About RAGCED South Asia

RAGCED South Asia Chapter

The Rotary Action Group for Community Economic Development (RAGCED) – South Asia Chapter is the premier technical resource for Rotary Clubs and Districts across the region. We are a network of business leaders, economists, technologists, and development experts dedicated to a single purpose: alleviating poverty through sustainable, scalable economic opportunities.

We operate at the intersection of traditional community service and modern economic strategy. By leveraging the global Rotary network, we help local clubs design high-impact projects that foster entrepreneurship, create jobs, and build financial resilience in vulnerable communities.

To empower Rotarians to plan, implement, and monitor sustainable economic development projects. We achieve this by providing technical expertise, promoting the use of technology in development, and facilitating partnerships that bridge the gap between subsistence and sustainability.

A South Asia where every community has the infrastructure, knowledge, and market access required to thrive in the modern digital economy.

Why South Asia?

South Asia is a region of immense contrast. It is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies and most innovative tech hubs, yet it also holds significant pockets of deep poverty and financial exclusion.

Our Chapter addresses this paradox. We believe that the solution to South Asia’s economic challenges lies in modernization. Whether it is connecting rural artisans to global e-commerce markets or introducing precision agriculture to smallholder farmers, we focus on interventions that yield high returns on investment for the communities we serve.

Leadership

Message from the Chair

Rakesh Babuji, Chair, RAGCED South Asia Chapter

"In the 21st century, we cannot solve poverty with 20th-century tools. My mandate as Chair is to bridge the gap between Rotary’s humanitarian spirit and the efficiency of the tech sector. We are here to help you build projects that are measurable, scalable, and technologically advanced."

Rakesh Babuji

Chairman

Gomathy T. Manickam

Vice chair & Secretary

Vishal Reddy

Director of Projects

Vinay Kumar

Director of Membership

Board of Directors

Our leadership team brings together decades of experience across banking, technology, and international development.

Our Affiliation

We are an official Chapter of the global Rotary Action Group for Community Economic Development (RAGCED). We work in accordance with the policies of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation to ensure that all projects meet the rigorous standards of sustainability required for Global Grant funding.- Clarice Turner