Gautam Thapar sets up Avantha Foundation

• A non-profit organisation with an initial focus on health and democratic governance programmes
• To work in partnership with a broad range of stakeholders like government, multilateral agencies and NGOs to implement action programmes

Mr. Gautam Thapar, Chairman & CEO of the US$ 4 bn Avantha Group has set up the Avantha Foundation, a non-profit organisation focused on development issues. The Avantha Foundation will initially concentrate in the area of health and democratic governance, and partner with multiple stakeholders to implement action programmes in these areas.

Mr. Gautam Thapar, Chairman and CEO, Avantha Group said, “Avantha Foundation adds a broader dimension to our CSR. We hope to make a long lasting difference on issues like health and democratic governance which are critical to the balanced development of India”

Ms. Yashashree Gurjar, CEO, Avantha Foundation, said, “Avantha Foundation, along with its partners, will work to implement programmes that will create long term impacts and lead to policy level changes in favour of vulnerable communities”.

The democratic governance programme will initially concentrate on the lowest tier of democratic governance, i.e. the gram panchayat. The foundation will recognise and reward good governance and innovation at the gram panchayat level across the country through the ‘Avantha Governance Award’. During this year the awards will be given in the three states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. Going forward the governance programme will work with democratically elected bodies to increase accountability transparency and community participation.

The health programme focuses on malnutrition and hunger issues in children below five years. The Avantha Foundation is partnering with Naandi Foundation in the HUNGaMA (HUNGer and MAlnutrition) initiative.  HUNGaMA strives to address the issue of malnutrition by highlighting high malnutrition zones across the country as well as success stories and calling on people across the spectrum to work together to ensure no child bears the burden of malnutrition.

About Avantha
The US$ 4 bn Avantha Group is one of India’s leading business conglomerates. Its successful entities include BILT, Crompton Greaves, The Global Green Company, Avantha Power & Infrastructure, Solaris ChemTech Industries, Biltech Building Elements, Salient Business Solutions, and Avantha Technologies. With an impressive global footprint, Avantha operates in over ten countries, employing 20,000 people worldwide. The Group has business interests in diverse areas including power transmission and distribution equipment and services, paper and pulp, energy and infrastructure, food processing, farm forestry, chemicals, IT and ITES. Led by Gautam Thapar, Avantha demonstrates strong leadership globally and emerges as a focused corporate, leveraging its knowledge, leadership and operations, adding lasting value for its stakeholders and investors.