Indian Grameen Services
Indian Grameen Services is a Section 8 not-for-profit founded in 1987 that develops and implements livelihood-focused solutions for small/marginal farmers, tribal communities, and rural entrepreneurs across 12 Indian states. As part of BASIX Social Enterprise Group, it operates through five service lines spanning agriculture, natural resources, non-farm enterprise, financial inclusion, and institutional development.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersHyderabad, India
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Indian Grameen Services does
Indian Grameen Services (IGS) is a Section 8 not-for-profit company founded in 1987 by Vijay Mahajan, Deep Joshi, and Sankar Datta, and operating as part of the BASIX Social Enterprise Group. Headquartered in Hyderabad with regional offices across Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Bhopal, Narmadapuram, and Diphu, IGS develops and implements livelihood-focused solutions for small and marginal farmers, tribal and forest-dependent communities, rural entrepreneurs, and women across 12 Indian states. The organization delivers its work through five service lines: Agriculture and Allied Business Development, Natural Resource Based Livelihoods, Non-Farm Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Development, Financial Inclusion Services, and Institutional Development Services, supported by the proprietary Algebra of Livelihood Promotion framework and the OFFER-C institutional development methodology.
IGS's core products are service-based rather than commercial: it promotes 200+ Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and thousands of community institutions (SHGs, Federations, Cooperatives, Village Development Committees) and applies ICT-enabled marketing platforms with AI/IoT integration in agriculture and natural resource management contexts. Notable technical and program components include the Mangalajodi community-owned ecotourism model (UNWTO Award for Innovation in Enterprise, 2018), the Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) approach combining Indigenous Technical Knowledge with modern technology, and incubation track record including Sub-K Impact Solutions (digital finance, 2010) and the LAMP Fund (2003). Direct outreach covers 598,075 households across 21 projects in 10 states, with cumulative beneficiary impact exceeding 3 million people.
IGS is funded entirely through project grants, CSR funds, and institutional partnerships — not commercial revenue. Funders include NABARD, SFAC, World Bank, Ford Foundation, SIDBI, Development International Desjardins, RBS Foundation India (NatWest Foundation India), and corporate CSR partners such as Hindustan Unilever. Distribution is delivered via direct field teams, the network of community institutions IGS has incubated, government project partnerships (e.g., OPELIP, MGNREGS-linked work), and the BASIX Sub-K digital finance platform. Governance is overseen by a board chaired by a former State Bank Group senior executive, with day-to-day operations led by CEO Radheshyam Solanki (28+ years in the sector) and COO Dr. Sanjib Kumar Sarangi.
Indian Grameen Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Indian Grameen Services
- Legal name
- Indian Grameen Services
- Website
- https://igsindia.org.in
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Indian Grameen Services is a Section 8 not-for-profit founded in 1987 that develops and implements livelihood-focused solutions for small/marginal farmers, tribal communities, and rural entrepreneurs across 12 Indian states. As part of BASIX Social Enterprise Group, it operates through five service lines spanning agriculture, natural resources, non-farm enterprise, financial inclusion, and institutional development.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Indian Grameen Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Rural Livelihood Development Services
- NAICS
- Farm Management Services (115116), Support Activities for Crop Production (11511), Support Activities for Crop Production (1151)
- SIC
- Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Farm Operations Planning & SOP Development (AFACAJAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Farm Management Information Systems (FMIS) & Farm ERPs (AFAAAFAA)
Keywords
Where Indian Grameen Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hyderabad
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices8 records
Markets served
Indian Grameen Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Project Grants and CSR Funding: As a Section 8 not-for-profit company, IGS operates primarily through project grants from government agencies, CSR funds from corporates, and institutional funding from donors such as NABARD, SFAC, World Bank, RBS Foundation India (NatWest Foundation India), and international development agencies.
