KOCHI: The SBI Youth for India Fellowship, a flagship initiative of the SBI Foundation, held its 2026 annual conclave here, bringing together over 150 young changemakers from across the country.
The conclave, held on Saturday, served as a platform to exchange knowledge, collaborate and showcase grassroots interventions driving rural transformation.
The event was attended by SBI Director General Swapan Dhar, President and Chief Operating Officer Jagannath Sahu, Program Head Gyan Prakash, among other eminent personalities, who exchanged ideas on social innovation and youth-led rural development.
The 2026 edition marks 15 years of the fellowship’s impact in rural India, according to an SBI statement.
Over the years, the program has enabled young professionals to work with communities and partner NGOs in areas such as education, healthcare, environmental sustainability and rural livelihoods.
The Kochi meeting highlighted the initiative’s growing presence in southern India, with a focus on graduate-led projects from Kerala and other regions.
The statement explained that more than 170 participants representing various sectors and geographies attended the event.
The program included panel discussions on scaling up rural innovation, strengthening partnerships with civil society organizations, and interactive sessions aimed at strengthening cooperation between social enterprises and stakeholders.
Speaking on the occasion, Dhar said the fellowship has enabled over 700 youth to contribute to community-led interventions, positively impacting the lives of over 200,000 people across rural India.
He said that the conclave reflects the scale and depth of the collective efforts while reaffirming the SBI Foundation’s commitment to empowering change makers and strengthening the development ecosystem.
Sahu said the conclave provided an opportunity for practitioners, policy makers and change makers to exchange ideas and build on the momentum built over the years, while also setting direction for future initiatives.
Meanwhile, applications for the 14th batch of Youth for India Fellowship are open till April 30.
Eligible applicants include graduates and young working professionals between the ages of 21 and 32 years, including Indian citizens, OCI holders, Non-Resident Indians and citizens of Bhutan and Nepal, who are interested in working with rural communities and partner organizations to drive social change.
Over the past 15 years, the fellowship has built a network of socially conscious leaders, many of whom continue to contribute through social enterprises and involvement in community-led policies and initiatives, organizers said.
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