Download - Isha Outreach Report 2018-19

Isha Outreach Report 20182 4Isha Outreach Report 2018

Isha Outreach Report 2018-19

Isha Yoga CenterVelliangiri Foothills, Ishana Vihar Post,

Coimbatore - 641 114

isha.sadhguru.org | +91 83000 83111

Isha Outreach Report 20185 7Isha Outreach Report 20185 Isha Outreach Report 2018 Isha Outreach Report 2018 7

Isha Outreach Report 2018 - 19

Isha Outreach Report 2018 32 Isha Outreach Report 2018

Over the past three decades Isha Outreach, the social initiative of Isha Foundation, has brought to fruition path-breaking environmental, educational, health and community revitalization e� orts in rural India. As well as addressing fundamental individual human needs, our award-winning Outreach projects have received global recognition with our environmental and educational models being adopted around the world.

Working towards Sadhguru’s vision for Isha Outreach has been a process of my humanity unfolding within me, as well as for the thousands of volunteers involved with the project. It has been a path for us to experience life intensely by touching millions of innocent rural lives.

And so we are delighted to present you our Isha Outreach annual report for 2018! � is has been a truly eventful year, in terms of the range and scope of our campaigns, the number of people we have touched, as well as milestones and awards we have received. Our projects are broadly divided into the categories of: raising human consciousness, rural education, community health and wellbeing, and environment.

We begin our report with the highlights of 2018 for your quick perusal, before providing you with a brief of each of our initiatives in a nutshell, including several of the heartwarming stories that have happened in the last one year. We hope you are as touched and inspired by these stories of human impact as we are.

Our generous donors and the committed involvement of 9 million volunteers from India and around the world are the key to our success. It is an inclusive e� ort where each contribution received enriches the lives of all. When one life is changed, the ripples spread through the whole community and afar. What may have been an overwhelming initial e� ort soon becomes a self-sustaining movement.

We look forward to making this happen through your continued support.

With gratitude,

Swami KalaghataProject Director, Isha Outreach

Welcome Message


Welcome Message

Foreword

2018 Highlights

Raising Human Consciousness

Isha Yoga Programs

Youth & Truth

Rural Education

Isha Vidhya

Government School Support Program

Community Health and Wellbeing

Action for Rural Rejuvenation

Disaster Relief

Farmer Producer Organization

Isha Gramotsavam

Rural and Tribal Welfare

Kayanta Sthanam

Environment

Project GreenHands

Rally for Rivers

Table of Contents

6 Isha Outreach Report 2018

Left to myself I would like to only be a spiritual source to people because that is the thing I know best. But if you want to talk spirituality, you have to fi rst ensure that people are at least eating reasonably well and that there is some sense to their basic life format. If this basic work was done by society, the Guru would have the pleasure of just doing the spiritual part of the work. Otherwise, we will unfortunately have to take up that work as well. I am not some kind of a social reformer, but when there is such an express human need around you, you cannot ignore it. � is is not social service – just an expression of our Humanity.

Isha Outreach is an attempt to re-engineer social situations that have gone bad so that human beings can fi nd a conducive atmosphere to blossom. � e basic scope and aim of these projects are to make people’s life situations worthwhile so that they can fi nd their full potential in whatever they are doing. � is project is not just aimed at improving the economic conditions of people, though that is one of the major issues which needs to be handled. It is a way of raising the human spirit and inspiring human beings to stand up by themselves.

When we are not inspired, we tend to function only within the limitations in which we are placed. Only when we are inspired, we go beyond and do things that human beings would not normally do. Only then, the society surges ahead and does something worthwhile. Unfortunately, that happens only when there is strife. Generally, most leaders in the world have always inspired people by creating an external enemy. If you create an external enemy, you can have everyone afi re on the street, ready to stake their lives for the country. But it is very important that in normal peaceful situations people are inspired. � at is when true change can happen.

Our projects seek to assist and inspire the disadvantaged rural populations to take charge of their lives. May you also fi nd inspiration in these pages to contribute in whatever capacity available to you to create a better world for our future generations.

Fore

wor

d

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2018Highlights


Khel Protsahan Puraskar

Awarded by the Government of India

Khelo India

Accreditation received

� ree-Fold Increase In participation compared to last year

3000+ Teams in 2018

Isha Gramotsavam

Detailed Project ReportDrafted for revitalization of Waghari river in Maharashtra

162 MillionPeople supported Rally for Rivers

Launch Of United Nations’ Decade of Action

for Water

O� cial Partnership With UN Environment for World Environment Day 2018

Rally for Rivers


19,771 Patients treated in

111 Medical camps across

100+Villages in Tamil Nadu and Kerala

68,000+ People supported and reached by the

Disaster Relief Volunteers

Disaster Relief

Project GreenHands

3.5 millionSaplings produced

31

Nurseries across Tamil Nadu

84 Di� erent tree species


First

Ranking in Tamil Nadu

9thRanking in India

200% +Increase in annual turnover from last year to INR 7.91 cr


A campaign to reach out to the youth of the country

34

Events held in premier universities over

27

Days

10 Cities

15 Student campuses

561 million Impressions

Youth and Truth

Isha Outreach Report 201816

Siachen Glacier Sadhguru with Indian Army for International Day of Yoga

2-week Training program at Isha Yoga Centerfor Indian Army and Border Security Force

40,000People were taught Isha Kriya and Upa-Yoga courses free of cost at the Isha Yoga Center

Isha Yoga Programs

Action for RuralRejuvenation

3Mobile Health Clinics in total

52,000Patients treated throughMobile Health Clinics in the year 2018

35Health Camps over the Past YearEye: 12, Dental; 16, Neuro: 4, Diabetic: 1, General Health: 2

18 Isha Outreach Report 2018 19Isha Outreach Report 2018

Isha Yoga programs provide powerful tools for inner exploration. At Isha, yoga is taught in its full depth and dimension and is communicated on an experiential level. The programs provide methods for establishing oneself in a way of life that a� rms wholeness and vitality.

An array of programs are conducted regularly by Isha worldwide. These include programs conducted for the Indian Army, rural communities, and prisoners. From incarcerated inmates, to humble villagers and heroes, the benefi ts of yoga are quite universal. These programs involve simple postures, meditations and powerful ways of transforming one’s energies.

Raising Human Consciousness

Isha Yoga Programs and

Youth Initiatives

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Yoga for SoldiersOn International Day of Yoga 2018, Sadhguru was at the highest battle fi eld in the world, the Siachen Glacier, and addressed senior o� cials of the Indian Army on the value of yoga for the armed forces. He wanted to make these ancient tools of wellbeing available to our valiant soldiers who protect the frontiers of the nation in the most adverse climatic conditions and hostile terrain.

Following this, 63 personnel from the Indian Army completed their fi rst training experience at the Isha Yoga Center in November 2018. � is program creates a self-sustaining possibility to spread powerful yogic practices to each and every Army personnel across the length and breadth of the nation. Additionally, the Border Security Force (BSF) has sent 3 training batches to the Yoga Center till date. � e participants who have completed the course are now able to transmit the ancient science of yoga within the Indian Army organization or throughout the ranks of the BSF.

“ These practices are particularly benefi cial for soldiers posted in high altitudes who face unpredictable and often rough conditions. We can beat stress in these tough situations by being meditative and calm. I had never practiced Hatha Yoga before, but all of us in this training immensely benefi ted from the workshop. Being exposed to yoga here for the fi rst time has brought physical stability and mental balance within me. In the future, we will teach it to the Army at various levels.”

Major Nitin Joshi Army Physical Training Core (APTC)


Hatha Yoga Training for the Indian Army at the Isha Yoga Center, June 2018

“ Soldiers experience a lot of mental stress. A kind of monotony sets in even if there is no war happening because of various things, one of them being staying away from family. My mind has never been at peace and in silence. I have always felt puzzled and unstable in my mind. But practices like Nadi Shuddhi and Nada Yoga, along with experiencing the classroom ambience, has really brought tranquility to my mind. These practices train your mind and empower it in such a way that you are able to deal with these challenges.”

Major Vishal Hooda Army Physical Training Core (APTC)

I realized here that there is a deeper dimension, an inner dimension, about

whatever activity we do...

“ When young recruits come, it’s a challenge to keep them motivated. But now I know how to inspire young soldiers and approach them in a better way. Earlier we just taught them discipline and etiquette, such as how to sit, how to stand, or how to walk. Very little e� ort went into understanding them. Now I will approach them in a better way, with more empathy. I realized here that there is a deeper dimension, an inner dimension, about whatever activity we do. From now on I will tell young soldiers about this aspect also. I will give my full e� ort in practicing Hatha Yoga and teaching it to others.”

Major Dannapa M


Rural Yoga ProgramsIsha Yoga distills powerful, ancient methods from the yogic sciences for a modern person, creating peak physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. To ensure it reaches all people, Isha Yoga is conducted in various villages, towns and cities so that people from all walks of life benefi t.

Isha is dedicated to the vision of empowering people with a stable inner climate that is beyond strife and stress. � e process of Isha Yoga o� ers a true sense of inner wellbeing, and helps individuals build a foundation of joy in their lives. � e Isha Yoga programs in rural Tamil Nadu are heavily subsidized thanks to your donations.

“ After attending the Isha Yoga program, my life has been transformed. I had been su� ering from a thyroid problem. After completing my 48-day mandala, I had blood tests that showed my thyroid was normal. My energy dramatically increased. I used to feel tired and low. I couldn’t walk fast. Now I’m able to play and run around with my children. I avoid quarrels and feel a sense of calmness and peace within me. Both of my children were provided scholarships at Isha Vidhya. The di� erence in their speech and behavior is noticed by people in my area.”

Rajeshwari from Selvapuram

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“ The fi rst day of the program was unbelievable.

It felt more sacred than visiting a temple and

gave me goosebumps. The fi rst class completely

changed my habits – I stopped having tea, and

I quit being unhealthy. During the program,

there was a Sunday where we played games.

The last time I played like that I was a boy. I liked

the class so much that I wanted to share it.

Therefore, I made my wife attend and enrolled

my kids in the children’s yoga program. I had

certain unwanted habits that I dropped after

doing yoga. My diabetes also came under

control. My sugar levels were high and after my

kriya mandala I happened to check my sugar

levels and they were normal. I told the doctors

that the yoga brought down my sugar. I lost

weight, gained energy, and now my face shines

because of increased blood circulation. I used

to have a short fuse, but now I don’t get angry

easily. Yoga brings a sense of responsibility,

less anger and so much clarity about life. I was

a completely di� erent person with a di� erent

character prior to yoga. I feel the world would

change if everyone sat for a yoga class with

Sadhguru.”

Thangavel, Grocery Store Owner from Alandurai

Yoga brings a sense of responsibility, less anger and so much clarity about life. I was a completely di� erent

person with a di� erent character prior to yoga.

� an

gave

l

“ I was able to live a peaceful and happy life

instead of being worried all the time. I used

to be short-tempered before, but now there

is a sense of clarity within me. My husband

has transformed. We used to fi ght a lot,

but these days we don’t really fi ght. We are

able to forgive each other, and the problems

between us are resolved. Within four days of

doing the class, my body became loose and

fl exible. I’m able to sleep well every night. I

used to take gutka, but I stopped after doing

the class and I tell others around me to stop

using gutka. I’ve already infl uenced 3 or 4

people to quit.”

Thilagamani, Grocery Store Owner from Alandurai, Wife of Thangavel

� il

agam

ani


Yoga Programs in PrisonsFor more than 25 years, Isha has conducted yoga programs in Central Prisons all over Tamil Nadu for prisoners and police alike. Since 1992, prison programs have served approximately 15,000 participants. � ese programs were established by Sadhguru in order to provide inner freedom for the imprisoned as an o� ering for a forgotten segment of humanity.

� e yoga programs help inmates develop emotional and mental balance, responsibility, acceptance, and communication skills. � ese learnings not only improve their lives while incarcerated but provide tools to successfully cope in society once released. Prisoners develop an inner awareness which helps them examine the roots of their aggression and violent behavior and handle the complexities of their imprisonment. � ese life-transforming programs have touched the very core of the prisoners and have helped them bloom into a natural state of love, freedom, and joy – free from anger and hatred. Over the years, these programs have transformed many hardened criminals into sage-like beings.

“ There are people who realize there is a certain

way to live. And there are some who think

they can live whichever way they want to. I

chose the latter and ended up in a prison. This

spiritual science has now shown me the way

to live responsibly, to live totally.”

R. Kumar, Coimbatore Central Prison

“ I no longer let outside forces control my

emotions or my decision making. I realize

that I am in full control of what state of

mind I want to be in. The things that are

out of my control are much easier to accept

now. I feel I’ve improved as a person.”

K. Mohan Raj, Salem Central Prison

Currently, Isha is in the process of training dedicated volunteers known as Ishangas to teach the Isha Yoga programs in Tamil Nadu prisons. After the training, the prison program initiative

will be poised to expand throughout Tamil Nadu. Isha Foundation seeks opportunities and funding to expand this possibility to additional prison systems throughout India.

An Appeal


1568 Prisoners were taught

Upa-Yoga

700Wardens were taught Upa-Yoga

in Vellore and Coimbatore

250 Prisoners were taught

Yoga Namaskar and Isha Kriya

400 Prison wardens attended

the Isha Yoga program

In 2018


“Isha Yoga is not a teaching – it is transmitting a live method to enhance human perception.

� e more you perceive, the better you will live.

Sadhguru


“Youth are natural seekers of truth.

Time to empower them with the needed clarity, commitment, and courage to fi nd their truth.

Sadhguru


“ The experience here was overwhelming. I never thought I could connect with a person of age above 60 with so much enthusiasm. I don’t think we have got a youth icon as such in India. There may be pop stars, but they don’t answer our questions – they have their own life. Life strikes us, so we have these questions what should we do, when should we do, how should we do? So, youth is connecting with Sadhguru because we want somebody who can answer all this. He is like Buddha to us now, who we can ask questions to.” Neha, PhD student, JNU

Youth & Truth

More than half of India’s billion plus population is under 25 years old, making it the youngest demography in the world. However, India also has one of the highest youth suicide rates on the planet with a student committing suicide every hour. In a month-long campaign, Sadhguru visited some of India’s top educational institutes candidly o� ering clarity on a range of burning issues that concern the youth, such as career, sex, addictions, and relationships. � e movement covered a wide range of institutions such as IIM-A, IIT Bombay, JNU, NALSAR University of Law and others.

Youth and Truth is an empowering youth movement which is not about gathering data or providing social service – this is an unparalleled o� ering to the future generation. With 561 million impressions across di� erent media and over 100,000 questions submitted on social media, Youth and Truth became one of the top trending topics among the youth and one of Isha’s most exuberant initiatives.

In India today, almost anyone who speaks, reads, or understands English has heard something about Youth and Truth. Having visited MIT, Harvard, and Oxford in the past, there is an exponential increase in the number of international universities that Sadhguru receives invitations from. With your support, the natural next step for Youth and Truth will be to go global.

“ I used to think people with midlife crisis

listen to Sadhguru, but I have seen this

emergent phenomenon in which students

are going gaga over Sadhguru. I think the

reason for this is that Sadhguru answers

the questions that even their parents can’t

answer. So, the questions which youth

are supposed to ask their friends, they are

asking Sadhguru. Sadhguru has become this

new friend of the youth.”

Anjili Yogi, BHU


Students lined up in overwhelming numbers to participate in Youth and Truth. Most events had multiple LEDs installed for the crowd that had gathered outside the venue.

Sadhguru’s interaction with popular YouTube infl uencers BeerBiceps and MostlySane.

The movement garnered attention from various media houses.

In the Media

Youth icons Sunil Chhetri and Vijay Deverakonda in conversation with Sadhguru.

34 Events held in 27 days

across 10 cities

15 Student campuses

1.1m Unique visitors online

68m Views

561m Impressions


Transforming rural literacy since 2012, Isha Vidhya has busted the myth that you must lower standards to educate children in poverty. For four years in a row, Isha Vidhya students have achieved a 100% pass rate in their 10th standard public exams.

The scale and scope of Isha Vidhya transcends such numbers. With innovative pedagogies, Isha Vidhya nurtures a child for the diverse needs of India’s future. Innovative English methodologies through Power English and computer instruction create a foundation upon which the child’s development is rounded with nutritious lunches, library visits, laboratory experiments, art, games, sports, and yoga. In this school, the student is the center of attention and the goal is empowering their true potential and their capacity for joy. By inspiring the youth of rural India and giving them the necessary tools to seek gainful employment, this e� ort will be a vital contribution to the country’s growth.

Rural Education

Isha Vidhya and Government School Support Program


261733

1214

1868

2776

34363998

5126

57996384

7142

7859 8132

Isha Vidhya – Year by Year Growth of Student Enrollments

Isha Vidhya Facilities

Nutritionally balanced meals, fortifi ed with

essential vitamins

Nature awareness through the ‘Little Green Hands’

project

Medical check-ups, sports activities and daily

yoga practice

Extra-curricular activities like dance, music

and karate

Multi-sensory, activity-based learningstimulating learning on

multiple levels

Extensive libraries in print, audio, video

with digital classrooms and computer materials

English-medium instruction and learningemphasizing language fl uency at a young age

Interactive, discussion-based classespromoting analytical and

critical thinking skills

� is past year, Isha Vidhya students continued to excel in their SSLC board examinations. 10th and 11th standards were able to achieve a 100% pass result with exceptional grades, averaging 408/500, and in 12th standard, all but one of the 102 students passed.

In 2018-19, 198 Isha Vidhya students won prizes in Zonal, District and State level sports competitions, both in individual and team events, including athletics, discus, archery, long jump, throwball, volleyball, kabaddi and kho-kho.

� e Isha Vidhya team bagged 4th place in the Chola Trophy throwball tournament.

48 volunteers from � omson Reuters, Ahmedabad dedicated 20 hours to creating learning aids for Isha Vidhya students in a 2-day event.

200 supporters and 170 employees from 7 corporates participated in the Tata Mumbai Marathon on 21st January 2018 to create awareness and raise funds for Isha Vidhya. Our Mumbai supporters ensured that Isha Vidhya was the NGO that raised the 3rd highest funds in the Mumbai Marathon in 2017 and 2018, for which the United Way of Mumbai presented a trophy.

Isha’s annual golf jaunt in support of Isha Vidhya took place in December on a misty pleasant morning at the Oxford Golf Resort in Pune. Eighty-eight corporate leaders and golfers, including golf pro Anirban Lahiri, came to rejoice their teeing moments in the presence of Sadhguru.

At the 69th Republic Day celebrations held at Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, 6 Isha Vidhya team members received commendation certifi cates from the District Collector P. S. Pradyumuna for their services in the implementation of the Government School Support Program (GSSP) in the district. We are honored and will continue to deliver our promise to bringing holistic modern education to rural underprivileged children.

