Empowering the deprived since 1988 – Dr. Hedgewar Smruti Seva Samiti

Introduction to the Trust

Dr. Hedgewar Smruti Seva Samiti, Surat is a charitable trust established in 1988, inspired by the ideal of “service before self.” The Trust is dedicated to uplifting marginalized, oppressed, and neglected communities through grassroots initiatives in education, healthcare, and livelihood support. Over the past three decades, it has become a pillar of social development in Surat’s neediest area. The organization traces its ethos to the legacy of Dr. K.B. Hedgewar (founder of RSS), embracing selfless service for nation-building. Its mission focuses on empowering women and children – helping them access quality education, basic health services, and skills for self-reliance. By instilling values and providing opportunities, the Trust aims to transform lives and bring disadvantaged families into the mainstream of society.

Trustees & Leadership Team

The Trust is governed by a team of dedicated trustees and community leaders who provide vision and oversight. [Trustee Board:] A diverse group of senior professionals and social workers who have spent years in service of the community. They ensure transparency, strategic growth, and alignment with the Trust’s mission. [Executive Leadership:] The day-to-day operations are managed by a passionate team led by the Trust’s Secretary and Program Directors. Many have deep roots in Surat’s social sector, allowing them to connect with beneficiaries at a grassroots level. Together, the trustees and leadership embody the values of sewa (service), working pro bono to expand the Trust’s impact. (Each member of the leadership brings unique expertise – all united by a commitment to social upliftment.) Their guidance has been instrumental in scaling the Trust from a small beginning in 1988 to a city-wide movement today.

Core Areas of Work

1. Education – Pathdan Kendras & Bal Sanskar: Education is the cornerstone of the Trust’s work. Pathdan Kendras are free learning centers providing value-based, quality tutoring to children in slum communities. Trained teachers conduct daily two-hour classes, reinforcing school lessons in subjects like math, science and English, while also inculcating discipline and moral values. Each session begins with prayers and patriotic songs and ends with games or yoga, fostering all-round development. These Pathdan centers – literally “teaching donation” centers – create a supportive study atmosphere that many underprivileged children lack at home. As a result, students show improved academic performance and regularity in schooling. The Trust also runs Bal Sanskar Kendras (child development classes) to nurture cultural values in younger children. Through stories, songs, and play, children not only learn literacy and numeracy but also imbibe sanskar (ethics and character). By blending education with character-building, these programs aim to break the cycle of illiteracy and lift up the next generation.

2. Health – Medical Camps & Preventive Care: Ensuring basic healthcare access in urban slums is another priority. The Trust organizes free medical camps, eye check-up drives, blood donation camps, and health-awareness workshops. For example, a Free Eye Clinic Camp held on 13 April 2025 provided vision screening to 165 beneficiaries and distributed 55 prescription glasses at no cost. Earlier, on 31 Dec 2024, a special cataract surgery camp enabled 22 underprivileged patients to get free cataract operations. Such initiatives bring much-needed services directly to the community, many of whom cannot afford treatments or even basic screenings. The Trust partners with volunteer doctors and hospitals for these camps. In addition, health education – covering nutrition, hygiene, maternal and child health – is imparted through community sessions. During the COVID-19 crisis, the Trust mobilized relief and healthcare guidance, living up to its motto “Seva hi sankalp” (Service is our resolve). By improving health outcomes and awareness, the Trust is creating a healthier foundation for these communities.

3. Self-Reliance & Women’s Empowerment – Kishori Kendras & Livelihood: Empowering women and adolescent girls to be self-reliant is a signature focus area. The Trust runs Kishori Vikas Kendras – adolescent girls’ development centers – that offer life-skills training, education on health and nutrition, and vocational skills to teen girls. At these Kendras, girls from urban slums receive mentorship in everything from continuing their schooling to building confidence and learning practical skills for future employment. Sessions cover topics like leadership, personal hygiene, digital literacy, local arts, and financial literacy, aiming to make them “financially self-sufficient” and informed decision-makers. A shining example of the self-reliance focus is the “Pink Plumbing” program: an innovative initiative in which five young women were trained in basic plumbing skills, a field traditionally off-limits to them. Upon completion, they earned government-recognized certificates – proving that given the opportunity, women can thrive in any profession. Similarly, the Trust facilitates tailoring classes, computer training, and self-help groups for women, enabling them to start micro-businesses or gain employment. By turning beneficiaries into earners and leaders, these programs sow the seeds of long-term social change. Each success story – a girl resuming her education or a mother starting a small enterprise – ripples out, inspiring many others in the community.

