Swaraksha For Women Trust

What Swaraksha For Women Trust does

Swaraksha For Women Trust is a Karnataka-registered nonprofit trust that delivers psychology-based self-defense workshops to girls and women aged 10-60. Founded in 2014 by Karthik S Kateel and his mother Mrs. Shobhalatha, it was formally registered under the Indian Trusts Act on April 6, 2017. The trust's core product is a choreographed, copyrighted 95-minute workshop methodology that teaches self-defense grounded in psychology and situational awareness rather than martial arts. Workshops are delivered in-person at schools, colleges, police training programs, and corporate settings, with no fee charged to beneficiaries.

The trust operates a donation-based revenue model in which all workshops are free to recipients and funding comes from individual donors and grants; donors benefit from 80G and 12AA tax-exemption approvals. To date, the trust claims to have trained 2,17,000+ students across more than 1,000 workshops at 500+ institutions in Karnataka. Delivery is concentrated in two core trainers (the founder duo), which materially limits the throughput of the program. Strategic positioning has been reinforced by a Grand Master Trainer appointment from the Indian Red Cross Society, a meeting with the President of India in February 2018, and multiple recognitions.

The go-to-market relies on word-of-mouth referrals and institutional invitations rather than paid marketing or sales infrastructure. There is no AI/ML or digital delivery component: the product is exclusively a live, in-person workshop. Donor concentration, audited financials, and headcount beyond the two founders are not disclosed, which limits the visibility of unit economics and sustainability of the current operating model.

Name

Swaraksha For Women Trust

Legal name

SWARAKSHA FOR WOMEN TRUST (R)

Website

https://swarakshaforwomentrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Karnataka-registered nonprofit trust delivering copyrighted, psychology-based 95-minute self-defense workshops to girls and women aged 10-60 across 500+ schools, colleges, police programs, and corporate employers in India.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Safety Training

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Women’s Self-Defense Classes (HSADADAH)

Keywords

• Women self-defense training
• Personal safety workshops
• Women empowerment programs
• Anti-harassment education
• Community safety training

Headquarters

HQ city

Kinnigoli, Mangalore

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a registered NGO (80G and 12AA tax exemption approved), Swaraksha For Women Trust relies primarily on donations from individuals, organizations, and corporate entities. The organization has a list of proud donors who contribute varying amounts. They face challenges in continuing workshops due to lack of financial support from government and donors.
2. Workshop Services (Potentially Free): Self-defense workshops are conducted at educational institutions, police departments, and corporate offices. While the organization seeks donations to sustain operations, the workshops themselves appear to be provided free of charge to beneficiaries (schools, colleges, women), funded through donor contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Swaraksha For Women Trust conducts in-person, 95-minute self-defense workshops for women and girls at schools, colleges, police stations, and corporate offices across Karnataka, India. The sessions are built on a psychological approach to women's safety rather than martial arts, focusing on awareness, confidence-building, and practical response techniques. Operations have been running since 2014, with formal trust registration completed in 2017.

Product overview

Swaraksha For Women Trust offers a single unified product: the 'Karthik S Kateel Swaraksha for Women Workshop.' This self-defense training program was established in August 2014 and teaches psychological methods and practical techniques to help females defend themselves against rape and sexual harassment. The workshop is copyright-protected, conducted in-person (requiring a stage, speakers, and microphone), and serves females aged 10-60 years. As of the source data, over 2,17,000 women and students have been trained across 1,000+ workshops in Karnataka, India. The program has received recognition from police departments, medical professionals, and academic institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Self-Defense Workshops for Women and Girls 95-minute in-person self-defense sessions delivered to women and girls at schools, colleges, police stations, and corporate offices in Karnataka. Uses a psychological, non-martial-arts approach focused on awareness, confidence, and practical response to harassment or assault. Targeted at female beneficiaries including schoolgirls, college students, working women, and community groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,17,000+ students and women trained with 1000+ workshops completed
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Indian Red Cross Society, YRC Karnataka BranchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 September 2018Karthik S Kateel was appointed Grand Master Trainer for Self Defence by the Indian Red Cross Society, YRC Karnataka Branch. This official appointment provides credibility and institutional backing to the training methodology. The organization conducts workshops under this affiliation.
• Kuvempu UniversityminorOthersThe organization received recognition and appreciation from Kuvempu University, Shivamogga, with the Vice Chancellor, Registrar, and other officials presenting a token of appreciation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• SEWA (Self-Employed Women's Association): Large established Indian NGO focused on women's economic and social empowerment. Comparable as a women's-focused nonprofit in India addressing empowerment, though SEWA operates at far greater scale and breadth than Swaraksha's self-defense niche.
• ActionAid India: Large established Indian NGO working on women's rights and gender justice among other causes. Comparable as a women's rights and empowerment NGO in India, though operates at much larger scale across multiple thematic areas.

Direct peers

• Jagori NGO: India-based women's rights and empowerment nonprofit working on issues of violence against women. Comparable to Swaraksha as a women's empowerment organization focused on safety and rights, though Jagori operates more at policy and advocacy level while Swaraksha focuses on grassroots self-defense training.
• Vimochana: Bangalore-based women's organization working on women's rights and gender-based violence. Comparable as a regional NGO focused on women's safety and empowerment in Karnataka/South India, with overlapping donor base and beneficiary segments.
• IMPACT India: India-based self-defense training nonprofit that teaches practical self-defense skills, particularly to women and girls. Directly comparable mission and delivery model (free community workshops), though with a different technique base.
• Jagruk Mahila Sangathan: Indian grassroots women's rights organization focused on combating gender-based violence and empowering women. Comparable as a women's safety nonprofit serving similar vulnerable populations in India.

Emerging players

• Fightback Academy: India-based self-defense training organization offering women's self-defense courses. Directly comparable as a self-defense training provider for women, though Fightback operates on a paid commercial model rather than donations.
• RAAH Foundation: India-based women's safety-focused nonprofit. Comparable mission around women's safety and empowerment, though smaller scale and different geographic focus than Swaraksha.
• Krav Maga India: India-based Krav Maga self-defense training provider offering women's self-defense workshops. Comparable as a women's self-defense training brand in India, though uses a martial-arts-based approach versus Swaraksha's psychological methodology.

Regional players

• Mahila Samakhya Karnataka: Karnataka state government program for women's empowerment and education. Comparable as a Karnataka-based women's empowerment initiative serving similar beneficiary populations, though government-led rather than NGO-run.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Swaraksha For Women Trust