100% Pass result with exceptional grades

for 10th and 11th standards

48 Volunteers from � omson Reuters, Ahmedabad dedicated 20 hours to

creating learning aids

200 Supporters and 170 employees from 7 corporates participated in the Tata

Mumbai Marathon to create awareness and raise funds for Isha Vidhya

Key Highlights 2018-2019


Isha Vidhya at a Glance

9 Isha Vidhya Schools

8132 Total number of students

47% Percentage of girl students

60% Percentage of students who are

on full scholarship


A teenage son of a tea seller from a non-descript village in Tamil Nadu participates in an international spelling bee. What may appear to be the tagline of a Hollywood underdog drama is actually one of Isha Vidhya’s most spirited impact stories.

Rithin, a 14 year-old resident of Samichettipatti village, was able to join Isha Vidhya thanks to your donations. An 8th standard student, he has shown a propensity early on for Math and English. His principal shared, “Two years ago, Rithin participated in an international spelling bee competition. It required hard work to participate in such a competition, that too for a boy from an interior village in Dharmapuri district.”

At Isha Vidhya, a teacher introduced Rithin to mathematical games and thus began an intense love a� air with puzzles. � at day, Rithin spent his entire time obsessively trying to solve the Rubik’s cube and the Tower of Hanoi. “I was able to solve the Tower of Hanoi and Rubik’s cube within a day after my History teacher used them to motivate us in class. But it took hours of practice to master them,” he says. While others found her son’s newfound addiction slightly disturbing, R. Amutha encouraged Rithin to spend more time with the puzzles, as he was receiving equal encouragement from the Isha Vidhya teachers. Today, Rithin solves the Rubik’s cube in an astounding 55 seconds. He solves the Tower of Hanoi with three disks in fi ve seconds, four in 11 seconds and fi ve in 22 seconds, which is a testament to the opportunities Isha Vidhya provides its students.

Rithin


As principal at Isha Vidhya Coimbatore for the last 6 years, Sumitra Akka is a woman fi ercely devoted to her 1000+ kids. In what defi es gender norms in rural India, her husband commutes for more than 2 hours to his workplace every day just so Sumitra can stay close to the school. Sumitra has a whole stock of powerful stories that convey Isha Vidhya’s impact on the lives of its students. � ere is one story in particular that caught our attention. Sumitra recounts an episode in the life of an 8th standard student named Ganga Devi, who was notably absent from school for days without explanation.

“In our school when children are absent, we take it very seriously. In Ganga’s case, we couldn’t fi nd her at home and even her neighbors weren’t willing to talk. She fi nally showed up to school one day revealing a secret she had concealed for years,” says Sumitra.

Sum

itra

A

kka

Ganga explains the story of her di� culties: “My father, a man already married, got my mentally challenged mother pregnant with me and then abandoned us. I assumed responsibility of the house at an early age. Our neighbors consider us outcasts and have always subjected us to constant jibes and snubs. During the holidays, I work at a nearby farm where I earn Rs. 250 a day. In 4th standard, I started observing people in the kitchen and taught myself some basic cooking skills. I get up at 4:30 am every day, cook for my mother (she loves greens!), wash both our clothes, get ready for school and leave,” says Ganga in fl uent English on par with any urban child studying in a private school in Mumbai or Bengaluru.

Ganga explained that the reason for her absence from school that time had been on account of her mother, since Ganga had to bring her to the hospital for medical treatment.

Gan

ga D

evi When asked about Isha Vidhya, Ganga

recollects a holiday week from the previous year: “I missed my school so much that I cried incessantly for hours. Nobody around knew why! Will I ever be able to give back to Isha? I don’t know.”

When asked if she feels upset about living a life di� erent from her peers, Ganga proudly asserts, “My mother gave birth to me. It’s my privilege to take care of her.” Only because of donors like you, Ganga is able to take care of her mother and we are able to take care of Ganga.

Isha Outreach Report 2018Isha Outreach Report 2018 Isha Outreach Report 2018Isha Outreach Report 2018

A 7th standard student with a penchant for boxing, Subiksha is on full scholarship at Isha Vidhya. She recently lost her father, the sole breadwinner of the family, but she still saves Rs. 30 every month from her pocket money and gives it back to the school. “Every day I save a rupee or two. On a good day, even fi ve. My brother wants to steal the money from me to buy himself some bajji, but I fi ght it out with him and make sure I give back to the school I owe so much to!”

Kodi Malar lives a dual life of epic proportions. For one half of the day, she lives in the heart of the forest in a tribal community, which is one of India’s most downtrodden populations. For the other half, Kodi is dressed in a crisp uniform, speaking impeccable English, and aspiring to become a space explorer. For the kids at Isha Vidhya, no matter where they come from, even the sky is no limit!

Subi

ksha

Kod

i Mal

ar


In 2015, the fi rst batch of Isha Vidhya students took the 10th class board exams and all of them passed with a whopping aggregate score of 89.6%. Some of these children are now studying in Medical and Engineering schools.

The Isha Vidhya Di� erenceIsha Vidhya is truly grassroots. From the bottom up, Isha Vidhya innovates. With proprietary or precisely-sourced textbooks, pedagogies, outcome assessments, and training materials, the Isha Vidhya way succeeds where other attempts have not. � ese in-house methods are not only replicable, but have already been tried and tested in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh through the Government School Support Program. Isha Vidhya’s 10th school is currently under construction in Karur district and will be open for the 2019-2020 school year.

Isha Vidhya envisions establishing an active school in each of the 33 districts of Tamil Nadu. You can o� er support by donating for classrooms and laboratories or even for educational content.

You can also become a Friend of Isha Vidhya and o� er support as a volunteer or refer someone you know to the many opportunities available, which encompass anything from helping IT services, developing

curriculum, starting fundraising campaigns, participating in marathons, joining as a teacher, or enhancing Isha Vidhya’s public profi le through networking. Additionally, companies can also partner with Isha Foundation as part of their CSR initiatives, to give children in rural India a brighter future.

An Appeal


Isha Vidhya uses some key strategies to put government schools back on track:

Happy Classrooms

These are teacher support training workshops meant to reshape attitudes that open pathways

allowing happy teachers and happy students to emerge. This means evolving pedagogies towards

student-centered, student-positive models. Teachers learn yoga practices for their own wellbeing

and receive ongoing support through peer and mentor groups.

Remedial Programs

Special attention is given to government school children who are behind their levels to accelerate

their learning. Most are mainstreamed within one year of intervention.

A Culture of Assessment and Review

These are ongoing protocols that measure the accountability of the school and of personnel. In

this way, if the students are being short-changed in the classroom, Isha Vidhya will reorganize the

structure to maintain ideals.


Isha Vidhya is uniquely equipped to transfer their expertise to public schools in rural areas that cannot achieve the outcomes expected by the government. Critical interventions into currently existing schools are cost-e� ective because infrastructure and personnel are already in place, and are quite necessary as a means to help the most number of children in the shortest span of time.

In 2018, Isha Vidhya also took up a pilot program with 90 child care centers or anganwadis in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, impacting 3400 children.

Beyond the academic interventions, Isha seeks to bring the same commitment to holistic education as it does in its charter schools. In these rural areas, students lack basic nutrition and joys that we take for granted in

our daily lives. Whenever the support is available, Isha will enhance the child’s schedule with sports, yoga, environmental education, health awareness, and other engagements to help inspire them to grow to their full potential. Many times, the most signifi cant impact is achieved by the construction of proper toilet facilities or

providing the children with their only nutritious meal that day. Currently the project is active in 4 districts in Tamil Nadu and 1 district in Andhra Pradesh, impacting 130,000 children. We seek your support to expand this

project to further districts in the coming year. There is a range of ways to o� er support, including providing sponsorships for teacher training sessions, tuition classes for students and textbooks for Power English

classes. Committed organizations can also be a part of o� ering this possibility to more children in rural India.

An Appeal

“Quality education is the only ladder that we can provide these rural children to help them and their families climb out of the economic and social pit.

Sadhguru


3032Government Schools

130,000 Students

10,500 Teachers

60% Percentage of remedial students who are mainstreamed within

one year of intervention

95%Percentage of teachers who shared

they would be able to create a happier classroom as a result

of Isha Vidhya’s training


at a Glance


“Close to 10 million children study in the government schools of Tamil Nadu. Right now, the situation is not so palatable,

but we can change that. It only takes a small amount of intervention to get them inspired, educated, and skilled.

With a little bit of involvement, a lot can be done.

Sadhguru

Isha Outreach Report 201860 61Isha Outreach Report 2018 Isha Outreach Report 2018 61

Isha’s Action for Rural Rejuvenation (ARR) has fi fteen years of experience solving problems in rural communities. This pioneering social outreach program has sought to transform the lives of India’s rural poor. Initiated by Sadhguru in 2003, ARR began by taking a comprehensive approach to the complex challenges faced by rural communities through the implementation of a range of health, livelihood and community revitalization programs. The legacy of ARR is that some of the original limbs of the project have today grown into separate entities of tremendous impact, such as Isha Gramotsavan and the Isha FPO (Farmer Producer Organization).

Community Health & Wellbeing

Action for Rural Rejuvenation

61Isha Outreach Report 2018


Community-Based Health Clinics

Isha Rural Health Clinics (IRHCs) have been established to respond to the community’s need for a� ordable, high-quality, round-the-clock and easily accessible health care. Equipped with a lab, a pharmacy and facilities for minor surgery, each IRHC serves approximately 45 surrounding villages and treats an average of 100 patients daily.

Health Awareness and Specialist Health Campaigns

To augment the work of Isha’s mobile and fi xed health clinics, health awareness events and medical camps are taken directly to the underprivileged in rural and urban areas. Focused on prevention and self-care, the camps share talks on general health and hygiene, recognition of disease symptoms and simple techniques to care for chronic diseases.

