SRI - Self Reliant India

31/07/2026

Our film “Building The Pathway: How Self Reliant India is Transforming Rural Education” is out now!

Nine years ago, Self Reliant India was founded on a simple observation. Across rural India, countless bright children studying in government schools were unaware of the high-quality residential schools that could transform their futures. Even when they knew these opportunities existed, most lacked the preparation needed to clear the competitive entrance examinations.
At the heart of this journey is our Founder, Surender Yadav, whose own education in a rural government school shaped his belief that every child deserves access to the opportunities that can change the course of their life.

That belief continues to guide our work today.

Through our Fellowship, Dronacharya, and Saajhedari models, we work alongside government schools, teachers, communities, and state governments to prepare deserving students for these opportunity pathways while strengthening the public education system itself.

Today, this work reaches thousands of children across 12 states.

This film captures this journey, the challenges we set out to solve, the people who make it possible, and the shared vision that no child should be left behind simply because they were born into a different circumstance.
We invite you to watch the film and share it with your network.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/xURAynRQToQ?si=GNTSPiE3wr1kQjL3

Meet Surender Yadav, founder of Self Reliant India (SRI) and the mo...

27/07/2026

India has one of the world's largest networks of free residential schools. Yet, most people know very little about them.

Every year, thousands of talented children from rural and underserved communities compete for admission into government-funded residential schools that offer quality education, safe accommodation, nutritious meals, sports, libraries, and opportunities that can change the course of their lives.

These schools were built on a simple but powerful belief: talent exists everywhere, regardless of where a child is born.

And yet, for many deserving children, the biggest barrier isn't talent. It's awareness, preparation, and access.

Over the coming weeks, we'll explore:
* What government residential schools are
* Why they were created
* The different types of residential schools across India
* Why admission is highly competitive
* The challenges children face in accessing these opportunities
* And how Self Reliant India is working alongside government schools to help bridge that gap.

Breaking intergenerational poverty begins with expanding access to quality education. Residential schools are one of the most powerful pathways to make that possible.

20/07/2026

We're excited to share the first edition of our quarterly newsletter, "आत्मनिर्भरता की ओर", a look back at April to June 2026.

This quarter, thanks to everyone who walks this journey with us:
✔️ 12,000+ students onboarded across our programs for 2026-27 cohort
✔️ 124 new Nanhe Kalam Fellows onboarded, heading into 62 schools in Haryana
✔️ A landmark MoU with the Uttarakhand Government to scale Dronacharya from 3 to all 13 districts
✔️ A new pilot with NTPC launching 30 Fellowship Centres across 6 states
✔️ Recognized as Best NGO in Education at the CSR & Sustainability Connect Summit
✔️ Our team grew from 15 to 36 members

But behind every number is a child who dared to dream bigger, swipe through to read some of their stories.

You can read the newsletter here: https://bit.ly/SRI_Newsletter

None of this is possible without our fellows, teachers, partners, and supporters. Thank you for believing in this mission.

14/07/2026

Only 1 in every 41 students who appear for the JNVST gets selected.

That statistic alone sounds like a story about talent being rare. It isn't. It's a story about preparation being rare, and foundational learning being rarer still.

Here's why the odds are this bleak: in rural India, 76.6% of Class 3 students still cannot read a Class 2-level text. Nearly three-quarters of grade 3 students cannot solve a basic subtraction problem. (ASER 2024; World Bank, WDR 2018).

So when a child from an under-resourced village sits for an exam like the JNVST (Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalay Selection Test), they're often not just competing for one of 47,000 seats against 19 lakh other children, they're doing it without ever having had the foundational reading and math skills the exam quietly assumes they already have.

We don't wait for Class 6, the entrance year. We start in Class 4.

Two years before a child ever sits the JNVST, we're building the foundational literacy and numeracy that the exam depends on, reading fluency, number sense, reasoning, alongside content built specifically for these residential-school entrance exams. The same structured preparation a child in a well-resourced city already has access to.

The 1-in-41 statistic isn't going to change because we tell talented children to try harder. It changes when the two years before the exam are no longer left to chance but consistent and intentional preparation.

That's the work in these photos.

06/07/2026

We are excited to welcome new members to the Self Reliant India team!

✅Mahesh Kumar Sharma, Consultant:
With 37+ years in banking, Mahesh has spent his career advancing financial inclusion and rural development, working closely with SHGs, farmers, and artisans through Regional Rural Banks and NABARD-linked programs. At SRI, he brings decades of grassroots banking wisdom to community empowerment.

✅Mohd Rahul Khan, District Program Leader:
A Gandhi Fellow with Piramal Foundation, Rahul has spent two+ years strengthening government classrooms through Foundational Literacy and Numeracy programs. He's driven by one goal, building education systems that actually work for every child.

