About SVIRA Foundation

Our story

SVIRA Foundation did not begin with a single dramatic moment. It grew out of years of work in healthcare.

We are Dr. Ankushkumar Govande and Dr. Varsha V. Bhagat (Govande), two Ayurvedic physicians (BAMS) from Maharashtra. In our years of working in health, we kept seeing the same gaps in the field, and from one year to the next, very little changed.

We came to see that these gaps are connected. Health depends on education, livelihoods, the environment and access to services, and no single programme can close them alone. So we registered SVIRA Foundation as a Section 8 company, to work on these gaps together rather than in silos.

Our name carries the idea that guides us: Sustainable Vision for Inclusive and Resilient Actions. A vision for change, and the steady actions needed to make it real. You are welcome to be part of it.

The story in our name

Our name began with family. VI comes from Vijaykumar Bhagat and RA from Ramesh Govande, our fathers, and the values they gave us are at the root of this work. Together their initials formed VIRA: Vision for Inclusive and Resilient Actions. With S for Sustainable, it became the name we carry today: SVIRA.

The story in our logo

Our logo is two letters becoming one tree. The V stands for Vision, and the A stands for Actions: the first and last words of our name. Together they form a banyan tree, because a vision only grows when it is joined by action. At the heart of the tree rises a sun, and its rays become the tree’s leaves, standing for the brighter future that vision and action create together.

We chose the banyan for a reason. It shelters everyone who comes to it, and it grows by sending down roots that become new trunks, until one tree becomes a grove that sustains itself. That is how we hope our work grows: alongside communities, until they can carry it forward on their own.

V — Vision
A — Actions
The sun — a brighter future
The leaves — the sun’s rays
The banyan — shelter, and growth that sustains itself

The founding team

Dr. Ankushkumar Ramesh Govande

Co-Founder & Director

BAMS, MPH

Dr. Ankushkumar Ramesh Govande is a healthcare researcher and technology enthusiast with dual qualifications in Ayurvedic Medicine (BAMS) from Government Ayurved College, Nanded, and a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research (DMIHER), Wardha. A participant of IIT Delhi's Industry 5.0 program, he bridges the worlds of healthcare, emerging technology, and social innovation. His passion lies at the intersection of AI, digital health, and community empowerment — with a particular focus on youth development, sustainable employment, and environmental action. As Co-Founder of Svira Foundation, he leads institutional development, capacity building, technology-driven program design, CSR partnerships, and the foundation's strategic vision for a digitally empowered, inclusive India.

Dr. Varsha V. Bhagat (Govande)

Co-Founder & Director

BAMS

Dr. Varsha V. Bhagat (Govande) is a qualified Ayurvedic physician (BAMS) with a deep commitment to grassroots healthcare delivery and community wellness. Her work centers on preventive health, maternal and child care, women's health, and holistic healing practices rooted in traditional medicine. As Co-Founder of Svira Foundation, she drives the foundation's public health programs, community health camps, and outreach initiatives for marginalised communities across Maharashtra.

A circle of guides, in the making

We are building a circle of mentors who share our vision. These are the areas they will guide.

Coming soon

Public health mentor

Public health and medicine

Guiding community health programmes rooted in evidence.

Coming soon

Education mentor

Education and policy

Helping shape learning that reaches every child.

Coming soon

Social sector mentor

Social sector and CSR

Strengthening partnerships, governance and impact.

Coming soon

Technology mentor

Technology and AI

Bringing digital tools to health, education and livelihoods.

Our volunteers

Meet the first volunteers who have joined SVIRA Foundation.

Pranav Chandramuni Lone

STEM Education & Technical Innovation

Third-year Chemical Engineering student, SGGS Institute of Engineering and Technology, Nanded

Pranav wants to bridge the gap between STEM education and community impact, bringing analytical thinking and problem-solving to our sustainable development work.

Satish Sopanrao Watode

Community Health & Health Awareness

Nursing student, College of Nursing, B. J. Government Medical College, Pune

With experience in school health camps and community health surveys, Satish will support our health camps, outreach and health awareness activities.

Sneha Vijaykumar Bhagat

Public Health & Holistic Well-being

BAMS student, Government Ayurvedic College, Jalgaon

Drawing on her Ayurveda studies, Sneha is keen to support public health, health education and preventive care in the community.

Together, we create meaningful change

At SVIRA Foundation, we believe every individual has the potential to make a difference. Our volunteers bring diverse knowledge, skills and perspectives together to advance public health, education, sustainability and inclusive community development.

Join as a volunteer

Be part of it

Volunteer with us, partner with us, or simply get in touch.

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Our people and our story

Our story

The story in our name

The story in our logo

The founding team

Dr. Ankushkumar Ramesh Govande

Dr. Varsha V. Bhagat (Govande)

A circle of guides, in the making

Public health mentor

Education mentor

Social sector mentor

Technology mentor

Our volunteers

Pranav Chandramuni Lone

Satish Sopanrao Watode

Sneha Vijaykumar Bhagat

Together, we create meaningful change

Be part of it