In partnership with Indicorps, the Piramal Foundation has established a Grassroots Development Laboratory (GDL) in Bagar, Rajasthan. This initiative takes an experiment-driven approach by applying best practices in development and innovative ideas to a geographically focused area. The GDL aims to address broad development challenges by implementing nationally scalable projects in the local Bagar community. The Grassroots Development Lab focuses on implementation of top-quality, small-scale Click to Read More

Authored by: Dr. Swati Piramal The World Health Report 2006 - Working together for health reveals an estimated shortage of almost 4.3 million doctors, midwives, nurses and support workers worldwide - and India is no exception. Already we have a shortage of personnel to take care of the ever growing population; besides, there is hardly any infrastructure in rural areas, and to top it all, doctors due to lack of monetary compensation seem to neglect these areas altogether. It certainly is a Click to Read More

The health scenario in rural India is dismal and bleak. Fertility, mortality and morbidity rates still remain unacceptably high, compared to other developing countries in the region, despite sustained government efforts. The difference in life expectancy between urban and rural India is at 12 years. While the national doctor-patient ratio is 1:1700, in rural areas this is said to plummet to 1:25,000. Even at higher salaries, doctors are unwilling to serve rural areas because the quality of Click to Read More

Authored by: Mahesh Bhatt, Cinemateur Though modern science has progressed by leaps and bounds, the positive effects have not yet reached the poor and needy who reside in the remote corners of our country. Take, for example, mortality rates – especially infant mortality/premature deaths as pregnant women do not get proper medical treatment during delivery and most of them succumb to various complications. In the majority of cases, people are still guided by the local priest or Click to Read More