Mobile Health ClinicsMobile Health Clinics (MHC) are specially designed and equipped to access populations deprived of adequate roads and basic healthcare facilities. � ey o� er free primary and minor emergency care on a bi-monthly basis, at the doorsteps of villagers. Each MHC team, which includes a doctor, paramedical assistant, pharmacist and driver, provides free examinations and treatment (both allopathic and traditional medicine), and refers patients to partnering local hospitals for advanced care. Each MHC covers approximately 40 villages in a month.

� e ARR mission continues to inspire. Recently, a team has put together their considerable expertise in creating a “Model Village” project to revitalize rural landscapes. � e pilot for this concept is being proposed in the block of � ondamuttur, which is already primed to play a cooperative and participatory role in the implementation. Committed partners can help this project become the catalyst that can transform the lives of 850 million rural Indians.

Through your generous donations, we are able to reach out to the health needs of local villages and tribal communities. We also welcome donations of medicines and medical equipment from individuals

and organizations, as well as mobile health vans to expand our reach. Our stationary health clinics require constant updating of infrastructure and equipment, such as hospital beds, IV stands, stretchers, medicine storage cabinets, pharmacy racks, X-ray machines, ultrasound scanners, and immunology and

hormone analyzer equipment. Donations towards these or towards expanding our existing clinics or emergency kits would help us provide these important health services to more rural communities.

An Appeal

65Isha Outreach Report 201864 Isha Outreach Report 2018

3Mobile Health Clinics in total

52,000Patients treated through

Mobile Health Clinics in the year 2018

35Camps were conducted

Eye – 12Dental – 16Neuro – 4

Diabetic - 1General Health – 2

2923Patients treated

through these health camps

ARR’s Mobile Health Clinics over the Past Year

ARR’s Health Camps over the Past Year

Isha Outreach Report 201866 67Isha Outreach Report 2018 Isha Outreach Report 201866 67Isha Outreach Report 2018

“ � is project is not just aimed at improving the

economic conditions of people. It is a way of raising the human spirit and inspiring human beings to

stand up for themselves.

Sadhguru


“If your humanity is in full fl ow,

you will reach out to life around you. � is is not morality – this is the nature

of being human.

Sadhguru

� rough its Mobile Health Clinics and network of volunteers on the ground, Isha Foundation is uniquely poised to o� er swift and e� ective interventions when disasters strike. In 2004, when the tsunami hit the coast of Tamil Nadu, Isha was involved in rehabilitation work and community-building e� orts, providing medical aid for tsunami victims and support for the reconstruction of houses and boats. Yoga was also imparted to those a� ected as a means to overall physical and mental wellbeing.

During the Chennai fl oods in 2015, Isha volunteers swung into action, distributing medicines, food, drinking water and clothing, besides conducting 345 medical camps and operating Mobile Health Clinics in Chennai, Villupuram and Cuddalore districts. Over 198,000 people received medical assistance and 150,000 people received relief materials.

Disaster Relief

“ Isha volunteers came to our rescue on 22nd

August, when our resources to help 300 families

in Ward No. 12 of Kotayail Kovillakkam fell short.

Not only did we receive cleaning materials but

also periodic follow-up calls checking on our

progress. These 300 families have got a renewed

vigour to work and clean up their homes

after they received abundant supplies. Thank

you Isha, you are true champions serving the

underprivileged.”

Priya Singh, Camp Coordinator, Cocoon Foundation, Kerala


Kerala Flood Relief� is year, as Kerala reeled under its worst fl ood in nearly a century, 175 Isha volunteers and several doctors were on the ground involved in rescue e� orts, providing basic amenities, medical aid, and cleaning houses and temples. � ey reached out with help and support to 68,000 people and were able to help 120 stranded people by forwarding their requests in time to qualifi ed rescue teams.

Maintaining hygiene and sanitation was the toughest challenge in the fl ood-receded region, so a group of volunteers moved to infection-prone areas to provide cleaning support for homes. � ey cleaned more than 100 houses, the Adishankara temple in Kalady, and the Anjaneya temple in Deshom. It took 30 volunteers two days to clean each of these temples. A few volunteers even took the initiative to make food packets and personally drove to 8 camps to replenish the food supply.

175 Isha Volunteers

68,000 Total number of people supported

120Stranded people helped

100+Houses and temples cleaned

Tamil Nadu Cyclone ReliefWhen the call for help came from people a� ected by the Gaja calamity, Isha Foundation was one of the fi rst to respond. Isha volunteers held 111 medical camps in 99 villages, providing treatment to 15,652 patients. � ere were about 45 volunteers full-time on the fi eld, while another fi fteen doctors joined the team for short durations. Even though there was no electricity in these villages after the cyclone broke out, and the area was infested with mosquitoes, our volunteers held the health camps until the late evenings.

Some of the volunteers even kept their personal losses aside and o� ered themselves completely to this cause. For Dr. Surendran, the Gaja cyclone has been an ordeal, as it seriously a� ected his family business. But this benevolent doctor left it to his father to take care of the personal situations and joined the camps to treat patients. Bala Kumar of � iruthuraipoondi had the misfortune of losing two of his close relatives to this cyclone,

45Full-Time Volunteers

111Medical Camps

15,652Patients

but that did not stop him from reaching out to others. Ranga Swami, who lost his fi sheries and prawn farms, hosted all the volunteers for three days, giving the best of what he could o� er. Balu Anna, another local businessman, not only opened his house but also his o� ce for the relief work – he along with his entire family were involved days and nights on end in organizing and manning these camps.

Our heartfelt gratitude to these wonderful volunteers working on the fi eld behind the scenes for their selfl ess service and compassion.


Isha’s Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) initiative aims to transform the Indian farmer’s life from one of debt traps, suicide and dwindling resources, to one of prosperity, market access and sustainability. Poised to be the engine of change that rural India needs, this initiative aims to support farming communities to organize themselves into profi table enterprises.

Isha’s FPO movement is fueled by a vision to fi nd micro- and macro-agricultural solutions to the farmer’s bottom line. While FPOs are self-sustaining once stable, the establishment of an FPO is a matter of extraordinary organization, sustained motivation and a stable seed fund. A transformation of this scope will raise nearly 60% of the population out of poverty. Lack of market access is one main factor driving farmer suicides. An FPO creates opportunity for aggregation of marketing, which gives the farmer more market leverage and the possibility to diversify crops without much risk.


Next year the target is to have a turn-over of Rs. 12 crores for the FPO. Other aspirations are the implementation of drip irrigation, rain water harvesting, a value-added groundnut and gingelly oil business, a vegetable nursery, an organic group certifi cation, organic farming training, creation of

model farms, and a neera (toddy) license. We seek your support to improve the FPO infrastructure, to expand the bandwidth of the existing FPOs, and to conduct further training workshops for farmers

in the future. This is an opportunity for committed organizations to partner with Isha Foundation to empower the farmers of the nation and build an India that will be a model of inclusiveness, where

agriculture is a sustainable source of livelihood.

An Appeal


“� e greatest achievement in this country has been that of our farmers, who have managed

to feed 1.25 billion people. It’s on us now to help them improve their livelihood, the soil quality,

and our food security.

Sadhguru

Velliangiri Uzhavan Producer Company Ltd

(VUPCL) – an Isha supported FPO

1065 members,

404 women farmers

The best FPO in Tamil Nadu

Ranked 9th in the country

12,000 Hectares of farmland


S. No. State Name Name of Resource Institution FPO Name

1 Tamil Nadu Isha Foundation Velliangiri Uzhavan Producer Company Ltd

2 Tamil Nadu Kalanjiam Thozhilagam Limited (KTL) Thoothukudi Pulses Producer Company Limited

3 Tamil Nadu Erode Precision Farm Producer Com. Ltd. (EPFPCL) Salem Kanjamalai Pulses And Millet Farmer Producer Company Ltd

4 Tamil Nadu Kalanjiam Thozhilagam Limited (KTL) Dindigul Maize And Sorghum Producer Company Ltd

5 Tamil Nadu Erode Precision Farm Producer Com. Ltd. (EPFPCL) Karikalan Pulses Farmer Producer Com-pany Ltd

6 Tamil Nadu Erode Precision Farm Producer Com. Ltd. (EPFPCL) Erode Pulses Farmer Producer Company Ltd

7 Tamil Nadu Kalanjiam Thozhilagam Limited (KTL) Virudhnagar Millets Producer Company Ltd

8 Tamil Nadu Erode Precision Farm Producer Com. Ltd. (EPFPCL) Namakkal Farmers Producer Company Ltd

9 Tamil Nadu Kalanjiam Thozhilagam Limited (KTL) Salem Maize Producer Company Ltd

10 Tamil Nadu Erode Precision Farm Producer Com. Ltd. (EPFPCL) Tirupur Farmers Producer Company Ltd

11 Tamil Nadu Kalanjiam Thozhilagam Limited (KTL) Jawadhu Hills Small Millets Producer Company Ltd

2017-2018

Year on Year Growth in Annual Turnover of Isha’s FPO (INR.)

Top FPOs in Tamil Nadu by Turnover

7,91,17,965

2016-2017 2,37,80,661

2015-2016 1,04,68,363

58,58,120

45,838

2014-2015

2013-2014

What is an FPO?

Farmer Producer Companies are collectives that consolidate smallholder farmers and o� er them a competitive edge to achieve or exceed their fair market potential. In addition, knowledge pools o� er real time answers from trained professionals as well as from the wisdom of farmers within the collective. Furthermore, retail prices of produce are fi xed at fair and profi table rates. � e FPO instructs on every aspect of innovation and e� ciency that avails the farmer of the greatest profi t for his e� orts to feed the nation.

Velliangiri Uzhavan Producer Company Limited (VUPCL) is the name of the Farmer Producer Company sponsored by Isha Foundation. Started in 2013, by 2017 it became the top FPO in Tamil Nadu in annual turnover and the 9th highest achieving FPO out of 769 total FPOs in all of India. Since 2013, VUPCL has conducted 45 trainings overall with over 1,200 participants. � e cooperative is specifi cally motivated to make pesticide-free organic produce.

