What PHD RURAL DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION does

PHD Rural Development Foundation (PHDRDF) is a non-profit organization established in 1981 as the social development arm of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), headquartered in New Delhi. The foundation operates six integrated thematic programs across 40+ districts in 12 Indian states and approximately 1,800 villages: Jal Sanchayan (water conservation via check dams, recharge wells, ponds), Arogya (healthcare through Mobile Medical Units, health camps, and telemedicine reaching 1 lakh+ beneficiaries annually), Saksham (vocational training for rural youth and women, 1,200+ beneficiaries trained in three years), Shiksha (education infrastructure impacting 5,000+ students in 70+ schools), Krishi Vikas (agriculture training for 7,988 farmers and 57,518 fruit plantations), and Gram Vikas (holistic village development).

The foundation employs approximately 13 people, including a core team of 5 led by Chief Executive Sanjay Choudhary, with a larger Governing Body and Board of Trust drawn from PHDCCI leadership (Chairman Anil Khaitan, also PHDCCI President). There is no proprietary technology stack; programs are delivered through established physical infrastructure and on-ground field teams, supported by Village Water Committees, Farmer Interest Groups, and Self-Help Groups that drive community ownership.

PHDRDF's business model is grant-funded, not commercial: revenue (undisclosed) flows from corporate CSR partnerships (Coca-Cola India Foundation, Dhanuka Agritech, Hindustan Tin Works, DS Group, BSES Yamuna Power, Vedanta/TSPL, and others) under Schedule VII of India's Companies Act 2013, plus co-implementation agreements with government bodies (Punjab Health Department, district administrations). The foundation does not sell products or services commercially and publishes annual reports documenting impact metrics. Notable outcomes include groundwater recovery from 5 ft to 30 ft in Konsai Village, 21 million litres of rainwater captured, and 133 million litres captured across 18 structures in Kaler Village.

Name

PHD RURAL DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION

Legal name

PHD Rural Development Foundation

Website

https://phdrdf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Non-profit social arm of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, established 1981, implementing integrated rural development across 12 Indian states through six programs covering water conservation, healthcare, education, agriculture, skill training, and village infrastructure, funded by corporate CSR partnerships and government co-implementation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Development Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Crop Production (1151), Support Activities for Crop Production (11511), Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry (115)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Infrastructure, Housing & Community Development (BPAGABAL), Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE), Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO), Education, Skills & Workforce Development Aid Programs (BPADABAE), Workforce Development & Training Grants (Public Health) (HLAJALAM), International & Global Public Health Aid Administration (Government Donors) (HLAJALAO), Sustainable/Regenerative Agriculture & Conservation Practices (EDAOAOAO)

Keywords

• Rural development programs
• Water conservation initiatives
• Rural healthcare services
• Vocational training programs
• Agricultural development projects

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate CSR Partnerships: PHDRDF receives funding from corporations through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives under Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013. Companies partner with PHDRDF to implement rural development projects aligned with their CSR mandates.
2. Government Institutional Partnerships: PHDRDF collaborates with government bodies including the Health Department (Punjab), District Administrations, and various state government departments for co-implementation of rural development programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PHD Rural Development Foundation implements integrated rural development programs in India through six thematic initiatives: Jal Sanchayan (water conservation via check dams, recharge wells and ponds), Arogya (rural healthcare through Mobile Medical Units, telemedicine and health camps), Saksham (vocational skill development), Shiksha (education infrastructure and digital learning), Krishi Vikas (climate-resilient agriculture and farmer capacity building), and Gram Vikas (holistic village development). It works in over 40 districts across 12 states, serving approximately 1,800 villages and over 1 lakh beneficiaries annually through community institutions such as Village Water Committees, Self-Help Groups, and Farmer Interest Groups.

Product overview

PHD Rural Development Foundation operates as a multi-program nonprofit organization with six distinct thematic initiatives: Jal Sanchayan (water conservation), Arogya (healthcare), Saksham (skill development), Shiksha (education), Krishi Vikas (agriculture), and Gram Vikas (village development). These programs work in an integrated manner to address the interconnected challenges of rural development, with each initiative designed to complement the others—water conservation supports agriculture, skill development enables economic opportunities, and village development provides the infrastructure backbone for all interventions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Jal Sanchayan: Water conservation initiative focusing on sustainable water management and rainwater harvesting structures such as check dams, ponds, and recharge wells.
• Arogya
• Saksham
• Shiksha
• Krishi Vikas
• Gram Vikas

Products and services

• Jal Sanchayan (Water Conservation Program)

Quantifiable outcome

• 21 million litres of rainwater captured in Konsai Village, 35 hectares of agricultural land brought back under irrigation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, standard and minor.

