Nand Ghar Initiative of Anil Agarwal Foundation Expands
The Nand Ghar initiative of the Anil Agarwal Foundation, the social impact arm of Vedanta will develop 25,000 new Nand Ghars across the state of Rajasthan. The Foundation recently renewed their memorandum of understanding with the Government of Rajasthan to this effect. The MoU was signed between Mr. Mahendra Soni, Secretary, Department of Women & Child Development, Government of Rajasthan and Mr. Shashi Arora, CEO, Nand Ghar. Also present on the occasion was Smt. Diya Kumari, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
Nand Ghar is a network of modern renovated Anganwadis that provide development opportunities through nutrition initiatives, digital early childhood education, healthcare services and women empowerment activities. It was conceptualized with the aim to transform the lives of 7 crore children and 2 crore women in India through 14 lakh Anganwadis in India. This model of state-of-the-art Anganwadi is designed to function as an education and health centre for children in the morning and as a skill development training centre for women in the second half. To transform the lives of women and children, 5500+ Nand Ghars have already been set up across 14 states in India.
This partnership of Anil Agarwal Foundation (AAF) with the Government of Rajasthan reflects a shared vision to create a brighter, healthier future for women and children across the state. With a strong focus on combating malnutrition and enhancing early childhood education, the Government of Rajasthan has consistently prioritized initiatives that empower the community and nurture the next generation. This collaboration marks another significant step in realizing these goals, laying the foundation for holistic development and inclusive growth across the state.
On the occasion, Mr. Shashi Arora, CEO of Nand Ghar said, “To date, over 7000 Nand Ghars have been developed across 15 states, positively impacting 2,80,000 children and 2,10,000 women. I sincerely thank the Government of Rajasthan for giving us the opportunity to develop 25,000 Nand Ghars in the state. Through this, we aim to create opportunities, transform lives, and ensure every woman and child in rural India, has the foundation to thrive, paving the way for a brighter and stronger Rajasthan.” The renewed partnership between AAF and the Government of Rajasthan aims to develop 25,000 Nand Ghars, aligning with the government’s vision of creating technologically advanced centers for holistic child and maternal development. With this renewed partnership, the program aims to impact all the districts in Rajasthan.
Through this expansion, AAF has shown its deep commitment towards uplifting child and maternal health, addressing nutrition challenges, and enhancing pre-primary education, while also fostering economic empowerment for rural women. Each Nand Ghar is equipped with smart learning tools, digital infrastructure, access to electricity, clean drinking water and clean toilets, creating a safe and enabling environment for children and women alike. In addition to transforming education, these centers play a pivotal role in combating malnutrition by facilitating nutrition to children and pregnant women. They also support essential healthcare services, including regular health check-ups, immunization drives, and community outreach programs.
Nand Ghar, a flagship social impact project under the Anil Agarwal Foundation, is a model project working towards strengthening the Anganwadi ecosystem of the country. Set up in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), Nand Ghars are modernized Anganwadis working to eradicate malnutrition among children, provide pre-primary education, primary healthcare, and empower rural women through skill training. Nand Ghars, the state-of-the-art Anganwadis, aim to transform the lives of 7 crore children and 2 crore women across the 13.7 lakh Anganwadis across the country.
The Anil Agarwal Foundation is the umbrella entity for Vedanta’s community and social initiatives. The focus areas of the Foundation are Healthcare, Women and Child development, Animal Welfare Projects, and Sports Initiatives. It aims to empower communities, transform lives, and facilitate nation building through sustainable and inclusive growth. Its Nand Ghar initiative certainly is path-breaking, from which other states and foundations can take useful lessons for sustainable development of rural India.
