Project Mumbai

Project Mumbai's brand is not a colour, a logo, or a font, it is the citizens of Mumbai. Its language is kindness. Every act of generosity, every hour volunteered, every small gesture for the common good defines Project Mumbai, showing how the city shows up for itself every day. Founded by Shishir Joshi in 2018, Project Mumbai operates as a Public-Private-People Partnership model, seven years of ground work having taught the team that a city thrives when people come together, and that real change begins when citizens move from concern to collective action. The organisation's mission is to make Mumbai and the extended Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) a better place to live, work, and play, with every citizen volunteering to do their bit for the community, as Project Mumbai plays the role of a catalyst ensuring social transformation through initiatives of scale.

Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra

Major Areas of Work

• Environment: Driving citizen-led environmental action, sustainability initiatives, and waste management programmes across Mumbai.

• Mental Health: Delivering community-based mental health interventions, corporate wellness programmes, and accessible psychological support.

• Volunteering Initiatives: Mobilising Mumbai's citizens into organised volunteering efforts across civic, social, and environmental causes.

• Read Mumbai / Library Junction: Promoting literacy and access to reading resources within local communities.

• Mumbai Climate Week (MCW): India's first platform dedicated to accelerating citizen-led, cross-sector climate action.

Major Initiatives & Programmes

• Mumbai Climate Week (MCW): An initiative of Project Mumbai in partnership with the Government of Maharashtra, bringing together governments, businesses, academia, civil society, and citizens to drive transformative climate solutions for Mumbai, India, and the Global South; MCW 2027 runs 23-26 February 2027.

• The Smiling Schools Project: A flagship education-focused initiative supporting underprivileged schools and children.

• Plastic Recyclothon: A large-scale citizen-led plastic waste collection and recycling initiative, including the notable Vasind Plastic Recyclothon project.

• Samvaad: A programme engaging young minds in dialogue and civic participation.

• Maitri & Nayi Disha: Community welfare and social support initiatives.

• Agni Rakshak: A fire safety and civic preparedness initiative.

• Bas Kar Mumbaikar: An anti-littering citizen campaign promoting cleaner public spaces.

Impact

Project Mumbai has reached crores of people through its various initiatives, engaging thousands of volunteers across environment, mental health, education, and civic action programmes. The organisation won two Global Anthem Awards in January 2024 — a Global Gold for Inclusivity and a Global Silver for Sustainability — chosen from over 2,000 nominations across 30 countries by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Project Mumbai has partnered with major corporates and institutions including TCS, L&T, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Kotak, Citibank, JP Morgan, Oracle, Reliance Foundation, and Tata Trust, alongside government bodies like CIDCO, MMRDA, and the Government of Maharashtra.

Leadership

Chief Executive and Founder-Trustee – Shishir Joshi Co-Founder – Sanjay Panwalkar

Project Mumbai is an excellent fit for professionals passionate about civic engagement, volunteering, mental health advocacy, environmental sustainability, and public-private-people partnerships who want to help build a better, more participatory Mumbai.