About us
Ordinary people. One purpose.
A public trust in Mumbai, working in the tribal talukas of Palghar since 2019.
What we do
Our projects
Together, these projects represent more than outcomes. They represent relationships, trust, and long-term change.
We Supply, We Connect
Bringing clean water closer to villages through sustainable water systems, reducing long, exhausting journeys and restoring dignity to daily life.
We Came, We Saw, We Built
Revitalising classrooms into safe, vibrant learning spaces so that children can learn with dignity.
We Teach, We Empower
Empowering underprivileged children with holistic education and essential life skills, because learning goes beyond textbooks.
Flagship initiative: a one-month residential vacation programme that brings some of the brightest 10th-standard students from five schools in Vikramgadh Taluka to Mumbai, nurturing academic excellence, exposure, confidence, and self-belief.
Founder’s note
This is not a record of achievements. It is a reflection of belief.
Jayesh Kirange believes that every individual deserves a fair chance at life, regardless of where they are born or the resources they inherit. He lives by the belief that there is God in every child he teaches and in every village he works in, a philosophy inspired by Swami Vivekananda that guides every decision of the foundation. What sets him apart is his insistence on action over conversation: showing up consistently and being present on the ground, whether teaching, mentoring, building, or simply listening.
What our name means
Nitya
Eternal. Everlasting. Constant. Something unchanging and ever-present.
Saarthi
Charioteer. Guide. Mentor. The one who leads the way, as Lord Krishna was for Arjuna in the Mahabharata.
Mission, vision, values
Mission
To uplift tribal, deprived and ignored communities through clean water, quality education, safe schools and access to healthcare.
Vision
A Maharashtra where every child, wherever they are born, has a fair chance to learn, grow and choose their future.
Values
Hands-on. Transparent. Respectful of tribal culture. Community-led: villagers are partners, not beneficiaries.
Where we work
Vikramgad, Wada, Jawhar and Mokhada talukas, Palghar district, about 100 to 140 kilometres from Mumbai. Holiday camps are residential. Every year the students come to Mumbai on an educational trip.
- Kundyachapada and Ghodichapada, Vikramgad — water
- Sutarpada, Jawhar — water
- Sakhare — Chhatrapati Vidyalaya, classrooms rebuilt
- Posheri, Wada — B. L. Shingda Madhyamik Vidyalaya
- Khaire Ambivali, Sonale and Abhitghar — partner schools
- Thirteen villages and padas in the health drive, including Waki, Malvada, Khand and Ondhe
A journey, mile by mile
The Nitya Saarthi Roadmap
Change begins by showing up.
The journey of Nitya Saarthi Foundation began on the ground. In 2018, we stepped into Chhatrapati Vidyalaya and witnessed classrooms in urgent need of care and safety. That year marked our first act of service, renewing and refurbishing the school, creating a safer, brighter space for children to learn and grow. Change begins by showing up.
2018
We Came. We Saw. We Built.
Our first act of service: Chhatrapati Vidyalaya renewed and made safe.
In 2019, education became a central focus. MBA students from Jamnalal Bajaj and MET volunteered to teach children from the villages, laying the foundation for structured learning. Later that year the programme evolved into a more systematic teaching model, with regular classes and consistent engagement. 2019 also marked the first-ever Mumbai Darshan trip.
2019
Education Takes Root
MBA volunteers start teaching, and the first Mumbai Darshan trip.
Access to water was a daily struggle for nearby villages. Children and adults walked long distances every day to fetch water from far-off wells. We implemented a water well and pipeline project, ensuring reliable water supply reached villages directly. It restored dignity, health, and opportunity, especially for children who could now focus on education instead of survival.
2020
We Supply. We Connect.
A water well and pipeline bring water directly to the villages.
The years 2020 and 2021 brought unprecedented challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic. But education did not stop. Nitya Saarthi Foundation ensured that learning continued despite restrictions, adapting methods, supporting students, and staying connected through every possible means. These years tested resilience and strengthened commitment.
2021
Learning Through Uncertainty
Learning continued through COVID-19.
In 2023, we took a significant leap forward. For the first time, Nitya Saarthi Foundation launched a fully integrated two-year full residential education programme, focused on preparing students for JEE, NEET and CET examinations. This marked a shift from support-based learning to long-term academic transformation.
2023
A New Chapter in Education
The first two-year full residential programme.
Building on the residential programme, 2024 focused on refining systems, structure, and academic processes to enhance outcomes. It also witnessed the largest Mumbai Darshan trip till date, giving students broader exposure, inspiration, and a deeper belief in what is possible.
2024
Strengthening Systems & Expanding Exposure
Stronger systems and the largest Mumbai Darshan trip till date.
In 2025, the foundation continued to strengthen its educational initiatives, with yet another large-scale Mumbai Darshan trip, reinforcing consistency and scale. By now, the journey was no longer about starting; it was about sustaining and growing with intention.
2025
Continuity, Scale, and Confidence
Another large-scale Mumbai Darshan trip.