• Coca-Cola India FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023Coca-Cola India Foundation supports the Rain to Resource initiative in Konsai Village, Rajasthan, launched in March 2023. The partnership restored water security through community-led solutions including check dam construction enabling capture of 21 million litres of rainwater.
• Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Private LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for construction of 15 check dams in Wada, Maharashtra inaugurated in March 2026, creating water storage potential of 631,365 cubic meters.
• Rotary ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple partnerships including Rotary Club of Delhi Akash Megapolis (check dam in Sawai Madhopur), Rotary Club of Delhi Premier (PWABHI initiative), Rotary District 3011 (World Water Day events), and Rotary India Water Conservation Trust (RIWCT).
• Dhanuka AgritechmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for check dam construction in villages. Dhanuka's Executive Director Ashish Saraf praised PHDRDF's quality of check dams and community engagement.
• Hindustan Tin Works Ltd. (HTWL)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for Project Shiksha Path at Government Girls Primary School, Village Bhigan, Sonipat. Managing Director Sanjay Bhatia distributes uniforms and leads inauguration.
• Hindustan Tin Works Ltd.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSR partner supporting various education and rural development initiatives.
• DS GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor CSR partner hosting events like CSR Partner's Meet 2026 at Noida headquarters. Supports healthcare and community development initiatives.
• BSES Yamuna Power LimitedmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to strengthen healthcare infrastructure in public hospitals including Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital and Jag Parvesh Chand Hospital through medical equipment provision.
• TSPL (Vedanta)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Vedanta Power (TSPL) for healthcare improvements at Mansa Block, Punjab, demonstrating commitment to community health and preventive care.
• Bry Air (Asia) Pvt. Ltd.standardStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported five-day School Health Camp at Literacy India Vidyapeeth, Gurugram covering students from Classes I to X.
• Northern Region Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institute (NRFMTTI), HisarstandardStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical partner for training women farmers on small farm equipment, conducting three-day training programs in collaboration.
• MAGADHstandardStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSR partner featured in partner logo section.
• MMPstandardStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSR partner featured in partner logo section.
• VOITHstandardStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSR partner featured in partner logo section.
• VedhantastandardStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSR partner featured in partner logo section.
• KLJstandardStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSR partner featured in partner logo section.
• GinnistandardStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSR partner featured in partner logo section.
• BCCL (Bharat Coking Coal Limited)standardStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSR partner featured in partner logo section.
• Escorts Kubota Advanced Farming Institute, KurukshetrastandardStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining partner for PWABHI initiative, providing exposure visits and advanced agriculture training for farmers.
• Water Management & Plumbing Skill CouncilstandardStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated for 'जल ही जीवन है' seminar on Water Conservation & Management in May 2025.
• Integrated Bee Keeping Development Centre (IBKD), RamnagarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for specialized beekeeping training under PWABHI initiative.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PRADAN (Professional Assistance for Development Action): Promotes rural livelihoods through women's Self-Help Groups, agriculture, and micro-enterprises in central and eastern India. Comparable in its community-driven, SHG-anchored approach and integrated rural-livelihoods focus.
• Ambuja Cement Foundation: Corporate-led rural development foundation implementing water, agriculture, health, and education programs across multiple Indian states. Comparable to PHDRDF in program mix, CSR funding model, and CSR-anchored geographic footprint.
• SRIJAN (Self-Reliant Initiatives through Joint Action): Works on agriculture, water, and rural livelihoods with community institutions in central India. Comparable program design and SHG-based community engagement model aligned with PHDRDF's Krishi Vikas and Gram Vikas work.
• Seva Mandir: A long-established Rajasthan-based NGO focused on rural livelihoods, water resource management, education, and women's empowerment. Directly comparable to PHDRDF's Jal Sanchayan and Gram Vikas work in the same geographies.
• Gramin Vikas Trust (GVT): Implements watershed development, agriculture, and rural-livelihood projects funded through CSR and government schemes across Jharkhand, Odisha, and other states. Highly comparable to PHDRDF in rural-development focus and funding mix.
• BAIF Development Research Foundation: A major Indian rural-development NGO working on agriculture, livestock, watershed management, and livelihoods across multiple states. Highly comparable to PHDRDF given its integrated rural-development mandate, CSR-funded model, and similar beneficiary focus.
• Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR): Specializes in integrated watershed development, water conservation, and climate-resilient agriculture across Maharashtra and other states. Closely comparable to PHDRDF's Jal Sanchayan and Krishi Vikas programs.

Broad incumbents

• Tata Trusts: India's largest private philanthropic foundation addressing rural livelihoods, water, health, and education at national scale. Comparable mission and program verticals but vastly larger budget, geographic reach, and institutional capacity.
• HDFC Foundation (now HDFC Capital Foundation): Corporate foundation of HDFC Group implementing large-scale rural and affordable-housing, health, and livelihoods programs. Comparable as a CSR-led, multi-state Indian foundation with integrated rural-development verticals.

Emerging players

• SELCO Foundation: Focused on sustainable energy access for underserved rural and peri-urban communities with strong program-design and impact-measurement capabilities. Comparable as a CSR-funded, rural-impact NGO but with a distinct clean-energy mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/phd-rural-development-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about PHD RURAL DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION