Free A1C testing, bilingual health education, and data-driven follow-up for the communities of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
25+
Free Clinics Per Year
5
Student Founders
Free
A1C Blood Testing
2026
Foundation Launch
The Diabetes Crisis
101M
Indians living with diabetes
ICMR-INDIAB Study
#2
Highest diabetes burden globally
IDF Atlas 2025
43%
Of diabetics are undiagnosed
IDF 2024
1M
Deaths per year from diabetes
WHO India
Why India, Why Now
South Asians are 4 times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than Europeans — and they develop it 10 years earlier, often at a lower body weight. This genetic predisposition, combined with India's rapid shift from agricultural labor to sedentary urban lifestyles, has created an unprecedented health crisis.
Rice powers over 60% of Indian meals. In South India, daily consumption of 200–400g of high-glycemic white rice is linked to a 4x increase in diabetes risk. Yet most health guidance isn't tailored to local diets or available in local languages.
India spends just $109 per diabetic patient per year — compared to a global average of $1,760. That's 16x less investment per person, leaving millions without the preventive care they need.
South Asians have 4x higher risk. The "South Asian Phenotype" includes lower insulin production and unfavorable fat distribution.
Rice-heavy diets contribute 62% of daily calories from carbohydrates. Traditional whole grains have been replaced by polished white rice.
Nearly 39 million Indians are living with diabetes and don't know it. In rural areas, only 24% of people are even aware of the disease.
India invests $109/patient/year vs. $1,760 globally. 38% of diabetic households face catastrophic health expenses.
Bringing It Home
Tamil Nadu has the highest diabetes burden of any state in India. Coimbatore, where our families are from, is where we begin.
#1 State in India for Diabetes
Sources: TN STEPS Survey 2020, GBD Study, Frontiers in Endocrinology 2025
Where Nalam Launches
Sources: Census 2011, Coimbatore District Govt, PMC Studies
A single A1C test costs INR 350+ — a full day's wages for a rural laborer. Worse, A1C testing is not available at any primary health center in rural Tamil Nadu. Nalam brings free, gold-standard A1C testing directly to the villages that need it most.
The Challenge
43% of India's 101 million diabetics don't know they have it. In rural areas, awareness drops to just 24%. By the time most people are diagnosed, serious complications have already set in.
A single A1C test costs a full day's wages for a rural laborer. In rural Tamil Nadu, it's not even available at primary health centers — only at urban tertiary hospitals.
South Indians consume 200–400g of rice daily, yet health guidance rarely addresses local diets. Prevention education must be bilingual, practical, and rooted in the foods and habits of the community.
Our Approach
A three-pillar approach to shift the health paradigm from late-stage treatment to early-stage prevention.
Partnering with vetted local laboratories to provide gold-standard blood sugar testing at no cost to the community.
Learn moreBilingual Tamil/English guidance on nutrition, local foods to eat and avoid, and exercise routines tailored to the community.
Learn moreWhatsApp-based tracking to monitor high-risk individuals and send timely reminders for 3 or 6-month re-testing.
Learn more
Our Team
Five students from the USA with deep family roots in Coimbatore, united by a mission to make preventive healthcare accessible.
Aditya Satish
Advika Dhanish
Guhan Kumar
Pranav Saravanan
Rithika Srikannan
Research & Reading
Key research and reports that inform our mission and the urgency of diabetes prevention in India.
The Lancet
India's largest study estimating 101 million people with diabetes and 136 million with prediabetes.
IDF Atlas
Official data on India's diabetes burden with projections showing a 75% increase by 2050.
The Lancet / WHO
Landmark WHO-backed global study finding over a quarter of the world's diabetes cases are in India.
The Lancet
Reviews community health worker strategies for type 2 diabetes prevention in South Asia.
PMC / Diabetes Science
Reports on the Chunampet project that screened 86.5% of adults across 42 Tamil Nadu villages.
Diabetes Care / ADA
Village-level lifestyle intervention that reduced fasting glucose by 11-25% in participants.
Lancet Southeast Asia
Integrating family support and digital platforms into diabetes management across South Asia.
Implementation Science
Peer support and community mobilization trial across two Tamil Nadu districts to combat NCDs.
Whether you donate, volunteer, or simply spread the word, your support helps us bring free preventive healthcare to the communities that need it most.
