Mumbai, May 12, 2026: Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation (NSF) and Salaam Mumbai Foundation (SMF) jointly organised the Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation Grants and Awards 2026 ceremony on 12th May 2026 at Yashwantrao Chavan Centre, Runanubandha Hall, Mumbai. On this occasion, 4 NGO Grantees and 6 individuals from different states in India were felicitated by Dr. Rita Parvade, Assistant Director, Directorate of Health Services, Govt. of Maharashtra. To strengthen the Tobacco Free Schools Programme, Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation and Salaam Mumbai Foundation annually felicitate individuals who have made significant contributions in creating a tobacco-free and healthy environment at educational institutions as well as village and community levels.
These awardees contribute to the effective implementation and dissemination of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) and Tobacco Free Educational Institution (ToFEI) guidelines under the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) of GoI. All these awardees are agents of change in the society, creating awareness at the grassroots among educational institutions and communities.
Founded by Mr. Narotam Sekhsaria in 2002, the Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation (NSF) supports initiatives towards a holistic change in society through the fields of Health, Education and Livelihood as focus areas. The Foundation has three main focus areas within the health domain i.e. cancer care, tobacco control, and palliative care. It has partnered with the Directorate of Health Services, Government of Maharashtra for providing technical support to tobacco cessation centres in 10 districts of the state.
Since 2008, Salaam Mumbai Foundation (SMF) in collaboration with the Departments of Education and Health, has been effectively implementing the Tobacco Free and Healthy Schools Initiative in Maharashtra as well as at the national level.
As part of its commitment to cancer prevention, NSF instituted the NGO Grants and Awards in 2009-2010 to support and encourage grassroots initiatives in tobacco control. It has been offering grants to NGOs and awarding individuals for their outstanding work in the area of tobacco control. NGOs and individuals involved in tobacco control from different parts of the country are selected through a rigorous assessment process in coordination with Salaam Mumbai Foundation. Till date, the Foundation has felicitated 60 individuals and offered grants to 39 NGOs across 13 states in India. Under this initiative, more than 5500 schools have been declared as tobacco-free, 15,62,059 villagers have been sensitised on the harms of tobacco through awareness sessions to support the efforts of the tobacco-free school programme, 2,47,540 stakeholders like panchayat members, police, education officers and others were trained. Around 1,81,797 teachers have been trained to make their schools tobacco-free.
Overall, the NSF Grants and Awards have had a huge impact on the recipients of the awards and have built their capacities to take up leadership roles for tobacco control in their respective contexts as revealed by the data. This in turn has translated into positive changes at village, school and individual levels.
This year, 4 NGOs and 6 individuals have been selected for the grants and awards respectively.
Mr. Manish Joshi, Director & CEO – Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation commented “As India continues to advance as a global leader in public health, the Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation remain deeply committed to supporting national initiatives designed to curb the tobacco epidemic. As per reports over 1.35 million lives are lost annually to tobacco-related diseases, it is imperative that both the public and private sectors work together. We strongly support the government's policy intervention like the COTPA 2003, ToFEI guidelines. Also, we welcome the government’s move on expansion of Tobacco Cessation Centers in districts and all health facilities. The Foundation is proud to advocate for a healthier India’s youth and workforce. We are willing to partner more with the state government on Tobacco Cessation.”
Ms. Rajashree Kadam, Trustee - Salaam Mumbai Foundation shared, “We are grateful to the NGOs and individuals who continue to work tirelessly at the grassroots to protect children and communities from the harmful effects of tobacco addiction. Through the Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation Grants and Awards, we are not only recognising their efforts but also strengthening the larger tobacco control ecosystem by building the capacities of schools, teachers, community stakeholders, and local leaders. These partnerships are critical in helping us expand and sustain a strong tobacco control repertoire across districts and communities. The dedication of these organisations plays a vital role in creating healthier, tobacco-free environments for young people to thrive.”
While the award encourages the individuals to continue the good work, the NGO grants focus on working towards the implementation of a Tobacco-Free school programme in their respective Districts. The NGOs develop innovative strategies for tobacco control and gradually, position themselves as catalysts for changing social attitudes towards the use of tobacco. The school teachers, local NGOs and local activists for change reach out to a larger number of people and sustain the programme at school and community level as they work at the grassroots.
NSF NGO Grantees for 2026-2027 and NSF Awardees 2026 list
NGOs
| NGO | State | Districts for Implementation | Number of Blocks/ Districts to be covered | |
| 1 | Grameen Swavlamban Samiti | Madhya Pradesh | Tikamgarh | 3 blocks |
| 2 | Dharti Gramotthan Evam Sahbhagi Gramin Vikas Samiti | Madhya Pradesh | Morena and Sheopur | 4 blocks |
| 3 | Jan Lok Kalyan Parishad | Jharkhand | Pakur | 6 blocks |
| 4 | Balajee Sewa Sansthan | Uttarakhand | State of Uttarakhand | 13 districts |
Individuals
| Sr. No | Name of the Individual | State | District | Profession |
| 1 | Mr. Ravi Balajirao Dhage | Maharashtra | Nanded | Teacher |
| 2 | Mr. Amol Rambhau Kale | Maharashtra | Washim | Teacher |
| 3 | Mr. Narendra Balu Patil | Maharashtra | Jalgaon | Social Worker |
| 4 | Dr. Shweta Sawlikar Khandre | Maharashtra | Chandrapur | District Consultant, NTCP |
| 5 | Dr. Jagdishchandra B Vathar | Maharashtra | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | Public Health Dentist (Dean of Dental College) |
| 6 | Mr. Kamlesh Kumar | Rajasthan | Jhunjhunu | District Education Officer |
Key Dignitaries at the event:
- Dr. Rita Parvade, Assistant Director, Directorate of Health Services, Govt. of Maharashtra
- Mr. Manish Joshi (Director & CEO - Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation)
- Smt. Rajashree Kadam (Vice President - Salaam Mumbai Foundation)
- Mr. Datta Balsaraf – Manager, Yashwantrao Chavan Pratishthan
- Ms. Tshering Bhutia - Chief Innovation Officer and Sr. VP - Preventive Health, Salaam Bombay Foundation
- Mr. Gaurav Arora - Chief Growth Officer and Sr. VP - Skills@School & Sports, Salaam Bombay Foundation.
