About Us


Population First is a social impact organization that works for women empowerment, gender equality and community mobilization.


Population First was registered in March 2002, by Bobby Sista, doyen of advertising Industry in India, under the Bombay Public Trusts Act (1950) to leverage communication and media influence to address the social and demographic issues in the country. Population First believes that numbers are not the issue but the unequal social development and gendered mindsets are responsible for the poor social demographic indices - be it maternal and child mortality, child marriages or the falling sex ratios.

Population First focuses on the gendered mindsets which undermine the value of girls and women, promote discrimination against them and justify gender based violence. The challenge is to change those mindsets.

Vision

An India where every child is wanted, cared and nurtured
An India where every woman is empowered to exercise her rights
An India where every citizen is secured a life of social well being - free from poverty, violence and discrimination
An India where health and population programmes are pursued as an integral part of social development and gender equality in an environment of collective responsibility

Population First’s field based intervention "Action for Mobilization of Community Health Initiatives" (AMCHI) works to bridge the gap between the right holders and duty bearers to promote more gender sensitive and people oriented social development initiatives

Population First, through its flagship program, Laadli, leverages its good will in the media and advertising to influence the influencers to change the way India treats its women by changing the way media reports on gender issues and advertisements and films portray girls and women in their communication.


S. V. Sista former Chairman & M.D. of Sista’s Private Limited, Indian Advertising icon, Founder & Executive Trustee Population First.

We hope that Laadli, through our advocacy with media professionals, acts as a springboard for women to attain their rightful place in a society, which is gender equal

Mr. S. V. Sista

Executive Trustee

Dr. A. L. Sharada Director of Population First, Researcher, Trainer, Teacher and Consultant committed to gender equality and justice.

By acknowledging and felicitating the media persons who are writing positive stories on gender, we intend to encourage more people to join the movement....

Dr. A.L. Sharada

Director

Trustees

Executive Coach and Independent Director.

Pradeep Mallick

Chairperson

Former Chairman and MD of Bank of Baroda and Dena Bank. Known for pioneering work in transforming the BoB into a valuable brand.

Anil Khandelwal

Trustee

Multi-award-winning journalist known especially among the youth, for her balanced and unbiased style of journalism.

Faye D’Souza

Trustee

Founder & Chief Creative Officer Hyper Collective, Trustee, Population First, ASCI Board Member.

K. V. Sridhar

Trustee

Seasoned Marketing professional, Ex-President & CMO at Kotak Mahindra Bank. Also served as the CEO & Chairman of the Board at South Asian Television.

Karthi K Marshan

Trustee

Recognised among the top 50 Influential women in Media, Marketing and Advertising. Woman of the Decade in Media by the Women Economic Forum in 2018

Megha Tata

Trustee

Chairperson, Ashok Piramal Group. Trustee, Piramal Education Trust, Ashok G Piramal Trust and Urvi Ashok Piramal Foundation (UAPF).

Urvi Piramal

Trustee

Prominent academic and researcher known for her expertise in economics, with a specific focus on gender economics and development economics.

Vibhuti Patel

Trustee



  • 2003

    Thane Field level intervention was launched

  • 2004

    First exercise of village micro-planning in two villages, Nandgaon and Talwada carried out

  • 2007

    Thane project re-launched as AMCHI

  • 2009

    ‘Amcha Gaon, Amchi Shaan' campaign launched in villages which ran for five years

  • 2010

    Population First invited to be a member of the Block level Planning and Monitoring Committee under NRHM

  • 2011

    School in Development (SID) project launched in 6 villages and has covered 60 schools and 2500 students till date
    Launch of AMCHI Livelihood project in 15 villages. Currently it is covering 55 villages 55 women groups and 500 women

  • 2013

    Interventions addressing Child Malnutrition integrated into the AMCHI Programme at Savroli village. Currently it is being implemented in 56 villages benefitting 2500 children, 5000 adolescent girls and 9300 women

  • 2017

    Population First invited to be a member on the District Level Committee on Nav Sanjeevani programme for addressing Malnutrition in Tribal areas of Maharashtra

  • 2018

    Partnership with JSW CSR initiatives forged