ABGUS & SBI Foundation

Gram Sewa is SBI Foundation’s flagship rural development programme aimed at creating a comprehensive ecosystem of support for villages. Implemented in partnership with Akhil Bhartiya Gramin Uthan Samiti (ABGUS), the initiative works across several areas including healthcare, education, livelihoods, digital inclusion, and community development to enable long-term, sustainable progress in rural communities.

Our brief was to capture this wide-ranging initiative through a documentary that could clearly communicate both the scale of the programme and its real impact on people’s lives.

We spent three days filming across multiple villages, documenting a range of Gram Sewa interventions in action. The shoot involved capturing on-ground activities as well as recording interviews with key voices connected to the programme, including community members, local stakeholders, and representatives involved in implementing the initiative.

Because Gram Sewa spans several development areas, the challenge was to present the programme in a way that felt cohesive rather than fragmented. The storytelling approach focused on showing how these initiatives collectively contribute to strengthening the village ecosystem—from improving access to services and opportunities to supporting community-led development.

Through a mix of observational footage and personal stories from the ground, the film offers a clear and human perspective on how the partnership between SBI Foundation and ABGUS is helping villages move towards a more sustainable and empowered future.