Akhil Bhartiya Gramin Uthan Samiti (ABGUS) is a grassroots development organisation that has spent nearly four decades working with vulnerable and marginalised communities across northern India. From improving access to healthcare and education to strengthening livelihoods and community leadership, the organisation has steadily built a reputation for people-centred, sustainable development.
As ABGUS marks 39 years of its journey, the milestone offers an opportunity to reflect on how a small community initiative founded in the mid-1980s has grown into a multi-state organisation driving impact across health, rural development, and youth empowerment.
In a conversation with IndiaVerve, Rajesh Verma, one of founders of ABGUS, looks back at the organisation’s origins, the challenges of sustaining grassroots work, and his vision for scaling community-led development in the coming decade.
A Beginning Shaped by Crisis and Compassion
The story of ABGUS traces back to the turbulent period following the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984. At the time, Verma and his friends were young residents of a government colony and nearby areas in Delhi’s Old Transport Nagar area. The anti-Sikh riots that followed created widespread fear and violence, forcing many families to seek refuge wherever they could find safety.
“Several Sikh families came to our colony to escape the mobs,” Rajesh Verma recalls. “A few of us young people decided that we would protect them and help them in whatever way possible. We organised ourselves, spoke to officials, and tried to ensure their safety.”
What began as spontaneous relief work soon became something deeper. During the process of helping displaced families, Rajesh Verma and his friends came into contact with administrators, social workers, and civil society organisations who were working on rehabilitation efforts.
“That experience made us realise how important organised community action can be,” he says. “The seed of ABGUS was planted there.”
In 1987, the group formally registered the organisation. In its early years, ABGUS functioned entirely through community contributions and voluntary support, focusing mainly on relief and local community service. But by the late 1980s, the founders realised that meaningful change required more structured programmes.
“We began to examine the resources available and think about how we could expand our work,” Verma explains.
The organisation received its first major project in 1988 from ICARE, focusing on community health and awareness. That partnership continued for nearly a decade and helped ABGUS strengthen its presence at the grassroots.
By the early 1990s, the organisation had begun collaborating with several international development partners and expanded its work beyond Delhi into neighbouring regions. Offices were established in locations such as Alwar, Gurgaon, Rewari and Rohtak, marking the organisation’s transition from a local initiative into a regional development organisation.
A significant milestone came in 1997 when ABGUS partnered with ChildFund International (then CCF) to implement community development programmes focused on child welfare in Tijara, Rajasthan — an area where the organisation continues to work even today.
Building Programmes That Last
Looking back, Verma believes one of ABGUS’s defining strengths has been its commitment to long-term programme approaches rather than short-term projects. “From the beginning, we did not work only in project mode,” he says. “Even when funding partners changed, our focus areas remained the same.”
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, ABGUS began developing programmes around four core pillars: livelihood generation for Below Poverty Line families, quality education, community health, and women’s social and economic empowerment.
“At that time, women were rarely recognised as economic partners within households,” Verma notes. “We started working with them to create livelihood opportunities and to strengthen their role in decision-making.”
The results of these early interventions continue to shape communities today.
In one village, women who once earned less than ₹30 a day eventually became primary breadwinners for their families. In another instance, a woman associated with ABGUS programmes went on to become the village’s first elected woman Sarpanch.
The organisation has also supported children from marginalised backgrounds to pursue higher education and secure government jobs. Verma recalls the pride of seeing Muslim children from underprivileged families’ complete master’s degrees and enter public service.
Over time, ABGUS’s work has also nurtured community leadership. Several individuals who participated in the organisation’s programmes have later entered local governance or politics, including one community leader who eventually became a Member of the Legislative Assembly.
“For me, the biggest satisfaction is hearing people talk about how their lives changed,” Verma says. “We have worked continuously with more than 1,200+ families over the years, and today many of them tell us how their perspectives and confidence have evolved.”
Overcoming Challenges on the Ground
Like many grassroots organisations, ABGUS’s journey has not been without obstacles. One of the most persistent challenges, Verma says, has been gaining the trust of communities.