Nitya Saarthi Foundation aims to establish a Skill Development Centre on approximately four acres of land, creating pathways for vocational training, employability, and long-term self-reliance, because education must lead to empowerment, and empowerment must lead to independence.
2026
Looking Ahead: Skill & Self-Reliance
A Skill Development Centre on about four acres of land.
Our people
The people behind the purpose
Bankers, engineers, chartered accountants and teachers who give their weekends, their summers and their hearts to tribal children.
Jayesh Kirange
Founder & Chairman
Engineer, CFA and FRM who teaches finance at top MBA colleges — and spends his summers teaching at camp in Vikramgad.
An engineer, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Financial Risk Manager (FRM), and a senior leader in the corporate world who works closely with some of the world’s leading banks and financial institutions, and teaches core finance at premier MBA colleges. Repeated visits to remote villages showed him children whose futures were shaped not by ability, but by access. It was here that the idea of Nitya Saarthi Foundation was born.
Uma Sheth
Co-founder
CA, CPA and CFA with 25+ years in asset management. She came home to give back.
A Chartered Accountant (CA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 25+ years in the asset management industry in India and the United States. Driven by a deep love for the nation and a desire to give back, Uma returned to India to contribute meaningfully to society. She believes every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and decide their own future.
Dr. Sandesh Kirkire
Mentor
Former CEO of Kotak Mahindra AMC and co-founder of Apasarjanam Foundation.
An engineer with an MMS from JBIMS and a PhD from Mumbai University, with over 25 years in financial services. He served as CEO of Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company for over nine years and is a director on many corporate boards. As Co-Founder of Apasarjanam Foundation, he closely mentors and guides Nitya Saarthi Foundation in implementing water and education projects.
Priya Garud
Mentor
Chartered Accountant building English-learning tools for tribal children.
A Chartered Accountant with nearly two decades of experience in global hedge fund administration, deeply invested in education-led social change. She advises Nitya Saarthi Foundation on education, mental well-being, women’s empowerment, rural upliftment and skill development, and builds tools to improve English learning for tribal children.
Parag Mehta
Mentor
Founder of Component Masters; champions education and community upliftment.
Owner and Founder of Component Masters, he brings an entrepreneurial outlook alongside a strong commitment to social responsibility. Actively engaged with Nitya Saarthi Foundation, he contributes to initiatives promoting education and community upliftment.
Shashwat Belapurkar
Mentor
Chief Representative Officer – India, ING; guides strategy and fundraising.
Chief Representative Officer – India at ING Nederland, and previously CEO of JM Financial Credit Solutions, with expertise in capital markets, structured finance and fixed-income securities. As part of Nitya Saarthi’s strategy team, he guides organisational growth, execution of social initiatives, and fundraising.
Rahul Bamb
Official Advisor
Founder of Parth Electronics; member of the Rotary Club.
Owner and Founder of Parth Electronics Corporation, he combines business leadership with a strong commitment to social responsibility. He is actively associated with Nitya Saarthi Foundation and is a member of the Rotary Club, supporting education and broader social causes.
Piyush Shah
Official Advisor
Co-founder of Aurochem; founder of the Nishit Education and Welfare Foundation.
Co-Founder of Aurochem Laboratories (I) Pvt. Ltd. and Aurochem Pharmaceuticals (I) Pvt. Ltd., with over four decades in pharmaceutical manufacturing. As Founder of the Nishit Education and Welfare Foundation, he supports education for underprivileged children, care for physically and mentally challenged individuals, and the Indian Armed Forces.
Anjali Kirkire
Official Advisor
Associate Professor at TSEC and co-founder of Apasarjanam Foundation.
Co-Founder of Apasarjanam Foundation and an Associate Professor at Thadomal Shahani Engineering College, Mumbai. Through Apasarjanam she supports Zila Parishad schools across interior Maharashtra, strengthening access to quality education, and mentors Nitya Saarthi Foundation in its educational initiatives.
Dharmesh Ratanghayra
Official Advisor
Chartered Accountant; SVP Finance at a health-tech start-up.
A Chartered Accountant who lived and worked in London for over a decade, serving as Finance Director at a US–UK tech company later acquired for USD 250 million by an NYSE-listed company. Now SVP Finance at a health-tech start-up, he brings insights into business, sustainability and innovation.
Kalpesh Patil
Chief Academic Officer
Leads teaching and academic planning for the residential programme.
Tanuja Jadhav
Chief Operating Officer
Runs the residential programme and the camps day to day.
Hanmant Biradar
Chief Mentor
Walks beside students from Class 10 to Class 12.
Come and see it for yourself
Visit a camp. Sit in a class. Share a meal.
Our doors are always open to donors, volunteers and friends. A few hours from Mumbai, in the hills of Vikramgad, you can meet the children your support reaches.
- Vikramgad, Palghar
- A few hours from Mumbai
- Summer & Diwali camps
- Donors always welcome
Registered, and accountable
| Registration | Number |
|---|---|
| Public Trust | E-34664(M), Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950 |
| PAN | AADTN4032C |
| 12A | AADTN4032C23MB01 |
| 80G | AADTN4032C23MB02 |
| CSR-1 | CSR00039141 |