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{{Short description|Indian grassroot NGO}}
{{COI|date=May 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox organisation
|name = Seva Mandir
|logo=SM LOGO MAIN WB.png|logo_size=175px
|abbreviation =
|formation = 1968
|extinction =
|type = [[Not for profit]]
|status =
|purpose = Sustainable Development - Natural Resource Development, Livelihood Enhancement, Women Empowerment, Primary Education, Early Childcare and Nutrition, Youth Development, Village Institutions, Peri-Urban Governance

|headquarters = India
|location = Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
|region_served = Udaipur, Rajsamand, and Sirohi Districts, Rajasthan
|membership =
|language =
|leader_title = Chief Executive
|leader_name =
|main_organ =
|affiliations =
|num_staff = 400+
|num_volunteers =
|budget =
|website = [https://www.sevamandir.org Seva Mandir]
|remarks =
}}

'''Seva Mandir''' is an Indian grassroot [[NGO]] based in [[Udaipur]], in [[Rajasthan]] state, founded by [[Mohan Sinha Mehta|Dr. Mohan Sinha Mehta]] in 1968. Seva Mandir works mainly in natural resource development and sustainability,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nposonline.net/seva_mandir.shtml |title=:: Online Resource Centre :: Seva Mandir- Managing Natural Resource for Poverty Alleviation, Some Success Stories from Some Organisations |access-date=2009-08-10 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090405094938/http://www.nposonline.net/seva_mandir.shtml |archive-date=5 April 2009 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> village development, women empowerment,<ref>{{cite web |title=CSR : Colgate & Seva Mandir launch Women Empowerment Program and inaugurate an anicut in Alsigarh |url=https://indiacsr.in/colgate-seva-mandir-launch-women-empowerment-program-inaugurate-anicut-alsigarh/ |website=India CSR |access-date=31 January 2020|date=30 November 2018 }}</ref> education<ref>{{cite web |title=Pushing evidence-based policymaking for the poor |url=https://www.livemint.com/Opinion/nYjG4JP2ve6YpeXkMb3AHJ/Pushing-evidencebased-policymaking-for-the-poor.html |website=Live Mint |access-date=31 January 2020|date=16 October 2017 }}</ref> and health care, continuing education, and children's welfare.<ref>{{cite web |title=Seva Mandir |url=https://www.poverty-action.org/organization/seva-mandir |website=Poverty Action |publisher=Innovations for Poverty Action}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Marking 50 years of Seva Mandir's Existence and Creating a Vision - Aapno Melo |url=https://www.businesswireindia.com/marking-50-years-of-seva-mandirs-existence-and-creating-a-vision-aapno-melo-55759.html |website=Business Wire India |publisher=Business Wire India}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Seva Mandir |url=https://www.povertyactionlab.org/partners/seva-mandir |website=Poverty Action Lab |publisher=Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lan}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Mehra |first1=Mrinalini Patwardhan |title=The Republic of My Dreams: The Seva Mandir Story: 1968 - 2018 |publisher=Harper Collins |edition=First |url=https://harpercollins.co.in/book/the-republic-of-my-dreams/}}</ref>

[[File:Seva_Mandir_non-formal_education_center.jpg|thumb|right|Seva Mandir Non-Formal Education Centre.<ref>Photo courtesy of [[GiveWell]].</ref>]]

== History ==
Dr. Mohan Sinha Mehta (a distinguished Indian ambassador and civil servant) founded Seva Mandir in 1968. Initially, the focus of the organisation was to provide Adult Education, ensuring that they had the tools and knowledge to become leaders of their own development.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sevamandir.org/Aboutus.aspx?page=History&aid=1|title=History {{!}} Seva Mandir|website=sevamandir.org|access-date=2020-03-17}}</ref>

Between 1973 and 1976, an extreme drought in Udaipur district led Seva Mandir to expand its focus to encompass relief and agriculture extension services.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Desai|first1=Raj|last2=Olofsgård|first2=Anders|title=Local Governance and Community Empowerment|journal=Georgetown University}}</ref> Eventually, the organisation moved to work on empowerment and primary education as well.

