Every day, more than 100 people pick up the phone to seek help from Muktaa’s Samvad Helpline (788-788-3889). Some call with questions about HIV/AIDS. Others are looking for emotional support, guidance, or simply someone who will listen without judgment. For Yogendra Chaubey, Trustee of Muktaa Charitable Foundation, each of those conversations represents something larger. It reflects years of work to make mental health and counseling more accessible across Bihar, a state where many such issues continue to be surrounded by silence.
Originally from Bihar’s Kaimur district, Yogendra has spent over a decade working in education, public systems, and social development. Today, he is helping expand Muktaa’s work across all 38 districts of Bihar while also contributing to broader development initiatives through the Bihar Development Collective.
A Journey That Began in Rural Bihar
Yogendra studied in a government school until Class 10 before making a significant transition to Central Hindu School (CHS) in Banaras. Moving from the Bihar Board system to CBSE exposed him to a very different learning environment and a diverse student community.
He later joined Kirori Mal College, Delhi University, where he studied Sanskrit. Like many students from Bihar who moved to Delhi, his initial goal was to prepare for the UPSC examination. He chose Sanskrit because he considered it scientific and appreciated its comparatively shorter syllabus.
College, however, offered opportunities beyond academics. He became involved with placement, photography, and debate societies, experiences that eventually led him to the Gandhi Fellowship.
Discovering a Purpose Beyond a Career
In 2012, Yogendra joined the Gandhi Fellowship, an experience that marked his entry into the social sector. Working across five schools, he found himself rethinking what success meant.
While speaking to The Logical Indian, he reflected on how the fellowship changed his outlook. Instead of asking himself “what I want to be,” he began asking “what I want to do.”
The work also felt deeply personal. Having experienced educational gaps during his own childhood, he saw an opportunity to help address similar challenges for others.
Learning Across States
After the fellowship, Yogendra joined the Piramal Foundation, where he worked until 2020 across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand.
His responsibilities included setting up new project locations, training teachers, and working on projects associated with NITI Aayog. These experiences gave him exposure to different public systems and strengthened his understanding of implementing development programmes at scale.
Returning Home During the Pandemic
In 2020, amid the pandemic, Yogendra made a decision that would define the next phase of his journey. He returned to Bihar.
Driven by what he described as a sense of “reverse migration,” he believed his home state needed his experience more than anywhere else.
The transition was not without challenges.
Although he belonged to Bihar, he found himself feeling like an “outsider.” Building relationships from scratch proved difficult, and he encountered what he described as a “trust deficit” among different stakeholders. Yet those challenges also reinforced his commitment to continue working in the state.
Expanding Muktaa’s Reach Across Bihar
Yogendra joined Mukta as a Project Manager before later becoming a Trustee.
Founded in Pune in 2005, Mukta began its Bihar operations in 2010. Since then, the organisation has steadily expanded its work across the state.
One of its most significant initiatives is the Samvad Helpline, which focuses on HIV/AIDS counseling and mental health support. According to the organisation, the helpline has handled more than six lakh calls and currently receives over 100 calls every day.
Recognising that language can often become a barrier to seeking help, the service provides free and anonymous counseling in Hindi, English, Bhojpuri, Maithili, Magahi, and Bengali.
The organisation works on issues that often remain difficult to discuss openly, including HIV/AIDS, mental health, and emotional well-being.
In conversation with The Logical Indian, Yogendra highlighted the importance of creating safe spaces where people can seek support without fear of stigma.
Using Technology to Improve Access
Muktaa has also invested in technology to strengthen its services.
The organisation operates through a cloud-based CRM system and was selected for JP Morgan’s “Tech for Social good” programme to further develop the technology behind the Samvad Helpline.
The focus, according to the organisation, is to make counseling services more efficient and accessible for people who need them.
Working Across Communities
Muktaa’s work today extends across all 38 districts of Bihar, with plans to expand to all 534 blocks over the next two to three years.
To achieve this, the organisation collaborates with district hospitals through ART and ICT centres, local NGOs, and educational institutions including Patliputra University, where it has established Sehat Kendras.
The organisation also works directly with schools. Over the past year, it engaged with students from Class 6 onwards in 50 schools across Patna, addressing issues such as addiction and mental health awareness.
Building a Volunteer Movement for Bihar
Alongside his work with Muktaa, Yogendra is also closely associated with the Bihar Development Collective (BDC).
What began as an informal WhatsApp group of passionate individuals from diverse backgrounds- including Acumen, Gandhi Fellowship, TFIx, and other development leaders- who came together to think through Bihar’s development challenges and opportunities, gradually evolved into a collaborative platform for development professionals working across the state. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the collective mobilised between ₹6 to ₹7 crore to support relief efforts, including oxygen plants.
The collective continues to operate entirely through volunteers.
All members associated with the collective contribute on a voluntary basis. The core philosophy of the collective is that those who lead and sustain this movement do not receive any monetary benefit for their involvement. This belief helps preserve the collective’s founding values, ensuring that it remains driven by shared purpose, community ownership, and a genuine commitment to Bihar’s development rather than financial incentives.
One of BDC’s key initiatives, led by Yogendra, is the Bihar Darshan Yatra. The initiative was created to provide field-level development professionals with opportunities to explore Bihar’s diverse regions, culture, and grassroots innovations- experiences that are often available only to senior leadership. By fostering exposure, learning, and cross-organizational collaboration, the Yatra aims to build stronger social sector leaders while contributing to a more positive and informed narrative about Bihar.
More recently, BDC launched the Bodhi Social Entrepreneur’s Support Program to encourage young professionals to build social ventures in Bihar.
Looking Ahead
Yogendra says his commitment to Bihar is a long-term one.
His priorities include strengthening youth guidance, bringing mental health conversations into the mainstream, encouraging more professionals to contribute to Bihar’s development, and supporting capable, grassroots-based NGOs across the state. While Bihar has more than 3,000 registered NGOs, his focus is on strengthening organizations that have a genuine grassroots presence and are creating meaningful impact in communities.
After completing the Organization Design & Development (OD&D) Fellowship from WIPRO, he has been voluntarily supporting grassroots organizations in Bihar to strengthen their institutions. He believes Bihar’s development challenges require collective action, and that wider access to OD&D practices can help NGOs build stronger organizations and create greater impact.
From navigating classrooms in rural Bihar to helping build statewide counseling networks, Yogendra Chaubey’s journey reflects a steady commitment to public service. Through Muktaa and the Bihar Development Collective, he continues to focus on creating systems that make support more accessible and encourage more people to contribute to the state’s social development.
The Logical Indian Perspective
Yogendra Chaubey’s journey highlights how meaningful change is built through consistent community engagement rather than individual recognition. By returning to Bihar and working on issues like mental health, HIV/AIDS awareness, and youth development, he has focused on strengthening support systems where they are needed most.
Muktaa’s multilingual counseling services and the Bihar Development Collective’s volunteer-led approach also show that lasting impact often comes from collaboration, accessibility, and a deep understanding of local needs. Together, these efforts offer an example of how committed individuals and communities can work towards creating a more inclusive and supportive society.
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