(Through its integrated efforts in education, health, and self-reliance, Dr. Hedgewar Smruti Seva Samiti strives to uplift entire families and neighborhoods. The approach is holistic – educating the mind, caring for the body, and enabling livelihoods – ensuring sustainable transformation.)

Geographical Footprint

Surat City & Urban Slums: The Trust’s work is concentrated in Surat, especially the sprawling urban slum clusters and economically weaker sections across the city. Surat is a prospering city, but it also has pockets of extreme deprivation – in fact, Surat has the largest slum-dwelling population in Gujarat. Migrant influx for jobs means many families live in congested bastis with limited access to basic services. Dr. Hedgewar Smruti Seva Samiti has established its presence in over 130 slum neighborhoods of Surat, from the dense lanes of Limbayat and Ved Road to the fringes of Pandesara and Udhna. By situating Pathdan and Kishori Kendras within these communities, the Trust ensures accessibility – children can simply walk to a nearby center in their basti. Trust volunteers (many of whom are local to these areas) conduct door-to-door outreach, building rapport with residents and understanding their needs. Over the years, the Trust’s consistent grassroot work has earned it immense goodwill – it is seen as an organization that “makes a difference where it matters most,” truly embedded in the community.

Beyond Surat – Outreach to Tribal Areas: While urban slums are the primary focus, the Trust has also extended its services to tribal and rural pockets in the region. Notably, in Dang district (a predominantly tribal area of South Gujarat), the Trust helped establish the “Maa Sabari Bhavan” community center in Subir. In July 2024, it inaugurated a facility offering a free library and career guidance center for tribal students. This center provides books and a quiet study space for youth preparing for competitive exams – a vital resource in an underserved area. The initiative, in partnership with local Sewa Bharati units, aims to empower tribal youngsters to succeed in Class 1–2 government job exams. Similarly, the Trust has conducted health camps and women’s workshops in nearby villages on occasion. These forays beyond Surat stem from the Trust’s philosophy that service knows no boundaries. Whenever resources and partnerships allow, the Trust is ready to replicate its urban slum intervention model in other needy areas, urban or rural. However, Surat city remains the core, where the magnitude of urban poverty – an estimated 4.67 lakh people (over 10% of the city) live in slums– necessitates focused attention.

Why Urban Slum Interventions Matter

Children in an urban slum community in India, where overcrowding and lack of services pose huge challenges. Interventions in such areas can transform the futures of young girls and boys.

Surat’s glittering economic growth belies the struggles of thousands of slum residents living without stable jobs or education. Urban slum interventions are crucial because they directly tackle the inequity and hardships faced by this invisible population. Consider these facts: Across India, an estimated 65 million people lived in slums by 2019, with 1.6 million in Gujarat alone. Surat city itself tops the state in slum population. These communities lack basic facilities – over 40% of households are deprived of proper nutrition in Gujarat. In such an environment, children, especially girls, suffer immensely. Many slum children are first-generation learners with little academic support at home; it’s not uncommon that over one-third of slum girls drop out of school by adolescence (due to early marriage, work, or safety concerns). Women lag far behind men in education[17] – a gap that perpetuates gender inequality. Health indicators are just as worrying: diseases like anemia, malnutrition, and tuberculosis disproportionately affect slum families who have limited access to healthcare.

Intervening in urban slums is not just an act of charity, but a strategic investment in social stability and growth. Educating a girl in the slums, for instance, has a ripple effect – it delays her marriage, improves her future income, and ensures her children are healthier and schooled. Likewise, providing basic health camps can prevent minor issues from becoming life-threatening due to neglect. Urban slums also often breed social problems (crime, substance abuse) stemming from despair and lack of opportunities; community engagement programs like the Trust’s Kishori Vikas Kendras help keep vulnerable kids on the right path. As India strives toward Sustainable Development Goals, bridging the urban inequality gap is paramount. Cities like Surat cannot be truly “smart” unless their poorest also have a stake in progress. By focusing on slums, we address the moral imperative of inclusion – ensuring that economic growth in our city is accompanied by upliftment of its most disadvantaged citizens. Simply put, interventions in urban slums matter because they save lives, ignite hope, and build a foundation for long-term societal change from the ground up.

