People & Nature Welfare Society

2018Year Founded

Our Story

People & Nature Welfare Society

Founded in 2018 by a group of passionate social workers in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, People & Nature Welfare Society (PANWS) was born from a shared dream — a society where every individual, regardless of background, has access to dignity, opportunity, and a healthy environment.

Our guiding philosophy is captured in our tagline: "Service to Humanity is the Greatest Religion." We believe that true fulfilment comes from the act of giving — giving time, giving care, giving hope to those who need it most.

Over six years, we have grown from a small community initiative into a recognized welfare organisation impacting thousands of lives through education, environment, health, women empowerment, old age welfare, and animal welfare.

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Our Purpose

Vision & Mission

Our Vision

A society where every person lives with dignity, has access to quality education, good health, and a clean environment — where compassion bridges all divides and humanity serves humanity. We envision Gorakhpur as a model city of inclusive, sustainable welfare.

Our Mission

To empower marginalised communities through targeted welfare programs in education, health, environment, and livelihoods — creating sustainable development from the grassroots up, with maximum transparency, accountability, and community participation.

Our Values

What We Believe In

Compassion

Every decision we make starts with empathy. We see the humanity in every person we serve and lead with kindness.

Sustainability

We build solutions that last — programmes rooted in community ownership that continue to thrive long after our direct involvement.

Integrity

We operate with full transparency in every rupee spent. Our donors, beneficiaries, and partners can trust us completely.

Inclusivity

We serve across caste, religion, gender and geography. Our work belongs to all — without discrimination or bias.

Innovation

We constantly explore better ways to serve communities, leveraging technology, partnerships and creative problem-solving.

Impact-Driven

We measure success by real lives changed — not just programmes run. Every initiative is evaluated for its lasting impact.

Our Journey

Milestones & Achievements

2018 — Foundation

People & Nature Welfare Society Established

A group of 12 passionate social workers formally registered PANWS in Gorakhpur, UP with a mission to serve humanity and protect nature.

2019 — First Programmes

Launch of Education & Health Initiatives

First free coaching centre opened for 40 children. First quarterly health camp organised in a rural area serving 120 patients.

2020 — COVID Relief

Emergency Relief Operations During Pandemic

Distributed food kits, medicines and masks to 3,000+ families during the COVID-19 lockdown. Partnered with local administration for relief efforts.

2021 — Women's Centre

Women Empowerment Centre Launched

Opened a dedicated vocational training centre for women, with tailoring, handicraft and computer courses. First batch of 50 women trained.

2022 — Green Mission

10,000 Trees Planted Across Gorakhpur

Landmark tree plantation milestone achieved across schools, parks and public spaces. Environmental awareness workshops held in 25 schools.

2023 — Scale Up

Expanded to 6 Programme Verticals

Added Animal Welfare and Old Age Welfare to our programme portfolio. Volunteer base crossed 500. Beneficiary count crossed 10,000.

2024–25 — Onwards

15,000+ Lives Impacted & Growing

Continuing to expand reach, deepen impact and build partnerships for a more equitable, greener Gorakhpur and beyond.

Our Team

The People Behind the Mission

Dedicated individuals who give their time, skills, and hearts every single day.

Dr. Vijay Shandilya

President & CEO

A visionary social worker with a passion for community transformation. The driving force behind PANWS since 2018.

Vyas Chandra

Vice President

Managing programmes and field operations across all districts. Expert in community mobilisation and NGO management.

Jay Shankar Mishra

Media Prabhari

Designing and implementing impact-driven welfare programmes. Expert in health education and rural development.

Ajay Pandey

National coordinator

Managing programmes and field operations across all districts. Expert in community mobilisation and NGO management.

Baktiyar Khan

Advisor

Managing programmes and field operations across all districts. Expert in community mobilisation and NGO management.

Pratibha Tripathi

HR Head

Championing women's rights and economic empowerment for over 5 years. Leads all SHG and vocational training programmes.

About Our Organisation