13 November 2025 (Udaipur Kiran)। On Children’s Day, the Anil Agarwal Foundation (AAF), the social impact arm of Vedanta Group, announced a major milestone in the country’s social development landscape. Nand Ghar, Vedanta’s flagship initiative, has crossed 10,000 centres across 16 states, impacting over four lakh children and three lakh women every day.
Rajasthan alone has more than 6,600 Nand Ghars across 27 districts, with Hindustan Zinc playing a significant role in supporting these modernised Anganwadis that promote early childhood development, improved maternal health and women’s empowerment. These centres collectively benefit nearly 3.7 lakh women and children in the state.
Aligned with the Government of India’s Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), which completes 50 years this year, Nand Ghar is modernising Anganwadi infrastructure in rural areas. The centres offer improved nutrition, early learning, healthcare, and skill development opportunities for women, alongside technology-enabled facilities.
Each Nand Ghar is equipped with smart classrooms, digital learning tools, BaLA (Building as Learning Aid) designs, reliable electricity, safe drinking water, hygienic sanitation, and child-friendly furniture. Apart from preschool education, the centres also conduct nutrition programmes, health check-ups, immunisation drives and skills training for women, creating stronger and more resilient rural communities.
Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal said, “When we started the Nand Ghar journey, the dream was simple — to ensure every child gets proper nutrition and early education, and every woman has the opportunity to stand on her own feet. As we cross the 10,000 Nand Ghars milestone, that dream is becoming a reality. This has been possible due to the partnership of the Government of India, state governments and local communities. We remain committed to transforming the lives of 8 crore children and 2 crore women across India.”
Across states ranging from Rajasthan to Andhra Pradesh, Nand Ghars are providing hot-cooked meals, nutrition supplements and digital learning modules in regional languages. More than 80 lakh nutrition supplements have been distributed so far. Regular health screenings and community awareness drives have strengthened maternal and child health, benefiting over 90 lakh people. Skill development programmes are enabling many rural women to earn up to ₹10,000 per month.
Large-scale infrastructure upgrades have ensured that every centre is digitally enabled and sustainably powered, making Nand Ghar a model for integrated community development.
Sunita Devi, a Nand Ghar worker in Rajasthan, said, “Before Nand Ghar, our Anganwadi was just a small room. Today, it is the pride of our village. Children love coming here and mothers trust us more than ever.”
Rekha, a mother from Odisha, said, “I learned new skills at Nand Ghar, started earning, and now teach others too. When women grow, the whole community grows.”
This year’s Children’s Day celebrations were especially significant as Nand Ghar completed the 10,000-centre milestone, with art, storytelling and community events held across multiple states.
Nand Ghar is currently expanding in Rajasthan, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and other states. The next goal is to set up 25,000 Nand Ghars in Rajasthan within the next two years, reaching two million people and strengthening public–private collaboration in rural transformation.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
