Olympic medal-winning wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and UFC fighter Puja Tomar joined M3M Group’s top leadership in Gurugram as the company’s social welfare arm marked seven years of work.
M3M Foundation says its programmes have reached more than 5 million people across 21 states and over 1,300 villages since it began in 2019. The foundation held the event, called ‘Abhyuday’, to mark the milestone. It brought together more than 60 implementation partners, over 100 NGOs from across India, government representatives, community leaders and the people its programmes serve.
Dutt and Tomar were joined by archery coach Sanjeeva Singh, ultrarunner Tenzin Dolma and young open-water swimmer Kamya Bhardwaj. Athletes and scholars from the foundation’s Lakshya sports scholarship programme also attended.
“It fills me with immense happiness and pride to see how the M3M Foundation family has grown, reaching over 21 states, three Union Territories and 1,300+ villages,” said Dr Payal Kanodia, promoter of M3M Group and chairperson and trustee of M3M Foundation. Kanodia, who also chairs the Paralympic Committee of India, said the numbers were only part of the story. “This journey is not just about how far we have reached, but about the difference we have made in people’s lives,” she said.
From one club to nine programmes
The work began with a single community initiative, the iMpower Club. It now runs through a set of flagship programmes: iMpower, Saakshar, Sarvoday, Kartavya, VanJeevan, Sankalp, Kaushal Sambal, Lakshya and the Mashaal Fellowship. These cover education, healthcare, livelihoods, environment, arts and sports.
From Nubra Valley to the Nilgiris
Beneficiaries travelled from Nubra Valley in Ladakh to the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu, and from Rajasthan to Assam, to share their stories. Sitting alongside them were TB doctors and more than 100 panchayat members, including sarpanches and ward councillors, along with villagers and local leaders.
M3M Group chairman Basant Bansal attended with director Roop Bansal and promoters Pankaj Bansal and Aishwarya Bansal.
Three days of review before the celebration
Abhyuday closed Manthan 3.0, a three-day workshop held just before it. Over 60 partner organisations reviewed their programmes, discussed working across sectors and planned ahead. The theme was “Samvad, Sameeksha aur Avlokan” — dialogue, review and reflection.
More than 50 awards went to partners and stakeholders across categories for their work on the ground.
Para-dancers, gymnasts on stage
Lakshya scholars put up a gymnastics display. Kamlesh Patel and the We Are One Dance Group performed, as did a troupe of para-dancers. Children from Kutumb, Banaras, presented classical song and dance, while iMpower children staged a skit.
The Bansal family also released a corporate catalogue, Designing Spaces: Building Communities. Transforming Lives, covering the group’s work in architecture, engineering and social impact.
The foundation said it would push for deeper community work and more partnerships as it moves into its next phase.
