Samarthanam Trust Marks 29 Years; Announces Goal to Impact 10 Lakh Lives by 2030

Bengaluru, April 25, 2026: Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled has announced a target to scale its reach to 10 lakh beneficiaries by 2030, marking the completion of 29 years of operations in the disability inclusion and rehabilitation sector.

Founded in 1997 by Dr. Mahantesh G. Kivadasannavar and the late Sugur Paramashivaiah Nagesh, the Bengaluru-headquartered organization currently supports over 60,000 beneficiaries annually. Its pan-India programs cover inclusive education, vocational skilling, rehabilitation, assistive technology, and rural development.

Reflecting on the milestone, Dr. Mahantesh G. Kivadasannavar, Founder Managing Trustee, said: "I feel proud that we have completed 29 years in this wonderful journey and definitely, we too had challenges. But we took them in our stride. We accepted both successes and failures equally. During the early stages of the trust, people used to say that a visually impaired person cannot run an NGO, but now the result is there for everyone to see. The best part of Samarthanam Trust is that whatever we started we never closed, whether we had money or not. We somehow managed to run our programmes successfully."

Key Operations and Impact Data:

Education & Technology: The trust operates inclusive schools, residential hostels, and digital libraries providing audiobooks. Its Assistive Technology Accelerator (ATA) has deployed digital infrastructure and AI-enabled learning tools across more than 40 special schools and universities.

Sports & Culture: As the apex body driving the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI), the trust promotes blind cricket internationally. It has also supported over 300 disabled artists and organized 3,000 cultural performances to enable sustainable livelihoods.

Infrastructure & Rural Outreach: The organization executes accessibility and mobility projects across public spaces, including railway stations. Its rural development initiatives currently cover 60 villages, providing healthcare and livelihood support to over 6,500 individuals.

The trust's upcoming expansion phase leading up to 2030 will focus heavily on scaling digital accessibility, expanding skill development centers, and enhancing infrastructure inclusion across urban and rural sectors.