“When you enter a new village, people often do not immediately understand what you are trying to do,” he explains. “Sometimes they doubt your intentions.”
In the late 1990s, when ABGUS began implementing programmes with ChildFund International, some communities initially feared that development activities might involve religious conversion. The organisation responded by initiating open dialogues and continuous engagement with local leaders.
“We spent time listening to people and addressing their concerns,” Verma says. “Once they saw our work and our intentions, their perception changed.”
Another major challenge came during the policy transition around corporate social responsibility (CSR) in India. When discussions began around tightening regulations on foreign funding, many non-profits feared losing financial support.
ABGUS decided to prepare early for the transition. “We started planning around 2015 to strengthen our domestic partnerships,” Verma explains. “By 2016, we had completely shifted from foreign funding to Indian CSR funding.”
What initially appeared to be a risk soon became an opportunity. Over the years, ABGUS has secured more than ₹25 crore in support from over ten corporate partners, including organisations such as SBI Foundation, Hindustan Unilever and United Breweries.
A Community-Led Model of Development
A defining feature of ABGUS’s approach is its emphasis on community ownership. Rather than implementing programmes in a top-down manner, the organisation focuses on strengthening local capacity and leadership so that communities themselves can drive development.
“Our aim is not to create dependency,” Verma says. “We want communities to identify their own challenges, access government schemes, and build networks that support their growth.”
This approach has helped communities take greater responsibility for local initiatives and sustain outcomes even after external interventions reduce.
Looking Ahead: Scaling Proven Models
As ABGUS approaches its 40th year, the organisation is preparing for its next phase of growth.
Verma says the strategy for the coming decade is straightforward: consolidate the lessons of the past four decades and scale the interventions that have demonstrated clear impact.
“We want to strengthen the models that have worked and expand them to more communities,” he explains.
One such model is a diversified multi-cropping system that allows farmers to grow multiple crops simultaneously on the same piece of land. Often referred to as vertical or multi-layer farming, the approach helps maximise land productivity while reducing risk.
ABGUS trained around 150 farmers in the Nuh district of Haryana in this technique. Initially, only about 30 farmers were willing to adopt the model due to concerns about moving away from traditional farming practices.
However, the results were striking. Within just a few months, participating farmers reported income increases of three to four times compared to earlier cropping patterns.
“These farmers have now become role models for others,” Verma says. “They are mentoring fellow farmers and demonstrating the benefits of the system.”
To support small and marginal farmers further, ABGUS also facilitated the creation of a Custom Hiring Centre, which provides access to modern agricultural equipment through a community-managed equipment bank.
The initiative has been supported through the SBI Foundation’s Gram Seva programme, and demand for the model continues to grow.
Investing in Rural Youth
Alongside agriculture, ABGUS is also expanding its focus on youth development. The organisation operates a training centre in Haryana where rural youth receive skill development opportunities, including physical and academic preparation for recruitment into the Indian Army — a career aspiration for many young people in the region.
The centre offers structured training that builds discipline, confidence, and employability among participants. “Many young people simply lack access to the right guidance,” Verma says. “When they receive the right support, their potential becomes visible.”
Partnerships for the Next Phase
To scale its work, ABGUS plans to deepen collaborations with CSR partners, institutional donors, and community stakeholders.
Existing partnerships — such as those with SBI Foundation through initiatives like Sanjeevani – Clinics on Wheels, Gram Seva and Saksham — have demonstrated the potential of collaborative development models.
Going forward, the organisation hopes to build new partnerships that can expand successful interventions in agriculture, rural health, youth development, and community leadership.
“The future lies in working together,” Verma says.
As ABGUS prepares to enter its fourth decade, its founder remains guided by the same principle that inspired the organisation’s birth during a moment of crisis four decades ago: that meaningful change begins when communities come together to support one another. “Our work has always been about strengthening the energy that already exists within communities,” Verma reflects. “If that energy is nurtured, development becomes sustainable.”
