May 22 & 23, 2026: One-health and biodiversity are critical aspects. In the absence of connections between the loss of forest cover, impact on air quality and health, Biohappiness should be the goal along with a set of social and human capital indicators, stated Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, former Chief Scientist, World Health Organization and currently, the Chairperson of M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai during her visit to BAIF, Pune on May 22, 2026.

Dr. Swaminathan, daughter of former Vice Chairman of BAIF, Bharat Ratna Late Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, while interacting with senior BAIF team led by Dr. Bharat Kakade, President and Managing Trustee, lamented the exclusive focus on financial capital and infrastructure development and the need for key policies beyond GDP which India can take to the world. There is a need for a national programme on agrobiodiversity with the Government extending funding and other support to ensure a large database for plant breeding and linking it for the benefit of the farmers and committed community seed banks.

Nutrition and the health-food system are broken and malnutrition, stunting, anaemia are still prevalent among women and children in tribal areas apart from the alarming rise in diabetes and obesity especially among younger people. As 2026 is the Year of the Woman Farmer, she called for incentives in agriculture and replication of women-centred enterprises and innovations. Science, research straddled with development and a partnership / consortium approach are also very important, she concluded. She and the Pune-based Chairs of MSSRF-Nutrition and Women in Agriculture Centres, expressed interest in BAIF’s publications, agrobiodiversity and nature-based solutions in Agriculture exhibits and interacted with Dr. Kakade, Dr. Rajashree Joshi, Vice President, Programmes, Sucharita Dhar, Sanjay Patil and Viswadev VS.

Dr. Swaminathan and her team accompanied by Dr. Rajashree Joshi, also visited the BAIF Rural Innovation Centre at Uruli Kanchan, Pune on May 23 – agrivoltaics and hydroponics demonstrations, spineless cactus park, livestock genomics, research facilities, Community Health Research Centre and the marketing outlet of women self help groups and emphasised on nutrition and food systems through various interventions, during her interaction with Dr. Jayant Khadse, Vice President – Livestock Development and Scientific Research, Vithal Kauthale, Sachin Joshi, Lata Sharma, Hemant Kadam, Kaustubh Bhave, Kailas Gavhane and Sagar Jade. The visit concluded with the Nisargopachar Ashram established by Mahatma Gandhi and with its focus on naturopathy for mental and physical well-being.

May 8, 2026: Dr. Bharat Kakade, President and Managing Trustee of BAIF Development Research Foundation, has been nominated as a Member of the Advisory Board of the prestigious National Water Academy (NWA), Central Water Commission (CWC), Pune with effect from May 8, 2026 for a period of three years.

The NWA serves as a Centre of Excellence for imparting training in the development and management of water resources to serving engineers deputed from Central and State agencies. The CWC is a premier technical organisation in the country which is affiliated to the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India.

With his vast experience spanning nearly three and a half decades in natural resources management and innovative water resources development models in diverse agro-ecological regions of the country, the programmes implemented under the leadership of Dr. Kakade have resulted in the transformation of thousands of water-deficit villages into water-surplus villages.

Hearty congratulations to Dr. Kakade on this admirable nomination which will go a long way in strengthening and conserving the water reserves in the country through his extensive experience in sustainable water resources management and stewardship.

Apr 28, 2026: BAIF Maharashtra team was honoured to welcome Bharat Ratna Mr. Sachin Tendulkar along with Sara Tendulkar and Saaniya Tendulkar to the inaugural programme of Climate Smart Village – Guhir in Wada block of Palghar district, Maharashtra, on April 28, 2026. Climate Smart Village is a transformative project being implemented by BAIF Development Research Foundation in partnership with ‘Spreading Happiness InDiya Foundation (SHIF), a collaboration between the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation (STF) and Schneider Electric India Pvt Ltd (SEIPL).

The visitors witnessed the remarkable transformation of Guhir village through a 40 kW solar energy system integrated with Schneider Electric’s IoT-enabled smart energy solutions. This initiative powers street lighting, households, two irrigation pumps for a lift irrigation system, women-led small enterprises, and a digital smart school with strong community engagement.

While inaugurating the programme, Mr. Sachin Tendulkar appreciated the exemplary work being undertaken through the partnership between SHIF and BAIF and engaged warmly with the students, villagers especially women farmers, and self-help groups.

Sara Tendulkar and Saaniya Tendulkar also expressed keen interest and admiration for the activities undertaken by the women’s groups, interacted with them and purchased some of their edible products including a Nagali (finger millet) product.

