The Shri Gandhi Sewa Sadan was founded by Late Smt Krishna Mehta in 1949 after her husband Late Shri DC Mehta, who was the Deputy Commissioner in Muzaffarabad, the present capital of Pakistan occupied Kashmir, was killed in the line of duty on 22 Oct 1947 in wake of the Pakistani backed tribal invasion. The avowed purpose of founding the Sadan was to uplift the quality of life of poor rural women by providing them with skills, production tools, raw material, and marketing through an integrated package under Gandhian ethos, The Sadan thus formed was registered as society in 1956 and was recognized by KVIC govt of India during the same year. It is a non-profit organization and functions in accordance with the constitution published by the KVIC Govt of India. The organization is run by an elected Board of Trustees under the guidance of an elected Chairperson. The Board is helped by a full-time Secretary devoted to Gandhian thoughts.
The organization is charged with the responsibility of encouraging and promoting skills to women in the production techniques and equipment employed in the Khadi and Village Industries sector. Mrs. Krishna Mehta’s vision of encouraging women within homegrown cottage industries in villages, where hundreds have been migrating to cities and towns in the hope of better employment, continues through the work of Gandhi Sewa Sadan.
Now for more than sixty-five years, the Sadan has through untiring efforts provided financial freedom and dignity to many thousands of women in the remote corners of Jammu along Indo-Pak border. This has been achieved by establishing the network of Centers for training, providing manufacturing facilities and marketing through its following Centers: –
- Basoli: For production of Pashmina and Khadi with pashmina finish.
- Bilawar: For production of woolen Khadi and Tweeds.
- Kathua: Production of handmade silk.
- Hira Nagar: Production of woolen blankets, Namdas and Honey.
- Shammo Chhak: Production of handmade paper.
- Jhakh: Production of mustard oil and local soap, computer and tailoring training for local girls.
Founded in 1949, our Institute is a skills development organization which directly benefits poor disenfranchised women and their families, through many welfare centers. At our centers, we train and provide raw materials, guidance and equipment for the production of end-products which are, in turn, distributed and sold at our outlets in New Delhi and Jammu.
Our institution is the brainchild of Mrs. Krishna Mehta who architected the following objectives:
- The social objective of providing employment
- The economic objective of producing saleable articles
- The objective of creating self-reliance amongst the poor and building a strong rural community spirit.
We request for your generous contribution and financial assistance to keep her dream alive...
We will be grateful for any financial help...!
Cheques to be made to "Shri Gandhi Sewa Sadan ( KMMF ) JAMMU"