UTKAL FOUNDATION

Utkal Gaurav Foundation was co-founded by Dr. Pradeep Sethi and Dr. Arika Bansal, the founding physicians of Eugenix Hair Sciences and pioneers of the Direct Hair Transplant

(DHT) technique. Dr. Sethi completed his MD in Dermatology from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, after earning his medical degree from Government

Medical College, Sambalpur, Odisha. He grew up in Berunapadi, a remote village in Keonjhar, Odisha, walking miles as a child just for access to basic school supplies. Inspired by the spiritual teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda and his own journey from rural poverty to national recognition, Dr. Sethi channeled his success into a mission to transform lives through education. The Foundation's flagship initiative is Utkal Gaurav International School (UGIS), located in Berunapadi Village, Keonjhar, Odisha. The school was built with an investment of over Rs. 10 crore and was virtually inaugurated by then-Chief Minister ofOdisha, Naveen Patnaik. It currently provides world-class education free of cost to approximately 350 children from economically weaker backgrounds. The school's curriculum blends academic rigor with Spoken English, Grooming, Personality Development, Music, Theatre, Yoga, and Sports, guided by the principle that education must nurture the body, mind, and soul equally. The Foundation's vision is to bridge the gap between the developing and developed world through education, balancing eastern spiritual values with western efficiency. Dr. Sethi received the Pride of Odisha Award in 2017 and has met with President Droupadi Murmu and the Chief Minister of Odisha in recognition of his work. UGIS is backed by prominent industrialists including Rajiv Bajaj of Bajaj Auto, Adar Poonawalla of Serum Institute of India, and Punit Goenka of Zee Entertainment.