Mr. Deepak Sharma, Zone President Greater India, Managing Director and CEO, SEIPL, highlighted the initiative taken up with SHIF. Mrs. Bhavana Verma, Vice President and Dr. Richa Gautam, CSR and Sustainability Head, Schneider, were also present at this event.

Dr. Bharat Kakade, President and Managing Trustee of BAIF, provided an overview of BAIF’s pan-India initiatives and the impact achieved across diverse regions through various programmes on rural livelihoods and climate action. The BAIF team comprising of Dr. Raviraj Jadhav, Vice President, Programmes, Mr. Sudhir Wagle, Joint Regional Director, West Region, Mr. Pradip Khose, Chief Programme Manager, Mr. Raosaheb Kote, Chief Thematic Programme Executive – NRM & Climate Action, and the project implementation team were also present on the occasion.

BAIF is proud to be a part of this inspiring initiative and remains committed to building replicable, community-led development models that can bring about lasting change in rural India.

We sincerely thank SHIF, the Sachin Tendulkar Foundation, and Schneider Electric India for their trust, collaboration, and shared commitment to rural transformation.

Mar 07, 2026: All roads led to Kaprada. Unity in diversity, freewheeling talent and confidence, pride without prejudice and knowledge coalition, were displayed at their best at the Women’s Day celebration held at Kakadkopar village in Nanapondha taluka of South Gujarat on the eve of International Women’s Day.

This one-of-its kind mega event celebrated under the Digital Sakhi and Jal Vaibhav Projects, was organised by L & T Finance Limited, Larsen & Toubro Public Charitable Trust, Mumbai and Implementing Partner – BAIF Development Research Foundation, with women taking the lead in infusing life into the programme with their brilliant organisational and creative skills. They were the ultimate showstoppers whose adornment of statement embellishments, added a touch of old-world charm and elegance to the event. .

Each of the more than 500 stunning women from Kaprada and Nanapondha talukas, were hailed as a lotus – the national flower of India, symbolising purity and awakening. While being felicitated, each of them – Manjulaben Patel, Traditional Healer, Sumitraben Valvi, Model Community Resource Person and Digital Sakhis – Gitaben Bhusara, Vanitaben Vasava and Neeranjanaben Thorat, had an inspiring story to narrate.

The event was graced by Ms. Jyoti Nimbhorkar, Senior Programme Manager, Larsen & Toubro Public Charitable Trust and the BAIF team led by Ms. Pritam Chandak, Vice President – Finance and comprising of Ms. Sucharita Dhar, Senior Manager – Information and Communications, Ms. Sujata Kangude, Thematic Programme Executive – Women Development, Mr. Prashant Dudhade, Thematic Programme Executive – Convergence and Mr. Jitin Sathe, Additional Chief Programme Executive – South Gujarat. The guests expressed their immense appreciation of the assembled women who had swept aside various obstacles to fast forward the lives of women and the community through sheer determination, grit, collective strength and solidarity. A play enacted by the Digital Sakhis, received a standing ovation for its well-crafted direction and powerful acting. A bright day was indeed made brighter by these emboldened women. Ms. Jareena Khatun, Project Manager, Digital Sakhi Project and Mr. Mukesh Mandraha, Project Manager, Jal Vaibhav Project, also contributed to the success of the programme.

Pan BAIF Celebrations

February 27, 2026: Dr. Bharat Kakade, President and Managing Trustee, BAIF, is the proud recipient of the prestigious 4th Dr. P.G. Pandey Memorial Oration Award and Citation 2026. The award was conferred on Dr. Kakade by Dr. Abhijit Mitra, Vice Chancellor of U.P. Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Pashu Chikitsa Vigyan Vishwavidyalaya Evam Go Anusandhan Sansthan (DUVASU) on the eve of the 15th Convocation of the University held in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.

The award recognises Dr. Kakade’s outstanding contribution to sustainable rural livelihoods, livestock-based livelihoods, and climate action. While delivering the Memorial Oration, Dr. Kakade highlighted BAIF’s saga of contribution to rural communities, various science and technology-based initiatives and future directions for strengthening the rural economy. His address was also oriented towards encouraging young veterinarians and identifying various avenues for rural entrepreneurship.

Dr. P.G. Pandey was a visionary and a pioneer of veterinary education and animal sciences in India. The Dr. P.G. Pandey Memorial Oration Award is a testament of the significant contribution made by Dr. Kakade towards the development of smallholder farmers and rural communities in the country.

