Gharda Foundation

What Gharda Foundation does

Gharda Foundation is a private non-profit philanthropic organization founded in 1996 by Padma Shri Dr. Keki Gharda to advance rural development across Maharashtra and Gujarat. It is administered by a Board of Five Trustees, operates with approximately 50 full-time and part-time staff, and serves around 60,000 people across approximately 30 villages through a participatory model in which villagers contribute labor and resources in exchange for foundation-led projects.

The foundation's core operating businesses are Gharda Institute of Technology (GIT), an engineering college in Lavel (Khed) offering Chemical, Mechanical, Computer, Electronics & Telecommunication, and Civil Engineering programs at affordable cost; Bai Ratanbai Gharda Hospital (BRGH), a multi-specialty 20-bed rural hospital launched in 2018 that runs a mobile dispensary; and Bai Ratanbai Gharda Memorial Library (BRGML), a public library in Bandra with 15,000+ books open seven days a week. Adjacent programs include irrigation and agricultural reform (drip farming, vermiculture producing ~80 tons of vermicompost annually), afforestation (>20,000 trees planted), women's empowerment via 100 self-help groups and microfinance, school sanitation, and the Free Food Facility for around 25 elderly residents of Songaon village.

Funding comes primarily from Dr. Keki Gharda's personal contributions and donations from Gharda Chemicals Ltd., supplemented by government support for specific schemes such as the National AIDS Control Program partnership with Gujarat State AIDS Control Society since 2003 and joint drinking water/irrigation projects with the Maharashtra Government. Services are delivered free or at subsidized rates; the foundation does not disclose pricing or financials, and has no proprietary technology platform or AI/ML capability — its outputs are analog, community-based, and operationally distributed through social workers, mobile vans, and brick-and-mortar facilities.

Name

Gharda Foundation

Legal name

Gharda Foundation

Website

https://ghardafoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Gharda Foundation is a private Indian non-profit founded in 1996 by Dr. Keki Gharda, delivering participatory rural development — engineering education (GIT), a 20-bed hospital (BRGH), a public library (BRGML), agriculture, women's empowerment, and health programs — to roughly 60,000 people across ~30 villages in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Development Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC)

Keywords

• Rural development services
• Non-profit philanthropy
• Community healthcare programs
• Engineering education
• Women empowerment programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Mumbai

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropy: The foundation operates as a non-profit philanthropic organization funded primarily through donations from Dr. Keki Gharda and Gharda Chemicals. Receives government support for specific programs like National AIDS Control Program.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Gharda Foundation is a private non-profit organization founded in 1996 that delivers rural development programs in Maharashtra and Gujarat through an engineering college, a multispecialty hospital, a public library, an elderly meal program, and community development initiatives in health, agriculture, irrigation, environment, and women's income generation. It serves approximately 60,000 people across roughly 30 villages using a participatory model that requires villager contribution to all projects.

Product overview

Gharda Foundation operates as a non-profit philanthropic organization dedicated to rural development in India, established in 1996. The foundation offers a portfolio of interconnected social initiatives including Gharda Institute of Technology (engineering education), Bai Ratanbai Gharda Hospital (healthcare), Bai Ratanbai Gharda Memorial Library (literacy), Free Food Facility (elderly care), and community development programs (health, agriculture, women empowerment, irrigation, environment, income generation). The foundation works extensively in Maharashtra and Gujarat states, operating in approximately 30 villages serving around 60,000 people, with approximately 50 full-time and part-time staff members. The foundation follows a philosophy of participatory development, striving to make villagers self-reliant rather than creating dependency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GIT: Gharda Institute of Technology - Engineering college established in Lavel (Khed) offering quality education at affordable cost in Chemical, Mechanical, Computer, Electronics & Telecommunication, and Civil Engineering.

