In June, long-standing friends of Seva Mandir, Chris and Gilly Wiscarson, spent a fortnight in Udaipur, Rajasthan. In this intimate account, they share their impressions and reflections from the visit. Read More
The threat to our natural environment and resources is at the forefront of current global conversation, with the devastating effects of climate change being felt worldwide. In the past week in Udaipur, Rajasthan, officials convened for the first Sherpa meeting of India’s G20 presidency. Among other pressing issues, key officials met to discuss the topic of green development. On the ground, the situation is becoming extremely critical, with impacts felt across all development sectors.
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Covid-19 Update Faced with lower-than-average vaccination rates in Udaipur district (63.9% compared with 78.3% across Rajasthan as a whole for those aged 45+) and desperately low rates in the poorest tribal areas (as low as 6% in the poorest, most remote area in which the NGO works), Seva Mandir launched …Read More
On Tuesday 16 November, we hosted an evening reception for the publication of the new book by Abir Mukherjee, the bestselling and multiple award-winning crime author. Around seventy friends and supporters of Seva Mandir attended. Tony Bourne, Chair of Friends of Seva Mandir, updated guests on how well Seva Mandir …Read More
The second wave of Covid-19 drastically affected the lives of every individual in India, with rural and tribal parts of southern Rajasthan severely hit. Unlike last year, the rural area experienced a huge surge in positive cases in remote villages, with a much higher death toll. The biggest challenge in …Read More
Seva Mandir and the Friends of Seva Mandir mourn the passing of Shirley Williams (Baroness Williams of Crosby, 1930-2021), who was a friend and supporter of both organisations for many decades. She was for a while a Trustee of the UK Friends and in recent years a Vice-Patron. Ajay Mehta, …Read More
The second wave of Covid-19 has the whole of India in its grip. The state of Rajasthan is under strict lockdown. Udaipur and parts of southern Rajasthan are severely impacted. Unlike last year, this time the rural region has been hit hard and large numbers of patients are reported from …Read More
Education systems all over the world have faced challenges during the pandemic in ensuring that children receive some educational continuity while schools are closed. I wondered how teachers and children across the four main areas of Seva Mandir’s educational provision were faring during lockdown. As well as taking education …Read MoreRead More
An update on Seva Mandir’s work during the Covid-19 crisis Background The Covid-19 pandemic has put immense pressure on the people and communities with whom Seva Mandir works in southern Rajasthan. During the first months of the lockdown, which began at the end of March in India, access to essential …Read More
Covid-19 has spread widely across India and the wide-ranging consequences of the pandemic and the lockdown have started to emerge. Our working area of Udaipur and Rajsamand districts have seen a rise in the positive cases and are now amongst the most severely affected regions in Rajasthan. During this period, we …Read More