Who is Shraddha N. Agrawal? She is a social impact entrepreneur, facilitator and Co-founder of Renovatio Foundation, a Nagpur-based organisation that brings social-emotional learning (SEL) and emotional wellbeing into the classrooms of government and government-aided schools. With a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and more than 13 years on the ground since 2013, she works on one stubborn idea: education should nurture emotional intelligence as deeply as academic intelligence.
At Nagpurified, we love stories of people quietly reshaping our city. Picture a classroom where a child names an emotion for the first time. That small moment is what Shraddha’s work is built around, and her own story began not with a plan, but with a question.
Where did Shraddha’s journey begin?
Shraddha grew up in Mumbai and studied in a Gujarati-medium government school until Class 10. Then she moved to an English-medium science stream for Classes 11 and 12, and the jump was hard. The academic and language gap was real. She wanted to learn, yet she struggled to connect with what was being taught.
That same year of Class 10, her grandmother passed away. The loss opened up questions most of us push aside: about life and death, about love, God and purpose, about who we are and why we feel difficult emotions at all. Those questions never left her. They became the start of a lifelong interest in spirituality and self-inquiry.
At home, nobody handed her a fixed path. Her father’s advice was simple: “Just become a good human being. That’s all you need to become in life. Everything else will fall into place.” So instead of automatically choosing engineering or medicine, she explored psychology and chose social work, shaped too by a family that actively helped people.
How did Swaraj University and Auroville shape her thinking?
In her third year of Social Work, Shraddha began questioning the expected next step: a Master’s degree, then a job. She was also uneasy with how organisations often counted beneficiaries reached without really understanding the change they created.
Through her sister, she discovered Swaraj University and self-directed learning. There, the curriculum was a set of questions: What are my gifts? What do I want to contribute to the world? What do I actually want to do with my life? It changed how she saw education, as something that should help people understand themselves, discover their potential and shape their own lives. She went on to work at Swaraj for about two years, guiding a batch of learners through their journeys.
She also spent time in Auroville. When the pandemic began, she worked with young people there, running learning sessions, designing a fellowship programme and building an initiative around local livelihoods and sustainable, bioregional approaches. In Bangalore, she helped design and facilitate an alternative learning programme for students beyond Class 10 with Abheek Academy.
What is Renovatio Foundation?
During those years she came across the work Nakul Agrawal was doing at Renovatio. His vision put clear words to the questions she had been living with: human development, self-awareness, emotional wellbeing and education. She attended his programmes and facilitation trainings, and eventually joined Renovatio full-time. Today she co-founds and builds the organisation alongside Nakul, her husband and partner.
Renovatio was founded in 2012 and formally registered in 2019. Its mission is “To empower every child with social-emotional skills to thrive in life, relationships, and learning.”
Its work includes:
- Project Dreamcatchers, the flagship programme for social-emotional learning and emotional wellbeing among children in government and government-aided schools.
- Urban Afforestation, focused on tree plantation and environmental sustainability.
- Project AHUM, focused on meditation, mindfulness and self-awareness.
The method is hands-on: games, storytelling, reflection, role plays, theatre and practical activities, informed by frameworks such as CASEL, SEEL and the NEP’s SEL priorities. Children are not simply told what to do; they experience, reflect, question and form their own understanding. Everything is anchored in the 6 Cs: Conscious, Curious, Courageous, Connected, Committed and Compassionate.
How is Renovatio changing classrooms in Nagpur?
From its base in Gandhibagh, Nagpur, Renovatio runs Project Dreamcatchers in government and government-aided schools, including a multi-year partnership with the Nagpur Municipal Corporation. Volunteers describe shy children speaking up in class and a girl overcoming her stage fright before her school’s Annual Day. The Tribal Department of Maharashtra has invited the team to train Ashramshala teachers, wardens and headmasters. Its partners have also included Western Coalfields Limited and Persistent.
The model is growing up, too. Rather than relying mainly on outside sessions, Renovatio is building capacity inside schools: three-day intensive teacher training, fortnightly handholding, refresher training, teacher wellbeing initiatives, counsellors supporting schools, and baseline and endline assessments. The goal is for SEL to become part of everyday classroom practice, not an occasional extra.
How can you volunteer with Shraddha and Renovatio?
If reading this made you think of a child who never had words for what they felt, you already understand why this work matters. Renovatio’s journey has always been shaped by people who give their time, skills and care, from teachers and counsellors to people who help with plantation drives, storytelling and the work behind the scenes. If you are in Nagpur and want to be part of it, head to Renovatio’s Get Involved page or write to renovatio.india@gmail.com. Sometimes the most useful thing a city can give its children is a few attentive adults.
How can CSR teams partner with Renovatio Foundation?
For companies looking for CSR work with depth in education and wellbeing, Renovatio offers a structured, measurable route:
- Fund teacher training and handholding in government and municipal schools.
- Support counsellors and teacher wellbeing programmes.
- Back Urban Afforestation drives for environmental commitments.
- Strengthen school infrastructure such as libraries, computer labs, digital boards and robotics labs, areas Renovatio has worked on before.
- Invest in impact measurement through baseline and endline assessments.
Renovatio says it collaborates with schools, colleges, CSR partners, government bodies and aligned organisations. CSR heads and foundations can start on the Partner With Us section, email renovatio.india@gmail.com, or visit the office at Ground Floor, Hotel Harmony Pvt. Ltd., Opp. City Bus Stop, Gandhibagh, Nagpur 440002.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Shraddha N. Agrawal?
She is a social impact entrepreneur, facilitator and Co-founder of Renovatio Foundation, with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and more than 13 years of social-sector experience since 2013.
What does Renovatio Foundation do?
It works to empower every child with social-emotional skills through programmes such as Project Dreamcatchers, Urban Afforestation and Project AHUM, mainly in government and government-aided schools.
What is social-emotional learning (SEL)?
SEL helps children build skills such as self-awareness, emotional understanding and healthy relationships. Renovatio teaches it through games, storytelling, role plays, theatre and reflection.
What are Renovatio’s 6 Cs?
Conscious, Curious, Courageous, Connected, Committed and Compassionate.
How can I volunteer with Renovatio Foundation in Nagpur?
Visit renovatioindia.com/get-involved or email renovatio.india@gmail.com to learn about current volunteering opportunities.
How can companies support Renovatio through CSR?
Companies can fund teacher training, counselling, teacher wellbeing, afforestation, school infrastructure and impact assessment. Reach the team via the Partner With Us section at renovatioindia.com/get-involved or at renovatio.india@gmail.com.
Photos of Shraddha: courtesy Shraddha N. Agrawal. Programme image: Renovatio Foundation (renovatioindia.com).
