FOR 25 years, Mukul Madhav Foundation (MMF), an India-based charitable trust, has been building the foundation for a better world through pro-activeness, inclusivity, follow-through, transparency and a genuine desire to make a lasting difference.
From providing dedicated support to the Sassoon General Hospital in Pune, a rural school with world-class amenities in Ratnagiri, to Mission Cerebral Palsy, or emancipating tribal women from patriarchal taboos around menstruation, rural development, and the initiative ‘Giving With Dignity’ – MMF is primarily engaged in uplifting vulnerable and under-served communities and individuals with resources, opportunities and respect.
The MMF is actively working in 24 states of the country.
Tracing the roots
The foundation-stone for the initiative was laid by the Late Pralhad Chhabria in 1998 with Prakash Pralhad Chhabria and Ritu Prakash Chhabria as co-founders. The latter is also the Managing Trustee while Gayatri Prakash Chhabria is President and Trustee and Managing Trustee of the MMF. Hansika Prakash Chhabria and Vijay G Gurnani are the other Trustees.
The Foundation supports and upgrades institutions, infrastructure, and organisations that can directly impact and further its work at the grassroots across the length and breadth of India, and more recently, the UK.
Among other welfare activities, the MMF is engaged in agriculture and rural development, gender equality, empowering the differently abled, environment and water conservation, up-skilling and vocational training, disaster relief, alleviating hunger and poverty, ensuring safe water and sanitation, supporting the Armed Forces, assisting startups and social tech, promoting sports, work for heritage and culture, and animal welfare.
During Covid-19, the MMF distributed aid and groceries, even helped in celebrating the festive cheer amid the Pandemic with sweets, decor and lamps.
Projects in the UK
Since 2012, MMF has been working closely with its key partners in the UK to access their expertise and resources for healthcare projects. It supports meals and kitchen infrastructure through Felix Project, food for colleges and general food support, supporting women on the streets through Street Talk, healthcare services, supporting people with determination through Caudwell Aspire, celebrating Christmas with kids through Barnados, supporting victims of Ukraine war, Pakistan floods and education.
Moreover, MMF is supporting Turkey and Syria through Akshaya Patra and through Action Aid. It also supports hospices and old age homes, local schools with infrastructure, as well as the work of British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK.
It is also supporting Royal Patent NGOs in India through PTI and SENSE International, along with assistance to other causes and organisations.
Ratnagiri village school
In India, Mukul Madhav Vidyalaya in Ratnagiri ensures that children from villages are at par with those in the cities. Mission Cerebral Palsy provides awareness training, diagnosis camps, prosthetics, surgery, physiotherapy, skill development, and nine dedicated rehabilitation centres to empower afflicted children.
MMF’s Period Positive Holiday Homes emancipates tribal women from patriarchal taboos around menstruation. Give with Dignity came from the conviction that care and support in times of crisis can help uplift the quality of life for the underprivileged in the same vein as the Foundation’s Pandemic Support initiatives.
Eradicating hunger, poverty
MMF follows a noble and ambitious vision for 2023-2024. It aims at the eradication of hunger and poverty by providing food, infrastructure support, skilling and entrepreneurship opportunities and income generation programmes.
It also intends to ensure good health and wellbeing, education, women empowerment and minimise gender divide, etc., while supporting ecology, climate action and local environment by tree plantations, water conservation projects, soil and seed testing.
Within its short span of existence, the Foundation has won several awards, accolades, and appreciation for its exemplary services.
Her family is her strength
MUMBAI: Ritu Prakash Chhabria, Cofounder and Managing Trustee of Mukul Madhav Foundation, believes in the strength of her family and the communities that she works in. This has been inculcated through both her philanthropic families – parental and in-laws.
She thrives with the support of her doting husband, Prakash Chhabria and the blessings of her parents – Gopichand and Sunita Hinduja.
Ritu’s daughters, Gayatri and Hansika, have also taken on responsibilities as Trustees at the Foundation while pursuing their respective personal careers.
Mukul Madhav Foundation (MMF) was established in 1999 as an independent charitable trust in India and thereafter registered as a UK charity in 2018.
MMF contributes services and support to healthcare, education, social welfare, water and environmental conservation, sanitation, women’s empowerment, disaster relief, promotion of sports and skill development.
This accounts for all of 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and 15 out of 16 CSR Mandates put forward by the Indian Government in 2014.
Ritu also sits on various boards and believes in collaboration for a larger cause. Her motto in life is ‘live to give’ and she aspires – along with her team – to extend the initiatives in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Manipur.
