Gram Bharati Samiti (GBS) — meaning Society for Rural Development — was founded in April 1984 by senior social activists and Gandhian workers in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Registered on July 28, 1984, GBS has spent four decades working at the frontlines of rural development — restoring environments, empowering women, bringing healthcare to remote villages, and rehabilitating marginalised communities. Today GBS holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations (UN ECOSOC) and is an active participant in international platforms on climate change, land degradation and gender equality.