Where Purpose Meets Progress: SABERA™ 2025 Celebrates India’s Changemakers Driving Impact From Grassroots to Global Aspirations

The eighth edition of सबेरा SABERA™ 2025 unfolded this evening at the India Habitat Centre, celebrating a powerful confluence of leaders, innovators, and organisations redefining India’s progress through purpose-driven action. Curated by the Simply Suparnaa © Media Network, a UN Women awardee, SABERA™ continues to champion GOOD by recognising work that transcends profit and leaves a measurable, lasting impact on society.

Against a backdrop of escalating global challenges and a renewed push toward India’s sustainable development priorities, the 2025 Awards Gala served as a compelling reminder that transformation is driven not only by scale but by intention, integrity, and empathy.

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A Ceremony Rooted in Purpose and Possibility

 

The evening was anchored by Naina Kumari, whose presence on stage was symbolic of SABERA™’s commitment to expanding opportunity. The daughter of a sweeper at PVR, Naina embodies the talent, aspiration, and confidence that SABERA™ seeks to uplift, underscoring the theme that change begins by enabling voices traditionally left at the margins.

Setting the tone for the evening, Suparnaa Chadda, Founder and Curator of SABERA™, delivered an address that underscored the platform’s continued focus on responsible narrative-building, moving away from sensationalism and toward recognition that nurtures collective consciousness and long-term societal wellbeing.

“At SABERA™, we endeavour to ensure that those quietly changing lives—from remote villages to boardrooms—are seen, heard, and celebrated as the true architects of India’s future,” said Founder & Curator SuparnaaChadda

 

Some candid shots through the event

Insights That Shape Impact

The keynote segment featured an exclusive conversation between Suparnaa and renowned author and public intellectual Gurcharan Das, delving into the question “Is This a Good Life?” His reflections on ethics, purpose, and human flourishing offered a compelling philosophical lens through which the audience viewed the achievements being celebrated.

“Doing something that gives your life purpose and meaning leads to a deeper happiness, understood as a flourishing, fulfilled life. A good life, in this sense, draws on the classical goals of life – artha, dharma, kama and moksha – which are human capabilities, and to realise them is to live fully and flourish.” Gurcharan Das

 

Honouring the SABERA™ 2025 Council

A central moment of the evening honoured the SABERA™ Pre-Screening Council, Radhika Patel & Rushva Parihar, amidst others whose rigorous evaluation shaped this year’s shortlist. Tokens of appreciation were presented as a gesture of gratitude for their commitment to transparency and excellence. Several members of the Grand Jury, including Urvashi Prasad, Rajeev Chaba, and Aanant Agarwal, were present among other senior dignitaries, lending gravitas to the celebration and reinforcingthe integrity of the evaluation process.

 

 

A Cultural Tribute to Inclusion

Celebrated dancers Bhadra Sinha and Gayathri Sharma presented an enriching Bharatanatyam performance. Their choreography, with live poetry by Soni Sangwan, was a celebration of emotions, energies, mental health, and the divine feminine power that lives within each of us.

 

Celebrating Excellence Across Sectors

The SABERA™ 2025 Awards highlighted a diverse range of on-the-ground impact across the Sustainable Development Goals, organisational sizes, and sectors, from grassroots social enterprises and social leaders to large corporations and public sector foundations. Recognised changemakers included Bharathi Srinivasan of AMBA, an intellectually disabled leader who has transformed her lived experience into long-term service for adults with intellectual disabilities, alongside jury‑recommended social leaders Pranshu Singhal of Karo Sambhav, rebuilding India’s waste ecosystem for a circular, low‑carbon future, and Ayushi Jaiswal of Project FUEL, championing arts and culture as pathways to identity and community wellbeing.

Reflecting the jury’s focus on unsung heroes, lean, community-rooted initiatives such as Planet Spiti in the trans-Himalayan region, IVillage in rural Uttar Pradesh, and Jyoti Bahuudeshiya Sevabhavi Sanstha in rural Maharashtra, each with annual turnovers under ₹ 40 lakhs, were celebrated for their deep, place-based impact.

Institutional winners, including United Way Bengaluru, The Hans Foundation, the Bansidhar & Ila Panda Foundation, Hindustan Unilever, ETASHA Society, Craftizen Foundation, ROADIS and Sushena Health Foundation, advanced water security, climate resilience, inclusive education, equitable livelihoods and healthcare in underserved communities. Rural development, gender inclusion and innovation were further highlighted through Roshni Foundation, SBI Foundation’s Sammaan, Sashakti and Gram Seva initiatives, IVillage’s programmes for rural women, Jalchakra Innovations’ Cownomics®, Prism Johnson, Human Ventures and Haqdarshak.

Lifetime Achievement honour for Ashis Mondal of Action for Social Advancement recognised decades of work enabling smallholder and tribal farmers to build resilient, dignified livelihoods. Hero Motocorp was also bestowed with the prestigious Responsible Business Trophy for its sector‑leading commitment to ESG best practices.