From 2017-2018, the FPO turnover tripled in value. � e majority of the FPO sales are in coconuts and VUPCL is capitalizing on every part and possible use of a coconut, leaving nothing of the tree to waste.

� e small farmer is the success story and the stakeholder of VUPCL. Isha Foundation’s aim has been to put more power in the farmers’ hands so they are no longer beholden to an unfair market or to the vagaries of weather. � e farmers are able to oversee their crop not just from seed to harvest, but stand in the market as manufacturers and distributors. � e scope of the FPO is powerful and has the potential to connect the small and scattered rural farmers and make them greater in their unity.

7Trainings were conducted in 2018 on water

saving technology, intercrop cultivation, liquid fertilizer usage, crop insurance, drip

irrigation, and vegetable export.

231Farmers participated in the trainings and 38 farmers attended two exposure visits,

organized by Isha, to Delhi and Erode where they interacted with other FPOs.

7.91 Crores

Total turnover in 2018 for VUCPL

20Farmers groups are running successfully,

of which 19 are cluster-wise FIGs (Farmer Interest Groups) and the other is a women’s SHG (Mambadugai Women’s Self-

Help Group).

VUPCL supported farmers with market linkages last year for the following products: coconuts, coconut oil, neera, and 32 varieties

of vegetables.


I’m an engineering graduate with 8 acres of land for farming along with 20 years of farming experience. After joining the FPO, life has become very stress-free for me, otherwise I would have found it extremely tough to balance my work and family. Now I have a house, car, tractor – everything of my own.

� e greatest tension for the farmer used to be dealing with the vendors, who are basically the middle men between us and the market. Prior to the FPO, farmers had no choice but to give any price that was demanded in the market for products like coconuts. � en it was Sadhguru who spoke about it and spread the awareness of the need to form a community.

Initially, it took more than 6 months to get the farmers together. We had to create awareness in individual villages, knocking at every farmer’s door for half a year to create this FPO. If we call for a meeting, 50 people would turn up. Finally, when we made all the arrangements, including food and travel, only 20 would make it. In essence, forming an FPO is not as easy as it appears.

� e one-time cost needed to start the FPO is Rs. 10,000, which is our share value equaling 100 shares. � e main concept is that the system should be run by farmers and only they can be shareholders. We have about 1030 members now, and we have a waiting list of 200 people. � e last fi nancial year, our turnover was 7.91 crores and we are number 1 in Tamil Nadu and number 9 in all of India.

After we started getting more funds, we reduced the membership cost. At present if anyone wants to join our organization then they have to pay Rs. 2500 for the membership fees and they have to prove that they are a farmer with land. For some famers who can’t a� ord the fee, Isha Foundation supports them by giving more than 50% to help them join.

Rathinavelu is a co-founder and director of the Velliangiri Uzhavan Producer Company Limited (VUPCL) FPO.

Rat

hin

avel

u

a lot of stress and risk for our farmers. � ey just have to put in a word that their produce is ready and the rest is taken care of by the FPO. � e pricing has become fair now, with the FPO fi xed price being the golden standard of reference for other farmers too. Everyone has begun to sell at this price.

Direct marketing of vegetables is one of the challenges we are facing right now due to its life span. Coconuts can be stored for a long period of time, whereas vegetables cannot. But I believe in our unity to face these challenges. � at’s our strength. If we stay united, we can achieve the best in farming.

I took up agriculture in 2010. In the initial days, farmers were very innocent and illiterate and didn’t know about direct marketing. � ey used to harvest bulk produce, but they had a very tough time with sales. � ey completely depended on mediators, and the mediators were exploiting our farmers big time. I, too, faced certain di� culties. I didn’t know what kind of crop I should cultivate at what time of the year. It took me 3 years to learn those techniques.

� ere was an FPO functioning in a place called Aayakudi. Sadhguru made them come to the Isha Yoga Center and meet with us to explain in detail about how they were working. Only after that, we were inspired to plunge into full-fl edged action. Isha has been the backbone of this FPO. I was present at the fi rst meeting Sadhguru conducted for our farmers. He was telling us that the wellbeing of people lies in the wellbeing of our farmers.

� e FPO supports farmers from end-to-end by taking care of the required manpower from plucking the coconuts, to removing the shells and selling them in the market. So this saves

Saravanaprabhu Sellakuttygounder from Narasipuram joined agriculture after completing his M.Sc., and working 3 years in the software industry. Realizing computers were not his cup of tea, he became a farmer. The FPO was an indispensable resource for his success. He is now one of the directors of VUPCL.

Sara

van

apra

bhu


coconut tree to fuel the cooking fi re. Before, the vendor was taking all of these parts, including the coir, and so we couldn’t take advantage of the coconut’s multiple uses.

Now, we’ve started selling our own brand of coconut oil. We couldn’t have dreamt of having a product of our own without the FPO. We would still just be selling coconuts. Now, we’re aiming at popularizing our brand. We make our own organic oil without using sulphur or other chemicals to refi ne it. Now that people are seeing the di� erence in quality between the typical store-bought oil and this organic oil, many people are converting to our product.

Because I have a small farm, I couldn’t a� ord to harvest the coconuts myself. I had to seek a vendor’s help to cut the coconuts o� the tree. � en, I was forced to sell at whatever rate the vendor was determining as the price of the coconuts, which was half of what they were selling in the market.

First, what the FPO did was, they got coconut harvesters to cut coconuts every day from each farm. � is was one advantage of the farmers being in a collective. Secondly, they all got together and sold it to the mills directly without using a vendor.

Every part of the tree is useful in a coconut tree. We have to peel o� the coir pith from the coconuts, and with the coir pith we can actually earn extra income. � ere is also a part of the coconut that can be burned. Local village women have formed a small operation here at my farm. � ey make coconut milk, and in the process they are burning parts of the

Kuppusamy from Semmedu is also an FPO director. From a farming family, he has been running his farm for the past 10 years, which has now become a busy hub for FPO activity. Since the VUPCL has started, he has experienced many amazing changes about the possibilities for coconut farming and beyond, especially how much agency farmers can retain over their harvests.

Kup

pusa

my

Mani from Semmedu had a talent for making coconut milk, and from that grew this small business of 7 ladies that she now leads. They make coconut milk, rose milk and sweets together. They get together in the mornings and evenings, taking turns with di� erent duties. They earn a profi t of Rs. 20,000-25,000 per month that they divide equally. The Isha Yoga Center has provided them a stall for their coconut milk, which is sold by a vendor.

Man

i


� e most recent workshop topic this year in the FPO was farming Azola. Azola is a highly productive algae-like fern, which grows on the surface of water quickly and in great abundance. It is organic and can be used to replace the usual cattle feed, which results in a savings of Rs. 2000-3000 a month. Azola is a highly nutritious feed for cattle, and ends up raising the quality of the milk, which then increases its price. And the best part is, farmers need almost zero investment to produce these results. Typically, farmers do not have a way of learning about these innovations. Now, the FPO can support farmers in learning new techniques that yield profi t with little investment.

Azola Farming


Isha Gramotsavam is creating a wave in Tamil Nadu, which is now spreading to Andhra Pradesh with the partnership of UNICEF. But more needs to be done. The vision is to make India as a nation play, and

bring sport into everyone’s life. Collaboration with the state governments to conduct tournaments, strengthening the sports infrastructure at district and block levels, and platforms for sporting events

are needed to create a culture of sport. We seek contributions and support from committed individuals

and companies to take this sporting culture across the nation over the next few years.

An Appeal

Isha GramotsavamA celebration of village lifeIsha Gramotsavam creates the necessary ambience for men, women, and children of all ages in rural India to come out and play on a daily basis. As a result, sports have become the key to unlock wellbeing and to inspire and revitalize communities.

Gramotsavam is one of Isha’s most popular and high-energy outreach initiatives. Gramotsavam translates to “celebration of village life” and showcases the essence of rural Tamil Nadu through an elaborate display of rural games, art, drama, dance, music, and food. � e event culminates in a state-wide inter-village sports tournament full of intensity and healthy competition.

In 2018, the Isha Gramotsavam tripled its participation over the previous year, by involving over 35,000 players from 3,000 teams throughout Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. � e fi nals were held in the presence of Sadhguru, along with the chief guests Shri Banwarilal Purohit, Hon’ble Governor of Tamil Nadu, and Smt. Karnam Malleshwari, India’s fi rst female Olympic medalist.


1600Volleyball teams for men

301 � rowball teams for women

1320Kabaddi teams for men and women

16Paralympic teams

6500Villages touched across Tamil Nadu with total

prizes and awards worth Rs. 62 lakhs

30,000People attended the grand fi nale at Erode

1 lakh +People engaged through online and

on-ground promotions


“Let’s bring games, sports, and playfulness into our families, neighborhoods,

villages, and towns. A ball can change the world.

Sadhguru


village with a sari for a net and a ‘volleyball’ made

out of old cloth. After much convincing, the local

Milk Society allowed us to use their ground to

play on, but our problems had just begun. The

ground was a thriving drinking spot for many

unruly men. We would often be interrupted by

men in inebriated states who also harassed the

women of the village. Resolute, we approached

the local Collector and later the media and got

the wine shop closed down. Today, three former

alcohol addicts who harassed us regularly are

now core team members addicted only to the

game. One ball has changed the course of our

lives! Every day we somehow ensure we reach

the ground at 5:00 pm and play till we can’t see

the ball anymore.”

When our volunteer informed Isha about

this heartwarming story, we dispatched two

volleyballs and a net to the village and urged

them to participate in Isha Gramotsavam.