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Indian Grameen Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Indian Grameen Services (IGS) is a Section 8 not-for-profit company that develops and implements innovative livelihood promotion solutions for rural and forested communities in India. It delivers five core service lines—Agriculture and Allied Business Development, Natural Resource Based Livelihoods, Non-Farm Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Development, Financial Inclusion, and Institutional Development—along with promotion of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) for small and marginal farmers, tribal and women farmers.
Product overview
Indian Grameen Services (IGS) is a Section 8 not-for-profit company that offers a portfolio of livelihood promotion services organized around five core service lines: Agriculture and Allied Business Development Services, Natural Resource Based Livelihoods Services, Non-Farm Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Development, Financial Inclusion Services, and Institutional Development Services. The company also promotes Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) as a key sub-product. All services follow the 'Algebra of Livelihood Promotion' framework focusing on collectivization, increasing marketable surplus, reducing production costs and risks, and developing forward/backward linkages. IGS operates as part of the BASIX Social Enterprise Group and implements projects across multiple Indian states working with small and marginal farmers, tribal forest dwellers, and women.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Agriculture and Allied Business Development Services
- Natural Resource Based Livelihoods Services
- Non-Farm Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Development
- Financial Inclusion Services
- Institutional Development Services
- Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) Promotion
Quantifiable outcome
- 3 million+ lives impacted across marginalized communities
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Indian Grameen Services
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Indian Grameen Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Indian Grameen Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- BASIX Social Enterprise Group (SEG)coreIGS is an integral part of BASIX Social Enterprise Group, established in 1996. BASIX is a livelihood promotion institution working with 3.5 million customers in 223+ districts across 39,251 villages. IGS evolved as a crucible for incubating innovative solutions for the entire BASIX SEG, initially transferring to the group in 1996 as incubator for Bhartiya Samruddhi Finance Ltd. (BSFL).
- NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development)corePartnership for Farmer Producer Organization promotion and various agricultural development projects. IGS works with NABARD-supported FPOs and participates in government schemes promoted through NABARD.
- SFAC (Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium)corePartnership for promotion of Farmer Producer Organizations under various government schemes. IGS implements FPO promotion projects supported by SFAC.
- Madhya Pradesh Tourism BoardcorePartnership for rural tourism initiatives including home-stay based tourism in pre-identified tourism hot-spots in Madhya Pradesh.
- Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (HUL)corePartnership for Prabhat Initiatives skill and livelihood program in Madhya Pradesh, supporting rural community development.
- State Forest Departments (Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha)coreLong-standing partnerships with forest departments for relocation of communities from protected areas, wildlife conservation, and community-based ecotourism. IGS has been working with State Forest Departments since 2007 on rebuilding livelihoods of relocated communities.
- Mangalajodi Ecotourism TrustcoreWholly community-owned trust that manages ecotourism enterprises at Mangalajodi. IGS significantly contributed to strengthening this community-owned model that transformed poachers into conservation guides.
- Sub-K Impact Solutions LimitedcoreIncubated by IGS in 2010 as business correspondent model, now evolved into a digital finance (Fintech) company offering affordable, accessible and scalable financial services to Bottom of Pyramid segment.
- Odisha PVTG Empowerment & Livelihood Improvement Programme (OPELIP)coreMulti-year program supporting Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups in Odisha, reaching 92,000 households.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Indian Grameen Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Naandi Foundation: Naandi Foundation is a major Indian non-profit working on rural livelihoods, agriculture, education, and safe drinking water across tribal and underserved regions of India. It is comparable to IGS in mission, scale, and rural community institution-building orientation, particularly through its FPO-focused agriculture work.
- BAIF Development Research Foundation: BAIF is a large Indian development non-profit working on livestock development, agriculture, natural resource management, and rural livelihoods across multiple Indian states. It is highly comparable to IGS in mission, geographic reach, and thematic focus on small and marginal farmer livelihood improvement.
