GMR Varalakshmi Foundation
Touching Lives
Enhancing Livelihoods
The GMR Varalakshmi Foundation (GMRVF) strengthens communities through education, health, livelihoods, and local institutions that help people move forward.
Savitri, despite her limited culinary skills, has a passion for cooking. This led her to participate in a skill development program, becoming proficient in crafting dishes like Nutella French toast and pizzas. Upon joining a cloud kitchen in Hyderabad, not only did her confidence soar, but she also began contributing to her family's income. Savitri envisions saving enough to start her own business in the future.
Savitri, a victim of domestic violence, was taken to Sayodhya Home for Women in Need, a Hyderabad-based NGO, by the police for refuge. There, she learned to support herself by selling jowar roti and chapatis in her home village of Kosigi, in the Mahabubnagar district of Telangana. However, the income she generated was insufficient to run a household and she struggled to reclaim her two young sons. Savitri found hope upon discovering a month-long cooking skill development program offered by the GMR Varalakshmi Foundation and Sayodhya.
In the program, Savitri learnt to make different flavoured rice, savouries, desserts and a lot more. The participants also learned about the hygiene practices to be followed for providing good quality food to customers.
Post training, Savitri was placed at a cloud kitchen in Hyderabad called Bon Appetit Cafe and began earning Rs. 12000 per month. Savitri is now a specialist in making Nutella French toast and pizzas.
Her confidence grew, as she started working in a professional set-up. This positivity seeped into her personal life as well—after undergoing couples’ therapy and counselling at Sayodhya, both Savitri and her husband decided to give their marriage another chance.
Savitri has plans to save enough money and start a business of her own in the future. Clouds of happiness are surely raining on her!
Gopinath Mohapatra, one of the project-affected families at GMR Kamalanga Energy Ltd. received Lal- KUBER variety paddy seeds and fertilizer to grow paddy using SRI method under the supervision of the GMRVF team. He was able to grow 25 quintals of paddy on 1-acre land with an estimated net profit of Rs. 20,000/- under the guidance of GMRVF team.
Gopinath Mohapatra is from one of the project-affected families at GMR Kamalanga Energy Ltd. He is a farmer by profession who contributed 1 acre of his land to the energy plant. Now, he has 2 acres of agricultural land, which he has been cultivating.
GMRVF started a pilot project, with 4 farmers in 2021-22 in the area, to grow a high yield paddy variety called Lal-KUBER using “System of Rice Intensification” method (SRI method). With the success of this pilot, in FY 22-23, 20 farmers joined the program to use the same variety of crop and SRI technique.
Gopinath is one among them and received Lal-KUBER variety paddy seeds and fertilizer to grow paddy using SRI method under supervision of the GMRVF team. The high-quality seedlings resulted in nearly 90% yield. Additionally, the application of organic fertilizers and pesticides such as “Jeevamrutha” and “Handikhata” ensured supply of required nutrients and pest control to the crops. Through regular guidance from the GMRVF team, Gopinath's confidence increased. He grew 25 quintals of paddy on one acre, netting Rs. 20,000/-, a significant increase from his previous yield of 15 quintals and Rs. 10,000/-. The SRI method contributed to this enhanced productivity.
He has also started dairy farming with 5 high yielding milch cows for an additional income of Rs. 4000/- per month.
Vinay, a farmer from Himachal Pradesh's Chamba district, benefited from high-quality hybrid vegetable seed kits provided by GMRVF's Agriculture and Horticulture development program. By connecting with Krishi Vigyan Kendra, he acquired expert knowledge, boosting his farming sustainability and income. Encouraged by his progress within six months, Vinay now plans to scale up his production.
Vinay Kumar hails from a tribal village called Guwad near GMR Bajoli-Holi Hydro Power Project in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. His family owns very little agriculture land and few apple trees. Vinay also works as an agricultural labour. During the apple season, both Vinay and his wife worked in apple orchards, plucking fruits and packaging. Despite these income sources, the family of six members, was struggling to make ends meet.
Recognizing the challenges of small and marginal farmers in the area, GMRVF launched the Agriculture and Horticulture development program. Through the program, Vinay received quality hybrid vegetable seed kits, farming guidance, and access to the Kisan Suvidha Kendra for agricultural tools and farming information. He was also included in the Krishak Mitra Whatsapp Group which is linked with the Govt. run Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK). Here, he gained expert advice on crop management and received fungicides for disease and pest management.
Additionally, Vinay was linked with the local mess that serves the Bajoli-Holi project staff, providing a consistent market for his crops. With the given support, he was able to maintain his farm and generate sufficient income within six months. He is now keen to expand his vegetable production.
With many failed attempts at finding a job, Praharshita decided to grab the opportunity to change her domain of work and enrolled herself in the free Software Programming Course offered by ‘Navgurukul’ organization through GMRVF. She successfully completed the certification course which enabled her to secure a job at Infosys Limited with a decent salary.
Chelluri Praharshita hails from a small town called Garividi in Vizianagaram District of Andhra Pradesh. Her father is a Registered Medical Practitioner whose income hardly suffices to meet the basic needs of the family.
With many hardships, Praharshita completed her graduation in Microbiology and made attempts to find a job to support the family which were unsuccessful. At this juncture, Praharshita came to know about a free Software Programming Course being offered by ‘Navgurukul’ organization through GMRVF, Rajam.
NavGurukul offers a one-year free residential course for under-privileged students from any stream (arts/science/humanities) to learn & start a career in Software Programming. For those who complete the course, certification (by Directorate General of Training, Govt. of India) & placements are provided in reputed companies.
Praharshita grabbed this opportunity and enrolled in the course. Guidance to clear the screening tests, counselling of candidates and parents, orientation about the program etc. are included in the course structure. Subsequently, she joined the course at Bengaluru campus and completed it with utmost dedication. The residential course at NavGurukul enabled her to secure a job at Infosys Limited with a decent salary. Praharshita is a very happy individual now and she attributes her success to GMRVF for guiding and supporting her at the right time.
The Banjara community in Ramanthapur Thanda faced difficulty in learning at school due to language constraints. To unlock these students' full capabilities, the GMR Varalakshmi Foundation introduced a Vidya Volunteer from the local community to the GMRVF-supported government school. This significantly improved the students' academic progress. With GMRVF's assistance, Chitti thrived academically, earning her a place in the state-run Gurukul school.
At the GMRVF-supported government, school in Ramanthapur Thanda near GMR Pochanpalli Expressways Ltd., language barriers between the native Banjara-speaking students and their teacher’s impaired learning. To bridge this gap, GMR Varalakshmi Foundation introduced a local Vidya Volunteer. Children started improving in academics and Chitti excelled in her education.
Chitti’s father needs special care due to his ill mental health, so the family majorly depends on her mother who sells firewood, gourds and melons collected from the nearby forest. Her mother dreams of providing good education to all her children but due to financial strains, she was not able to send them to a school with good pedagogy.
Recognizing Chitti's potential, the Foundation supported her and others to take the State-run Gurukul school admission test, providing study materials and coaching. Chitti excelled, becoming the first girl from her village to enter this prestigious school, now in Std. VIII, and inspiring 30 more students from Thanda to follow suit over two years.
Chitti's mother says, "Seeing my daughter speak English like the officers in town makes me happy. One day, Chitti will become an officer too."
Living in Telangana's Shamshabad area, Ritish's parents, a security guard and a garden cleaner, aspired to break their cycle of poverty through their children's education. Selected under GMRVF's Gifted Children scheme, Ritish's education expenses were fully covered, and he received additional support by way of career counselling, and psychological aid from the Foundation. Now, with a stable job at a reputable company, Ritish is altering his family's course.
Ritish Babu lives with his parents and two elder sisters in Shamshabad area in Telangana. His father works as a security guard and mother as a garden cleaner. They wanted their children to study well and break the cycle of poverty.
Ritish was selected for the Gifted Children scheme by the GMR Varalakshmi Foundation, which sponsored his entire educational journey. Apart from admitting him in a good school, the Foundation also supported him with tuitions, exposure visits, career counselling, psychological support, enabled him to excel academically. He achieved 7.4 CGPA in 10th grade, 83% in 12th grade, and completed his B.Tech degree with 75%, all while actively participating in co-curricular activities.
Following graduation, Ritish was offered various positions during the campus recruitment process. He opted to become a Programmer Analyst Trainee at Cognizant Technology Solutions, where he was recently recognized as a CDE Full Stack Engineer.
Living the Foundation's ethos of giving back, Ritish volunteered to teach coding to government school students during his B.Tech studies and conducted virtual tutoring during the pandemic
His parents express their deep gratitude to the GMR Varalakshmi Foundation for the transformative, long-term support that significantly improved their family's quality of life.
Jayshree Amol Khonde was identified as underweight and malnourished by a local government hospital. Faced with mounting costs for Jayshree's regular health check-ups and nutritious food, her family learned about the GMR Varalakshmi Foundation's Nutrition Centre. Weighing just 35 kg on her first visit, Jayshree immediately enrolled at the centre during the first trimester of her pregnancy, attending health check-ups and awareness programs. Her health showed marked improvement, leading to the birth of a healthy 2.7 kg baby boy at the government hospital.
Jayshree Amol Khonde weighed only 35 kgs when she first visited the local government hospital for her first pregnancy. Stressed over the upcoming expenditure for her periodic health check-ups, her entire family struggled to find a way to overcome this issue.
Jayshree lives with her husband and in-laws in Dongargaon village near GMR Warora Energy Ltd. Their only income source is 4 acres of unirrigated agricultural land. This barely meets the family’s day- to-day needs.
They came to know about GMR Varalakshmi Foundation’s Nutrition Centre. She immediately enrolled at the centre where she attended health check-ups conducted every month by GMRVF and followed the guidance given by the specialist doctor. She also participated in health awareness programs and started taking care of her health and nutritional aspects with the help of the nutrition supplements provided.
The centre provides nutrition supplements and counselling/guidance to the enrolled pregnant and lactating women. The centre also informs about the low-cost nutritious recipes they can make at home.
After several months, Jayshree's health improved, allowing her to reach a healthy weight. She delivered a 2.7 kg baby boy at a government hospital. Post-delivery, GMRVF educated her family on the importance of breastfeeding and vaccination. Jayshree and her family are now joyfully raising their healthy baby, thankful to GMRVF for its timely support.
Gangaben Tadvi picked up an unconventional career to support her family. A role model for many now, Gangaben took the decision to enrol herself in the E-auto driving course at Ekta Nagar Centre supported by GMR Varalakshmi Foundation. Earning a substantial amount has helped her take care of the needs of her three children and ageing father-in-law.
Gangaben and her husband were doing menial jobs in their tribal village, which were not giving them enough income to take care of the needs of their three school-going children and ageing father-in-law.
When Ekta Nagar Centre was opened by GMR Varalakshmi Foundation in 2021, Gangaben took the decision to enrol herself in the E-auto driving course and enter a new career path.
At the centre, she was not only trained in driving but her soft skills were also groomed. After successful completion of her training and gaining enough confidence to pursue a career in driving, GMRVF facilitated an E-auto from Statue of Unity Area Development and Tourism Governance Authority (SOUADTGA) for her.
Gangaben started driving the same at the Statue of Unity area, which is helping her earn a good income. As the place is a tourist attraction, GMRVF has also provided her training as a tourist guide, which is helping her gain additional income. Now, the family is hopeful that they can thrive and Gangaben’s children are proud of their mother who has now become a role model in her community by taking up an unconventional career.
Despite being one of the brightest students in her class, Pravallika was compelled to discontinue her studies due to her family's financial difficulties. GMRVF mentors arranged special classes for her besides providing necessary books to prepare for the NMMS test. Her unwavering determination and relentless efforts enabled her to pass the eligibility test and secure the scholarship.
Tompala Pravallika, an exceptional student from an underprivileged family in Shalipeta village near Rajam, had to abandon her education due to financial constraints. Her determination caught the attention of the GMR Varalakshmi Foundation, who suggested she apply for the National Means cum Merit Scholarship (NMMS) - a centrally sponsored scholarship for government school children. The scheme offers selected candidates Rs. 48,000 in scholarships over four years at Rs. 12,000/- per annum
With the support of the Vidya Volunteer and special coaching classes from GMRVF, Pravallika successfully obtained the scholarship. She is now pursuing Std. X at ZP High School, Mandarada, bringing joy and hope to her family.
GMRVF has been encouraging students in government schools in the project villages around Rajam to apply for NMMS, providing special classes and resources for preparation. The Foundation also aids youth in preparing for various competitive exams across India.
A young boy from Regidi Amadalavalasa Mandal in Vizianagram District secured a government job that changed his life. Munji Sankara Rao received counselling, coaching, and study materials from the 'Pratibha' Library cum counselling centre, operated by the GMR Varalakshmi Foundation, helping him pass challenging exams. He now works at the East Coast Railway Zone in Visakhapatnam.
Munji Sankara Rao proudly works as a Goods Guard in the Indian Railways. The path to a prestigious job for an agricultural labourer’s son was not easy.
Despite the adversities, Sankara Rao managed to complete his intermediate education and enrolled in a BA course while concurrently exploring opportunities in government services to support his family after graduation.
During this time, he learned about the 'Pratibha' Library cum counselling centre, operated by the GMR Varalakshmi Foundation. He approached the Library, interacted with the counsellor and took a membership at the centre in 2016. Travelling around 10km every day, Sankara Rao dedicated 3-4 hours at the 'Pratibha' centre and took part in all the model tests conducted there whilst completing his graduation.
All the support and guidance helped Sankara Rao get selected for the post of Goods Guard in Indian Railways. He is currently working at Visakhapatnam in East Coast Railway Zone.
Hon'ble President's Visit to Kevadia Center
We were honored to host the Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, at GMRVF’s Ekta Skill Development Center in Kevadia, Gujarat. She was accompanied by the Hon’ble Governor of Gujarat, Sri Acharya Devvrat, Protocol Minister of Gujarat, Sri Jagdish Vishwakarma. Hon’ble President was briefed about the activities of the Center by Sri Ashwini Saxena, CEO-GMRVF. The President interacted with the trainees and alumni of the center recognizing the center’s impact in empowering rural youth and women through vocational training and livelihoods opportunities. She also interacted with the female E-Auto drivers trained by the center, who initially drove hired E-Autos at Statue of Unity area and are now embarking on a new journey by buying their own autos further enhancing their incomes. Inspiring us further, the Hon’ble President left words of encouragement in the visitor’s book, fueling our commitment to transforming lives through growth and empowerment.
GMRVF Organizes Job Mela 2025 at CEL-Hyderabad
GMR Varalakshmi Foundation hosted Job Mela 2025 on 20th March at GMRV Centre for Empowerment & Livelihoods (CEL), Shamshabad, facilitating employment opportunities for job seekers. The event saw participation from 23 companies across banking, hospitality, manufacturing, engineering, and retail sectors.
A total of 192 candidates (who are school and college dropouts) secured job offers, with salary packages ranging from 1.8 LPA to 2.4 LPA. Representatives from companies such as KEUS Automation, TATA Croma, and HDFC Bank appreciated the skill sets, discipline, and employability of the candidates.
Dr. Avanish Kumar, Director-GMRVF, thanked the recruiters and congratulated the selected candidates, reaffirming the Foundation’s commitment to expanding job opportunities through future job fairs.
International Women’s Day Commemoration at GMRVCEL-Delhi
International Women’s Day was commemorated at GMRV Center for Empowerment and Livelihoods, Delhi celebrating women’s empowerment and livelihood support initiatives. The event was graced by Ms. V. Vidya, Member of AERA, along with five distinguished guests, including Ms. Sapna Gedam, ACP IGI Airport. During their visit, the guests were given an overview of GMRVF’s activities, taken on a guided tour of the facility, and engaged in meaningful interactions with the beneficiaries. A key highlight of the event was the distribution of livelihood support to over 140 women. This included 50 pushcarts, 30 beauty startup kits, and 60 tailoring startup kits comprising sewing machines, enabling women to embark on their entrepreneurial journeys.
GMRVF’s System of Wheat Intensification Project at Warora Wins CIP Award
GMRVF’s initiative at Warora, “Doubling Wheat Production through System of Wheat Intensification (SWI),” won the Group Level Continuous Improvement Projects (CIP) Competition in the ‘Promising Innovation’ category for FY 2023-24. The initiative was recognized for enhancing farm productivity and farmer incomes.
Mr. Sunil Viswakarma, CIP team mentor and Sr. Program Leader-GMRVF, received the trophy from Sri Indana Prabhakara Rao, Deputy Managing Director-GMR Group, at the BE R&R Nite in Delhi. This achievement underscores GMRVF’s dedication to sustainable agricultural practices and rural development.
GMRVF’s Mobile Medical Units Serves the Pilgrims at Kumbh Mela
GMRVF recently launched three Mobile Medical Units (MMU) at the three Smart Meter Projects of GMR Group at Varanasi, Agra and Prayagraj. The MMUs of Varanasi and Prayagraj locations were deployed at Prayagraj during the Kumbh Mela event to provide primary health care services to the pilgrims visiting Kumbh Mela to have the holy bath in Sangam.
The MMUs were stationed at Maha Kumbh Sector 4 and Naini/Chheoki junctions respectively and offered free treatments and medicines to about 10000 people.
Visit of Shri SN Subrahmanyan, Chairman-L&T to Rajam
Shri SN Subrahmanyan, Chairman & Managing Director of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) visited GMR campus at Rajam on 7th December 2024. As part of this visit, Shri Subrahmanyan visited Nagavali Institute of Rural Entrepreneurship Development (NIRED), our vocational training center at Rajam and appreciated the efforts of the CSR Wing in shaping the careers of unemployed rural youth in and around Rajam. He also visited the exhibition set up by the Foundation, where he interacted with the beneficiaries of Bala Badi Scheme, Gifted Children scheme, Pratibha Library and Empower Production Center. Shri G M Rao, Group Chairman, Shri Srinivas Bommidala, Business Chairman – Energy & International Airports, Shri GBS Raju, Business Chairman – Airports & Foundation, and Shri BVN Rao, Business Chairman - Transportation & Urban Infra accompanied Shri Subrahmanyan during this visit.
Prominent Visitors at Ekta Skill Development Center, Kevadia
GMRVF’s Ekta Skill Development Center at Kevadia recently hosted several prominent visitors. Over 450 Officer Trainees from Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), comprising IAS, IRS, and other cadres, visited the center on October 28th and 29th, 2024. Mr. Suman Bery, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, Government of India, New Delhi, visited the Center on October 29, 2024. The center also welcomed Dr. T.V. Somnathan, Cabinet Secretary, Government of India, on October 28, 2024.
Mr. Bill Gates Interacts with GMRVF’s Skilling Staff at Kevadia
Staff and Ex-trainees of Ekta Skill Development Center at Kevadia met Mr. Bill Gates during his visit to Statue of Unity and explained him about the skill training programs of the Center. The main highlight was Mr. Bill Gates interacting with the E-Auto female drivers trained by the GMRVF Ekta Skill development centre. Around 150 female candidates from nearby villages trained at the centre are now driving E-autos in Kevadia mainly serving tourists and in the process of earning a decent livelihood.
International Delegation Visits GMRV CEL at Delhi
A very high-level delegation of key govt personnels from 20 African and Asian countries visited GMRVF’s skill training center at Delhi on 16th Feb. The delegation was in India for the ‘India Summit on Education Knowledge Exchange’ organized by the World Bank and this visit was part of their overall exchange programme. The delegation included Ministers and Deputy Ministers, Director-Generals, etc, from education and other ministries. The visit was facilitated through World Bank and Ministry of Skill Development, Govt of India.
Our Partners
At GMR Varalakshmi Foundation (GMRVF), partnerships are key to delivering sustainable impact. We collaborate with government agencies, industry, academic institutions, and civil society organizations to strengthen education, healthcare, skilling, and livelihoods in underserved communities.
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Recognised for Social Impact
GMR Varalakshmi Foundation has been recognized both in national and international platforms for its work towards improving the quality of life and livehoods in under-served communities.