The complete list is given in the Appendix below.

 

Partnerships that Strengthen the SABERA™ Mission

SABERA™ 2025 was strengthened by the support of its partners, including Amar Ujala as Digital Media Partner (Hindi), OneIndia as Digital Media Partner (English), Smile Train as Knowledge Partner, Sirona Hygiene as Gift Partner, and Havish M as Consulting Partner, each contributing to the ecosystem that enables SABERA™ to spotlight meaningful, values-driven impact year after year. Their collaboration reflects a shared commitment to nurturing responsible enterprise and amplifying stories that influence public consciousness.

 

A Night That Reaffirms the Possibility of Purpose

As the ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks and a collective photograph, guests carried forward the spirit of the evening, one anchored in recognition, responsibility, and renewal.

SABERA™ 2025 reaffirmed a powerful truth: that progress is not built by scale alone, but by people and organisations who choose to lead with purpose, elevate communities, and envision a future defined by dignity, equity, and shared prosperity.

As SABERA™ continues its journey, it remains steadfast in its mission to spotlight the changemakers driving India toward a more conscious, inclusive, and purpose-led tomorrow

For any queries, call Rucha at +91-9545521745 or write to Suparnaa@SimplySuparnaa.com

 

Appendix A: Initiative Awards (Shortlist)

Environment & Consumption (पर्यावरण और उपभोग)

Above 5 Cr
• United Way of Bengaluru
• The Hans Foundation
• Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd.

Below 5 Cr
• Sustainable Ship and Offshore Recycling Program

Education (शिक्षा)

Above 5 Cr
• Bansidhar and Ila Panda Foundation
• SBI Foundation

Below 5 Cr
• Planet Spiti Foundation
• My Angels Academy
• Roshni Foundation and Charitable Trust
• Computer Shiksha

Enablement (सशक्तिकरण)

Above 5 Cr
• SAFAL – HUL
• LEAP – SBI Foundation

Below 5 Cr
• ETASHA Society
• ADiBha She Vision

Health, Nutrition & Wellbeing (स्वास्थ, पौषण और कल्याण)

Above 5 Cr
• ROADIS
• JINDAL STEEL

Below 5 Cr
• MOHAN Foundation- Manipur
• Meals of Happiness Charitable Trust
• Sushena health Foundation

Agriculture & Rural Development (कृषि & ग्रामीण विकास)

Above 5 Cr
• SBI Foundation Gram Sewa
• Shree Cement Limited

Below 5 Cr
• Roshni Foundation and Charitable Trust
• Human Ventures Pvt. Ltd
• Jyoti Bahuudeshiya Sevabhavi Sanstha

Gender Diversity & Inclusion (लैंगिक समानता)

Above 5 Cr
• SBI Foundation

Below 5 Cr
• Feminism in India (FII)
• Racks

Innovative Development Sector Project (IDSP)

Above 5 Cr
• SBI Foundation
• Prism Johnson Limited Cement Division

Below 5 Cr
• Craftizen Foundation
• Jalchakra Innovations LLP

Behavioural Change through Marketing & Communication

Below 5 Cr
• Nurturing Gaia

Appendix B: Entity Awards (Shortlist)

Social Enterprise of the Year

Below 5 Cr
• Vaidic Srijan LLP
• IVIllage A Family

Non-Profit of the Year

Above 5 Cr
• Mobile Creches
• SASAKAWA-INDIA LEPROSY FOUNDATION

Below 5 Cr
• BANSIVIDYA MEMORIAL TRUST
• Sanjeevani Life Beyond Cancer
• Drzyashakti Trust 

Appendix C: Individual Awards (Shortlist)

Promising Responsible Leader of the Year

• Aniket Doegar – Haqdarshak Empowerment Solutions
• Kartik Iyer – Human Ventures Pvt. Ltd
• Saurabh Choudhary – Eco Media Solutions Private Limited

Social Leader of the Year

• Vinay Sharma- Sinhayana Foundation
  • Bhavna Pandya – Research Innovation Incubation
  • Sumitra Mishra- Mobile Creches
  • Ameesha Prabhu – TRRAIN
  • Gaurab Sen – SASAKAWA
  • Ayushi Jaiswal – Project Fuel

Change Maker

• Rashi Kapoor – Sachin Sarcoma
  • Abhishek Gupta – WeVOIS Labs Private Limited
  • Bharathi Srinivasan – AMBA
  • Anil Ahluwalia – Sanjeevani Life Beyond Cancer
  • Nand Kishore Chaudhary – Jaipur Rugs Foundation
  • Vandita Morarka – One Collective
  • Pranshu Singhal – Karo Sambhav
  • Malini Parmar – Stone Soup
  • Vikram Rajola – INDEED Foundation