Although they lost their fi rst match, the team

remains motivated. “Next time, we’ll participate

with more practice and also a specially designed

jersey,” they said with a smile.

Set in the delightfully picturesque hills of the

Nilgiris, Moradakombai is a village with a warm

tale of struggle and triumph. In the monsoon

of 2018, an Isha volunteer set out for his daily

walk, and he noticed a bunch of men across

di� erent age groups totally immersed in a game

of volleyball. It is not usual for countryside men

in India to indulge in a sport of western origin,

so he played the curious spectator. On closer

observation, he noticed the ball was actually a

bunch of tattered cloths woven into a makeshift

volleyball. Not able to contain his interest, he

eventually approached the men after their game

to understand the origins of this newfound

sporting phenomenon in his village.

One of the players began to narrate their story:

“Most of us here have temporary jobs, so we

are always on the look-out for employment in

nearby towns and villages. During one such

trip, I noticed a bunch of men playing a sport I

hadn’t heard of or seen before but which seemed

beautiful. On enquiring further, I learnt the sport

is called volleyball. With only basic knowledge of

the sport, 2-3 of us began to play the sport in our

Isha Gramotsavam is a living, thriving model of how sports can transform individuals and, in turn, entire communities.

Kumudhapuram is a classic example of what Gramotsavam aspires to achieve. Sohail, a local mechanic, tells us why: “Our neighborhood is predominantly made up of people from Muslim and Christian backgrounds. � e only time all of us shed our identities and abandon ourselves with total involvement is during a game of volleyball! It’s not just the boys; a local school is working on building a team of champion girls.”


“For the past 12 years I’ve been playing volleyball. � ere’s no other sport like it. I remember watching with awe as the others in the village played. I studied their warm-up for the game, their defense skills, and began taking mental notes. I wanted to demonstrate my athleticism and spike the ball as hard as possible.

In 64 villages around � alavadi, there are 5 strong volleyball teams. We have at least 4-5 tournaments in � alavadi every year, in which there are cultural activities and cultural programs as well. � is is a chance for the village to celebrate. During tournament days, we all come together no matter what our caste or community. Everybody enjoys and waits in expectation of the prize winners announcement.

We want to bring the culture of sport into our village because it’s helped many of us become happier, and it’s exciting for our friends and family, too. It can change a person’s life. For example, I don’t want to name him, but there’s one guy we brought on our team because he’s really tall. We wanted him to play for us, but at the time he was smoking and drinking to the level of being an alcoholic. We told him to take advantage of his height and join our team. He eventually did and ever since, he’s become really healthy and plays quite well.

My ambition is to create one team of very strong volleyball players. I want to achieve something extraordinary. Someday, I hope our boys can play nationally or internationally. We were thrilled to take part in Gramotsavam, and that’s how we learned about Isha’s initiatives for rural development and we’re proud to say that we’ll do whatever we can to support them in the future, especially by continuing to participate in Gramotsavam. � is tournament is like a village festival, and we look forward to it again next year.”

Amulraj, Teacher in � alavadi village

Isha’s Rural Rejuvenation initiatives bring joy and exuberance back into the rural experience. The approach motivates villagers to rehabilitate their communities and steer the destiny of their lives. The numerous initiatives include sanitation and solid waste management, infrastructure, educational scholarships, and life-skills or vocational training. Isha also supports rural communities in the celebration of traditional festivals and revival of cultural practices.


Isha’s Rural Rejuvenation initiatives bring joy and exuberance back into the rural experience. � e approach motivates villagers to rehabilitate their communities and steer the destiny of their lives. � e numerous initiatives include sanitation and solid waste management, infrastructure, educational scholarships, and life-skills or vocational training. Isha also supports rural communities in the celebration of traditional festivals and the revival of cultural practices.

Rural and Tribal Welfare

Waste management “Never in history have so many people had so much to throw away and so little space to throw it as the people of India in the second decade of the twenty-fi rst century,” – Excerpt from the book � e Waste of a Nation (Harvard University Press)

According to the World Bank, India’s daily waste generation will reach an astounding 377,000 tons by 2025. If not managed e� ciently, this could have an undesirable implication on our health and overall wellbeing. Help us contribute to a clean and healthy India through this initiative.

Research shows that if India continues to dump untreated garbage at its current rate, then we will need a landfi ll the size of Bengaluru.


After careful processing, the organic waste is then converted to high quality compost that our FPO farmers are free to make use of. We make sure no waste ever goes waste!

We educate residents on the need for e� cient waste management and the related benefi ts for their health and overall wellbeing. We then provide every household with two dustbins: one for organic waste and the other for inorganic waste.

Every morning, our sevadhars (5 women and 6 men) visit each household to collect their segregated waste in larger drums.

Daily waste management process in rural villages

We carry this waste in electric vehicles to a local dumpyard where our sevadhars wait for the drums to arrive.

At the dumpyard, the collected waste goes through another round of segregation by our sevadhars. � e inorganic waste is further separated based on type: white plastic, colored plastic, bottle caps, water bottles, etc. � e reusable and recyclable inorganic waste is then sold to relevant stakeholders. � e remaining inorganic waste is then sent to a burning ground to be incinerated.


A Swami at Isha Yoga Center involved with the Rural Welfare program shares his experience of providing scholarships to children in the local vicinity:

“In 2006, Sadhguru announced that he was going to start the Isha Vidhya School and I saw that rural children would receive an opportunity otherwise available only to urban kids. Next thing I knew, I was going door to door, from village to village, and I got sixty tribal children to apply for admission. � ere was an entrance test and they all failed. � en we decided that we’ll start the 5-year-olds in LKG. Again, I went from village to village. We convinced 100 sets of tribal parents to send their small children to Isha on full scholarship, which provided for all their needs.

In 2015, this fi rst batch of Isha Vidhya students scored a whopping aggregate score of 89.6%. Many of these tribal students in this batch have gone on to Medical and Engineering schools. To me, the fact of this is an act of grace.

On the other hand, some of these kids dropped out. � eir home life was complicated by some heart-breaking circumstances – no parents, a drunken father, or a mentally sick parent. � e tragedy of it unsettled me, so I sought out donors.

For thirteen of these girls who dropped out, I arranged full scholarships to attend a boarding school in Coimbatore. Eleven of

them dropped out within the year. It was shocking. Even I lost my desire to make any more such e� orts in the tribal village for the next two years.

� en, one day I saw one of the girls who had stayed enrolled. A remarkable change had come over her. How well she had grown up inspired me to renew my hope in these girls from broken families. To transform even a handful of lives was enough.

Soon I learned the reason for the girls’ exodus had to do with the loneliness they felt being away from their villages. � e two girls who remained in school came with us as ambassadors back to their tribal villages to inspire new children, to help them see how to have the same courage they once had.

Today, 30 such girls are there studying in Coimbatore, on full scholarships from Isha. 10 years ago, in twenty tribal villages, you might fi nd 2 or 3 people who had a degree. Now, dozens are graduating every year. One of the original thirteen who stayed in school, graduated with a B.Ed. degree and teaches now at Isha Vidhya.

She has come full circle and it makes me proud to see her as the beginning of a legacy for many more tribal girls, who I dream will complete their own similar journey despite it being so di� erent from the world they know.”

Rural Scholarships

Today, 30 such girls are there studying in Coimbatore, on full scholarships from Isha. 10 years ago, in twenty tribal villages, you

might fi nd 2 or 3 people who had a degree...

“

Thangappan from Thanikandi is a benefi ciary

of Isha’s vocational training. He has been with

the Isha Yoga Center since 1991. 28 years ago,

he came to Isha as a day laborer. Soon after, he

was assigned as a helper to do plumbing work.

Gradually, he began learning new skills. Over the

years, he has had a hand in the construction of

most of the buildings at the Yoga Center. Some

buildings were constructed in record time: “We

worked day and night, but I enjoyed it,” he says.

Now he is a site contractor and supervises a

dozen workers who come from local tribes.

“I couldn’t have come to this level without the

support of Isha. I would probably be a farm

laborer if I hadn’t come here,” he says. “I’m earning

much more, and apart from that, I have enough

time for myself, which is not possible earning

daily wages. My wife works with Isha too. I have

two sons who are both in school. We are living

a very comfortable life. Right now, if I went to

Coimbatore, I could easily get a well-paying job,

but I would never leave Isha. No way!”

Vocational training


“As we have responsibilities

for the living, we have responsibilities towards the dead.

Sadhguru

In ancient India, the handling of the deceased was conducted with great care to ensure a peaceful exit for the departed. However, in the last 100-120 years the basic maintenance and aesthetics of crematorium services have been overlooked. It is in this context that Isha has undertaken the running of crematoriums in India that are designed and conducted under the guidance of Sadhguru. � e fi rst Isha-run crematorium opened in 2010 at Nanjundapuram in Coimbatore District.

Kayanta SthanamCurrently, the Tamil Nadu government has entrusted Isha Foundation to undertake the operation of 13 crematoriums in the state. More than 8500 cremations were performed this year, with an additional two Kayanta Sthanams renovated and opened in 2018. A full-day retreat was also organized at the Isha Yoga Center for all the 76 sevadhars, which included yoga sessions, Sadhguru’s talks, food and games.

Location of Isha Crematoriums

This project aims to develop and maintain eco-friendly crematorium facilities across the state of Tamil Nadu, which are open to people of all socio-economic and religious backgrounds. The

subsidized and fi xed fees keep cremations very a� ordable. Currently, if you visit cremation centers throughout India, you will fi nd these sacred spaces have devolved into scenes of neglect:

ramshackle structures, indi� erent and stigmatized sta� members, polluted and degraded natural environments. Help us revive this ancient tradition. Sadhguru’s vision is to adopt and re-beautify 1000-3000 crematoriums in India, with the current goal being to take on 3-4 new crematoriums

next year. We seek your help in adopting crematoriums and making this service available to people.

