Michael and Swati are social and environmental activists who have been living and working in Juna Mozda, a tribal village in the Bharuch district of Gujarat, since 1991. In Mozda, they have been involved in soil and water conservation, organizing a women's cooperative for tuvar dal processing, savings programs and dairy, primary health care, and in training local youth for community projects. In 2002 they won the Rural Development award (instituted by the Development Support Center in Ahmedabad) for their work in watershed management.

Michael and Swati are also two of the founders of Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti, an organization campaigning against environmental pollution in the "golden" and "silver" corridors of Gujarat. An enthusiast in the field of appropriate technology and renewable energy, Michael was one of the key participants in the pedal power project funded by AID. Michael and Swati are members of the coordinating committee of the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM).