The organisation was formed in 1982, under the title Janeev Sanghatana, floated by Vilas Chapekar. Along with his team they worked in the remote and backward areas of Maharashtra. A need was felt for a registered trust for this kind of work and it led to the foundation of Vanchit Vikas in 1985.

``Vanchit Vikas thinks that if the development of the deprived is to be achieved, it is absolutely necessary to work simultaneously on all the problems faced by the deprived,'' says Chapekar, who heads the organisation. The project area includes Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and the areas include Pune, Osmanabad and Latur (Marathawada region), Yavatmal (Vidharba region) and Chhindwada in Madhya Pradesh.

The organisation has branched out into many fields and one of the thrust areas is the development work with the Gosavi vasti (a nomadic tribe) in Nanded in the Pune district. As the vasti had only illiterate people and their means of living depended on rearing livestock, the first move was to solve their economic problems and then to concentrate on the education. "We had strived for the overall development of the Gosavi vasti and now we have a school, a college and people have bank accounts. We had to spend at least ten years for this," says Chapekar.

Neehar, a school for the children of Commercial Sex Workers (CSW) at Lohegaon was started. This centre has been working for the children of CSW's so that they have a better future. "We had to assure the mothers of these children that keeping them away would only help their children. It was difficult in the beginning, but they were convinced," says Chapekar. A counselling centre in the red light area was started, which aimed at health education with care and counselling for the CSWs. The organisation also has taken up the problems of the deserted and needy women who are in dire need of shelter and they have the Sabala Mahila Kendra working at Pune, Kamshet and Latur.

Other activities include Swedaganga Prakalpa, which works for the Earthquake affected people of Narangwadi, Omerga in Osmanabad. The work began in the month of October 1993 and since 1997 Vanchit Vikas has worked in the areas of health care, balwadi, financial assistance for small scale units and education. The organisation has also been working with the tribals and has set up the Adivasi Vikas Kendra concentrating on the overall development of the adivasis. "The project which was set up at Patanbori in the Yavatmal district focuses on education for both children, health education and helps them to follow their vocation.''

The Gramin Vikas Prakalpa is yet another of their rural development projects which highlights on the integrated rural development of different regions. Interestingly, they also have personality development programmes for the rural and the slum areas under the name Abhiruchi classes. The organisation comes out with the publications Nirmal Ranwara and Ranwara Prakashan, a monthly magazine published from Pune and distributed in and outside Maharashtra. The income generation programme and training centre for needy women and children has various employment opportunities under this scheme which includes the Aksharavedha Printing Press, mushroom cultivation and vermiculture.

The parent branch - Janeev Sanghatana works all over Maharashtra and they also publish a magazine named Pravahi for generating awareness on various social, economical and national problems.

"We encourage people to help us in our endeavour by being a part of our team," says Vilas Chapekar, a man working for equalising society.