The founder who lived in a hut

Shri Sameer Mohan was born on 13 June 1966 in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. After graduating in science and in law, he left home in 1987, choosing to remain unmarried and to make nation building the purpose of his life. He worked as a full-time pracharak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and in time became the Gram Vikas Pramukh, head of village development, for the Braj region.

In 1994 he spent time with Anupam Mishra, the author of Aaj Bhi Khare Hain Talab, and came away with a deeper understanding of water, soil and the environment. He has worked for environmental conservation ever since — quietly, for more than thirty-five years, long before it became a popular cause.

In 2006, near Khai Kheda village in Bareilly, he started Khushhali Foundation. He lived in a hut on the farm itself, practised organic farming and trained farmers from the surrounding villages to do the same. From that farm grew three programmes: Gramya for integrated rural development, Aranya for the environment, and Indradhanush for the education of children who would otherwise never see a classroom.

The Foundation was registered as a public trust in 2011. Under his leadership the Vriksh Mitra–Gram Mitra Abhiyan has given more than 17 lakh fruit trees to over 2.5 lakh farming families, and Indradhanush bears the full cost of the upbringing, nutrition and schooling of more than 150 Gadhiya Lohar children. In 2023 he received the Sant Ishwar Samman from Swami Avdheshanand Giri Ji on behalf of the Foundation.

Around him today are farmers, labourers and animal rearers, and also writers, professors, doctors, chartered accountants, engineers, businesspeople, students and homemakers — all taking part in the Foundation's work.