Public charitable trust
Collective Good Foundation (CGF)
- Registered under the Registration Act, 1908.
- Receives CSR funding, philanthropic donations, and government and multilateral grants.
We believe economic mobility should not depend on finding the right opportunity by chance.
Because progress must compound, instead of resetting with every new challenge that people meet.
People should be able to climb from:
- Skills → work
- Informal finance → formal finance
- A first market → a growing business
01How we build the ladder
What makes our model different
We design backwards from the change all of us want to see: better incomes, jobs, revenue, resilience, and access.
- Strategy, program design, partner selection and capacity building, program management, technology, measurement and communications are all aligned to your institution's priorities and stakeholders.
- We connect services across time instead of treating each program as a fresh start for the same person.
- We use grant capital strategically to unlock credit, public schemes, markets and additional funding to maximize your impact.
- Government, banks, employers, platforms, funders and local organisations each do what they do best; we build the connective execution layer between them.
- We scale evidence-backed initiatives and measure continuously to constantly improve outcomes.
02Two structures. One ladder.
Samhita and Collective Good Foundation — our structure
We work under a shared brand, with one strategy, delivered through two different organisations.
Social enterprise
Samhita Social Ventures (SSV)
- Incorporated as a private limited company.
- Takes on consulting service contracts with banks, corporates, CSR and other private-sector partners.
Why two organisations?
Each funding route has different legal requirements, and a single-entity structure can't maximize impact and collaboration. Two structures let us partner responsibly with everyone from a government department to a bank to a CSR client to a family foundation.
03Built to be trusted
Governance and compliance
04The people behind the ladder
Priya Naik
Founder & CEO
Priya has worked with the International Finance Corporation, the Poverty Action Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Arthur Andersen. Social entrepreneurship, economic development, non-profit, social enterprise, education and micro-finance are her areas of expertise.
Our Trustees
Our Advisors
Noshir Dadrawala
Mr. Noshir H. Dadrawala is the Chief Executive of the Centre for Advancement of Philanthropy. He has been with the Centre since its inception in 1987. Currently, he serves on international boards as; Member, Asia Pacific Philanthropy Network which is a part of Give2Asia based in San Francisco, member of the Coordinating Committee of Brazil based Worldwide Initiatives & Network of Grant-makers (WINGS), Fellow of the Centre for Study of Philanthropy (New York) which is affiliated to the Graduate School & University Center of the City University of New York, member of the Advisory Council of the U.S. based International Centre for Not-for-profit Law. He is also a trustee of; Resource Alliance (India), India Sponsorship Committee, Make A Wish Foundation India, V Care Foundation, Chronic Care Foundation, Forbes Foundation, Happy Home and School for the Blind, Junoon Foundation initiated by Sanjana Kapoor and the Jai Ho Trust which he established with the Oscar Winning Director, Danny Boyle. He is a permanent invitee on the Board of the Bombay Community Public Trust that CAP helped to incubate in the year 1990.
Jagdish Acharya
Mr.Acharya brings over 44 years of executive leadership experience, and is passionate about driving skill development, quality improvement, and innovation in the paint and coatings sector. As the CEO of PAINTS & COATINGS SKILL COUNCIL, he leads a dynamic team of professionals who work with industry stakeholders, government agencies, and training partners to create and implement competency-based standards, curricula, and assessments for the industry. In his current role, he has successfully launched several strategic initiatives, such as the National Apprenticeship Program, the Recognition of Prior Learning, and the Paints and Coatings Academy for the Paints and Coatings Industry. These initiatives have enabled thousands of workers and students to acquire industry-relevant skills, certifications, and career opportunities. He has also established strong partnerships with leading paint manufacturers, associations, and educational institutions to promote the adoption and recognition of the NCVET standards and programs. Additionally, he has represented the industry at various national and international forums and events, showcasing the best practices and achievements of the Indian paint and coatings industry
Suman Srivastava
Suman Srivastava is the Founder and Innovation Artist at Marketing Unplugged. He is also the author of Marketing Unplugged: Spotting the elephants in the room. Suman Srivastava enjoys doing new things. A graduate of Delhi University, IIM Ahmedabad and IMD Lausanne, he is an advertising man, strategist, author, marathon runner, teacher, social worker, sports fan, creative bartender and an entrepreneur. Suman has been the CEO of Euro RSCG India for 5 years and also Chief Strategy Officer for Euro RSCG Asia Pacific. He was the Chairman of Euro RSCG's emerging markets planning council and a member of the global management committee. Lastly, he was Vice Chairman & Chief Strategy Officer of FCB Ulka Group in India. In 2011, he started an innovation firm called Marketing Unplugged. The focus of the company is to help Indian companies create marketing innovations and thus achieve extraordinary growth. In this capacity, he has been associated with brands such as Raymond (suitings), CaratLane (online jewellery), Network18 (media), Sweekar (cooking oil), Spuul (entertainment app), Johnson & Johnson (OTC), Navneet (stationery) and FCB Ulka to name a few.
