What Essar Foundation does

Essar Foundation is the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of Essar Group, a privately held Indian conglomerate with approximately USD 15 billion in aggregate revenues across portfolio companies. Incorporated and headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, the Foundation employs 117 staff and operates programs across education, women's empowerment, healthcare, sports/talent development, and natural-calamity relief. Two flagship initiatives anchor its operations: the Guruji Project, which delivers holistic education and teacher training across 15 primary schools in 12 villages of the Hazira belt in Gujarat in partnership with Essar Bulk Terminal Limited; and Sahej, a women's empowerment program combining livelihood skill training, micro-enterprise support, health and digital literacy with a mobile application for menstrual hygiene awareness.

The Foundation's proprietary technology footprint is narrow: the Sahej mobile app (published on Google Play as com.sahej.sahej) provides awareness content and access channels to affordable sanitary products, with reported distribution of over 400,000 sanitary napkins to women in Mumbai slums and to the Mumbai police force. There is no disclosed AI, machine learning, or API-based product surface. Programs are delivered through a partner-mediated model, with the Foundation collaborating with NGOs, government agencies, schools, and local healthcare providers; senior involvement from the Ruia family (Smiti Kanodia leads CSR direction) provides continuity with the parent group's governance.

Essar Foundation operates on a non-commercial model: all programs and services are provided free of charge to beneficiary communities, financed through Essar Group's CSR allocations. Its operating geographies are limited to Maharashtra and Gujarat, anchored to Essar Group's industrial catchments. There are no funding rounds, investors, or revenue lines; ownership resides with Essar Global Fund Limited / Essar Capital Limited, the family's private fund vehicle. The Foundation's strategic significance is as a brand, regulatory-CSR-compliance, and community-relations instrument for its parent rather than an independent commercial enterprise.

Name

Essar Foundation

Legal name

Essar Foundation

Website

https://essarfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Essar Foundation is the corporate social responsibility arm of Essar Group, delivering free community development programs in education, women's empowerment, healthcare, sports, and disaster relief across Maharashtra and Gujarat, India.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corporate Social Responsibility / Community Development

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Services (611), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA), Gender Equality, Inclusion & Social Protection Programs (BPADABAK), Education, Skills & Workforce Development Aid Programs (BPADABAE)

Keywords

• Corporate social responsibility
• Community development programs
• Women empowerment initiatives
• Education and skill training
• Disaster relief support

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Essar Foundation implements free community development programs in India across six focus areas: education (Guruji Project providing holistic education and teacher training in 15 primary schools across 12 villages in the Hazira belt, in partnership with Essar Bulk Terminal Limited), women's empowerment (Sahej initiative offering skill training, micro-enterprise support, and menstrual hygiene awareness through a dedicated mobile application), healthcare (medical camps, maternal and child health programs), sports/talent development (coaching camps and tournament organization), natural calamity support (emergency relief and infrastructure rebuilding), and economic empowerment (vocational training and livelihood programs). All programs are delivered free of charge to underserved and economically disadvantaged beneficiary communities.

Product overview

Essar Foundation is the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of Essar Group, implementing community development programs across India. The foundation operates various social impact initiatives including education programs (Guruji Project), women's empowerment (Sahej project), health initiatives, sports/talent development, natural calamity support, and vocational training. These are charitable and social programs rather than commercial technology products or services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Guruji Project: Education initiative promoting holistic education in schools, implemented with Essar Bulk Terminal Limited covering 15 schools across 12 villages in Hazira belt.
• Sahej

