Dr. Kishor Naitam Foundation
Alapalli · Gadchiroli · MaharashtraA happy childhood. A dignified future. Every child's right.
In Alapalli, a remote village in the densely forested tribal district of Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, we are a group of passionate friends building a free and open space where every child with a dream can learn and fly. We believe in walking alongside each village as it writes its own destiny — self-sustaining, environment-friendly, peaceful and awakened.
Our story
To empower the tribal communities who have guarded our waters, forests and lands for generations — to live self-respecting, independent, fulfilled and happy lives in an ever-changing world. This is KNF's unwavering purpose.
Four ways we serve
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Education, in the Real Sense
A safe and free environment where every child explores, inquires and learns what they love — the child at the centre, control in their own hands.
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Healthcare at the Doorstep
Preventive and curative care through mobile clinics, bringing quality treatment and expert guidance directly to remote homes.
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Rights of Indigenous Villages
Ensuring the Madia, Gond and every indigenous community receives its due rights, dignity and respect.
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Culture & Environment
Honouring traditions that have protected these forests for generations — an awakened indigenous culture fused with advancing education.
The distance a child here must cross
38.7%
of Gadchiroli's people belong to Scheduled Tribes, mostly Madia and Gond communities
68.2%
of women in Gadchiroli are anaemic — the highest of any district in Maharashtra
56% vs 73%
Scheduled Tribe literacy in Maharashtra against the state average — a 17-point gap
Sources: Census of India 2011 (District Administration, Gadchiroli; NHSRC) · National Family Health Survey-5, 2019–21
What we do in Alapalli
A safe and free learning space where every child explores, inquires and learns what they love — the child at the centre, control in their own hands.
EducationPreventive and curative care through mobile clinics, bringing quality treatment and expert guidance directly to remote homes.
HealthcareStanding with the Madia, Gond and every indigenous community, so each receives its due rights, dignity and respect.
Rights of indigenous villages
In their own words
“We chose to homeschool, and we saw with our own eyes the difference between the two paths. That experience became a conviction: the children of our community needed an alternative space to learn.”
Dr. Kishor Naitam 1976 – 2023
The Foundation carries forward the work of Dr. Kishor Naitam, who served Gadchiroli's villages as a doctor for two decades.
His lifeतो अजूनही देतो...सम्यक दृष्टि
— संतोष चिकाटे
तो मित्र...
ज्याच्या डोळ्यांत प्रकाश नव्हता,
तर दृष्टी होती.
ज्याच्या हसण्यात आनंद नव्हता,
तर स्वीकृती होती.
आणि ज्याच्या अंतरंगात मौन नव्हतं,
तर शब्दांच्या पलीकडचं समजणं होतं.