An Appeal


Mohan Raj and his wife Bhuvaneshwari have taken their daily morning walks at Kayanta Sthanam without fail since 2012. He says, “It doesn’t feel like a crematorium to me. It feels like a temple.”

“Even when one of my friends died, I brought his body here only. He was a violinist, a good friend who passed away. When I spoke to one of the Swamis here, he said to bring the body for the rituals. He supported us throughout the next day until we collected the ashes. � ey have taken this place to another level. I have made a lot of friends here. We come together and make ghee lamps and gather

in front of the Bhairava shrine, after whom I have named my children. My son’s name is Rudra Bhairavan and my daughter’s name is Srishti Bhairavi. To all those people who say crematoriums have negative vibes, I say they must see only one thing – that one day we are all going to end up here, it doesn’t matter how or when.”

The beauty of the lawns and the fruit and vegetable trees even attract the neighbors to the Kayanta Sthanam.

Moh

an R

aj &

Bh

uvan

eshw

ari

“I have 25 years of experience doing this job. I have been a sevadhar here at Isha for 8 years now. � is used to be the only crematorium in town and still no one came here because it was so ugly and smelled so bad. Ladies would not even dare to come here. So, in those days if someone died, families would just bury the bodies somewhere else. Today, after Isha Foundation undertook this crematorium, the place has become like a temple.

People come long distances to do the rituals for their loved ones. It doesn’t matter if they’re rich or poor or come from di� erent castes or religions, there is no discrimination. It’s our job to take care of the dead, and we do it with reverence.

People treat me with a lot of respect now. Before they considered me as low class doing a low class job. But now people speak about me lovingly, that I work at Isha crematorium. Isha has helped me in an immense way with my personal life. I had all sorts of bad habits – you name it, I had it. And look at me now, I have been sober for many years.

Six months after I started here, I got an increment and then Isha o� ered scholarships to both my daughters. � e sta� receives two meals a day. Bus fare is there for those who travel from far o� . Our medical insurance is taken care of. We get yearly bonuses and uniforms as well. We are even provided soap and towels, since we need to take a shower twice a day. If I ever have health issues, I never worry. � ey always give fi rst priority to the wellbeing of the people who work here.”

Isha trains crematorium sta� in the operational and sacred aspects of the cremation rituals and they are provided fair salaries, health insurance, and respect.

R. R

avi


Project GreenHands (PGH) is one of the world’s foremost a� orestation projects in a tropical context, with a goal to increase Tamil Nadu’s green cover to 33% by enabling the planting of over 114 million trees in the state. Launched in 2004, with over a decade of technical expertise and hands-on experience, PGH’s work encompasses an array of programs including rural and urban greening campaigns, agroforestry programs for farmers, and Green School movements, which involve people of all ages and from all walks of life.

At the time PGH launched, some alarming predictions were being made about the desertifi cation of Tamil Nadu. Sadhguru went on a tour of the countryside to witness fi rsthand how ancient rivers that had been full fl owing only decades before were now dry. There were droughts and the evidence of a sinking water table. Since the only solution was a massive increase in green cover, a mega-plantation throughout Tamil Nadu was needed. Sadhguru knew it wasn’t enough to create just a tree-planting initiative. Project GreenHands was born actually to change the hearts and minds of the people.

EnvironmentProject GreenHands and

Rally for Rivers


“� e fi rst 6-7 years were spent planting trees in people’s minds, which is the most di� cult terrain. Now we are transplanting with much more ease onto the land because the idea is standing on people’s heads. If we had not spent those 6-7 years of planting trees in people’s minds, today this work could not have happened.

I see that if anything has to happen, it is never going to happen by policy change. Unless people can emotionally relate to it, unless people can have an emotionally charged movement, there is no way anything is going to happen on the ground. So we went about creating the experience of how a tree is not a project for you; a tree is your life. It is an outside part of yourself. It breathes for you every day. It is more than your lungs; your lungs cannot do anything without trees. We made people understand this in very simple ways…” – Sadhguru

� e Early Days of Project GreenHands

“Trees are our closest relatives. What

we exhale, they inhale. � is is a constant relationship that no one can a� ord to break or live without.

Sadhguru


Trees for All3,037,452 saplings were produced through 31 nurseries and distributed to farmers, the general public, youth clubs, and institutions.

Trees for Life� e agro-forestry team made 407 farm visits in 24 districts where 248 farmers have planted 196,575 saplings in their farmland.

Green School Movement� rough the Kanchipuram Green School Movement, school children from 226 schools were trained in sapling production and 401,335 saplings were grown and planted by them.

Isha Agro Movement32 one-day training programs were conducted in 15 districts of Tamil Nadu involving 1,337 farmers.

Consultants to state governments

2 million volunteers Indira Gandhi Paryavaran

Puraskar


Trees for AllSaplings are o� ered as part of education programs to teach people the many benefi ts of trees. 25.28 million saplings have been distributed so far, making it India’s largest network of organically grown saplings.

You can choose from 80 di� erent varieties of saplings from any of our 32 nurseries in Tamil Nadu and plant them at a site of your liking. Saplings also make for a unique gift option.

There are many ways for individuals and companies to help support the initiatives of PGH. You can sponsor our Green School Movement to establish nurseries in schools and enable young

students to grow and raise saplings. You can help us to increase agricultural forest for Rs.100/$2 per sapling. If you partner with us to plant 10,000 trees, you will have a chance to watch

your donation come to life: you can track the location where the trees are growing with GPS coordinates of the farmland and know what varieties of trees are planted. You will also receive

the name and photo of the farmer growing the trees, and for 2 years you will receive reports and follow-ups from the farmer. Besides monetary donations, you can become a PGH volunteer and support us in planting trees and conducting awareness campaigns. If you are a greenie at heart

and wish to o� set your carbon footprint, you can plant trees online at giveisha.org/pgh

An Appeal


� enur is just a regular village in the Madurai district of Tamil Nadu. For residents, their most revered milestone is Mahatma Gandhi’s brief touchdown in their village en route to Madurai in the summer of 1921. However non-descript, this village is home to 29-year old Karthigai, an ordinary wedding photographer who is extraordinarily inspired. To fully understand what makes him special, Karthigai recounts a turning point in his childhood when he was fi rst taught to plant saplings in school:

“As part of Project GreenHand’s Green School Campaign, a Swami from Isha had visited my school. I was studying in the 7th standard then. He explained to us the deep relation we share with trees. I spent most of my life studying under a tree, but that day my equation with trees changed forever.” Since that day, Karthigai has gone on to singularly plant an astounding 3428 trees. “Maybe there are more, but I only kept track of 3428,” says Karthigai with amusement.

His profession requires him to capture memories from people’s birthdays, weddings, and retirement functions, but Karthigai adds to his clients’ memories in a unique way that makes him extremely popular. Karthigai started inspiring his clients to gift their guests a sapling. Karthigai’s unique passion for planting trees has even made him the only authorized photographer for retirement functions at the local EB o� ce. � e o� ce just won’t have anyone else!

Kar

thig

ai

...I spent most of my life studying under a tree, but that day my equation with

trees changed forever...

“

Anthony from the local EB o� ce received three trees from Karthigai during his retirement function and that inspired him to start planting fl owering trees in his garden. � is new hobby started attracting the curiosity of children in the village and now his garden has become well-known throughout his neighborhood.

Radha and Mukunda had given up on their parental aspirations after years of trying and then they met Karthigai who urged them to raise another form of life instead: a tree. � is faithful couple nurtured this tree and in a twist of destiny, the couple conceived a baby after all. � e tree has grown up and they have hung a swing for the baby to rock him to sleep every day.


With almost a decade’s worth of experience, Isha Agro Movement (IAM) aims to accelerate the transition of farmers from a chemical-based system to a sustainable system of natural farming. IAM is a farmer’s movement and is focused on putting money in the farmer’s pocket. � e numerous environmental benefi ts are the beautiful consequence of putting farmers’ livelihoods fi rst and providing technical know-how that helps them greatly diminish their overhead, create rich and fertile soil, minimize water usage, and become self-sustaining over time.

Isha Agro-Movement

Isha Agro Movement is designed as an initiative where in-training programs are conducted to empower participants to have a deeper insight into the concepts of sustainable farming and to make a shift to natural farming through the guidance, interaction and support of fellow farmers.

When farmers shift from conventional, chemical-based farming to tree-based, organic agriculture, their incomes increase thanks to higher value produce, and their costs reduce due to lower input requirements.


“I was curious how to make farming feasible for the farmer and still give the consumer healthy, wholesome food. It seemed impossible to make both ends meet. I pursued it anyway despite my doubts,” he says. In his quest to fi nd the solution, he invested in a farm in Vettaikaranpudur Village near Anaimalai Hills.

� e Isha Agro movement launched in tandem, and soon enough Valluvan was welcoming Isha volunteers to his new farm. “� e Isha volunteers visited my farm and the solutions they gave weren’t appealing to me at the beginning. � ey seemed illogical,” he said. “In 2009, they started their work on the ground, and I resolved to follow them blindly since I knew nothing about farming.”

Valluvan is the owner of Pollachi farm, which a leading agricultural journalist once called the best coconut farm he has ever seen. What’s more, Pollachi farm is all organic. An Isha volunteer since 2001, Valluvan is a civil engineer by profession and has no background in farming.

Everywhere, farm land was selling at slashed rates. Lack of rainfall, lack of yields, pest attacks, ill crops, and crop failure forced out farmers who were not fetching reasonable prices for their produce. Valluvan had heard Sadhguru speak many times on the hardships of farmers and the impact it has on society.