Products and services

• Guruji Project Holistic education initiative covering 15 primary schools across 12 villages in the Hazira belt in partnership with Essar Bulk Terminal Limited (EBTL), Hazira. Includes teacher training workshops (e.g., clay modeling, paper modeling, presentation methods, paper cutouts, skit organization), support for student projects including a Social Science fair, scholarships for underprivileged children, vocational skill-building courses, and school infrastructure improvements. Designed for primary school teachers and underprivileged children in Essar operational communities.
• Sahej Mobile Application Mobile application launched to promote awareness about menstrual hygiene and provide knowledge and access to affordable menstrual products to women from all social classes. Available on Google Play Store. Designed for women and girls, particularly those from underserved and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Sahej Women's Empowerment Program Comprehensive initiative providing livelihood skill training, micro-enterprise support, and awareness on health, hygiene, and digital literacy for women from underserved backgrounds, including first-generation entrepreneurs. Includes distribution of sanitary napkins (over 400,000 distributed to women in Mumbai slums and Mumbai police). Designed for women from underserved and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Healthcare Initiative Program Health program delivered through partnerships with local healthcare providers via medical camps, health awareness drives, and preventive care programs focused on maternal and child health, nutrition, hygiene, and disease prevention. Designed for underserved populations in rural and semi-urban areas with limited access to quality healthcare.
• Youth Sports and Talent Development Program Sports development initiative comprising coaching camps, talent identification programs, and tournament organization for young people in communities where Essar operates, supporting development from grassroots to competitive levels. Designed for youth and children in Essar operational communities.
• Natural Calamity Relief and Rehabilitation Program Disaster response program providing emergency relief supplies, infrastructure rebuilding, and livelihood restoration for communities affected by cyclones, earthquakes, droughts, and other natural disasters. Delivered through partnerships with NGOs, government agencies, and local communities, focused on both immediate relief and long-term rehabilitation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400,000 sanitary napkins distributed to women in Mumbai slums and Mumbai police
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Essar Bulk Terminal Limited (EBTL), HaziracoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2016Joint effort with Essar Foundation to organize workshops for teachers of 15 primary schools in Hazira. The partnership implemented the Guruji Project aimed at promoting holistic education, training teachers to help students prepare projects for a Social Science fair. EBTL provides operational support and resources while Essar Foundation contributes program design and implementation expertise.
• NGOs and Government AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEssar Foundation works closely with NGOs, government agencies, and local communities to provide immediate relief and long-term rehabilitation for natural disaster affected communities. Partnerships focus on supplying essential provisions, medical aid, rebuilding infrastructure, and supporting livelihood restoration.
• Local Healthcare ProviderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with local healthcare providers to reach underserved populations through medical camps, health awareness drives, and preventive care programs. Healthcare partnerships support maternal and child health, nutrition, hygiene, and disease prevention initiatives.
• Schools and Educational InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with schools and educational institutions form the backbone of the Guruji Project and other education initiatives. Programs include scholarships for underprivileged children, teacher training programs, vocational skill-building courses, and infrastructure improvements. Currently covering 15 schools across 12 villages.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Infosys Foundation: CSR arm of Infosys focused on education, healthcare, rural development, and arts/culture. Comparable Indian corporate foundation structure and program mix anchored in education and health.
• Reliance Foundation: CSR arm of Reliance Industries, implementing programs across education, health, rural transformation, sports, and women's empowerment across India. Same multi-vertical Indian corporate foundation archetype as Essar Foundation.
• Aditya Birla Foundation: CSR arm of the Aditya Birla Group, running programs in education, health, sustainable livelihoods, and rural development across India, with a focus on under-served communities. Highly comparable scope and target beneficiaries.
• Tata Trusts: India's largest and most prominent corporate philanthropic foundation, funding multi-sector community development (education, health, livelihoods, water). Directly comparable to Essar Foundation as an Indian corporate foundation operating nationwide programs.
• HCL Foundation: CSR arm of HCL Technologies delivering programs in education, health, environment, and rural development across India. Comparable as multi-vertical Indian technology/industrial conglomerate CSR foundation.
• Mahindra Foundation: CSR vehicle of the Mahindra Group running Project Nanhi Kali (education for underprivileged girls) and health/livelihood programs. Strong overlap on education, women's empowerment, and rural development.
• ICICI Foundation: CSR arm of the ICICI Group implementing programs in healthcare, skill development, and rural transformation. Comparable Indian corporate foundation operating multi-sector community programs.
• Wipro Foundation (Wipro Cares): CSR platform of Wipro Limited focusing on education, community care, and sustainability. Same corporate foundation archetype and education-led programmatic emphasis as Essar Foundation.
• HDFC Foundation (Parivartan): CSR arm of HDFC Group focused on education, skill development, and rural livelihood programs across India. Comparable scope, sector mix, and beneficiary profile.
• Bharti Foundation: CSR arm of Bharti Enterprises, best known for the Satya Bharti rural education program. Highly comparable focus on school education for under-served children in rural India.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Essar
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/EssarHome
• Facebookfacebook.com/essargroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/essar-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/essarofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Essar Foundation