✅Alok Bhaker, District Program Leader:
A former state-level athlete turned education changemaker, Alok traded the playing field for classrooms and communities. From Self Reliant India internships to leading a Punjab youth fellowship, he's brought the same discipline and teamwork to social impact.

✅Nadir Hussain, District Program Leader:
Eight+ years across education, entrepreneurship, and grassroots campaigns, including leadership programs in nine government schools and large-scale entrepreneurship drives across UP. Nadir even worked grassroots politics alongside Prashant Kishor before bringing his strategic mind to SRI.

✅Badan Singh, Training Manager, MP:
An Electrical Engineer by degree, an educator by calling. With over a decade improving government schools across Rajasthan and MP, he's spent his career turning textbooks into hands-on learning kids actually enjoy.

✅Danish Raees, District Program Leader:
With almost 5 years bridging school systems and tribal communities, Danish designs SEL-integrated curriculum and builds educator capacity, all in service of one belief: every child, no matter how remote, deserves to thrive.

We hope you bring your experience and energy to the team, and together reach new heights ✨

30/06/2026

Our first film is out now on YouTube! Check out and show some love!

It depicts the problem we as an organisation are solving. Poverty persisting over generations is about dearth of access to guidance, exposure and real shot. This film follows someone who lived this gap and is now working to close it for others.

Link: https://youtu.be/IFEEsXUx6IE?si=xqYyU0nc6A6Zib37

"I have not only seen poverty, I have lived it."This film opens w...

23/06/2026

Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not.

Many children have access to school, but not a clear pathway to a secure future.

At SRI, we work with children, teachers, families, communities, and institutions to build mobility pathways that connect learning with opportunity and opportunity with economic self-reliance.

Because every child deserves a fair chance to build the future they dream of.

22/06/2026

Getting selected into Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya is a proud moment for every child and family.

But admission is only the beginning.

For many students, this transition brings excitement, hope, questions, and sometimes fear. A new school, hostel life, new friendships, and a new environment can feel overwhelming.

To support students as they begin this journey, SRI recently conducted an Orientation & Interaction Session for newly selected JNV students and their parents in Jhajjar.

Through conversations, activities, and shared reflections, students and families had the opportunity to express their aspirations, concerns, and expectations. More importantly, they were reminded that they do not have to navigate this journey alone.

At SRI, our work does not end with helping children access opportunities. We remain committed to supporting them as they move forward—from selection to confidence, from opportunity to growth, and ultimately towards self-reliance.

11/06/2026

We are excited to welcome new members to the Self Reliant India family. 🎉

Rituparna Konar , Communication Manager:
After eight years across education, livelihoods, entrepreneurship, and grassroots development, Rituparna has learned that some of the most important work happens far from the spotlight. At SRI, she's on a mission to ensure those stories travel further. If she's not amplifying voices from the ground, she's probably plotting her next trip or trying very hard not to get too competitive over a board game.

Simran Jajoria, Alumni Manager:
With a background in development and sustainable urbanism, Simran is passionate about building communities that last long after a programme ends. She believes meaningful change grows through connection, belonging, and shared purpose and she's excited to strengthen the SRI alumni network one relationship at a time.

N. Rainee Devi, Lead Teacher: Originally from Manipur and a Teach For India alumna, Rainee believes every child deserves a classroom where they feel seen, heard, and capable of thriving. Her teaching journey has already touched countless young lives, and she now brings that same warmth, creativity, and commitment to SRI. When she's not teaching, she's usually creating something beautiful with her hands.

karan, District Lead, Nainital:
Educator, Gandhi Fellow, traveller, and national-level Karate gold medalist, Karan brings both discipline and curiosity to everything he does. For him, education is a way of helping people discover their potential. Whether he's working with children, communities, or colleagues, he believes growth is always a team sport.

Each of them brings a unique story and we're so glad you're here. ✨

10/06/2026

Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for Self Reliant India.

We're proud to unveil our new logo, a symbol of the belief that guides everything we do: every child deserves a pathway to opportunity, dignity, and self-reliance.

The sun at the centre represents the potential that exists within every individual.

The rising figure symbolizes growth, confidence, and the power of human possibility.

The upward curve reminds us that meaningful change happens step by step, through persistence, support, and opportunity.

The flowing foundation reflects the journey from stability, to opportunity, to self-reliance—the pathway we work to create for children and families across India.

For the 16,000+ students, families, teachers, and communities we have had the privilege of working with across 7 states, this logo is more than a new identity. It is a renewed commitment to our mission: breaking intergenerational poverty by building pathways from education to economic independence.

Because we believe that where a child starts should never determine where they can go.

Here's to the next chapter. 💙