Leaders
The robust growth of the social development sector in India is a testament to the sector’s importance in shaping societal progress. However, social development is often a passion-driven endeavor led by a zealous and empathetic individual. One such name is Saraswathi Padmanabhan. An auditor turned social development entrepreneur, she is the founder and director of Diya Ghar, an NGO that provides quality early education and care to vulnerable children.
Saraswathi is a proud BITS Pilani alumna and also holds a degree from the California State University. Although she had a thriving career as an auditor, Saraswathi was driven to create greater impact on the society by serving others. This led her to volunteer for social development organisations in Mumbai and California. With the vision of creating greater impact, she trained as a Montessori teacher & counsellor and ultimately founded Diya Ghar in 2016.
Saraswathi works towards providing stimulating and nurturing preschool education to migrant children, as she is deeply passionate about investment in the early year life of needy children. Over the past eight years, Diya Ghar has impacted over 5000 children.
In a conversation with the Women Entrepreneurs Review team, Saraswathi talks about her journey of creating impact as a social development entrepreneur.
Take us through your educational journey and the impact created by your Alma Mater, BITS Pilani on your growth as an individual.
I grew up in Chennai where I completed my schooling. I then joined BITS Pilani which was a defining chapter in my life. The impact was more than just academics. Living far away from home for the first time taught me to be independent, while the flexible curriculum empowered me to take ownership of my education. Learning to structure my studies, sharpening my teamwork skills, and making key decisions helped me grow into a self-reliant and focused individual. Leading the economics and finance team for an academic fair further strengthened my leadership and organizational abilities.
My journey instilled in me key values like collaboration, accountability, and leadership. Working closely with peers taught me to take ownership, support others, embrace responsibility, preparing me for greater challenges ahead.
What led you to switch careers from finance to social development?
My career began in finance and auditing, where I thrived as an auditor. But I always wanted to create a greater impact on the society by serving others. My passion for serving children led me to volunteer extensively, from working with street children in Bombay to supporting children of prisoners in California. This deep commitment to serve the community impacted me ultimately and inspired my transition to social work.
After moving back to Bangalore, I pursued counselling studies and worked at an NGO for a year. Led by God, I realised that my life had other plans. My calling became clear, and we started our NGO earlier than expected. I trained as a teacher and within months we launched Diya Ghar, creating a safe, nurturing space for migrant labourers’ children to learn and grow.
What is the underlying idea and vision behind Diya Ghar?
After moving to Bangalore, I saw the urgent need for safe spaces for children of migrant workers. Seeing toddlers playing on unsafe construction sites reinforced our calling-to provide quality early care and education for these vulnerable children.
We want to take the light to every home in the community, thus, the name Diya Ghar.
At Diya Ghar, we operate with intention and professionalism, with high standards and deep purpose, guided by empathy, integrity, and excellence.
Over the past eight years, Diya Ghar has grown from a passion project into a mission-drive initiative. I immersed myself in learning by connecting with NGOs and founders to understand the sector. Our goal now is to expand, bringing quality early education to vulnerable children in other cities, and eventually globally.
What challenges do you encounter as a social development entrepreneur? How do you overcome the roadblocks?
A key challenge for NGOs has always been the need for structure and sustainability to keep serving effectively. Fund raising for operational growth and not just programs, is difficult, yet essential. Bridging the gap between donors and beneficiaries requires investment in people, which remains an ongoing struggle and hurdle.
Our team prioritizes the well-being of children and communities, embracing agility and stepping up in times of crises
Our team prioritizes the well-being of children and communities, embracing agility and stepping up in times of crises. During COVID, with just 13 members, we led impactful relief efforts, driven by a shared willingness to put others first and help vulnerable families in need.
Can you narrate an impact story created by one of Diya Ghar’s recent initiatives?
Our mission at Diya Ghar is to provide early childhood education and care for children from 1.5 to six years old. Through the support of our team, community, and funders, we have touched over 5,000 young lives. But our work goes beyond learning, we strive to uplift every child in need.
One such impactful story is about Raju, a six-year-old with clubfoot. The young boy could only drag himself on the ground. His mother’s plea for help reinforced why we do what do, which is to create a future where no child is left behind. We arranged surgeries for him, followed by extensive sessions of physiotherapy.
For the first time, Raju could stand, walk, and even smile. After a year with us, his family returned to their village, and today, he is thriving in a school.
How is the Indian social development sector evolving? How are you aligning Diya Ghar with the evolving industry trends?
True service extends beyond efforts, it demands measurable results. While personal stories are powerful, organizations must also present quantitative evidence to demonstrate lasting change. Recognizing this, Diya Ghar has strengthened its monitoring and evaluation framework, ensuring transparency and accountability. With a dedicated M&E team member, we assess our programs, track progress, and optimize impact, ensuring that every resource is used to transform lives effectively.
The demand for skilled professionals like finance experts, content creators, and administrators is growing in the social sector.
While the challenges are immense, we remain committed to doing what we can. It is encouraging to witness more individuals bringing their skills to serve, strengthening the collective impact we can create.
Saraswathi Padmanabhan, Founder & Director, Diya Ghar
Humanitarian, Saraswathi Padmanabhan is driven by her dedication and passion to transform young lives. Holding degrees from BITS Pilani and California State University, East Bay, Saraswathi brings years of expertise in leadership, program management, and counselling. She drives key initiatives at Diya Ghar, ranging from academic monitoring to fundraising and financial oversights. She is passionate about giving quality life to young learners in terms of education and child-welfare, fostering a detail-oriented and excellence-driven approach guided by empathy, respect and transparency.
