Saarathi- India's collective for Disaster Management & Rapid Response

Saarathi is a smarter, faster, and more dignified way for individuals to support communities facing disasters.

What if help arrived in 60 minutes, not 60 days?

In every disaster across India, communities are the first responders. They act before anyone else arrives. The question is simple: can we build a system that backs them up: quickly, affordably, and with full accountability?

That system is Saarathi.  It is not just about responding to disasters but about building a system where each response improves the next.

What is Saarathi?

Saarathi (सारथी meaning "the charioteer") is a shared initiative for disaster response, hosted by HAI, an Indian organisation where we come together to support a network of trained local organisations across India.

It enables resources to be deployed within 24 hours during disasters, and also invests in preparedness between crises making responses faster, more efficient, and more cost effective over time.

Why does this work better?

The model that Saarathi is based on has operated across five Indian states, reaching over 1,26,000 people through 170+ community groups since 2023. The results:

• Cost: As low as ₹200 per person because communities contribute their own effort and knowledge.
• Speed: Help reaches people in as little as 60 minutes.
• Return: Every ₹1 invested early prevents ₹7 to ₹30 in losses to homes, crops, and livelihoods.
• Multiplier: Communities add 25 to 40% extra value through labour, materials, and local resources.
• Reach: 80% of every rupee goes directly to communities on the ground.

Why Saarathi matters?

• Instead of replacing communities, Saarathi strengthens them.
• Instead of delayed responses, it enables immediate action.
• Instead of high cost interventions, it backs local, cost effective solutions.

Disasters do not wait, neither should you. Donate Now.