Mayank Gandhi (right) and Ravi Jhunjhunwala. / Courtesy Photo

Social activist Mayank Gandhi, who is the founder of Indian NGO Global Vikas Trust (GVT), noted that India was a ‘sone ki chidiya (golden bird)’ until 1700 AD but it has now become irrelevant.

“We were a sone ki chidiya till the 1700 AD…with 33 percent of the global economy, 30 percent of the global trade. Today we are at 3.27 percent. We have become irrelevant. If India drowns tomorrow, some people will shrug their shoulders and say, oh, it was a great country. That's the kind of irrelevant we have become,” Gandhi said.

Gandhi was speaking at an event hosted by the Indian American International Chamber of Commerce (IAICC) titled “Introducing Global Vikas Trust (GVT)” on June.19 in Vienna, Virginia.

Under the leadership of Gandhi, the GVT has achieved remarkable progress in Maharashtra. Over the past five years, GVT has reduced farmer suicides from 1,100 annually to zero by significantly boosting farmers' incomes, IAICC said.

At the event, Gandhi stated that while India is increasingly advancing in the economy, this progress primarily occurs from the top down. “You need to do the bottoms up too. So if you were to take the worst area in the country and increase their incomes by 10 times, you are a sone ki chidiya again in the next few years,” he said.
 

Our recent fundraising meeting in Washington, DC, led by Ms. Sheila Murthy, one of America's top immigration lawyers, marks a pivotal step for Global Vikas Trust. Together, we foster growth and sustainability.
Be part of this change.
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— Mayank Gandhi (@mayankgandhi04) June 26, 2024

Speaking on the success of GVT in increasing income in villages, Gandhi highlighted several achievements. He said that the organization is planting 50 million trees, harvesting over four billion liters of water, and working in 4,200 villages. He explained that the initial goal was to increase farmers' incomes from an average of nearly $300 (Rs 25,000) to nearly $480 (Rs 40,000) per acre per year to $1,200 (Rs 100,000).

“In February, the Tata Institute of Social Science released a report which says that prior to our intervention, farmers were earning $463 (Rs 38,700) in which 63.9 percent were earning less than $300 (Rs 25,000) per year and 21.9 percent were earning between $300-$600 (Rs 25,000-50,000),” he said.
 

From consultant to lifesaver: Mayank Gandhi’s incredible transformation

Indian-American Sheela Murthy, founder of Murthy Law Firm, spoke about the significant contributions of Mayank Gandhi in India and his remarkable journey from a consultant to a lifesaver.

Just about 10 years ago, approximately 1,100 farmers in a particular region of India were committing suicide each year due to abject poverty. Mayank Gandhi, dedicating himself fully to the cause, studied the issue extensively and took significant action. He built check dams and improved the irrigation system for a 45-mile stretch of a major river, enabling many farmers to transform their lives completely. As a result of his efforts, the number of farmer suicides dropped from 1,100 annually to zero, Sheela Murthy said.

“They (GVT) completely changed the lives of these farmers, and everything they do is about making an impact, changing lives, helping the people,” she said.
Murthy is a renowned, respected immigration attorney and a philanthropist working in the US.
 

A farmer’s life is worth $250, says Ravi Jhunjhunwala

Ravi Jhunjhunwala, chairman and managing director of LNG Bhilwara Group and a key supporter of GVT, also spoke at the event hosted by IAICC. Jhunjhunwala shared his profound insights on why he chose to support GVT and emphasized the pivotal role of sustainable agriculture in transforming the Indian economy back to its ‘sone ki chidia’ era.

Jhunjhunwala shared an encounter from about a year ago when he met the CEO of the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation during an event organized by Ashoka University.

"In this country, the life of a farmer is worth about $250. For that $250, a farmer might commit suicide, and his entire family would be devastated,” he told the CEO during the event. Jhunjhunwala emphasized that at the scale they are working on with the GVT project, all it takes is $250 to make a significant difference in a farmer's life.

Manoj Singh, the director of the DC South Asian Arts Council, also spoke at the event. The council is dedicated to South Asian programming throughout the year, encompassing literary events, dance, music, and films, with a notable film festival every September.
Sharing a personal anecdote, Singh said he owns a farm in India’s Paparia, and he can personally relate to the challenges faced by farmers, which are being addressed by the Global Vikas Trust.