Products and services

• Gharda Institute of Technology (GIT) Engineering college established in Lavel (Khed) providing quality education at affordable cost. Offers programs in Chemical, Mechanical, Computer, Electronics & Telecommunication, and Civil Engineering with modern infrastructure and laboratories, along with loan facility arrangements for students.
• Bai Ratanbai Gharda Hospital (BRGH) 20-bed multispecialty hospital at Lavel (Khed) providing affordable healthcare to residents of Khed and Chiplun areas. Offers dentistry, emergency care, laboratory, pharmacy, X-ray, mobile dispensary visits, health camps, and community outreach programs.
• Bai Ratanbai Gharda Memorial Library (BRGML) Public library founded in 2009 by Dr. Keki Gharda located in Gharda House, Bandra West, Mumbai. Houses over 15,000 books, 13 newspapers, and 30 magazines with air-conditioned reading rooms seating 250 people, open daily 9am-10pm.
• Free Food Facility Initiative in memory of late Ratanbai Gharda providing hot nutritious meals twice daily at doorstep to approximately 25 elderly men and women in Songaon village of Khed Taluka, Ratnagiri District, who have no one to look after them.
• Community Development Programs Rural development initiatives including health education, microfinance and self-help groups, women empowerment, irrigation and water supply projects, agricultural reforms and crop training, environmental conservation and afforestation, vermicompost production, and income generation activities, operating across approximately 30 villages serving around 60,000 people in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Quantifiable outcome

• Maternal Mortality Rate and Infant Mortality Rate reduced up to 80%
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gujarat State AIDS Control SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Targeted Intervention partner under National AIDS Control Program since 2003, working with most vulnerable groups of truckers and commercial sex workers at NH:8 Ankleshwar and Bharuch area.
• Gujarat Agricultural UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides agricultural training and expert consultation to farmers in village development projects through visits of experts and extension work.
• Environmental Sanitation Institute-AhmedabadminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for School Sanitation Project at Hansot Taluka 12 Girls populated Primary schools to address female student drop-out due to lack of sanitation facilities.
• Central Worker Education Board VadodaraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplemented several Awareness Camps specially on women's issues and legal guidance for Rural Women Empowerment Project.
• Maharashtra GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint implementation of drinking water scheme for Kadavali, Kumbhavali and Dalwatne villages. Also working on building two small dams on Vashishti tributary river to irrigate over 100 acres.
• Ankleshwar Taluka PanchayatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdopted the mobile laboratory concept, introducing 60 similar boxes to remaining schools after seeing foundation's pilot success.
• Ankleshwar IndustriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched Mobile education van after observing foundation's mobile laboratory project success.
• Bharuch District Ayurvedic DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordination for Taluka level Ayurvedic checkup and awareness camp at Rotary hall Ankleshwar.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Deshpande Foundation: India- and US-based foundation fostering entrepreneurship and rural development. Comparable in scale and rural development focus, though with a stronger entrepreneurship lens.
• SEWA (Self Employed Women's Association): Indian grassroots organization empowering rural women through self-help groups, microfinance, and health. Comparable on the women's empowerment and rural community development axes.

Direct peers

• Tata Trusts: India's largest private philanthropic foundation, funding health, education, and rural development across India. Highly comparable as a private foundation addressing similar multi-sector rural development challenges.
• Azim Premji Foundation: Corporate-backed Indian foundation focused primarily on education and rural development, with deep field operations. Comparable as an Indian private foundation combining educational institution building with rural programs.
• Reliance Foundation: Large Indian corporate foundation operating across health, education, and rural transformation. Similar multi-vertical portfolio and rural beneficiary base.
• Infosys Foundation: Corporate CSR foundation funding rural development, health, and education in India. Closely comparable operating model as a corporate-affiliated private foundation.
• Naandi Foundation: India-focused social sector foundation working on education, health, and livelihoods in rural and underserved communities. Direct peer in rural development execution.
• BAIF Development Research Foundation: Long-established Indian rural development foundation focused on agriculture, health, and community development. Highly comparable mission and beneficiary base in rural Maharashtra.
• Piramal Foundation: Indian philanthropic foundation operating large-scale rural health and education programs. Comparable focus on health service delivery in underserved rural districts.
• Wipro Foundation: Corporate foundation funding education, health, and community development in India. Comparable as a corporate-affiliated foundation with rural program execution.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Gharda-Foundations-106975037498887
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gharda-institute-of-technology

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Gharda Foundation