February 23, 2026: BAIF and Vishwakarma Institute of Technology (VIT), Pune, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a collaborative framework for advancing research, technology development, and entrepreneurship in the agri-livestock sector, with focus on climate resilience and sustainable practices.

The MoU was signed by Dr. Bharat Kakade, President and Managing Trustee, BAIF and Dr. Bharat Agarwal, Managing Trustee, BRACT’s VIT, Pune. While signing the MoU, Dr. Kakade stated that this partnership will integrate VIT’s academic and technological capabilities with BAIF’s applied research, domain expertise, and large-scale implementation strengths to enable the development and scaling of impactful solutions. Also present on the occasion were Mr. Shrinivas Kulkarni, Group Vice President and Mr. Mayur Sarode, Programme Executive – Social Enterprise & Business Development, BAIF, Dr. Vivek Deshpande, Director, Project and Innovation, Vishwakarma Institutes, Dr. Atul Kulkarni, Director, Corporate Relations, Vishwakarma Institutes, Dr. Pravin Hujare, Coordinator, Technology Research Centre in Agriculture & Rural Development, VIT and Dr. Sandeep Kore, Head of the Department, Mechanical Engineering, VIT.

February 9, 2026: In a major step towards strengthening the Dairy Sector in West Bengal, Pune-based BAIF Development Research Foundation, committed to the prosperity of smallholder farmers in the country, and Kolkata-based Paschim Banga Go-Sampad Bikash Sanstha (PBGSBS), a State Implementing Agency under the Animal Resources Development Department of the Government of West Bengal, entered into a strategic partnership for advancing genomic technologies to support the livelihoods of dairy farmers in West Bengal.

Based on the experience of BAIF in digital data collection and advanced genomic technologies, under this collaboration, as a Technology and Knowledge Partner, BAIF will provide technical support to PBGSBS for implementation of a full-fledged Genomic Selection programme for accelerating genetic improvement of cattle and enhancing dairy productivity in West Bengal.

The virtual event was graced by Dr. Gouri Shankar Koner, CEO, PBGSBS and MD, Banglar Dairy Limited, Dr. Utpal Kumar Karmakar, MD, West Bengal Livestock Development Corporation Limited (WBLDCL), Dr. Biswajit Saha, APD (MIS), PBGSBS and Dr. Sharadindu Shil, APD, Centre for Laboratory Animal Research and Training (CLART), WBLDCL.

The BAIF team was led by Dr. Bharat Kakade, President and Managing Trustee. Dr. Kakade, emphasised that this collaboration reflects the strong, shared commitment between BAIF and PBGSBS to leverage genomic selection technologies for long-term, sustainable livestock improvement. He further announced that with this association, West Bengal has become the 18th operational state of BAIF in the country. Dr. Jayant Khadse, Vice President – Livestock Development and Scientific Research, Mr. Rakesh Warrier, Programme Director and Regional Director – East, Dr. Sachin Joshi, Chief Thematic Programme Executive – Animal Genetics, Breeding & Genomics and Dr. Santosh Deo, Associate Thematic Programme Executive, BAIF Bihar, were also present.

Dr. Gouri Shankar Koner stated that this initiative will strengthen dairy value chain, improve the productivity, and ensure better economic returns for dairy farmers in West Bengal in a structured and time-bound way.

The key contributions of the PBGSBS team and BAIF’s Animal Breeding Genetics team led by Dr. Sachin Joshi and comprising of Dr. Vinod Potdar, Dr. Kaustubh Bhave, Mr. Yuvraj Gaundare, Dr. Santosh Jadhav, Dr. Velu Dhanikachalam, Dr. Akshay Joshi, Dr. Shantanu Shinde, Mr. Nikhil Punde, and Mrs. Tejashree Shirsat were duly acknowledged.

January 30, 2026: BAIF has taken the lead to implement a unique first of its kind Agrivoltaics Project in the country, with the generous support of HSBC Software Development (India) Pvt. Ltd. at its peri-urban Rural Knowledge Centre – “BAIF Rural Innovation Centre” at Uruli Kanchan, Pune. This Rural Innovation Centre with its focus on green collar employment generation, is also a unique grassroots knowledge campus in the country.

