Academy of Gandhian studies

What Academy of Gandhian studies does

Academy of Gandhian Studies (AGS) is a non-profit apex NGO founded in 1976 in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, and registered as a society under Act XXI of 1860 with the Ministry of Home Affairs under the FCR Act of 1984. It was established by Prabhakarji, the adopted son of Mahatma Gandhi and close associate of Acharya Vinoba Bhave, alongside several freedom-movement veterans, to promote Gandhian principles of Satya (truth), Ahimsa (non-violence), and Dharma. AGS operates as a network-based coordinating body rather than a direct service-delivery NGO, providing leadership to a portfolio of partner organisations and field programs across seven Indian states — Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, West Bengal, and Odisha — covering livelihoods, water and sanitation, trafficking and child labour, tribal rights, disaster response, and climate change adaptation.

AGS does not operate a commercial product or technology platform. Its core 'offerings' are programs and convening services: convening networks (Swachh Vidyalaya Consortium, NATSAP, NACSET, ATSEC, ECFF, AP Alliance for Child Rights, ECRC), executing donor-funded projects with partners such as GIZ (AdaptCap), Plan International (anti-child-labour), Tata Trusts, ITC Paperboards, Microsoft, SAMHITA & RB, and operating the Childline 1098 helpline as a nodal organisation in Chittoor district. The organisation is governed by an eleven-member Governing Body and an Advisory Board that includes senior academics from TISS, SV University, and Stanford's Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Educational Institute, and former senior leaders from Save the Children, Sight Savers, USAID, DANIDA, and FAO.

AGS's revenue model is grant- and donation-based. It maintains separate bank accounts for general domestic donations (Punjab National Bank) and FCRA-compliant foreign contributions (State Bank of India). Approximately 15-23 professional staff execute programs supported by regional and district coordinators. The organisation's 2013 Solution Search Award (India-specific prize, US $10,000) is the only quantified financial milestone disclosed. AGS markets its work through research publications (English and Telugu), participation in global fora (UN conferences, UNESCO, Rio UNCED, Copenhagen Global Social Summit), NGO networking, and its agsindia.org website.

Name

Academy of Gandhian studies

Legal name

Academy of Gandhian Studies

Website

https://agsindia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Academy of Gandhian Studies is a Tirupati-based apex NGO founded in 1976 that coordinates a network of partner organisations across seven Indian states, serving marginalized women, children, farmers, Dalits, and fisherfolk through programs on livelihoods, child protection, sanitation, and climate adaptation funded by donations and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Social Development Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)

Keywords

• Community development programs
• Rural livelihoods support
• Climate change adaptation
• Child protection services
• Water and sanitation projects

Headquarters

HQ city

Tirupati

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: AGS accepts donations, grants, and presents for furtherance of its objectives. The organization operates bank accounts for general donations (Punjab National Bank) and FCRA-compliant foreign contributions (State Bank of India), indicating reliance on charitable donations and international funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Academy of Gandhian Studies (AGS) is an apex-level non-governmental organization that operates as a coordinating body for a network of member organizations across seven Indian states. It delivers development programs and services in peace initiatives, children and youth development, health and nutrition, water and sanitation, gender equity, environment and climate change adaptation, sustainable livelihoods, and anti-trafficking efforts, supported by donations, grants, and partnerships with corporate and international institutions.

Product overview

Academy of Gandhian Studies (AGS) is a network-based apex NGO, not a technology product company. It operates as a coordinating organization that provides leadership to a network of member organizations across seven states (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, West Bengal, and Odisha) working on development issues. Rather than a unified software platform with modules, AGS offers programs and services focused on Gandhian principles of Satya, Ahimsa, and Dharma, addressing livelihoods, water and sanitation, trafficking, child labour, tribal rights, disaster response, and climate change adaptation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Childline 1098 Helpline Service (Chittoor District) 24x7 emergency helpline service for children in distress, operated by AGS as the Nodal Organisation under Childline India Foundation in Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh.
• ClimbCap / AdaptCap Climate Adaptation Project Climate change adaptation program in partnership with GIZ covering Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu coastal communities to strengthen adaptation capacities and minimize risks of vulnerable coastal populations.
• Anti Child Labour Project with Plan International Program implemented in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka in partnership with Plan International India to combat child labour and trafficking.
• Impact of Hygiene on Education Project with Microsoft Health and education monitoring pilot implemented in Gajwal Mandal, Telangana, in partnership with Microsoft, focused on the impact of hygiene on education outcomes.
• Wellbeing Out of Waste (WoW) Project with ITC Environmental sustainability initiative implemented with ITC Paperboards and Specialty Papers Division focusing on waste management and environmental programs.
• FUSION-ISA Health and Hygiene Project with Tata Trusts Health and hygiene program implemented in Andhra Pradesh in partnership with Tata Education and Development Trusts, including Individual Household Latrine construction, motivation, and community mobilisation.
• SAMHITA Hygiene Education Project School-based hygiene education and sanitation practices program implemented across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Bihar in partnership with SAMHITA & RB.

