Sevalaya

Sevalaya is a registered charitable trust founded in 1988 and headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It describes itself as serving rural and underprivileged communities with all services provided entirely free of cost, and states that its work is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Its stated inspirations are the poet Bharathi (education), Mahatma Gandhi (rural development) and Swami Vivekananda (homes and food for the needy). Sevalaya's core activities include free education for underprivileged children, skill development programmes for youth and women, and the operation of children's homes, elders' homes, gaushalas (cow shelters), organic farms, hospitals and medical centres. It also implements healthcare, environmental, rural development and disaster relief and rehabilitation projects. The organisation reports a presence in more than 60 locations across India and says it has transformed Kasuva and its 45 surrounding villages from 100% child labour to 100% literacy, providing quality education free of charge to more than 4,240 rural children. The Sevalaya group includes Sevalaya Nilgiris, a registered non-profit society that became part of the group in 2021. It runs a free hospital in Gudalur in the Nilgiris primarily serving the tribal community, conducts medical outreach camps in remote mountainous villages around Gudalur, operates a Community College for youth and women, and runs 16 After-School Study Centres for tribal children in the Western Ghats across Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, all free of cost. The group also includes ShoppeSeva, a retail venture that markets products made by beneficiaries of Sevalaya's Community Colleges and by rural artisans, including clothes, bags, handicrafts, jewellery, snacks and baked goods. All profits of ShoppeSeva are donated to Sevalaya to support its charitable activities, which the organisation describes as a win-win-win for the customer, the producer and the rural underprivileged communities served by Sevalaya. Sevalaya maintains a donor outreach presence in the United States, including a Founders' USA Outreach Visit, and solicits donations from both India and abroad, offering tax exemption under Section 80G for sponsorships of children's education. Its public communications include celebrations of Bharathi-Gandhi-Vivekananda Day, Krishna Jayanthi and Teachers' Day, and a documentary film commemorating its 38-year journey of service released in August 2026.

Sevalaya was founded in 1988 as a registered charitable trust and is headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. From its beginnings, it focused on serving rural and underprivileged communities, with all services provided entirely free of cost. The organisation states that its work is inspired by the poet Bharathi (education), Mahatma Gandhi (rural development) and Swami Vivekananda (homes and food for the needy), and that its activities are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Over the decades, Sevalaya expanded its operations across India. It reports a presence in more than 60 locations and says it has transformed Kasuva and its 45 surrounding villages from 100% child labour to 100% literacy, providing quality education free of charge to more than 4,240 rural children. Its service portfolio grew to include free education for underprivileged children, skill development programmes for youth and women, children's homes, elders' homes, gaushalas (cow shelters), organic farms, hospitals and medical centres, as well as healthcare, environmental, rural development and disaster relief and rehabilitation projects. In 2021, Sevalaya Nilgiris, a registered non-profit society, became part of the Sevalaya group. It runs a free hospital in Gudalur in the Nilgiris primarily serving the tribal community, conducts medical outreach camps in remote mountainous villages around Gudalur, operates a Community College for youth and women, and runs 16 After-School Study Centres for tribal children in the Western Ghats across Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, all free of cost. The group also established ShoppeSeva, a retail venture that markets products made by beneficiaries of Sevalaya's Community Colleges and by rural artisans, including clothes, bags, handicrafts, jewellery, snacks and baked goods. All profits of ShoppeSeva are donated to Sevalaya to support its charitable activities, described as a win-win-win for the customer, the producer and the rural underprivileged communities served by Sevalaya. By 2026, Sevalaya marked 38 years of service. A documentary film commemorating this journey was released on 25 August 2026 at Arkay Convention Centre, Mylapore. The organisation continues to hold public events such as Bharathi-Gandhi-Vivekananda Day celebrations, Krishna Jayanthi and Teachers' Day, and maintains donor outreach in the United States, including a Founders' USA Outreach Visit. It solicits donations from both India and abroad, offering tax exemption under Section 80G for sponsorships of children's education.

• 2026

  Documentary film commemorating Sevalaya's 38-year journey of service released on 25 August 2026 at Arkay Convention Centre, Mylapore.

• 2021

  Sevalaya Nilgiris, a registered non-profit society, becomes part of the Sevalaya group.

• 1988

  Sevalaya founded as a registered charitable trust, headquartered in Chennai.

A registered charitable trust providing entirely free education, healthcare, skill development and rural development services to underprivileged communities in India, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

• Free education for underprivileged children

  Quality education provided free of charge; Sevalaya reports transforming Kasuva and 45 surrounding villages from 100% child labour to 100% literacy, reaching 4,240+ rural children.

• Skill development programmes for youth and women

  Vocational and skill-building programmes offered free of cost.

• Children's homes and elders' homes

  Residential care facilities operated by Sevalaya.

• Gaushalas (cow shelters) and organic farms

  Animal care and agricultural operations run by Sevalaya.

• Hospitals and medical centres

  Free healthcare facilities, including a free hospital in Gudalur, Nilgiris, primarily serving the tribal community.

• Community College

  Operated by Sevalaya Nilgiris for youth and women.

• After-School Study Centres

  16 centres for tribal children in the Western Ghats across Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.

• ShoppeSeva retail products

  Clothes, bags, handicrafts, jewellery, snacks and baked goods made by beneficiaries and rural artisans; all profits donated to Sevalaya.

• 2020-03-29

  GiveIndia launches mission to support families affected by COVID-19[4]GiveIndia推出援助受新冠疫情影响家庭的行动thehindubusinessline.com

  Reported: 2020-03-29

  GiveIndia launched a mission in India to support families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including providing economic support and protection against the virus. Its #IndiaAgainstCoronaVirus initiative would provide hygiene kits to underprivileged families and support hospital frontline workers.

1. 1Sevalaya – Love All Serve Allsevalaya.org
2. 2Who We Are – Sevalayasevalaya.org
3. 3Sevalaya – Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4GiveIndia推出援助受新冠疫情影响家庭的行动thehindubusinessline.com