== Current activities ==
=== Development of Natural Resources ===
Seva Mandir develops [[Rainwater harvesting|water harvesting systems]] to increase the availability of water for [[agriculture]] and clean drinking water for communities.<ref>{{cite web |title=Seva Mandir partners with L&T for Community Development |url=https://udaipurtimes.com/causes/seva-mandir-partners-with-lt-for-community-development/c74416-w2859-cid102385-s10712.htm |website=Udaipur Times}}</ref> Furthermore, the organisation works on regenerating [[common land]]. The majority of the rural and tribal communities depend on the common land for their survival.<ref>{{cite web |title=Common Land & Poor Livestock Keepers Experiences from Common Land Development in the States of Rajasthan & Madhya Pradesh in India |url=http://fes.org.in/studies/10.pdf |website=www.fes.org |publisher=FES}}</ref> More than 120 million trees have been planted in an effort to [[climate change mitigation|combat climate change]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Conservation of Common Lands |url=https://sevamandir.org/WhatwedoSubPage.aspx?wwdID=8&wdId=31 |website=Seva Mandir |publisher=Seva Mandir}}</ref>

=== Women's Empowerment ===
Seva Mandir run [[Self-help group (finance)|Self-Help Groups]],<ref>{{cite book |title=Democratic Transformation and the Vernacular Public Arena in India |date=11 July 2014 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-73867-5 |page=68 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5O0ABAAAQBAJ&q=Democratic+Transformation+and+the+Vernacular+Public+Arena+in+India}}</ref> Women's Resource Centres and a shelter home for women who have faced physical and/or mental abuse.<ref>{{cite web |title=A Short Stay Home |url=https://2hundredrupees.wordpress.com/2015/03/01/a-short-stay-home/ |website=2hundredrupees}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Want to Support Women? Here's How You Can Do It Over a Weekend in Udaipur! |url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/113972/support-women-enterprises-udaipur/ |website=The Better India |access-date=31 January 2020|date=September 2017 }}</ref>

=== Primary Education ===
Seva Mandir runs over 140 Shiksha Kendra ([[Nonformal learning|bridge schools]]) in remote rural areas. Shiksha Kendras use an activity-based learning method to teach previously out-of-school children aged between 6–14 years old. A Residential Learning Camp is also run for the same age range.<ref>{{cite web |title=Abhijit Banerjee: Focus on weakest pupil |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/abhijit-banerjee-focus-on-weakest-pupil/cid/1711817 |website=The Telegraph |publisher=The Telegraph India}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Pre-School, Play, A Plate of Food: Transforming Tribal Kids In 60 Days |url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/4797/pre-school-play-a-plate-of-food-transforming-tribal-kids-in-60-days/ |website=The Better India |publisher=The Better India}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Corporate Social Responsibility |url=https://www.indiashelter.in/csr.php |website=India Shelter |publisher=India Shelter}}</ref>

=== Youth ===
Youth Resource Centres are run to connect often left-behind adolescent boys and girls with vocational, life and social skills trainings. A football initiative is used to link the young people in rural and tribal communities with the resource centres.<ref>{{cite web |title=Zinc Football Youth Tournament kicks-off in grand style, DAV HZL Zawar Mines (Boys) and Lucky Football Club (Girls) emerge Champions of Udaipur Zone |url=https://udaipurkiran.com/zinc-football-youth-tournament-kicks-off-in-grand-style-dav-hzl-zawar-mines-boys-and-lucky-football-club-girls-emerge-champions-of-udaipur-zone/ |website=Udaipur Kiran |publisher=Udaipur Kiran}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Football youth tournament begins in Udaipur, teams from 33 districts will participate |url=https://zeenews.india.com/hindi/india/rajasthan/football-youth-tournament-begins-in-udaipur/625943 |website=Zee News |publisher=Zee News Hindi}}</ref>