(“When distressed communities come to the city with their families, it is the infants, adolescents, and women who suffer the most,” as one observer noted. Our work is devoted to alleviating that suffering and replacing it with opportunity.)

Run for Girl Child Campaign – 2025 Marathon

Vision: “Run to empower, run to educate” – The Run for Girl Child Marathon is a high-profile annual event that serves as both an awareness campaign and a fundraiser to expand the Trust’s girl child programs. The vision behind the run is to rally the wider public in support of girls’ welfare, education, and rights. By participating in the run, citizens symbolically champion the cause of the girl child. As stated in our campaign message, the goal is to “raise awareness for the welfare and education of girl children and to highlight their rights and empowerment in society”. The marathon embodies the belief that every step counts for her – each kilometer run is a step towards a future where every girl can learn, thrive, and become self-reliant.

Format & Scale: The Run for Girl Child Marathon 2025 is a city-wide celebration of fitness and social solidarity. Scheduled for Sunday, 4th January 2026 at Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (VNSGU) grounds in Surat, the event features multiple race categories to encourage maximum participation. Runners can choose their challenge: 21 km Half-Marathon, 10 km Timed Run, 5 km Fun Run, 2 km Family Walk/Run, or even a Virtual Run option for supporters running in other locations. This inclusive format means everyone from serious athletes to families with children can join in the cause. Over 8,000 runners are expected to hit the streets for this maiden Surat edition of Run for Girl Child – an unprecedented scale for a charity run in the city. (For context, similar runs in Hyderabad have drawn about 8,000 participants annually in support of a girl empowerment initiative.) The 4th January run will kick off at 6:00 AM with flag-offs by dignitaries for each category, and a sea of people in the event’s bright themed T-shirts will fill the route.

Energy & Experience: Participants will enjoy a professionally managed race with timing systems, route support, entertainment on the course, and an expo event a day prior (on 3rd Jan 2025) where they collect bibs and engage with the cause. From corporate teams and school groups to individual running enthusiasts, the community is coming together like never before.

Campaign Impact: Run for Girl Child is not just a one-day event – it’s the catalyst for a larger movement. In the lead-up to the marathon, we ran extensive social media campaigns, promotional runs, and even an “Empower Summit” seminar (on girls’ education and safety) to spark conversations in the city. The very sight of thousands running for the cause sends a powerful message across Surat: that empowering our daughters is a public priority. Moreover, the funds raised through registrations, sponsorships, and donations go directly into expanding on-ground programs for girls. Every runner’s registration fee is essentially sponsoring months of education for an underprivileged girl. Numerous local businesses, clubs, and institutions joined hands, either through corporate social responsibility (CSR) contributions or by fielding running teams. The event garnered wide press coverage, further amplifying the message of girl child empowerment beyond those who participated. By all measures, Run for Girl Child 2026 is poised to leave a lasting legacy in Surat’s social sector, linking health-conscious civic participation with a transformative social cause.

Impact: From Marathon to Movement

One of the most gratifying outcomes of the Run for Girl Child initiative has been the rapid expansion of the Trust’s programs for girls, fueled by the awareness and resources generated. In the span of just a few months after the inaugural announcement of the run, the scale of our Kishori Kendras skyrocketed – growing “from 17 to 135 centers in just 6 months!”. This phenomenal growth was made possible by the surge of donations and volunteer inquiries that the campaign brought in. Enthused by the community support, the Trust trained and deployed new teachers (“didis”) to start Kishori Vikas Kendras in many more slum localities that were on our waiting list. Today (mid-2025), we proudly run 135 Kishori Vikas Kendras across Surat, reaching 1,798 adolescent girls with life-changing education and empowerment. Likewise, our education outreach for younger children has scaled up: we now operate 88 Pathdan Kendras benefitting 1,797 children with free tutoring and sanskar inculcation every day. These numbers reflect a huge jump from the previous year and signify real lives impacted – nearly 1,800 girls who are safer, more confident, and on track to complete their schooling, and an equal number of kids who are keeping up in school instead of falling behind.

