CHETAK FOUNDATION. SERVING THE SOCIETY

The Chetak Foundation has emerged as a transformative force in India’s social sector, focusing its energies on truck drivers as primary beneficiaries across education, skill development, health and wellness, environmental conservation, nutrition, and road safety. Through well-defined initiatives, the Foundation has championed the dignity of labour and is set to launch a new campaign for greater respect and empowerment within the trucking profession.

Vision and Approach

Chetak Foundation was established in tribute to Shri Jai Karan Sharma, founder of Chetak Group, with a mission to uplift underprivileged communities by focusing on logistics sector workers—especially truck drivers. Its strategy recognises that truck drivers power India’s supply chain, yet they face challenging work conditions, limited access to healthcare, and social marginalisation.

Social Initiatives and Strategic Collaborations

Key programs include:

• Swasthya Plus (Health & Wellness)
• Zindagi Plus (Road Safety)
• Poshan Plus (Nutrition)
• Oxygen Plus (Environmental Protection)
• Jai Krishna Awards (Skill Development Scholarships)
• Sahayta Plus (Covid relief and distribution of food kits, dry rations, and sanitation supplies to underprivileged truckers and frontline workers.
• Sambandh Plus: A program focused on fostering community ties and local engagement in villages and transport hubs.

Education and Skill Development

The Foundation partners with leading educational institutions to provide scholarships, skill-building courses, and awards to logistics students and truck drivers. The Jai Krishna Logistics Youth Awards and collaborations with the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU) focus on strengthening employability through a tailored curriculum, training, and recognition for outstanding contributions in logistics.

Health and Wellness

Initiatives such as Swasthya Plus and Better Sight Safer Drive address the health and safety needs of drivers. Regular eye check-up camps, conducted in partnership with top organisations (GMR, Honda 2-Wheelers, Vision Spring, JBM, SML Isuzu), ensure thousands of truckers receive thorough vision testing and free corrective spectacles, directly reducing accident risks and improving quality of life. During the COVID-19 crisis, ambulance drivers and frontline workers received sanitisation kits under Swasthya Plus, highlighting the Foundation’s swift response and ongoing commitment to public health.

Environment and Nutrition

Chetak Foundation’s Oxygen Plus initiative focuses on tree plantation, aiming for 10,000 new trees to offset carbon and improve air quality around transport hubs—a direct benefit to both drivers and the urban environment. Under Poshan Plus, high-quality dry rations are distributed to truck drivers and frontline workers at events like Dappar Toll Plaza and Dharuhera, addressing both hunger and nutritional insecurity prevalent in the sector.

Road Safety

The Foundation’s Zindagi Plus Road Safety Drive and helmet distribution programs address the critical safety risks faced by drivers on Indian roads. By collaborating with public and private partners (including traffic police and automobile corporations), Chetak Foundation equips truckers, cab drivers, and even police constables with life-saving gear and targeted safety awareness sessions. Regular eye screening further supports safer driving—a significant contribution that has been honoured by multiple awards, including the Business World Healthcare Institutional Excellence Award 2025.

Some independent Campaigns

• Nasha Mukt, Suraksha Yukt Campaign: Targeted in Himachal Pradesh’s Una region to reduce substance abuse among logistics workers while strengthening safety practices.
• Vaccination Drives: Campaigns powered by partnership with UNICEF to promote child vaccination, driver awareness, and community health workshops, including field activities bringing truck drivers to the UNICEF HQ for advocacy.
• Road Safety Campaigns: Joint programs with Delhi Traffic Police and corporates like HMSI for helmet distribution and safety awareness under the Zindagi Plus banner.
• Senior Citizen Eye Camps: Dedicated vision check-ups in association with organisations such as Visual Eyez and HIF for elderly citizens in logistics-dependent communities.

Strategic Collaborations (Key partners and Associates)

The Chetak Foundation has significantly broadened its scope of interventions and partnerships, earning multiple awards and recognitions, as well as collaborating with many distinguished national and international organisations, including

• UNICEF: Collaborated on vaccination, health, and road safety campaigns with workshops to design impactful programs.
• Vision Spring: Ongoing partnership for driver vision health and safe driving via eye camps at major logistics hubs, airports, and toll plazas.
• GMR Varalakshmi Foundation: MoU for joint work in health, skill development, and road safety for logistics communities.
• Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, JBM, JCB: Joint interventions supporting safety equipment distribution, health camps, and wellness awareness.
• Visual Eyez and HIF: Community eye health programs, especially senior citizen initiatives, are recognised in Vrindavan and other regions.
• Delhi Traffic Police: Supported major Zindagi Plus campaigns to boost public road safety awareness among logistics professionals.

Impact and Recognition

By crafting named, targeted interventions and expanding its collaborative networks, Chetak Foundation stands as an influential advocate for social justice, safety, and sustainable development for those who keep India’s wheels turning. The Foundation’s pioneering efforts have earned it distinguished honours, including

Awards and Recognitions

• BusinessWorld Healthcare Institutional Excellence Award 2025: For Swasthya and Zindagi Plus health and road safety interventions.
• Social Impact Awards 2023: Honouring top performance in Health, Nutrition, Road Safety, and Environment Protection.
• National CSR Award 2023: For outstanding social initiatives in the logistics sector.
• ESG India Social Champion Award: Recognising significant impact for underprivileged truck drivers’ welfare.
• Top 30 Most Trusted NGOs: A listing rated by social sector observers and evaluators.
• Lifetime Achievement Samman and Outstanding Leader Awards: Conferred on Shri Jai Karan Sharma as a pioneering entrepreneur and philanthropist in logistics.
• Pinnacle Award for Creating an Equal World: Acknowledging targeted equality-driven campaigns and inclusive social programming.

Future Plans: Pioneering Dignity of Labour and Future Campaigns

Recognising the fundamental role of truck drivers, the Foundation is committed to leading a “Dignity of Labour” campaign, promoting greater respect, fair treatment, and social acceptance for the profession. This future-focused program will further enhance road safety, health initiatives, and environmental protections, celebrating and elevating truck drivers as central contributors to India’s economic growth.

These initiatives further reinforce Chetak Foundation’s leadership in innovative social programming for logistics workers, particularly truck drivers, earning it respect from prestigious national and global partners and distinguished awards, making it a benchmark NGO in this field.