Lack of adequate care for senior citizens is a real issue in India cuttings across economic and social strata. There is a very high need to systematically help the elderly enjoy a quality, independent life in Indian cities while continuing to live in their homes and surroundings that they cherish.
India has more senior citizens than the population of Australia, and nearly 15,000 senior citizens are joining the population every day. Yet, there is very little organized effort and attention towards meeting their needs and expectations.
Samarth (meaning “capable” in Hindi) is a National initiative launched by a group of professionals with the singular mission of bringing peace of mind and happiness to senior citizens in India.
Samarth Community is India’s leading not-for-profit organisation of senior citizens, with over twenty thousand members across more than sixty cities. It helps them
- Interact and engage with each other,
- Receive information and expert advice on topics of health, wellness, home care, money-matters etc.,
- Organize tour and vacations for senior citizens. These are designed keeping in mind their comfort, interests and time.
- Find post-retirement jobs and voluntary opportunities,
- Receive training and awareness on relevant areas like computers, internet and digital transactions, personal finance and health,
- Participate in events and engagement opportunities for elderly.
- A quarterly Magazine, for senior citizens
- Discounts on medical facilities like regular medicines at home (much higher than what local chemists provide), hospitals, labs etc.
Samarth also offers professionally managed services for elderly which bring family-quality care to them at home through a network of Samarth’s own care-managers and selected service partners in Delhi NCR.
Samarth was co-founded by Asheesh Gupta, a former Management consultant with McKinsey & Company who served world’s leading organisations in nearly 20 countries, co-founded 9.9 Media, was Pro Vice Chancellor of OP Jindal University and is a graduate of IIT Kanpur & IIM Calcutta; Anuradha Das Mathur, an economist from University of Cambridge UK, former head of Businessworld magazine, co-founder of 9.9 Media, founding Dean of Vedica Scholars’ Program and a Yale world Fellow; Gaurav Agarwal, former banker at Citi and Stanchart for nearly 20 years and a graduate of MIT Manipal and FMS Delhi.
The Founders are joined by an illustrious Advisory Board which includes Mrs. Asha Das, Retd. Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development; Mr. Probir Sen, Vice Chairman, Helpage India and Ex-Chairman, Air India; Mr. Maxwell Parreira, Retd Jt. Commissioner of Police, Delhi; Mr. Rajendra Prasad, Former President and CFO, SRF Ltd.; Mr. Anupam Bhasin, Educationist and Consultant, Former Director, Hero Group; Mr. Vivek Atrey, Ex. Deputy Commissioner, Panchkula District; Mr. R.M. Agarwal, Retd. General Manager, Indian Railways; Mr. Manu Raman, Former COO of Mu Sigma and Co-founder of Goodhands, an eldercare pioneer in Bangalore and Mr. Sriram Narasimhan, former senior executive at the TVS Group and Founding Trustee of the Samriddhi Foundation in Chennai
The team’s approach in serving elderly is captured in its mission “to act like the son/daughter you wish you had at home”.
