From the battlefields of the Himalayas to the boardrooms of Wall Street, Dr. Abraham M. George built a different kind of legacy: one defined not by wealth accumulated, but by lives transformed through education, opportunity, and social change.
A Life Built in Service of Others
Philanthropist
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Social Entrepreneur
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Educator
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Author
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Founder
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Philanthropist ✳︎ Social Entrepreneur ✳︎ Educator ✳︎ Author ✳︎ Founder ✳︎
Dr. Abraham M. George is a social entrepreneur, philanthropist, and author whose work has fundamentally changed the lives of thousands of children in India's most disadvantaged communities.
He began his career as an artillery officer in the Indian Army, stationed at the Se La mountain pass — one of the highest battlegrounds in the Himalayas. That early experience of discipline, sacrifice, and service would quietly shape everything that followed.
After his military service, Dr. George moved to the United States and earned two master's degrees and a PhD in business administration from New York University. For nearly twenty-five years, he built a successful entrepreneurial career. By any measure, he had arrived.
But in 1995, he walked away from it.
He returned to India to confront what he could no longer ignore: the deep-rooted discrimination and economic oppression faced by the country's most marginalized communities. What followed was not a pivot — it was a calling.
"The measure of a life is not what you accumulate. It's what you change."
15,000+
Lives directly impacted
1997
Established Shanti Bhavan
4
Major Social Institutions Built
7+
National & International Awards
The Work
Dr. George didn't just write about change. He built it one institution at a time.
"What if every child, regardless of caste, deserved a real future?”
In 1997, Shanti Bhavan welcomed 48 preschoolers from India's lowest caste. Today, over 15,000 lives have been positively affected through the school's model — breaking cycles of poverty through education, one child at a time.
Shanti Bhavan Children's Project
"Healthcare isn't a privilege. For fifteen villages, Dr. George made it a reality."
Inaugurated in 2000 in the Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu, the Baldev Center provides primary healthcare, emergency care, and community services — including critical support during COVID-19.
Baldev Medical & Community Center
"A free press requires a trained one. He built the institution to prove it."
Established in 2000 in association with Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, IIJNM is now among South Asia's top postgraduate schools of journalism and media.
Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media
"An entire country's public health changed because one man refused to look away."
Launched in 1997, Project Lead-Free conducted the largest lead-poisoning screening of its kind in the world — directly contributing to the removal of lead from gasoline across India in April 2000.
Project Lead-Free
From Then to Now
Before the schools, the hospitals, the awards, and the book, there was a boy from India with an extraordinary sense of what was right, and what was possible. This is his story, in his own pictures.
Told In His Words
USA Today Bestseller
DPA Golden Gift Suite
Forbes Nonprofit
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Dr. George joined Kelly Clarkson alongside Shanti Bhavan graduate Shilpa Raj, whose journey from a one-room hut to a PhD was first documented in Netflix's Daughters of Destiny, to share the story of a school that changed a generation.
DPA Golden Gift Suite — Golden Globes Week
During Golden Globes Week in Los Angeles, Dr. George appeared at the DPA Golden Gift Suite alongside Angela Bassett, Viola Davis, and other influential voices in entertainment and media — signing copies of Mountains to Cross and sharing his message of purpose and service.
USA Today Bestselling Books
Mountains to Cross was featured on USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list — a testament to how widely Dr. George's story of purpose, sacrifice, and education has resonated.
The Book: Mountains to Cross
In his memoir, Dr. George tells the story he's lived: the climb from a small village in India to Wall Street, and the choice to walk away from it all in service of something larger.
Mountains to Cross is not just a biography. It's a meditation on purpose, sacrifice, and what it means to build a life that actually matters.
Awards & Recognitions
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The Hind Rattan is one of the highest Indian diasporic awards granted annually to nonresident persons of Indian origin (NRIs) by the NRI Welfare Society of India. Dr. Abraham George received the award in 1997 for his work on Project Lead Free.
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The Stewart Satter Social Entrepreneurship Award is given annually in recognition of those within the Stern community to those who further social venture creation and education initiatives. Dr. Abraham George received this award in 2007.
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The American India Foundation awards the Spirit of India award to those outstanding in the area of social service to India. Dr. Abraham George received the Spirit of India Award in 2002.
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The Millennium Awards honor those who most exemplify leadership and service to the Indian community. Dr. Abraham George received the Millennium Award for his efforts in 2007.
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The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) annually recognize individuals who have excelled in serving the Indian community. Dr. Abraham George received their Community Service Award in 2017.
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Dr. Abraham George received the Kerala Cultural Center's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 for his work in poverty alleviation.
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Item deThe Global Organization of People of Indian Origin presented Dr. George with this award in March, 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dr. Abraham George
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Abraham George is an Indian American philanthropist, entrepreneur, and the founder of Shanti Bhavan, a nonprofit residential school in India that provides long-term education to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. He is known for his structured approach to social impact, focusing on creating lasting economic opportunities through education.
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Abraham George is best known for founding Shanti Bhavan, an educational institution designed to break the cycle of poverty by supporting students from early childhood through college and into their careers. His work emphasizes long-term investment in individuals rather than short-term charitable solutions.
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Shanti Bhavan is a nonprofit residential school in India founded by Abraham George in 1997. It provides full scholarships, housing, and support to children from underserved communities, guiding them through their education and into professional careers with a focus on long-term success.
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Abraham George was born in Kerala, India, and later moved to the United States for higher education and his professional career. He eventually returned to India to focus on philanthropic work and social impact initiatives.
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Before transitioning into philanthropy, Abraham George built a successful career in finance and technology. He founded a financial software company focused on global risk management, which was later acquired by a major financial technology firm.
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Abraham George’s approach to philanthropy focuses on long-term, structured solutions that create lasting change. His work emphasizes education, accountability, and measurable outcomes, with the goal of helping individuals achieve sustainable economic independence.