Responsible
Advance peacebuilding, wellbeing, harmony with others and coexistence with nature through clear public-purpose action.
About RIF
A purpose-led institution advancing Everyday Peace.
RIF was founded in 2014 to strengthen people and communities through Responsible, Inclusive, Sustainable and Eco-system Friendly action.
Mission
Strengthening communities through values-led collaboration.
RIF frames Peace as an ultimate indicator of development and Everyday Peace as the practical resilience people need to navigate daily life with dignity.Inclusive
Support people and communities facing exclusion through humanitarian aid, dignity and practical access.
Sustainable
Strengthen community development through nutrition, education, health, women empowerment, livelihoods, skills and WASH.
Eco-system Friendly
Embed climate action, disaster risk reduction, water, energy, plantations and ecosystem thinking into partnerships.
Aims
The institutional mandate behind the work.
RIF advances awareness, multi-stakeholder collaboration and practical support for people and communities who are excluded from opportunity or timely assistance.Build awareness
Advance research and education around Responsible, Inclusive, Sustainable and Eco-system Friendly values as drivers of development and progress.
Multiply opportunities
Collaborate with diverse stakeholders to create market access, capacity, linkages and practical solutions for women-led, social and green initiatives.
Support people facing exclusion
Extend practical support to people and communities who are often left out of opportunity, services or timely assistance.
History
From institutional roots to wider ecosystem work.
Since its incorporation on 13 September 2014, RIF has built work across Peacebuilding, Humanitarian Aid, Community Development and Climate Action.Institutional Approach
Built on responsibility, inclusion, sustainability and eco-system thinking.
RIF works through partnerships, community systems and documented learning so institutional collaborators can engage with clarity and confidence.Partnership-led
RIF aligns institutions, community organizations, volunteers and public-purpose partners around shared development priorities.
Evidence-aware
Programs are connected to activity notes, reports, field learning and public resources that help partners review the work with confidence.
Community-facing
Initiatives are designed around practical needs, dignity and resilience for people and communities closest to the issue.
Trustees & Team
Leadership and stewardship.
RIF is guided by trustees and team members who steward its public-purpose mandate and partnership commitments.
Karon Shaiva
Managing TrusteeKaron Shaiva is a social entrepreneur, columnist, writer, speaker and trainer. She started Rise Infinity Foundation as an organisation committed to serve those vulnerable, poor and sick. Karon’s personal story has been covered by the iconic series – Chicken Soup for the Indian Women’s Soul and she was invited to speak at the worldwide launch of the ‘Mentoring Women in Business’ programme by the Cherie Blair Foundation in New York. She also authored the “Impact Shopping” page for the Afternoon Despatch & Courier that included her column “An EmpAowered World”. She has been on the boards and advisory committees of social enterprises and is a passionate speaker on social development and entrepreneurship. She has also judged and mentored start-ups and student entrepreneurs. She enjoys reading, music, dancing and when she can muster the courage – adventure sports! An avid traveller, she needs no persuasion to take a detour every now and then to explore and absorb.
Walter Vieira
TrusteeWalter Vieira has been described by Philip Kotler (the world’s guru on ‘Marketing’) as one of ‘the best speakers on Marketing in Asia, and perhaps world wide.’ He is a Certified Management Consultant; and a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants of India. He has been in the practice of management consultancy since 1975 when he set up the first marketing consultancy company in India. He was awarded the Life Time Achievement Award for Consulting in 2005 and Life Time Achievement Award for Marketing in 2009. He has been the President of the Institute of Management Consultants of India (1986-1991); the Founder/Chairman of Asia Pacific Conference of Management Consultants; and the first Asian to be elected Chairman of the 42-country world apex body of management consultants (ICMCI) International Council of Management Consulting Institutes. Walter has straddled the space between business and academia – and shares his vast experience with students and peers, to help make this a better world!
Carol Andrade
TrusteeCarol Andrade is a veteran of the journalism scenario in Mumbai, having been in active journalism since 1974. She has worked with The Times of India, Mid-Day and The Afternoon Despatch and Courier, as reporter, senior reporter, and chief reporter. She has been teaching journalism for the past 14 years, at XIC and also at the NIEM. Her strength being her ability to deal with both news and features equally well. She is also a great believer in the virtue of sub-editing over reporting. She loves traveling, loves writing about it. She is definitely a people’s person who believes that students have as much to teach her (almost) as she, them. She enjoys technology (within limits), and strives to make her classes thoroughly interactive. Currently, Carol Andrade is with St Pauls Institute of Communication Education as the dean.
Hema Ganachari
Sr. Advisor - Strategy and PartnershipHema has been part of the Rise Infinity Foundation team since its inception. She has widened our entrepreneurship network to include many NGOS and Self Help Groups. Currently she is responsible for the planning, development and implementation of various workshops for a diverse clientele including corporate, NGOs and Self Help Groups. Further she supervises the planning and implementation of all our events, and oversees the implementation our projects across verticals. Earlier, Hema was working in the Export Industry for over 15 years. Her product portfolio included auto parts and industrial goods which are distinctly known as a male domain. Her success brought her accolades and invitations to conferences in South Africa, Egypt and Mauritius. Hema graduated in Economics from University of Mumbai and went on to do an MBA in finance from University of Pune.
Rajesh Shaiva
Lead-OperationsPart of RIF's leadership and stewardship network.
Naresh Karmalkar
AdvisorNaresh is a Co-Founder & CEO, E-magine Impact Entrepreneur, trainer and development consultant with 30+ years across social sector, business and NGOs. Former Habitat for Humanity leader, BNI Asst. Area Director for Mumbai West, and certified trainer in Strategic Planning, M&E and Appreciative Inquiry. He has also supported the RISE Summit and Idobro for nearly two decades.
Shilpa Shirwadkar
Senior Program ManagerSenior development professional with 13+ years of experience across development and education sectors, demonstrating leadership in disaster management, nutrition, education, livelihoods, tribal development, monitoring & evaluation, behaviour change communication and government systems strengthening. Proven track record of leading multi-stakeholder programs with UNICEF, Government of Maharashtra, CSR foundations, and NGOs at district, state and PAN-India levels. Strong expertise in GO– NGO coordination, capacity building, community platforms, research and evaluation and multilingual stakeholder engagement.
Mansi Gamre
Sr. Program Associate - Women EmpowermentWith over 20 years of experience in the NGO and Skill Development sector, Mansi has a proven track record of empowering youth and women through education, training, and livelihood opportunities. Core areas of expertise include capacity building, nutrition awareness, women empowerment, and human resource management. Having successfully led programs designed to enhance life skills, employability, and entrepreneurship, she is deeply committed to driving sustainable community impact. Her work centers on strengthening individuals and organizations, building confidence, promoting self-reliance, and enabling inclusive development through practical learning and leadership.
Governance
Public reports and institutional resources.
Approved reports and public resources are maintained in one library, with private administrative and donor information kept outside the public site.Next Step
Partner with RISE Infinity Foundation
Start a focused conversation around CSR partnership, ecosystem collaboration, volunteering or youth entrepreneurship support.