The Agrivoltaics Project with its focus on clean energy production along with crops, was inaugurated by Mr. Vikram Kulkarni, Managing Director and Head of HSBC Technology India, Mr. Swami Bagul, Managing Director HSBC, Ms. Monirupa Shete, Communications Lead, Mr. Rajesh Devi, Director, India Tech Centre, Mr. Vineet Kondejkar, Head of Cybersecurity Programme Delivery, Mr. Ajay Deshpande, Head, FDR IT Pune, Ms. Smita Jamalamadaka, Head, Digital and WCS Technology India, Mr. Nitin Mhaske, Digital Content Manager, Ms. Damini Khaire, AVP, Global Sustainability, HSBC, in the presence of Mr. Gulabsing Girase, Director, Gro Solar, Mr. Kaustubh Apte, Director, Maxwell Solar & Wind Energy, Mr. Anand Tembe, Director, Satara Renewable Energy Systems P. Ltd. and Mr. Abhimanyu Sahu, Chief Operating Officer, Schneider Electric India Foundation, BAIF scientists and project team at Uruli Kanchan. BAIF team led by Dr. Bharat Kakade, President and Managing Trustee, Dr. Jayant Khadse, Mr. Waman Kulkarni, Dr. Vithal Kauthale, Mr. Sagar Kadao and Mr. Mahesh Lade, shared the objectives of this initiative in alignment with the national goals of renewable energy and enhanced farmer’s income.

In the inaugural address, Dr. Kakade stated that this project, which blends cutting edge scientific technologies with rural wisdom, will showcase live demonstrations of renewable energy solutions and crop cultivation optimising the land use for highest possible returns. He further stated that the project which is the first integrated agrivoltaics demonstration programme in India with 17 agrivoltaics models in place, is a momentous step towards climate-resilient agriculture, decentralised energy, and scalable rural innovation with operations spread over Maharashtra, Telangana, and Karnataka. Field trials across 26 crops are generating robust, multi-season evidence, with crop-wise packages of practices and technical manuals underway. Beyond infrastructure, the project has reached more than 800 farmers, trained 45 rural youth as solar technicians, and shared learnings through multiple national workshops and exposure visits, he concluded.

January 26, 2026: The 77th Republic Day, a day of immense pride for every citizen of India, was observed at the BAIF Head Office in Pune as well as in all the operational states with patriotic fervour and enthusiasm. Starting with the ceremonial Guard of Honour, the national flag was hoisted by Mr. Shrinivas Kulkarni, Group Vice President – Finance and Dr. Prasad Kulkarni, Senior Thematic Programme Executive – Central Monitoring and Vigilance Cell,  in the presence of the BAIF team at the Head Office. While recollecting the contribution of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the Father of the Indian Constitution, revered nationalists including Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and “Vande Mataram”, the advent of advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, the tremendous opportunity offered by Rural India and the need for a self-reliant progressive nation were highlighted by Dr. Avinash Deo, Advisor, Mr. Shrinivas Kulkarni, Dr. Prasad Kulkarni and Ms. Sucharita Dhar, Senior Manager, Information and Communication. The children of the support staff also participated in the celebration with enthusiasm.

The patriotism and joy were also evident in the celebration in all the Regions with the staff and their children in enthusiastic attendance. In Nashik, Maharashtra, the flag was hoisted by Dr. Raviraj Jadhav, Regional Director, West; in Jawhar, by Mr. Sudhir Wagle, Joint Regional Director and State Head; in Peint, by Bayjabai Madhukar Shingade, Sarpanch, Dhondmal Gram Panchayat, Peint. In Lachhakadi campus in South Gujarat by Mr. Jitin Sathe, Additional Chief Programme Executive; in Sambalpur, Odisha by Mr. Rakesh Warrier, Regional Director, East in the presence of Mr. Sandip Kakade, State Head, Odisha and Chhattisgarh; in Ranchi, Jharkhand, by Mr. Dharmendra Tiwari, State Head and in Patna, Bihar by Dr. V.K. Singh, State Head. In Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh by Mr. V.B. Dyasa, Regional Director, North and in Raniganj, Pratapgarh campus by Mr. V.K. Mishra and the training team. In Tiptur, Karnataka, the flag was hoisted by Ms. Poornima H R, Human Resources Head; at Lakkihalli campus, by Mr. Sree Prakash, Campus In-charge and at Grama Chetana Training Centre, Surashettikoppa by Mr. Somashekar Honnalli, President, Sarvodaya Maha Sangha, Surashettikoppa.