=== Peri-urban ===
Seva Mandir works in 2 [[Peri-urbanisation|peri-urban]] areas; [[Delwara]] and Kelwara, the latter or which is near [[Kumbhalgarh|Kumbhalgarh fort]]. The organisation works on issues of governance, water availability, waste management, and heritage restoration.<ref>{{cite web |title=InterGlobe Foundation initiates Heritage Restoration and Waste Management In Rajasthan |url=https://www.apnnews.com/interglobe-foundation-initiates-heritage-restoration-and-waste-management-in-rajasthan/ |website=APN News |publisher=APN News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=InterGlobe Foundation restoring a 19th century water structure |url=https://thecsrjournal.in/interglobe-foundation-restoring-a-19th-century-water-structure/ |website=The CSR Journal |publisher=The CSR Journal}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=How corporates, civil society can play key roles in preserving heritage |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/travel-tourism/how-corporates-civil-society-can-play-key-roles-in-preserving-heritage/1773340/ |website=Financial Express |publisher=Financial Express}}</ref> A community and heritage walk is also run in Delwara for tourists.<ref>{{cite web |title=Delwara: A heritage walk by Seva Mandir in Rajasthan |url=https://www.backpackadventures.org/seva-mandir-delwara/ |website=Backpack Adventures |publisher=Backpack Adventures}}</ref>

=== Community Institutions ===
Seva Mandir creates and facilitates Community Institutions in rural and tribal communities. It is mandated that these institutions are democratically elected and have an equal representation of men, women, and children. Their aim is to take responsibility for their own development and sustain projects after Seva Mandir steps back.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Sahoo|first1=Sarbeswar|title=Review: Civil Society and Democratization in India: Institutions, Ideologies and Interests|journal=Asian Journal of Social Science|volume=42|issue=6|date=2014|jstor=43495842}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Seva Mandir {{!}} Enabling People to Participate|author=Shreya Ray|date=21 Oct 2011|url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/JVBmoP4rEyPoGIo05hg8RL/Seva-Mandir--Enabling-people-to-participate.html |website=Live Mint}}</ref>

== Notable associations ==
{{Commons category|Seva Mandir|Seva Mandir Gallery}}
Seva Mandir's research association with Nobel Prize winners [[Abhijit Banerjee]], [[Esther Duflo]] and [[Michael Kremer]] began in 1996 and set out to improve the health and educational status of remote rural and tribal communities of Udaipur and Rajsamand districts.<ref>{{cite news|author=Pradeep Kumar|date=28 October 2019|title=अभिजीत बनर्जी - एस्थर डूफ़ेलो को नोबेल दिलाने का उदयपुर कनेक्शन- ग्राउंड रिपोर्ट|language=hi|trans-title=Abhijeet Banerjee - Udaipur Connection to get Esther Duffalo Nobel - Ground Report |url=https://www.bbc.com/hindi/india-50200862?fbclid=IwAR3-kSG5nsj8VQeuXwlRdnEr4xNV3PqNHPQt8qKj2biurHZU6mbt04Hqjh4|access-date=28 October 2019|work=BBC News Hindi}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=How Banerjee and Duflo's partners in India view their experiments|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/how-banerjee-and-duflos-partners-in-india-view-their-experiments/articleshow/71703597.cms|access-date=22 October 2019|work=The Times of India}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Esther Duflo: It pays to care about the poor|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/meet/esther-duflo-it-pays-to-care-about-the-poor/article29843571.ece|access-date=1 November 2019|work=The Hindu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Mindspark In Rajasthan: Personalized Adaptive Learning Tools To Improve Learning Outcomes|url=http://www.businessworld.in/article/Mindspark-In-Rajasthan-Personalized-Adaptive-Learning-Tools-To-Improve-Learning-Outcomes/01-11-2019-178372/|website=Business World}}</ref> The research studies contributed to the global discourse on the alleviation of poverty. Banerjee and Duflo discussed the results of their research with Seva Mandir and other organisations globally in their book [[Poor Economics|Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Indian non-profit}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Organisations based in Udaipur]]
[[Category:Early childhood education in India]]
[[Category:Development organizations]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1968]]
[[Category:1968 establishments in Rajasthan]]

Seva Mandir - Revision history

JosefinaK97: Added new pg