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About Us

HOW IT BEGAN

Jaya Organic Yojana (JOY) is a registered Trust started in 2014 by Ms. Smita Kelton Shah in memory of her mother, Smt. Jayaben Shah. JOY was established due to looming environmental distress matched by ever-increasing malnutrition and risk to health due to the use of chemicals in agriculture.

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OUR JOURNEY

With an innovative approach, JOY has become a renowned NGO known for delivering tangible results. Our organization aims to provide local opportunities that mitigate migration and revive the village economy.

With a growing grass-root presence with over 4,500 families in Karnataka and Jharkhand, JOY empowers tribal and marginalized farmers by enhancing their income, increasing yields, and providing training in various sustainable practices and new technologies.

MEET OUR TEAM

Head Office, Bangalore

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Smita Kelton Shah

CEO & Founder

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Anuradha Muthukumar

Director of Programs

Vikas Vishwakarma

Manager

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Malleswari
Baddela

Program Officer

Sujeeth Narayan

Video Editor

Vinay Gowda

Admin Associate

Field Team, Uttara Kannada, Karnataka

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Micheal Siddi

Field Coordinator

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Ibrahimsab Siddi

Field Trainer

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Manjunath R Siddi

Field Trainer

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Manjunath S Siddi

Field Trainer

Vidhya Siddi

Field Trainer

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Shanti Siddi

Field Trainer

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Poornima Siddi

Field Trainer

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Biyama Siddi

Field Trainer

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Marry Siddi

Field Trainer

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Francis Siddi

Field Trainer

Ganesh Siddi

MIS

Field Team, Ranchi, Jharkhand

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Vijendra Kumar

Field Coordinator

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Chintamani Devi

Field Trainer

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Juli Devi

Field Trainer

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Kiran Devi

Field Trainer

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Birajo Devi

Field Trainer

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Sonam Devi

Field Trainer

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Basanti Devi

Field Trainer

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Anita Devi

Field Trainer

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Savita Sahu

Field Trainer

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Champa Devi

Field Trainer

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Panchami Devi

Field Trainer

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Savita Kumari

Field Trainer

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Anju Devi

Field Trainer

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Sumitra Devi

Field Trainer

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Palita Devi

Field Trainer

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Usha Kumari

Tailoring Trainer

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Roshan Kumar

MIS & Field Coordinator

Smita Kelton Shah, a filmmaker turned social innovator, founded Jaya Organic Yojana (JOY) driven by her determination to address environmental challenges and rural inequalities. Upon returning to India in 1985 and witnessing recurring droughts, Shah collaborated with experts to promote watershed management and launched the Rain Harvest series on Doordarshan, raising nationwide awareness on water conservation.

Her passion for bridging societal gaps led her to pioneer concepts like village-based training, medicinal kitchen gardens, and rural women’s entrepreneurship programs. Since 2014, Shah has focused on rejuvenating degraded land at scale, promoting organic farming as a solution for healthier food systems and sustainable livelihoods.

OUR CEO & FOUNDER TRUSTEE

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