About Us – Palan Sewa Foundation

Founder and Director

Parag Agrawal

Parag Agrawal, the Chief Executive Officer of Palan Sewa Foundation, completed his B.Tech from MANIT (Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology) in Bhopal and pursued his masters from IIT Delhi in 2014.

During his time at MANIT, Parag Agrawal actively participated in teaching activities within a nearby basti (slum), and he maintained this commitment throughout his tenure at IIT Delhi by joining the group AINA. The experiences and ideas gathered during his education and interactions with individuals working in the social sector became the foundational pillars of PALAN. After obtaining degrees from two prestigious institutions in India, Parag made the decision to diverge from a mainstream career path and dedicated his time to serving the deprived community.

Objectives

In Indian thought, every section of the society has been considered as an integral component of the nation. Therefore, welfare has been a part of our culture since ages keeping in mind every section of the society, not only by the government but through the society. Wherever you go in the country, dharmshalas, hospitals, schools, hostels etc. have been built by different societies, institutions or individuals, that is, the society has fulfilled its responsibility for the benefit of the society. The all-round progress of the society is not possible only through government, from time to time many individuals, groups or religious social institutions have made extensive efforts for the upliftment of the society. These efforts are going on uninterruptedly even today. It should be continued, only then a healthy, beautiful and strong society, nation and world will be built. PALAN is a small step for bringing a bigger change in the nation building.

Transforming lives of the people by making them self reliant-self sustainable for nation building.

Palan is dedicated to nation building by empowering the pillars of society: education, health, and self-reliance. Our focus includes:

Ensuring comprehensive education for all children.
Providing nutritious food to enhance the health of children.
Promoting self-reliance in villages by creating local opportunities.
Fostering an environment that instills pride in the community and its culture.
Establishing wellness centers in clusters to improve community health.

Story of Shlok Adivasi, a young boy from a tribal village, was on the verge of dropping out of school and falling into negative influences. His life changed when he joined Palan Sewa Foundation and was introduced to Malkhambh at the Palan Kendra.

What began with hesitation soon turned into dedication. With regular training and mentorship, Shlok gained discipline, confidence, and purpose.

Today, he is a national-level Malkhambh player, representing his community with pride. His journey reflects the power of timely support and opportunity. Along with him, many Palan students now train daily and have participated in state-level competitions.

Muskan Mali, from a family dependent on small farming and daily wage labor, faced constant financial uncertainty. Through Palan Sewa Foundation, she began making cow dung products like Laxmi Charan, turning a small activity into a steady income source.

Today, her entire family is involved, creating eco-friendly products and building a more stable and dignified livelihood. From uncertainty to self-reliance, Muskan’s journey reflects how small opportunities can transform entire families.

Arjun Adivasi had once left his studies and spent most of his time roaming here and there, without direction or purpose. Like many youth in rural areas, he was slowly drifting away from education and a stable future.

His journey took a turn when he connected with Palan Sewa Foundation. Through regular engagement and support, Arjun was introduced to traditional sports, especially Lathi. What began as a simple activity soon became his strength.
With consistent practice and guidance, Arjun developed into a Lathi player. But his transformation didn’t stop there.
Today, Arjun is a trainer at Palan, actively teaching sports to children in his village and nearby areas. He not only trains them in athletics, lathi but also motivates them to stay connected with their education and avoid negative influences.

In many tribal villages, children often drop out of school due to lack of support, awareness, and resources. Through Palan Pathshala, the foundation has successfully reduced dropout rates in multiple villages.

One such example is a group of 25+ children from a village where school attendance was irregular. With continuous mentoring, digital classes, and engaging learning methods, most of these children are now regularly attending school. Some have even become top performers in their class.

During festivals like Holi, Palan Sewa Foundation trained rural women and youth to produce organic and chemical-free colors using natural ingredients.

This initiative not only promoted eco-friendly practices but also created seasonal income opportunities. The products were appreciated in nearby towns for being safe and traditional.

What was once considered waste is now a valuable resource. Women trained under पालन’s स्वावलंबन केंद्र are making various cow dung products such as diyas, idols, incense sticks, and decorative items.

More than 40 families are now directly involved, and the number is growing. This model is low-cost, sustainable, and easily scalable in rural areas.

Through Palan Srijan Kendra and digital pathshalas, children who had never seen computers are now learning basic coding, robotics, and science experiments.

Students actively participate in model-making, experiments, and presentations. This exposure has increased their confidence and curiosity.