Our story

Every dog deserves
to be someone's apna

Apnaw Forever began with a simple belief shared by three animal lovers — that every dog deserves a family, and no one should have to buy love when so many souls are waiting to give it.

A rescued dog holding a flower, ready for a loving home
Why “Apnaw”?

The feeling behind “apna” — our own

A dog may begin as a stranger. A rescue. A pup who has never known what it feels like to belong. But the moment you open your home and your heart to them, something changes.

They become apna. Our own. Our family. Our forever. Apnaw Forever is our small attempt to create that journey — from “a dog looking for a home” to “our dog, our family, our forever.”

Because adoption isn't just about finding a dog. It's about finding each other — and when the right human and the right fur baby meet, that's where forever begins.

Two happy rescued dogs running together at sunset
How it began

Three people who simply couldn't stop loving animals

When Dr. Ambika Shrivastava Gupta, Deepti Asnani Nambiar and Karan Kukreja came together through a shared love for animals, they realised their small individual efforts could become something bigger.

They kept seeing the same two things at once: so many dogs looking for homes, and so many families wanting a dog but unsure where to begin. And one thing that never sat right — why should a family spend a fortune to buy a dog when so many wonderful dogs are waiting to be adopted?

That question became Apnaw Forever: a way to connect dogs looking for their people with people looking for their dogs — responsibly, ethically, and with love.

What we do

From rescue to forever home

Bringing a dog home isn't a purchase. It's a relationship, a responsibility, and a family.

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Rescue

We help dogs found on the streets, or surrendered with permission, into safety and care.

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Medical care

Vaccination, sterilisation and the medical support each dog needs to recover and thrive.

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Recovery

Time, patience and love so each dog can learn to trust and become their playful self again.

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Adoption

Thoughtful matching to help families discover the right fur baby for their lifestyle — for life.

The humans behind Apnaw

Meet the founders

Different paths, one belief — that care, compassion and understanding can transform lives.

AG

Dr. Ambika Shrivastava Gupta

Founder · Prosthodontist & Professor

As a child, Ambika found every dog beautiful — fluffy puppy or street dog, big or tiny, she wanted to take them all home. A prosthodontist, a professor at a dental college and a mother, she has run her own dental practice since 2010. But beyond every role, she is, at heart, a complete cynophile.

When her husband surprised their daughter with a Golden Retriever puppy, Bella, she became Ambika's shadow and a piece of her heart for nine beautiful years. Losing Bella to cancer taught her she could never buy another dog from a puppy mill. Today she feeds community dogs and helps get them sterilised and vaccinated — a much bigger heart, with room for so many more.

DN

Deepti Asnani Nambiar

Founder · Educator & Career Counsellor

An ardent animal lover at heart, Deepti believes every living being deserves love, kindness, dignity and care — a value that shapes her outlook on life and her commitment to animal welfare.

An alumna of IIM Calcutta and an engineer by profession, she brings 11 years of corporate experience and 8 years in education. A teacher at heart and a career counsellor by profession, she combines strategic thinking with an instinct to nurture and care — because a kinder world begins with caring for those who cannot always speak for themselves.

KK

Karan Kukreja

Founder · Festival & Platform Builder

A dog parent since he was ten, Karan has never seen a dog as something you own — for him, a dog is family. That's why Apnaw matters to him: a dog isn't a gadget to be chosen for its breed and left behind when inconvenient. It feels fear, loneliness and love the way we do, and needs care for life.

A mechanical engineer from IIT Roorkee, he worked at ONGC before moving into culture and media. He founded GIFLIF (The Great Indian Film & Literature Festival) and Indiestaan Music, and today builds festivals, content and digital platforms — now in service of the animals who've given him the most.

Help us write more happy endings

Adopt a dog, report a rescue, or simply follow along — every bit of love helps a paw find its forever.

Meet the dogs Get in touch