Basudev Singh

Background

About Basudev Singh

Founded in the year 2003, Bundelkhand Sewa Sansthan (BSS) is a grassroots voluntary organisation based in Lalitpur, a district in Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh. Spread over Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh Bundelkhand is among the most deprived regions of India with high levels of illiteracy and severally limited employment options. BSS primarily works among Saharia and Gond tribes, Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes and other deprived people through multi-sectoral strategic interventions. BSS was founded in 2003 by Basudev, an accomplished social worker. Before forming BSS, he was working for over 10 years with Akhil Bharatiya Samaj Sewa Sansthan Chitrakoot, in an Action Aid supported project. As a part of replicating the success of the project in other areas of Bundelkhand, and Action Aid decided that some of the bright staff members will fan out in other parts of Bundelkhand and start interventions with support of Action Aid. Basudev decided to create a base in Madawara block of Lalitpur district, some 65 km from the district headquarters and almost 400 km from his earlier place of work. This area is bordering Madhya Pradesh, interspersed with Vindhyan Hills, scrub forests and thickly populated with Gond and Saharia tribes. Fighting all odds, initially Basudev started visit, rapport-building and appraisal of the area. Even before BSS was registered, Action Aid extended support in the latter part of 2002. BSS was registered in March 2003 as a society. Soon another opportunity came in the shape of PACS (Poorest Area Civil Society) Programme through lead partner These two supports in the critical start up phase of the organisation proved extremely valuable. Basudev already had requisite skills and vision to do the things. BSS works in rights based approach and strives for realisation of rights and entitlements of the target population.