Keeping in view the philosophy of ameliorating the lives of all especially those disadvantaged, Bikash was registered as a society in May, 1996 in Bankura, one of the most backward districts in West Bengal. Bikash started its journey with the honest efforts of a group of social workers under the leadership of Uttam Mukherjee, an Anthropologist, for the long term development of women and children coming from underprivileged society. A constant inspiration and a guiding force behind its emergence had been the eminent British social worker late Ms. Jane Webb MBE.

BIKASH had begun its journey in 1996 addressing the issue of childhood disability which was a key need identified by the people of the area and has since marched on spanning various activities in rural areas of Bankura district. In order to address the problems of children with disability, BIKASH decided to take up a holistic approach to the issue and gradually spreaded its activities in various sectors like Public Health, Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition, Rural Sanitation livelihood and Food Security, education, child protection. Through all its efforts Bikash envisions to create a platform through synergic initiatives, through empowering communities towards gender just and right based society thereby addressing vulnerability, exclusion and discrimination and thus ensure social mainstreaming.