Somaiya Vidyavihar University sponsors REACH, a residential fellowship for Somaiya’s young alumni to engage closely with rural communities—farmers, artisans, tribal groups, and rural students—within the Somaiya ecosystem. Fellows gain first-hand exposure to lived realities by documenting traditional practices and understanding everyday challenges and opportunities, while developing empathy, field research skills, and a deeper appreciation of community-led change.
Functioning as architects of a foundational data landscape, REACH Fellows compile baseline insights and documentation that highlight key themes, emerging questions, and opportunities for future research, with each cohort contributing fresh perspectives each year.
Dahanu, Palghar District,
Maharashtra
Warli Communities- Women Farmers & Children
Dongri, Sehore District,
Bhopal
Tribal Communities — Art, Culture & Forest systems
Sameerwadi Village, Bagalkot District,
Karnataka
Farming communityand Artisans
Villages in Kachchh District,
Gujarati
Artisans and farming communities
"Our focus is on building lasting change by uniting research, local communities, and stakeholders to co-design solutions. This empowers communities and bridges science with society, theory with practical and needs with solutions for sustainable development."
REACH 2026 Begins on: June 5, 2026
