foundation in collaboration with CAWST for Laya Foundation. A team of young individuals from tribal communities enthusiastically volunteered to gain practical experience by testing the drinking water quality. The workshop included informative sessions accompanied by hands-on practice covering various aspects of water quality parameters. Additionally, open discussions and real-life scenarios were included to enrich the learning experience.
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Drinking Water Quality Testing Workshop
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To address the critical issue of lack of WASH practice, S M Sehgal Foundation, India, in partnership with CAWST, Canada, is hosting a four-day training workshop in September on Drinking Water Quality and Testing (DWQT). This workshop is an opportunity that offers valuable insights and expertise to the practitioner interested in conducting drinking water quality testing as part of the implementation, monitoring, or evaluation of household water treatment and safe storage (HWTS) projects or small community water supply systems in developing countries. Read more..
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Rainwater Harvesting Training
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S M Sehgal Foundation in collaboration with National Institute of Rural Development and
Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) is conducting a training about rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems—the theory, practice, and
policy. The course will share knowledge and holistic perspectives on rainwater harvesting and provide opportunity for hands-on
planning for RWH systems in households, institutions, villages, and colony levels. RWH systems help in creating decentralized and
sustainable sources of water supply and improve water availability. Read more..
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PODCAST SMSF Connect Podcast features innovative programs about rural development and other social issues and themes. TUNE IN to our podcast channel on I-RadioLive. Podcasts are also available on Spotify.
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Editorial Team: Marly Cornell, Pooja O. Murada, Priya Chaudhary Contributors: S M Sehgal Foundation team Photo Credits: S M Sehgal Foundation Design and Production: Outreach for Development team
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