CORD is a bond of love and understanding encouraging a process of sharing which enriches both the giver and the receiver. In this process of giving and serving, the giver grows spiritually and the receiver is blessed with the power of transformation.

– Swami Tejomayananda (World wide Head of Chinmaya Mission)

CORD (Chinmaya Organization for Rural Development) is the service wing of Chinmaya Mission and operates as a Trust and NGO. It has been active in the field of holistic rural development for over two decades. It facilitates integrated, participatory and sustainable rural development in villages of Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh through guidance, funding and monitoring.

With a vision to provide a platform for individuals to perform selfless service, Swami Chinmayananda started a rural healthcare and development programme in Sidhbari. “For many millennia, the women of the Himalayas have served the Rishis and munis (sages). I, too, have taken all my teachings in the Himalayas – this is an opportunity to do our bit for them,” said Swami Chinmayananda when apprised of a USAID proposal for maternal and child care services in Sidhbari. The seed was sown – Chinmaya Rural Primary Health Care and Training Centre was formed on April 10, 1985. It was also evident that women in these communities would benefit from training as multipurpose health workers as well.
The first steps were an Out Patient Department (OPD) clinic in Sidhbari and community-based health services through six health sub-centers with emphasis on maternal and child health care including immunization, family planning, domiciliary antenatal, intra-natal and postnatal care.
While implementing outreach health services in villages, it was pragmatic that the link between primary health care and the reality of village life needed a deeper intervention. In 2003, a separate Trust for developmental growth was formed – Chinmaya Organization for Rural Development (CORD). Website: https://cordindia.in/