Social

Colonel Prakash Tewari: A Life Committed to Social Impact

Colonel Prakash Tewari (Retd) has dedicated his life to creating meaningful change across military, civil, and corporate domains. As a visionary leader and social reformer, his initiatives have empowered communities and transformed lives—especially for underprivileged girls in rural India.

Founder of SARTHI: Empowering Underprivileged Girls

Driven by compassion and a deep sense of responsibility, Col. Tewari founded SARTHI, a non-governmental organization committed to uplifting underprivileged girls. SARTHI provides:

• Free accommodation, nutritious food, and healthcare

• Formal education (up to post-graduation)

• Vocational and skill training

• Safe, nurturing environments for physical and mental development

• Leadership and life skills to become future change-makers

“Our mission is to raise strong, independent, educated girls who can lead their families, communities, and the nation into a better future.”

Operating entirely without government or corporate funding, SARTHI has been sustained for over a decade through Col. Tewari’s personal savings and the generous contributions of friends and family.

Corporate Social Responsibility Leadership

In the corporate sector, Col. Tewari seamlessly extended his social ethos to leadership roles in CSR at Tata Power, Jindal Steel and Power Ltd, and DLF. His focus: inclusive development, sustainability, and ethical governance.

He spearheaded the creation of Foundations and Trusts as developmental arms of the corporations. These organizations addressed:

• Education: Setting up universities, engineering and medical colleges, and community training centers

• Healthcare: Establishing hospitals, physiotherapy, and nursing colleges

• Skill Development: Launching ITIs, vocational institutes, and community colleges

• Primary & Secondary Education: Building schools, nurseries, and learning centers

Pioneering Sustainable Development at Tata Power

At Tata Power, Col. Tewari led the design and institutionalization of impactful, scalable sustainability initiatives:

• Balancing India’s ecological footprint with its biocapacity

• Promoting ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) values to build investor trust

• Encouraging corporate-wide CSR integration across geographies

• Creating indices to measure both ecological and human development impact

• Championing an Area Development Approach over isolated projects

• Fostering global partnerships to promote sustainability across the power sector

Strategic Areas of Expertise

Colonel Prakash Tewari brings a deep understanding of development dynamics, combining grassroots insight with corporate-scale execution. His approach is rooted in policy design, participatory planning, and measurable outcomes, particularly for complex infrastructure and community development initiatives.

Development Policy & Strategic Planning

• Formulation of policies for social, economic, and environmental development in both brownfield and greenfield project settings.

• Design and implementation of Community Development Plans with a focus on measurable, outcome-based results.

• Structuring of development programs using a process- and outcome-oriented framework for sustainable impact.

Social Impact & Risk Assessment

• Conducting comprehensive Social Impact Assessments (SIA) for projects across sectors.

• Mapping social risk materiality to anticipate, mitigate, and manage potential community and stakeholder risks effectively.

Program Audits & Impact Measurement

• Implementing social audits to evaluate efficiency, impact, and long-term value of programs.

• Developing and applying customized indices, including:

  • Community Satisfaction Index

  • Village Development Index

  • Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index

  • Corporate Sustainability Performance Index

  • Program Effectiveness Index

Stakeholder Engagement & Relationship Management

• Building inclusive engagement strategies through:

  • Stakeholder identification, analysis, and mapping

  • Consultation, negotiation, and partnership development

• Formulating integrated community-focused plans such as:

  • Compensation Management Plans

  • Stakeholder Engagement Plans

  • Influx Management Plans

  • Grievance Redressal Mechanisms

  • Cultural Heritage Preservation Plans

  • Livelihood Restoration and Opportunity Plans

“We shifted from isolated projects to holistic area-based development. Real impact is about sustainable transformation, not just short-term results.”

Legacy of Service and Innovation

From the battlefield to boardrooms and underserved villages, Colonel Prakash Tewari’s journey is a testament to purpose-driven leadership. Whether through SARTHI or corporate CSR initiatives, he continues to inspire a new model of development with dignity, building a better future—one life, one community at a time.