Pan BAIF Celebrations

January 13, 2026: The New India is a Digital India. In rural areas too, digital technologies have gained immense popularity with neo digital entrepreneurs known as “eDosts” riding a new high. Among these digital savvy women, Vandana Chaudhari from Junglepada, Jawhar in Palghar district of Maharashtra has transformed the rural ecosystem with new-age digital and financial services. She is not only earning a steady income and supporting her family as a digital and financial specialist, she has also simplified the lives of the villagers by bringing technology and happiness to their doorsteps while earning respect and admiration.

Her commitment towards the rural community, was acknowledged with the Inclusive Finance Changemaker Award – Individual Category bestowed on her by ACCESS Development Services in partnership with HSBC India and the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, Government of India as the Co-Host, at the Global Inclusive Finance Summit 2025 held in New Delhi. Time stood still for this woman hailing from a remote hamlet, when she walked confidently onto the dais to receive the award from Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Advisor, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India in the presence of Mr. Sudipto Saha, Head, Financial Inclusion, ACCESS Development Services, Mr. Hitendra Dave, Chief Executive Officer, HSBC India and Ms. Aloka Majumdar, Managing Director, Global Head of Philanthropy & Head of Sustainability India, HSBC. This moment will be etched in her memory for a long time to come and will serve as a source of immense inspiration for other rural women who are functioning as digital and financial catalysts in remote parts of the country.

BAIF is facilitating and encouraging women like Vandana to become agents of change and power by assuming leadership roles while extending financial and governance-related services to rural society. These eDosts, with their newfound confidence and as custodians of last-mile digital and financial inclusion, are making sure that Rural India inches towards “Digital India”, the flagship programme of the Government and are thereby reducing the formidable gap which exists between rural and urban India.

January 12, 2026: The historical association between knowledge institutions BAIF Development Research Foundation, Pune and Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth (MPKV), Rahuri, was once again strengthened with the overarching MoU signed between Dr. Bharat Kakade, President and Managing Trustee, BAIF and Dr. Vitthal Shirke, Director of Research, MPKV, in the presence of Dr. Vilas Kharche, Hon. Vice Chancellor, MPKV at BAIF Central Research Station, Uruli Kanchan, Pune.

The collaboration seeks to advance farmer-centric development programmes in sustainable agriculture, watershed and water resource management, natural resources management, hydrology, renewable energy, irrigation management, carbon neutrality, and structured capacity building initiatives across Maharashtra. The agreement, signed in the presence of senior scientists, Dr. Sachin Nandgude, Head, Soil and Water Conservation Engineering, MPKV, Dr. Mahanand Mane, Associate Dean, College of Agriculture, Pune, Dr. Subhash Bhalekar, Associate Director of Research, Pune, Dr. Jayant Khadse, Vice President – Livestock Development and Scientific Research, Mr Pramodkumar Takawale, Programme Director, Agricultural Research and other scientists and thematic specialists from BAIF, forged a significant institutional collaboration in research, innovation and capacity building.

Press Release | Pune | India 

BAIF Development Research Foundation, has assumed voluntary membership of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, thereby reaffirming its commitment to ending hunger, poverty, and inequality in alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. BAIF recognises that hunger and malnutrition are rooted in structural poverty and rising inequality, and acknowledges that current global efforts are insufficient to meet SDGs 1 (No Poverty), 2 (Zero Hunger), and 10 (Reduced Inequalities). It therefore endorses the Alliance’s mission to promote coordinated, large-scale, and integrated approaches that combine social protection with access to essential services such as food security, nutrition, livelihoods, education, health, and climate resilience.

Dr. Bharat Kakade, President and Managing Trustee of BAIF stated that BAIF emphasises the importance of country-owned, inclusive policies and programmes targeting the poorest and most vulnerable populations, particularly in rural and tribal areas. It values the Global Alliance’s policy basket as a guiding framework for evidence-based action and commits to supporting national and local implementation through knowledge sharing, capacity building, technical assistance, and partnerships. BAIF will work collaboratively with Alliance members to strengthen coordination, innovation, and learning to enhance country-level outcomes.

Drawing on its extensive field presence in over 100,000 villages in India, Dr. Kakade expressed readiness to support integrated sustainable community development approaches, climate and shock responsive interventions, and programmes for landless and smallholders. Its actions include expanding nutrition-sensitive agri-horti-forestry and dairy husbandry initiatives, scaling resilient livelihood models to reach 10 million rural families by 2030, developing climate-resilient infrastructure and enabling access to digital entitlements. While these commitments are voluntary and non-binding, BAIF affirms its intent to align its capacities and partnerships to contribute meaningfully to the global fight against hunger and poverty.