Calcutta Foundation is among India's most prominent foundations

Calcutta Foundation is among India’s most prominent foundations. In 2020 alone, the foundation provided direct relief to over 100,000 people in rural Bengal. Today, the foundation is focused on transforming the lives of women in Bengal, but before we look at who they are today, let’s take another peek at our story.

Shamlu Dudeja

Founder and Chairperson

Mathematician, Philanthropist and Kantha revivalist, Shamlu Dudeja has dedicated her life to working for the welfare of others and bettering her community. At the time of its inception, Calcutta Foundation was the first of its kind, spearheaded by a lady with a fire to wipe injustice out of the world. Alongside Calcutta Foundation, Shamlu also stared SHE (Self-Help Enterprise), for her extensive efforts in the revival and revitalization of Kantha. Together, the two organizations have worked extensively to change the landscape of rural Bengal.

A legacy of compassion

In 2021, Shamlu’s granddaughters, Saumya Varma and Mahima Varma took over the day to day operations of the foundation, marching on in their legacy of philanthropy and compassion. Under their leadership, Calcutta Foundation established Apni Kutir, to create long-lasting, sustainable change for generations to come.

The Calcutta Foundation Ecosystem

Calcutta Foundation is fueled by the drive of the people who work tirelessly to realize its mission.

Apni Kutir Team

Apni Kutir
Team

Each center is run by a team employed from within the community, this includes Project coordinators, who run each centers, and teachers who are trained centrally and facilitate the programming.

Central Management Team

Our Central mangement Team works across all Kutirs to ensure the utmost of quality and standard is upheld in each community. It works on reporting, managing and impact assessments across the programs under the foundation.

On-ground Advisory
Board

Our programs are fuelled and constantly modified by the feedback of our on-ground advisory made up of leaders from the communities that we are hoping to impact. The goal is to create effective impact in the grassroot and this ensures that our work is relevent and serves the unique needs of the communites we engage in.