About IVDP Founders
Founder–President, Integrated Village Development Project (IVDP)
Recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, 2012
Mr. Kulandai Francis is a visionary social reformer and the Founder–President of the Integrated Village Development Project (IVDP), one of India’s most impactful grassroots organizations focused on rural development and women’s empowerment through Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
Born into a modest farming family with limited financial resources, Mr. Francis experienced the harsh realities of poverty from a young age. Despite the economic hardship, his parents recognized the value of education and made a life-altering sacrifice by selling their only piece of land to fund his college education. This act of devotion enabled him to graduate from Annamalai University, and later pursue further studies in social development at the Coady International Institute in Canada, as well as a rural management course in the Philippines.
These formative experiences—both personal and academic—shaped his unwavering commitment to social service. Inspired by the struggles of the poor, and particularly the systemic exploitation of rural women by informal moneylenders, Mr. Francis founded IVDP with the goal of empowering marginalized communities and promoting financial independence among women.
In the early 1970s, he worked with the Fathers of Holy Cross and participated in relief efforts during the Bangladesh war and the drought in Pune. These on-the-ground experiences were instrumental in sharpening his understanding of grassroots realities and solidifying his mission.
Recognizing that financial exclusion was a key barrier to women's empowerment, Mr. Francis developed and scaled a pioneering SHG model that provided rural women with access to affordable credit, savings, and financial literacy. Under his leadership, IVDP transformed into one of India’s most successful rural microfinance movements, creating a reliable, community-driven alternative to exploitative lending practices.
In recognition of his exceptional work in empowering women through SHGs, Mr. Kulandai Francis was honored with the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2012—often referred to as Asia’s Nobel Prize. The award acknowledged his "visionary zeal, quiet dedication, and steadfast integrity" in building a sustainable model of women-led development and community empowerment.
Today, the IVDP SHG network stands as a national benchmark, enabling tens of thousands of rural women to achieve financial independence, improve their families’ well-being, and become active participants in local economic development. Mr. Francis continues to lead the organization with humility, wisdom, and a deep sense of service.
His life is a testament to how personal sacrifice, education, and a tireless spirit of compassion can lead to transformative change in society. Through IVDP, Mr. Francis has not only uplifted communities but also redefined what is possible in grassroots development in India.
Late Mrs. Koselay Mary
Co-Founder, Integrated Village Development Project (IVDP)
Late Mrs. Koselay Mary was a visionary leader and the co-founder of the IVDP. As the life partner of Mr. Kulandai Francis, she was instrumental in building and nurturing the organization from its earliest days.
Known for her quiet resilience and profound empathy, Mrs. Koselay Mary played a dual role: she was both a pillar of emotional support to her husband and a practical, insightful counsellor in the organization’s mission. At every stage of IVDP’s growth, she was deeply involved in strategy and implementation, with a particular focus on the empowerment of rural women.
For over three decades—until her untimely demise on April 18, 2013—Mrs. Mary was a central figure in all of IVDP’s outreach programs. She was passionately involved in educational initiatives for underprivileged children, support programs for women in distress, and a wide range of allied activities that grew organically from IVDP’s core mission of community upliftment.
Her legacy lives on through the continued success of IVDP and the lives transformed by its work. Her vision, compassion, and commitment remain deeply embedded in the organization’s culture.
Today, her daughter, Ms. Sunitha Nanthini Esthar, and son-in-law, Mr. Joshuva Simon, carry forward her legacy by playing key roles in the management and strategic direction of IVDP, working closely with the leadership teams and Self-Help Group networks that Mrs. Mary helped shape.
Late Mrs. Koselay Mary will always be remembered as a pioneer in rural women’s empowerment, and a woman of strength, grace, and extraordinary purpose.