Quantifiable outcome

• Solution Search Award 2013 - India Prize Winner (US $10,000) for climate adaptation leadership

Named customers1 record

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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• MicrosoftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership focused on Impact of Hygiene on Education, identifying rectification tools. Project 'Monitoring health to analyse impact on Education' was a pilot project in Gajwal Mandal of Telangana.
• ITC Paperboards and Specialty Papers DivisionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Waste Management-Environment under the 'Wellbeing Out of Waste (WoW)' project, focusing on environmental sustainability initiatives.
• Tata Education and Development TrustsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Health and Hygiene involving Construction of Individual Household Latrines, Motivation and Mobilisation activities in Andhra Pradesh under the FUSION-ISA project.
• SAMHITA & RBminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Hygiene Education and good practices of sanitation among school children in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Bihar.
• Plan International IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on 'Strengthening prevention, prosecution and protection services for children at risk of or subjected to trafficking for labour' in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana & Karnataka under the Anti Child Labour project.
• GIZcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on 'Strengthening Adaptation Capacities and Minimizing Risks of Vulnerable Coastal Communities (Adapt Cap)' in Andhra Pradesh & Tamil Nadu. This is a significant climate adaptation initiative.
• Childline India FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAGS serves as Nodal Organisation to provide helpline services in Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh for the Childline 1098 service protecting children.
• RareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on 'Solution Search: Adapting to the Changing Climate' through which AGS won the 2013 India Prize for climate adaptation leadership.
• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAGS initiated and organized a conference on World Peace and Non-Violence in collaboration with UNESCO, inaugurated by Sri. Krishna Kanth, Vice President of India and presided over by Dr. Karan Singh.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Childline India Foundation: National child-protection helpline network (1098) with nodal partner organizations across India. AGS serves as a Nodal Organisation for Chittoor district and the partnership signals direct operational overlap on child protection.
• BAIF Development Research Foundation: Large Indian apex development NGO with a multi-state network focused on rural livelihoods, agriculture, natural resources, and climate-vulnerable communities. Closely comparable network-based delivery model across rural India.
• Gandhi Peace Foundation: National Gandhian movement institution promoting non-violence, peace, and Sarvodaya, with affiliated state-level bodies. Operates the same ideological and networking niche as AGS and shares leadership lineage.
• Action for Food Production (AFPRO): India-headquartered apex NGO working on water, sanitation, livelihoods and rural development across multiple states. Highly comparable apex-network model; AGS's Chairman is AFPRO's former Director, evidencing tight organizational overlap.
• ActionAid India: Rights-based development NGO working across Indian states on women's rights, child protection, climate justice, and disaster response. Directly comparable thematic scope and grassroots network structure.
• Plan International India: International child-rights organization implementing anti-child-labour and trafficking programs in AP, Telangana and Karnataka alongside AGS. Overlapping program portfolio and donor footprint.
• Sarva Seva Sangh (Sarvodaya Mandal): All-India Sarvodaya movement organization rooted in Gandhian and Vinoba Bhave tradition. AGS's Vice Chairperson serves as its President, evidencing direct governance overlap and shared ideological base.

Regional players

• Modern Architects for Rural India (MARI): AP-headquartered rural development organization working on quality-of-life improvement for marginalized communities. An AGS board member also sits on MARI's board, evidencing governance overlap and shared regional focus.
• Vasavya Society for Rural Development: Andhra Pradesh-based rural development NGO focused on livelihoods, health, education and disaster response. Founded by an AGS board member (Prof. G. Prasad), making it a closely affiliated regional peer.

Broad incumbents

• Save the Children India: Large incumbent international NGO with multi-state programs on child rights, education, health, and disaster response in India. AGS board members include former Save the Children senior staff, indicating tight sectoral and personnel overlap.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/academy-of-gandhian-studies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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