Irfan Nooruddin
Irfan is the Director of the South Asia Center at the Atlantic Council. He is also a Professor in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. Dr. Nooruddin conducts research in the political economy of development, trade, and investment, and the challenges of democratization in the 21st century. He is the author of Elections in Hard Times (Cambridge University Press, 2016) and Coalition Politics and Economic Development (Cambridge University Press, 2011) and more than twenty-five scholarly articles and book chapters. In 2012, he was a Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC., and is a Team Member of Lokniti: Program in Comparative Democracy in New Delhi, India. He has received grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and USAID. Irfan has a PhD in Political Science from the University of Michigan and a BA in Economics and International Studies from Ohio Wesleyan University. He was born and raised in Bombay where he studied at St. Xavier's College and St. Stanislaus High School.
Nachiket Mor
Nachiket Mor has a PhD in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. His current work is principally focused on the design of national and regional health systems. He was a member of the Planning Commission's High-Level Expert Group on Universal Health Care, the Primary Care Task Force of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Health Commission for the State of Himachal Pradesh, and the Standing Committee on Health Systems Strengthening at the National Academy of Medicine in Washington DC. He helped create a new model for comprehensive primary care, pioneered by SughaVazhvu Healthcare in remote rural parts of Tamil Nadu. He is currently a Visiting Scientist at The Banyan Academy of Leadership in Mental Health and a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Information Technology and Public Policy (CITAPP) at IIIT Bangalore.
Subho Moulik
He is a Chartered Accountant and an MBA from London Business School. He brings over 18 years of experience in technology sales, marketing, product development, innovation and strategy. He was associated with companies like Wayfair, Arthur Andersen, Ernst & Young, the Citi Group, Mckinsey & Company, Whirlpool Corporation, and Adani Group, amongst others. Subho is a pro-bono advisor for the overall strategy and technology development for Samhita-CGF.
Paresh S. Parasnis
Paresh Parasnis in his current position as Head of Piramal Foundation is responsible for all the CSR activities of Piramal Enterprises Limited. Paresh is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and a graduate of Mumbai University. Paresh started his career with Hindustan Lever Limited. He then moved on to HDFC Limited, where he handled various responsibilities. His last assignment in HDFC Ltd was business development and overseeing the operations in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. In November 2000, Paresh moved to a new venture in the HDFC fold to set up the life insurance company, HDFC Standard Life Insurance (a joint venture with Standard Life plc, UK). In November 2008, Paresh was appointed as a full time member of the Board of Directors of HDFC Standard Life and served as the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer till July 2012. During his tenure with HDFC Standard Life, he was a Member of Board Committees and Chair / Member of internal management committees. He also has a vast experience in the area of consulting and has been a Project Manager / Financial Analyst in programs funded by multilateral agencies. He brings with him a rich experience of 30 years with major strengths in strategy formulation, project management, time-bound execution and building robust and customer-friendly servicing models.
Our Team
These are the people who do the work at Samhita-CGF, every day.
Shweta Mehrotra
HR
Shweta brings over 11 years of experience in Human Resources and holds an MBA in HR. Her professional journey spans diverse sectors, including oil & gas, real estate, and staffing and recruitment, before she transitioned into the social impact space, driven by a commitment to contribute to meaningful and impactful work. She holds strong expertise in Talent Acquisition and People Management, and believes in fostering a conducive and open communication environment within the organization—one where people can learn, grow, and flourish together.
Dhatri Kotak
Finance
Dhatri Kotak is a Chartered Account with over 10 years experience managing budgets, auditing, taxes, business strategies and MIS for the organisation. Her expertise is fund management, compliance and due diligence of corporate and partner accounts.
Akash Roy
Technology
Akash Roy brings over 20 years of experience in building Technology Products and Platforms. He holds expertise in product ownership and project management and is a certified project manager.
Natasha Das
Impact Achievement, CSR
Natasha has 15 years of experience and engaged in various education and life skills development initiative contributing specifically in social inclusion of vulnerable group. Her passion lies in designing and implementing solutions for complex social problems using design thinking approach. Her last assignment was with Vedantu. Previously she has worked with organizations like Make A Difference, Children International, Dr. Reddy's Foundation and Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
Shadan Mirza
Growth & Innovation
Shadan brings more than 10 years of experience in social impact consulting, with deep expertise in business development, client relationship management, and program management. In his most recent role as Director at Global Health Strategies, he co-led the public sector engagement vertical. He has successfully worked with prominent organizations such as the Department of Health Research, the Indian Council of Medical Research, AIIMS, the Jal Jeevan Mission, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the World Health Organization. His leadership has been instrumental in managing high-impact engagements and program management units, driving meaningful change across sectors and, prominently, public health.
Manglesh Yadav
Strategic Partnerships
Manglesh has 13 years of experience of working across diverse sectors, designing and implementing national-level initiatives including being part of the core team driving India's G20 efforts. His passion lies in building ecosystems that thrive on long-lasting partnerships and collective purpose. Previously he has worked with Ascent Foundation as a CEO , NITI Aayog,Box8, Wipro and Infosys.
Ranjini Sen
Catalytic Finance, Strategic Partnerships
Ranjini is an associate director and leads the catalytic finance work at Samhita-CGF. She supports the development and management of large-scale strategic partnerships and the creation of innovative blended financing instruments that unlock affordable credit for underserved participants. Her focus is on increasing the incomes of 10 million workers, entrepreneurs, and farmers, with a specific focus on women. She previously spent over six years with Citi India, working across risk, retail investments, structured products, corporate FX sales, and treasury. In her last role at Citi, she served as the treasurer of Citicorp Finance (India) Limited. Ranjini holds a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from St. Xavier's College and a Master’s degree in Financial Mathematics from the London School of Economics.