Know about us

Serving the elder cause for over four decades

HelpAge India is a secular, not-for-profit organisation in India, registered under the Societies’ Registration Act of 1860. Set up in 1978, the organisation works for ‘the cause and care of disadvantaged older persons to improve their quality of life’. HelpAge’s motto is Fighting isolation, poverty and neglect.

Governing Body

HelpAge India has a history of working with compassion for the cause of the elderly while relentlessly pursuing a focused agenda of improving their quality of life and fighting for their rights. In this, it is aided by a professionally acclaimed Board of Directors to help, guide, and assist the teams at the ground level.

Mr. Kiran Karnik

Mr. Kiran Karnik

Chairperson

Ms. Rumjhum Chatterjee

Ms. Rumjhum Chatterjee

Vice Chairperson

Mr. Arun Nanda

Mr. Arun Nanda

Hon. Treasurer

Mr. J. C. Luther

Mr. J. C. Luther

Member

Mr. Arun Seth

Mr. Arun Seth

Member

Radhika Bharat Ram

Radhika Bharat Ram

Member

Ms. Gita Nayyar

Ms. Gita Nayyar

Member

Ms. Gita Nayyar

Mr. Kaushik Dutta

Member

Mr. Sanjeev Kapur

Mr. Sanjeev Kapur

Member

Mr. Rohit Prasad

Mr. Rohit Prasad

Chief Executive Officer

About HelpAge India

HelpAge India envisions a society where the elderly have the right to an active, healthy and dignified life. It works through 26 State Offices across India, running numerous programmes on-ground, addressing elder needs and advocating for their rights. It strives to achieve this by taking a comprehensive approach to our programmes and interventions, ensuring seamless interlinkages between them and a holistic system of care for elders. The organisation’s programmes are focussed on direct impact in the areas of: Advocacy & Awareness, Agecare, Healthcare, Livelihoods & Disaster Management, Research & Policy.

HelpAge India reaches approximately 2 million disadvantaged elderly directly and indirectly every year. It collaborates with multiple stakeholders, including the government, corporates, educational institutions and social sector organizations in advancing its mission. In 2020, it became the first and only Indian organisation to be honoured with the ‘UN Population Award’ for its exemplary work in the field of ageing.

It runs numerous programmes on-ground, addressing elder needs and advocating for their rights, such as their right to Universal Pension, quality Healthcare, action against elder abuse and many more at a national, state and societal level with Central and State governments. It advocates for elder friendly policies and their implementation thereof. It played a major contributing role towards the formation of the National Policy on Older Persons in 1999 as well as the the promulgation of The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007.

Executive Committee

HelpAge India’s senior management team operates from its Head Office in New Delhi

Mr. Rohit Prasad

Rohit Prasad

Chief Executive Officer

Prateep Chakraborty

Prateep Chakraborty

Chief Operating Officer

Paromita Thomas

Paromita Thomas

Country Head
(HR Administration & Procurement)

Rajeshwar Devarakonda

Rajeshwar Devarakonda

Mission Head – Livelihoods & Emergencies

Dr Imtiaz Ahmed

Imtiaz Ahmed

Mission Head – Agecare

Ritu Rana

Ritu Rana

Mission Head – Healthcare

Anupama Datta

Anupama Datta

Head - Policy Research & Advocacy

Sonali Sharma

Sonali Sharma

Head – Communications

Kanchan Sen

Country Head - Resource Mobilisation and Marketing

Gulshan Sharma

Chief Financial Officer

Our History

HelpAge India came into being in 1978 with Cecil Jackson Cole, founder of HelpAge International (UK), as its first President. Around this time two other men figured prominently in the HelpAge India story – John F. Pearson and Samson Daniel.

Cecil Jackson Cole

John F. Pearson

Samson Daniel

Philip Jackson

M.M.Sabharwal

Constant grants from the United Kingdom were something both Pearson and Cole felt would not be practical in the long run. They realized a regular inflow of funds was needed so that they could make a positive and lasting impact.

In March 1974, when Cole, visited India, an intrepid philanthropist named Samson Daniel approached him for financial help to set up a member organization in Delhi. A far-sighted man, Cole instead offered to train him to raise funds. After a three month training course in London, Mr. Daniel and his wife returned to India and organized a sponsored walk with schoolchildren in Delhi. It was so successful that in 1975 HelpAge International recruited more staff to cover Bombay, Madras and Calcutta.

In April 1978, HelpAge India was officially registered in Delhi and Pearson became a Trustee of the organisation and a key member of its Governing Board. One of the founder members of HelpAge International, Philip Jackson, joined HelpAge India the same year as its first Chief Executive.

Once financial support from the UK ceased, it took HelpAge India three months to become autonomous. Soon, the Society was awarded Certificates of Exemption under the Income Tax Act of 1961.

Two years later, Late Madan Mohan Sabharwal became an integral driving force of the HelpAge story. Sabharwal was a happily married man until tragedy stuck; at the age of 51, his wife died and left him a widower. Bereft, Sabharwal focussed his attention and many skills on the promotion of the cause of the aged. Soon, he took over as President of HelpAge India’s Governing Body, succeeding Pearson. Today, he is no longer with us, but he continues to be an inspiration and the spirit behind the elder cause.

What began as a humble initiative from a rented two-room office in New Delhi’s Kasturba Gandhi Marg, has now blossomed into an extensive operation spread across 26 states with headquartered at the capital’s Qutab Institutional Area.

Helpage India

Documents

Publications

Annual Reports

Newsletters

Information Brochure

Financials

Audited Accounts

Research

External Resources

Reports & Journals

Explore our document section for in-depth insights and valuable resources. View All Documents

Awards & Recognitions

Through the years, HelpAge India’s work has been recognised by several organisations and institutions. We are thankful for their faith and belief in our services by giving us such an honour. It encourages us and instils a sense of belief that we are on the right path whilst reminding us of the great responsibility we carry toward the elderly of our society.

Helpage India awarded Gold seal of trust by Give

CRISIL VO1A Grading for excellence in operations & financial transparency (2022)

The HelpAge Kolkata team proudly holds up the Bharat Nirman Institutional Award honoring HelpAge India's work

Bharat Nirman Institutional Award honoring HelpAge India's work

HelpAge India awarded NGO Leadership & Excellence Award 2015

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