Kolkata Society for Cultural Heritage works across heritage conservation, sustainable tourism, education, healthcare, environmental sustainability, women empowerment, and community development — creating lasting impact across Eastern India.
Kolkata Society for Cultural Heritage (KSCH) is a social enterprise functioning at the grassroots level for the permanent developmental change of rural, urban, and tribal areas of India. We hold special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council since 2022.
We believe livelihood is the most important component of any sustainable development model — by improving economic conditions in rural and tribal areas, we can address education, health, and sanitation in turn. Our work spans agriculture, eco-friendly livelihoods, renewable energy, water treatment, and the revival of traditional folk art and culture as income-generating mechanisms for rural communities.
We are working to empower underprivileged people — especially women, who are victims of systemic sociological problems — through capacity building and community-led, environment-friendly sustainable development.
Our mission is to develop existing livelihoods — including agriculture, paper plate making, crab and shrimp harvesting, and mangrove nurseries — that are prevalent across rural Sundarban. We provide technical assistance for the development of education, health, and sanitation, and we are working to build sustainable cities by reducing single-use plastic, using solid waste management as a tool to create livelihoods.
People-first, partnership-driven development that respects local context and lived experience.
Scaling proven models to reach more communities across rural, tribal, and urban India.
Measuring success through lives changed and livelihoods built — not just projects closed.
Reviving lost folk art forms like Sunderban Patachitra and Bono Bibir Pala, turning intangible cultural heritage into livelihoods for rural artisans.
Through "Parijayi," our award-winning eco-cultural tourism initiative, we build homestays and community-led tourism that supports rural artisans.
Self-help groups producing eco-friendly paper plates, weaving Gamcha towels, and crab farming — building direct market linkage and steady income.
Participatory development models that put communities at the center of their own progress.
Over 33.6 lakh mangrove saplings planted across the Sundarbans with the Forest Department, Indian Navy, and WEBEL — strengthening coastal resilience.
School infrastructure upgrades, free libraries under New Town's subways, and adopted schools providing uninterrupted education to underprivileged children.
Medical equipment and power backup systems donated to government hospitals, plus relief work that served over 10.5 lakh meals during Amphan, COVID, and YAAS.
Organic agriculture, mushroom cultivation, poultry, and brown rice production training across rural and tribal clusters in West Bengal.
Reviving the long-extinct scroll-painting tradition behind "Bono Bibir Pala," training women near Sajnekhali Wildlife Sanctuary with Sundarban Tiger Reserve to paint on scrolls, pots, fans, and souvenirs as an alternative to forest-dependent livelihoods.
Eco-friendly paper plate units run by self-help group women in Bally and Jharkhali, scaling from 500 to 4,500 plates a day — eliminating thermocol use locally and even reaching an export order from the Netherlands.
An end-to-end mangrove restoration model spanning the Sundarbans, Mumbai (with the Indian Navy), and Saltlake — 33.6 lakh saplings planted to date, protecting biodiversity and creating rural livelihoods.
Self-help group women at the Jharkhali paper plate unit started small, replacing thermocol with biodegradable alternatives. A Durga Puja organizer overseas placing an order gave them a renewed sense of self-belief — and a steady, dignified income.
Read the full story →Bono Bibir Pala was once sung, but the scroll-painting tradition behind it had disappeared. After four months of training with expert painters from Kolkata, village women now sell Patachitra-painted merchandise to tourists at permanent forest department stalls.
Read the full story →Jatragachi Nandanagar Primary School served a hundred children with barely working infrastructure. With CSR support from Merlin Group's "I Am Kolkata," KSCH installed fans, computers, and a water purifier — and continues renovating school toilets in Uttarpara.
Read the full story →KSCH was honoured as the "Iconic Social Organization of the Year" by ET Now, recognising its innovative social enterprise model and impact in cultural preservation and community development.
Download our latest impact report documenting outcomes across all programme areas — from Patachitra revival to cyclone relief and healthcare infrastructure.
India Post marked KSCH's 11th anniversary with a Patachitra-themed special postal cover and stamp — the first official recognition of the Sundarbans' Patachitra revival by the Indian Postal Service.
We design and implement impactful programmes aligned with Sustainable Development Goals and your company's CSR priorities. From project ideation to field execution and impact reporting — we manage the full cycle.
Every KSCH project maps to specific SDGs, making impact reporting straightforward for your CSR compliance.
Third-party assessed outcomes with quarterly reports, field visits, and digital dashboards.
We work with your team to design programmes that align CSR strategy with genuine community need.
ISO 9001:2015 certified, DUNS registered, and holding special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council since 2022.
Contribute your time, skills, and passion to programmes across heritage, education, and community development.
Strategic partnerships with NGOs, academic institutions, and social enterprises that share our mission.
Individual giving, recurring donations, and legacy gifts that sustain our work across Eastern India.
Research partnerships, knowledge exchange, and collaborative projects with institutions and experts.
Whether you're a potential partner, a donor, a volunteer, or simply curious — we'd love to hear from you.
