National Excellence Award for Social Entrepreneur
For pioneering, entrepreneurial approaches to grassroots social change.
2009Year founded
Awarded to the founder, not the Foundation
“An entrepreneurial mindset from rural Odisha, combined with a genuine concern for society — launched with a specific role for reducing inequality and human suffering.”
From the Founder & CEO's own message, about/director
2009
Founded with a handful of volunteers
Green Man
of Bangalore
Entrepreneur
Investor & philanthropist
Four causes, one founder
Education
One-room village schools where a child becomes the first in their family to learn to read.
Explore
Environment
Saplings planted by hand that are now full-grown trees — over 70 lakh of them.
Explore
Community
Building with communities, not merely for them — the conviction that made all of it possible.
ExploreFrom a founding to a movement
- 2009Aahwahan founded
- GrowthProgrammes at national scale
- TodayRural transformation today
Other honours
2026Best NGO in India
National recognition as one of India's leading non-profits for sustained, community-led impact across education, health and the environment.
2026Best NGO of the Year
Honoured for high-impact CSR partnerships and measurable outcomes delivered across our programme areas.
Best NGO Award for Environment
Recognition for our tree-plantation and green-cover work that has put over 70 lakh plants into the ground.
Young Social Activist
Early recognition of our founder's grassroots activism and community mobilisation in and around Bengaluru.
Best Social Activist of the Year
Celebrating a decade and a half of on-ground service.