The marathon has essentially enabled the Trust to accelerate a whole decade’s worth of expansion in one year. Every rupee raised has been directed to tangible outcomes – hiring of teachers, purchase of learning materials, renting small room spaces in slum communities for new centers, health check-ups for the children, and so on.

Community Engagement: Another impact has been the strengthening of community engagement. Many runners and donors have since visited our project sites as volunteers or mentors. For instance, groups of college student runners began a weekend story-telling circle at one of our Bal Sanskar Kendras; a corporate partner that sponsored 100 employees in the run is now funding sanitary napkin distribution and health workshops for Kishori girls. The run created a network of supporters that continues to sustain and grow our mission beyond the event itself. We have effectively turned spectators into stakeholders.

Perhaps most importantly, the Run for Girl Child has instilled a sense of pride and confidence in the girls and families we serve. They saw thousands of people literally running for them. This acknowledgment from society at large – that “You matter, your dreams matter” – is life-changing. Parents who were earlier hesitant to send their daughters to our centers are now our champions, because the cause earned public respect. Requests for new Kishori Kendras have come from slum communities we haven’t even reached yet, purely by word of mouth. In that sense, the marathon’s impact is immeasurable – it has sown the seeds of a broader movement for girl child upliftment in Surat. Our Trust is deeply grateful to every runner, donor, and partner who made this possible. Together, we have shown that a city can indeed run towards social change, and we are just getting started.

Gratitude Letter – A Heartfelt Thank You

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Hope this finds you in the best of health and spirits. On behalf of Dr. Hedgewar Smruti Seva Samiti, please accept our deepest gratitude for your invaluable support to our mission. We are humbled by the generosity shown during the Run for Girl Child Marathon and beyond.

“Your unwavering support has been the backbone of our mission. Because of your faith in us, a young girl in the slums of Surat now sits in a classroom instead of cleaning someone’s house, and a mother proudly earns an income using skills you helped fund. Every step you took with us, every rupee you donated, has helped unlock the potential of these girls. You have given them the gift of hope and the wings of education. For this, we can never thank you enough.”

These words echo the emotions in our hearts. You have not just been donors or participants – you have become partners in our journey of social change. We promise to honor your support by working tirelessly to expand the reach and quality of our programs. Challenges remain, but with well-wishers like you by our side, we are confident of creating an even bigger impact in the coming years.

From all the trustees, volunteers, and especially the children and girls whose lives you’ve touched – thank you. We extend our heartfelt gratitude and look forward to your continued involvement in our shared mission of empowering every girl child. Together, let’s keep running that extra mile for those who need it most.

Sincerely,

Dr. Hedgewar Smruti Seva Samiti, Surat

Contact Details & Donor Information

Dr. Hedgewar Smruti Seva Samiti, Surat

Shri Guruji Smruti Bhavan, 18, Madhav Nagar Society, Rander Road, Surat – 395009, Gujarat, India

Email: info@drhedgevarsmrutisevasamiti.org | Phone: +91 261-2786255

Website: www.drhedgewarsmrutisevasamiti.org, www.runforgirlchild.org

CSR Registration No.: CSR0000XXXX (Ministry of Corporate Affairs registered NGO)

Bank Details for Donations: Dr. Hedgewar Smruti Seva Samiti, Surat – A/C No. XXXXXXXX, [Bank Name], [Branch], IFSC CODE: XXXX000<small><em>(Please contact us for 80G tax exemption receipts and any further information.)

Join Us: We welcome you to visit our centers, volunteer your time or expertise, and witness the change firsthand. Follow us on social media @dhsseva for updates on our activities. Together, let’s continue to ensure “Strong Girl, Strong World” – an empowered girl child for a better tomorrow.

“सुकून देकर सुकून पाने” – “In giving solace, we find solace ourselves.” Thank you for being a part of this journey of giving.