founder
Vikram Singh Rathore
Founder & Trustee
Former IAS officer, 22 years in rural education policy. Awarded Padma Shri 2022 for contributions to vernacular language preservation in Rajasthan.
Est. 2018 · Jodhpur, Rajasthan
The story behind Chalkoi
Chalkoi was founded in 2018 by Vikram Singh Rathore and Sunita Devi Bhati - a retired IAS officer and a rural schoolteacher - who shared a single conviction: that geography should not determine destiny.
The name Chalkoi means "let us walk" in Rajasthani - an invitation, not a directive. We walk alongside students, communities, and traditions, not in front of them.
founders · Jodhpur, 2018
Students Supported
Villages Reached
Districts Active
Years Operating
Our Journey
Seven years of quiet persistence
2018
Foundation Established
Chalkoi Foundation is registered as a Section 8 company in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, with a mandate to support rural education.
2019
First Cohort of Scholars
28 merit scholars from Barmer, Jaisalmer, and Jodhpur districts receive the inaugural Chalkoi Scholarship.
2021
Heritage Archive Launched
The Marwari Heritage Oral History Archive is inaugurated - over 1,200 oral testimonies from rural communities digitally preserved.
2022
District Expansion
Programming expands to 18 districts and 80+ village partnerships across Rajasthan, aided by a State Government MoU.
2024
10,000th Scholarship
The foundation reaches a landmark: 10,000 scholarships disbursed across Class 10 through postgraduate programmes.
2025
Language Studies Centre
The Chalkoi Centre for Rajasthani Language Studies is inaugurated in Jodhpur, partnering with three regional universities.
2026+
Regional Expansion
Planned expansion to Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana - extending the model of rural scholarship excellence beyond Rajasthan.
Stewards
People behind Chalkoi
founder
Sunita Devi Bhati
Co-Founder & Director
Educationist and community organiser from Barmer. Recipient of the National Teacher Award 2020. Leads all scholarship programme operations.
team
Dr. Priya Sharma
Programme Director
2020-present
team
Rohit Choudhary
Heritage Archivist
2021-present
team
Meera Kanwar
Field Coordinator
2022-present
team
Arvind Joshi
Finance & Compliance
2019-present
Advisory Council
Prof. Hari Singh Bhati
Professor of History
University of Rajasthan
Dr. Meena Kumari
Educational Planner
NUEPA, New Delhi
Shri Ganesh Lal Meena
Former IAS, Education Dept.
Govt. of Rajasthan
Ms. Sunita Vyas
Rural Development Expert
SRIJAN Foundation
Dr. Ashok Raj Tawde
Open Education Specialist
IGNOU, New Delhi
Work with us
Want to support the next cohort?
We welcome schools, CSR teams, family trusts, researchers, and alumni partners.