SKDRDP is a NGO promoted by Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikari of Shri Manjunatha Swamy temple at Dharmasthala. SKDRDP is active in the state of Karnataka. It is providing financial inclusion, women and farmer empowerment services to five million families in the state. Having a large network among the sections of the people below poverty line SKDRDP has to face various emergency situations to help its stakeholders. Ranging from minor accidents to natural disasters which affects the stakeholders of SKDRDP, gets referred to the workers of SKDRDP. Karnataka state has been witnessing rainy season disasters since 2017. Unnatural floods, landslides, are becoming more and more common. Endowed with almost 250 kilometers of Western Ghats, the state is witnessing peculiar landslides in the adjoining areas of Western Ghats, which is badly affecting the vegetation and habitat in these areas. To provide emergency support to the affected areas and the population, SKDRDP decided to promote a volunteer team in each of the identified talukas in the state of Karnataka.

The Government of Karnataka has identified 55 sensitive talukas prone for natural disasters. SKDRDP is creating a team of 200 interested young adults called as “Shourya”, who will form the Shourya disaster relief team, in each taluka.

The ‘Shourya disaster relief team’ is a voluntary effort, inviting people belonging to mostly the Below Poverty Line category. Commitment and interest for doing voluntary service with special reference to disaster relief is considered as the basic qualification for selecting the volunteer. They must be able bodied, ready to do physical labour and interest in giving rapid response.

The Shourya team works in the following five areas.

1. Disaster
2. Forewarning the disaster
3. Social
4. Individual emergency
5. Personality
6. Social

1. Disaster relief : The Shourya team keeps itself ready to provide Disaster relief during landslides, soil erosion, overflowing rivers, house collapse, shifting the people from disaster areas, emergency repair and road constructions, providing infrastructure, clearing the water ways, providing temporary camping facilities, providing food during emergency and cleaning the houses, schools, temples , after disaster strikes. For this purpose the Shourya team is trained by NDRF, Fire brigade and Police department. During disaster emergencies they closely associate with formal institutions for providing services.
2. Forewarning the disaster possibilities : The Shourya team in a taluk consist of 200 volunteers coming from different villages    and hamlets. They areinformed by the formal government institutions of the impending possibility of the disasters. Immediately Shourya team gets activated to forewarn the people to move to safer zones. Necessary help will also  be provided by the team for taking necessary actions.
3. Social service : The Shourya team engages itself in social activities of taluka like local festivals, fairs, krishi utsavas , by providing needy services.
4. Individual emergency services : A directory of the Shourya team of the taluka is printed and kept ready with each member of the Shourya team. Different members of the Shourya team have different These expertise are used for providing individual emergency services. For instance problem of snakes being seen in houses is a common feature. The Shourya snake catcher will immediately come and catches the snake and leave it safely in the forest. Similarly swimming expert of Shourya team is called upon to provide emergency water tragedies including recovery of the dead body. Road accidents, snake bites, consumption of poisons are the common feature in which a Shourya team member would be called upon to offer services.
5. Personality development : The Shourya team of each taluka meet up once in a month to share their experiences. Personality development sessions are held in these meetings through which the Shourya members learn to improve their personality. Most of the Shourya members are less educated coming from lower strata’s of the Personality development training changes their attitude towards lives.
6. Social recognition : The Shourya programme gives great opportunity to the unknown young people to get recognized in the society for their services and their expertise. A directory book of all the members in the taluka along with the photo of the member is published and kept in different important places like Teheshildars office, police In times of emergencies the Shourya team members will be requested to provide services. Thus each member is recognized by the society.