“Initially, it was di� cult to even spot changes in the farm. � en there was an extreme drought, and afterwards it rained, and that’s exactly when I observed the di� erence in the soil. Only then I learned to look at the ground and not the produce. � e soil and vegetation gradually began to change. Now the farm is wonderful and the yield is abundant. � e growth is unbelievable. � e soil has transformed, all without chemicals.

� e farm is becoming self-su� cient as the years progress and its reaching a point that one day the gates can be closed and the farm will carry on by itself. � e only jobs would be to harvest and sell the produce. Even today the revenue is used to meet the expenditures of the farm and every year I’m able to take 11 lakhs from the profi t and pay my son’s annual college fees.”

Vallu

van

119Isha Outreach Report 2018118 Isha Outreach Report 2018

Trees for Life� e Isha Agro Movement (IAM) and Trees for Life have created a groundswell of support and interest among farmers across Tamil Nadu. Demonstrable success and word-of-mouth testimonies have wrought their magic, and new avenues to establish ecologically friendly, fi nancially remunerative paradigms for agriculture are constantly opening up. To harness these opportunities and ensure sustained success, IAM is working on a strong resource base for technical know-how, hands-on help and quality saplings. IAM is open to partnerships in nurturing this environmental/economic program.

Duraiswamy from � ammanayakanpatty village near Salem narrates how he got into agroforestry:

“My parents and siblings are all farmers. I’m a doctor by profession, the fi rst in my family to graduate from college. In 1981, while I was posted as a government doctor in Pachchamalai hills, I began investing little by little in farm land, 2-5 acres at a time. Today I have 120 acres.

From 2000-04, for practical reasons, I began cultivating my land as agroforestry. I faced a lot of failures in nursing the saplings and procuring quality seeds. Finding labor was also a hassle. � at’s when Project GreenHands came into my life. I had overspent in establishing this farm without the necessary knowledge and PGH has helped to bring down the cost by 60%.

PGH provided quality, organic, inexpensive saplings and taught me how to plant and maintain them. � ey advised about planting multiple species, so as not to encounter loss if one species su� ered a pest attack. PGH also taught me the importance of mulching. I was using a lot of water for irrigation and cleaning up the dry leaves o� the ground, thus making it bare and exposing the ground to the sun. With the benefi ts of mulch, I was able to irrigate 13 acres of land in 5 hours, whereas before it used to be just 8 acres of land in 5 hours.

� ese trees are highly profi table, easily maintained, and the market is there, since we are actually importing 60% of the wood we need from other countries. One sq. ft. of teak wood sells for about Rs. 2000-3000. � e prices are likely to only rise in the future because of short supply. I have an average of 1.5 lakh trees. I must’ve spent 10-15 lakh rupees in total to purchase this land. Even if we estimate the rate of one tree to be Rs. 2000, the value of this property is 20 crores.”

Dur

aisw

amy


“Our rivers and soil are being depleted.

In the near future, we won’t be able to feed our population and quench their thirst.

� e simplest and most e� ective solution is to increase the green coverage.

Sadhguru

Rally for Rivers

Recognizing a dire ecological disaster in the making, Sadhguru started the nationwide initiative Rally for Rivers (RfR), in which he personally drove across 16 states to raise awareness about India’s dying rivers. � e project saw an unprecedented coming together of political leaders, farmers, industrialists, business people, students, professionals, journalists and others. � e initiative expanded into an unmatched people’s movement with the participation of over 162 million people across all walks of life.

� e rally culminated with Sadhguru handing over a draft policy recommendation for the revitalization of rivers in India to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Since then, the Governments of 6 states – Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Gujarat, Assam and Chhattisgarh – have signed MoUs and Detailed Project Reports with Isha Foundation to work in their states.


Kaveri River in 1984 and 2016 (Google Images)

Massive month-long Rally for Rivers

campaign

Revitalization of Rivers in India – Draft Policy Recommendation by

Sadhguru to PM

O�cial partner of UN Environment

500 million trees to revitalize

Maharashtra’s rivers

250 million trees for reforestation of

Kaveri basin

Impact: NITI Aayog issues advisory to

States

MoUs in 6 states


� e Maharashtra government has plans of reforesting the state by planting a total of 50 crore trees. � e town of Yavatmal was identifi ed for implementation of the fi rst pilot project with inputs from government o� cials and experts in the fi elds of agriculture, horticulture, watershed, geology and river hydrology.

Karnataka has committed to planting 25 crore trees. Subsequent to meetings with the Government of Karnataka regarding implementation strategy, a pilot project is being planned in the Kaveri River basin. � e plan to revive the Kaveri is ambitious and far-reaching, and will use state-of-the-art reforestation techniques such as aerial seedball dispersal.

� e Ministry of Water Resources and the Ganga Rejuvenation Program has committed to planting 10 crore trees.

� e Ministry of Rural Development has designed a plan of action to be carried out through its MGNREG Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme).

Reforestation

� e United Nations has also been examining the Rally for Rivers model, as it is applicable for implementation in tropical countries across the world. On March 22, 2018 Sadhguru was invited by the President of the General Assembly to launch the United Nations’ Water Action Decade.

In addition to the river revitalization movement, Isha Foundation was an o� cial partner with UN Environment for World Environment Day 2018, hosted in India. Erik Solheim, then Director of UN Environment, joined Sadhguru for a public conversation in Delhi on June 5, 2018, to create awareness and policy change to beat plastic pollution.

Water Action Decade


Activities and programs

Rally for Rivers Board Meeting On July 22nd, the national board meeting of Rally for Rivers took place in Bangalore. � is was the third board meeting of Rally for Rivers where the distinguished members – Justice Arijit Pasayat, retired Supreme Court Judge; Ms. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson & Managing Director of Biocon; Mr. Ravi Singh, Secretary General & CEO of World Wildlife Fund; Mr. Shashi Shekhar, IAS who retired December 2016 as Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources,

Madhya Pradesh Government Training Program� e Rally for Rivers team conducted a fi ve-day intensive training program for 130 senior block-level o� cers from the Jan Abhiyan Parishad (Madhya Pradesh Government) from 7-11 May, 2018.

River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India; Mr. Pravesh Sharma, IAS, who last served as MD of Small Farmer’s Agribusiness Consortium in the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India; Mr. B Muthuraman, former Vice Chairman, Tata Steel; and Dr AS Kiran Kumar, former chairperson of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) – gathered to review the progres s of the river revitalization program.

From 1-14 October, the Karnataka team conducted a baseline survey in 6 districts of Karnataka for the project to revitalize Kaveri River basin and implement the state’s target of planting 250 million trees.

In the visit, the RfR team met range forest o� cers, forest watchers, farmers and tribal communities to collect data and understand the present situation of the forests in 3 districts and the possibilities for reforestation.

Karnataka Field Visit

We seek the support and contributions of committed companies to revitalize the lifelines of India – our rivers – and avert this dire ecological crises in the making.

An Appeal


Nadi VeerasDuring the rally, Sadhguru made a clarion call to the youth of India, urging them to support the movement. Nearly 6,500 people from all over India signed up to join Rally for Rivers as full-time volunteers for 3 years. � e fi rst batch of volunteers, known as Nadi Veeras or “river champions”, have been trained and are now working on the ground to change the status quo of India’s rivers for the sake of present and future generations.

“Being a part of this movement, I see my life divided as before and after Rally for Rivers. I was fl owing with the pace of life working for a multinational company in Bangalore. It wasn’t bad, but every once in a while I would feel isolated, as I was only benefi ting myself. When I followed the Rally in September and when Sadhguru made the “Call to the Youth” to volunteer full-time, I saw it as an opportunity to contribute to something much bigger. I knew nothing about agriculture or the grim state of our rivers, but I made the decision to jump in. In the last four months of my time at the Isha Yoga Center, Ethiappa (who is our beloved training guide and project advisor) trained us comprehensively on various aspects of Rally for Rivers. � rough his support and the guidance from other technical and non-technical specialists from various fi elds, a new world has opened up for me.

We are now ready to be deployed on the ground and start our work. I was part of the team of twenty Nadi Veeras who went to Maharashtra for the initial survey on the place and the people. � rough our work and

stay with the villagers for almost a month, we found that village folk are inherently close to nature and are much more conscious about their surroundings. Knowing them and their conditions closely, we realized how our lives are going to be transformed totally as a part of this endeavor.

Today I must say that, indeed, it is an honor to be a part of a movement like this which envisions the wellbeing of not only our generation but also those to come. I bow down to everyone who made this campaign a success and paved the way for the revitalization of our rivers and the upliftment of our farmers.

Siddhant Sharma

Isha Outreach Report 2018130 131Isha Outreach Report 2018 Isha Outreach Report 2018 131Isha Outreach Report 2018130 Isha Outreach Report 2018

Sadhguru

“A world full of love, light and laughter –

its time has come. Let us make it happen.


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Isha [email protected]

Rural and Tribal Welfarearr.backo� [email protected]

Farmer Producer Organization [email protected]

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Our Heartfelt Gratitude� is report is dedicated to all our donors and volunteers who have made Isha Outreach what it is today. It is thanks to their generous support and contributions that we are able to reach out and touch the lives of so many in rural India. We express our heartfelt gratitude to each one of them.

An AppealIt is also our dream and vision to scale up these initiatives in the coming years and improve the quality of life for millions of rural and tribal people across the nation. Large scale social transformation cannot happen without the continuous and consistent support of a substantial group of committed people and organizations who are willing to put the wellbeing of others before themselves. We require your support in creating a better world for our future generations, where human beings can fi nd a conducive atmosphere to blossom to their full potential. Reach out to us if you wish to know more or get involved.