Shillong, Mar 15: The SBI Foundation, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of the State Bank of India, has announced the commencement of registrations for the 14th batch of its flagship SBI Youth for India Fellowship, a 13-month journey of purpose, discovery and transformation.
Designed for young individuals driven by empathy and action, the fellowship invites participants to step beyond the familiar and immerse themselves in the heart of rural India, working hand in hand with communities to reimagine possibilities, spark sustainable change and play an active role in shaping a more inclusive and resilient future, SBI Foundation said in a press release.
Those wishing to apply should be graduates and/or young professionals aged 21-32; individuals keen to collaborate with rural communities and 15 partner NGOs across India to drive social change; and be Indian citizens, OCI holders or citizens of Bhutan or Nepal passionate about rural development.
SBI employees (Confirmed Officer in Scale I/II) are also eligible. Aspirants can apply via apply.youthforindia.org.
“Aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, the SBI Youth for India Fellowship nurtures changemakers who bridge urban-rural divides through collaboration and empathy, not charity,” Swapan Dhar, MD and CEO of SBI Foundation, said. “Across 12 key thematic areas, including education, women’s empowerment, and rural livelihoods, Fellows drive meaningful grassroots impact while building inclusive leadership capabilities. With over 70 percent of alumni moving into social sector leadership, 50-plus social ventures launched, and partnerships with institutions such as NITI Aayog, UN Women, ILO, and J-PAL, the Fellowship continues to convert individual potential into India’s collective progress.”
Over the past 14 years, 700-plus alumni from 12 successful batches have driven substantial, measurable community impact across diverse areas. With 15 partner NGOs, the fellows have worked in more than 250 villages across 22 states and territories. The 13th batch is currently on the ground with 94 fellows. The programme has positively impacted more than 2 lakh lives through various grassroots interventions and community engagement initiatives, the release added.
In the past, SBI Youth for India alumni have demonstrated remarkable scalable solutions for rural communities. One fellow, Gautam Kumar, began with four micro-forests at Nivali Cluster in Madhya Pradesh in 2018, scaling to over 1,800 micro-forests across three states by 2025.
Another Fellow, Shashank Singh, launched rainwater harvesting at Tilonia in Rajasthan in 2016, collecting 100 million litres in the first year and, by 2025, providing year-round water access to over 1,000 families across three villages, ensuring tubewells no longer dry up during summer peaks.
The fellowship focuses on 12 thematic areas – Health, Rural Livelihoods, Food Security, Environmental Protection, Education, Water, Technology, Women’s Empowerment, Self-Governance, Social Entrepreneurship, Traditional Craft and Alternate Energy.