- PRADAN: PRADAN (Professional Assistance for Development Action) is one of the closest peers of IGS; it was the original parent organization where IGS's founders worked before establishing IGS in 1987. Both operate as non-profits promoting livelihoods among rural poor through self-help groups, agriculture, and natural resource management, with overlapping target geographies in central and eastern India.
- SELCO Foundation: SELCO Foundation focuses on sustainable livelihoods through energy access, skill development, and enterprise promotion for underserved communities in India. Comparable to IGS in combining rural livelihood development with enterprise and entrepreneurship support for BoP populations.
- Heifer International India: Heifer International operates in India to support smallholder farmers through livestock and agriculture programs, value chain development, and cooperative formation. Highly comparable to IGS in target beneficiary profile (small and marginal farmers) and focus on FPO/aggregation models for market access.
- Grameen Foundation India: Grameen Foundation India is the India arm of Grameen Foundation focused on financial inclusion, microenterprise, and digital solutions for the poor. Comparable to IGS in serving BoP populations with financial inclusion and livelihood services, and shares conceptual lineage with Grameen Bank models.
Broad incumbents
- Reliance Foundation: Reliance Foundation is a major Indian CSR-backed non-profit working on rural transformation, agriculture, health, and education. Comparable to IGS in targeting rural livelihood improvement and small/marginal farmer welfare, though operating with substantially larger resources.
- Tata Trusts: Tata Trusts is one of India's largest philanthropy vehicles funding rural development, agriculture, and tribal welfare programs across India. While much larger and broader in scope than IGS, Tata Trusts is a comparable peer in funding rural livelihood, agriculture, and tribal empowerment initiatives through implementing partners like IGS itself.
- BASIX Social Enterprise Group: BASIX is the parent group of IGS and operates as a broader livelihood promotion institution with 3.5M customers across 223+ districts. While IGS focuses on innovation incubation and rural program implementation, BASIX operates the wider portfolio of group entities spanning financial services, agriculture, and livelihood advisory.
Emerging players
- Digital Green: Digital Green is a tech-enabled development organization using video and digital tools to improve agricultural practices, livestock management, and farmer extension services in India and other developing countries. Comparable to IGS's ICT-enabled marketing and AI/IoT integration approach for small farmer livelihood enhancement.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Indian Grameen Services social profiles
Digital presenceIndian Grameen Services compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Indian Grameen Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Indian Grameen Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Indian Grameen Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Indian Grameen Services M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Indian Grameen Services
What does Indian Grameen Services do?
Indian Grameen Services (IGS) is a Section 8 not-for-profit company that develops and implements innovative livelihood promotion solutions for rural and forested communities in India. It delivers five core service lines—Agriculture and Allied Business Development, Natural Resource Based Livelihoods, Non-Farm Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Development, Financial Inclusion, and Institutional Development—along with promotion of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) for small and marginal farmers, tribal and women farmers.
Is Indian Grameen Services a public or private company?
Indian Grameen Services is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Indian Grameen Services founded?
Indian Grameen Services was founded in 1987. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Indian Grameen Services based?
Indian Grameen Services is headquartered in Hyderabad, India, in the Asia region.
How does Indian Grameen Services make money?
One revenue line is on record: project Grants and CSR Funding.
Who are Indian Grameen Services's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Naandi Foundation, BAIF Development Research Foundation, PRADAN, SELCO Foundation, Heifer International India and Grameen Foundation India. Broad incumbents are Reliance Foundation, Tata Trusts and BASIX Social Enterprise Group. Digital Green is listed as an emerging player.
Does Indian Grameen Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for Indian Grameen Services.
What industry is Indian Grameen Services in?
Indian Grameen Services's product category is Rural Livelihood Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFACAJAB, Farm Operations Planning & SOP Development, with a secondary code of AFAAAFAA, Farm Management Information Systems (FMIS) & Farm ERPs. Its NAICS code is 115116 and its SIC code is 700.