Diksha Foundation is an organisation dedicated to providing holistic education to children and youth and creating livelihood opportunities for women from socially and economically marginalised communities in India. Since 2010, the movement has been towards fostering a change from within, creating a "transformative learning space" where children can discover their own potential and place in the world.
Diksha Foundation believes education is not confined to mere literacy; it encompasses the social, creative, and moral development of every student, centred on the three Rs: Relationship, Responsibility, and Reverence for all life. It’s a journey of self-discovery, self-love, and self-esteem, fostering a change in habits and world views toward the community.
Meet the team
Diksha Foundation, on LinkedIn
Gautam Gauri, Executive Director
Mohita Katriar, Secretary
Arti Nair, Board Member
The organisation was established in 2010 by a group of school friends from Don Bosco Academy, Patna, who were inspired to improve the state of education in their home state of Bihar. They observed that while they were privileged, many children in Bihar, which at the time had the country's lowest literacy rate, lacked access to quality education. The Foundation was started with the goal of integrating education with the overall development of children for their holistic growth. The organisation works on the principle that every individual, regardless of their background, deserves to grow in an environment of Freedom, Joy, and Democracy.
Diksha's work is driven by three core program areas. The Holistic Education Program provides a comprehensive learning environment for children and youth, emphasising critical thinking and emotional intelligence over grades alone. The Women’s Empowerment Program focuses on creating sustainable livelihood opportunities, enabling mothers and young women to gain economic independence and become decision-makers in their homes and communities. This integrated approach ensures that the entire family ecosystem is uplifted.
Today, Diksha Foundation has impacted over 15,000 children and youth and successfully created sustainable livelihoods for numerous women in Bihar. This work has been recognised by key partners and stakeholders in the development sector, validating the belief that a child’s entire worldview can be changed when education is rooted in community and human values. Looking ahead, Diksha’s vision is to scale this model of holistic, community-embedded transformation across more regions, demonstrating that self-discovery through education is the most powerful tool for dismantling generational poverty and building a just, equitable society.
