All That I Am

In times when kindness is a rare virtue, Manju Lodha, Chairperson, Lodha Foundation, sets a fine example with her selfless service to the society. In a conversation with MARWAR, the social entrepreneur offers glimpses of her social and welfare initiatives, her love for writing and music, and what inspires her to keep going tirelessly.

- Rachna Virdi

Manju Lodha is the matriarch of the Lodha family and an inspiration to all. Born in October 1960, Manju—the daughter of Kishorimal and Sita Devi Lukand from Bhinmal, Rajasthan—had a privileged childhood. At 18, she tied the knot with Mangal Prabhat Lodha—son of Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court Guman Mal ji Lodha—businessman, Indian politician and founder of Lodha Developers, a multinational real estate company. With such an affluent background, Lodha could have chosen to lead a life of comfort and luxury. But the gritty and determined lady chose the tougher path of serving the weaker sections of society and founded a charitable trust called Lodha Foundation.

Walking the talk

Lodha Foundation took shape 28 years back with Lodha’s relentless drive to work towards the betterment of society. “In 1995 when my husband was contesting elections from the Malabar Hill constituency, we went for door-to-door campaigning and witnessed the grievances of slum dwellers. That prompted us to establish Lodha Foundation to undertake welfare initiatives for the economically weaker sections of society. It was later registered as Lodha Charitable Trust in 2007,” elaborates Lodha. As the Chairperson of the trust, Lodha she got associated with its activities and worked towards health care, civic works, education and skill development, besides undertaking relief work during calamities. The Foundation has successfully championed causes to support women and senior citizens too.