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  • Rural Skill India Centre unveiled in UP to boost electronics, IT skilling

    Rural Skill India Centre unveiled in UP to boost electronics, IT skilling

    Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary on Monday inaugurated a new Skill India Centre (SIC) in Baraut, Baghpat district, Uttar Pradesh, targeting rural youth and women with training in electronics and IT-ITeS sectors.

    The centre, set up by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) in partnership with Redington Foundation, aims to train around 600 candidates from the underprivileged sections of Baraut and neighbouring Chhaprauli blocks.

    A hub-and-spoke model will operate with the main facility in Baraut and a spoke centre in Chhaprauli to extend last-mile access.

    “This initiative strengthens the government’s mission of building a technologically empowered workforce that can support India’s expanding digital and electronics ecosystem,” Vaishnaw said at the inauguration.

    “When quality skilling reaches rural districts, it unlocks aspirations and accelerates social transformation.”

    Jayant Chaudhary highlighted the broader socio-economic impact, stating, “Skilling is not just about employment—it is about dignity, mobility, and confidence. This centre will become a gateway of new possibilities for young people in the region.”

    The curriculum focuses on high-demand areas in electronics manufacturing and IT-enabled services, aligning with national priorities under the Skill India and Digital India programmes.

    Redington Foundation’s Global Chief Sustainability Officer R. Venkatesh said the partnership “reaffirms our commitment to unlock impact by equipping rural and underprivileged youth with future-ready, job-oriented skills” in advanced electronics and IT domains.

    Early results from the collaboration are encouraging: 72 candidates from Baghpat trained under Redington Foundation’s CSR programme have already secured placements in reputed organisations.

    The Baraut centre is part of a wider push to expand skilling infrastructure in rural Uttar Pradesh and bridge the urban-rural digital divide through industry-aligned training and employment linkages.

  • Ambuja Cements builds water security in Marwar Mundwa through farm ponds

    Ambuja Cements builds water security in Marwar Mundwa through farm ponds

    Ambuja Cements, India’s ninth-largest building materials provider and part of the Adani Group, has constructed 170 farm ponds and 3,410 rooftop rainwater harvesting systems in the Marwar Mundwa region to enhance water security and support sustainable agriculture for local farmers.

    The corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, focused on water-smart interventions including irrigation innovations and horticulture, aim to reduce climate dependency and boost rural incomes in Rajasthan’s arid Nagaur district.

    In Didiya Kalan village, Ambuja supported farmers Bau Devi and Ganpatram with a 1,782 cubic metre farm pond and rooftop rainwater harvesting system, the company said in a statement.

    The couple now grows cumin in the dry season and earned Rs 15,000 last year by selling excess water, enabling year-round farming.

    Twenty farmers in the same gram panchayat benefited from farm pond construction, harvesting a total of 38,147 cubic metres of water for irrigation.


    In Mundwa village, Bhauram Ji and Pipudi Devi addressed saline groundwater issues with a 1.7 million litre farm pond and rainwater system funded by Ambuja.

    The family shifted to year-round cultivation of cumin, isabgol and cotton, raising annual income to 600,000 rupees from 200,000 rupees, including savings on outsourced water for drinking and crops.

    Dharmendra Mundel in the region expanded his farmland from 15 to 30 bighas with a 2,178 cubic metre poly-lined farm pond backed by Ambuja, alongside sprinkler systems and a Pan Methi Cutter tool. His income rose to Rs 15-18 lakh annually, with Rs 200,000 saved on irrigation.

    In Rupasar village, farmer Jagdishram received a 1.24 million litre farm pond and a horticulture “wadi” plantation from the company. He earned an extra Rs 100,000 from off-season cumin on 8 bighas, with the orchard expected to add Rs 50,000 yearly.

    Ambuja‘s efforts in Marwar Mundwa, which include ongoing farmer training, target broader water security and economic resilience in rural India.

  • HCLFoundation-TNSDC partnership to deliver digital skills training to 2,500 rural youth

    HCLFoundation-TNSDC partnership to deliver digital skills training to 2,500 rural youth

    HCLFoundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of HCLTech, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation to deliver digital skills training to 2,500 rural youth over the next three years.

    The digital skills training programme targets youth in the Vilathikulam and Pudur blocks of Thoothukudi district, covering 95 village panchayats. It includes setting up micro workspaces at block headquarters to support remote jobs in information technology and IT-enabled services, with a placement tracking system to monitor outcomes.

    The initiative falls under TNSDC’s “Vetri Nichayam” scheme, which offers digital skills training and job placement for unemployed people aged 18-35.

    “This MoU with HCLFoundation is a proactive step to equip local youth with the digital skills training needed to participate meaningfully in the district’s evolving economic landscape,” Kranthi Kumar Pati, TNSDC managing director, said in a statement.

    The digital skills training programme aims to curb rural-to-urban migration by creating local employment and to boost women’s participation in sectors including IT, logistics and finance, officials said.

    Thoothukudi is developing as an industrial centre in Tamil Nadu, and the digital skills training addresses educated unemployment in rural areas, said Alok Varma, HCLFoundation project director.

    HCLTech is a global technology services firm based in Noida, India.

  • Indus Towers Digital Van trains 136,525 in seven states

    Indus Towers, one of the world’s largest telecom infrastructure companies, said its Digital Transformation Van (DTV) has provided digital literacy training to 136,525 people from underserved communities across seven states as the country marks 10 years of its Digital India initiative.

    The mobile Digital Transformation Van, part of Indus Towers’ flagship Corporate Social Responsibility program ‘Saksham’, has reached rural and urban slum communities in Delhi, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, the company said in a statement.

    Launched in 2018 as the DigiShiksha initiative, the Digital Transformation Van program empowers youth, women, senior citizens and farmers with digital literacy, IT skills, cybersecurity awareness and financial education, aligning with the government’s Digital India Mission, according to the announcement.

    “Indus Towers’ DTV is a commitment to inclusive growth and a belief that technology can be a powerful equalizer,” said Neeti Wahi, Chief Digital and Information Officer at Indus Towers. “It is heartening to see over half of our beneficiaries are women.”

    The solar-powered Digital Transformation Van provides free doorstep digital education and public services through a 21-seater mobile classroom equipped with high-speed internet, modern computers, printers and e-learning tools, the company said.

    The Digital Transformation Van initiative is implemented by NIIT Foundation, with expert trainers conducting community awareness sessions on digital safety, environmental conservation and waste management for school children aged 12 and above, women, farmers and senior citizens, according to the statement.

    The Digital Transformation Van program represents Indus Towers’ approach to reaching communities where digital infrastructure and literacy gaps are most pronounced, customizing offerings based on local needs rather than relying on static training centers, the company said.

    Indus Towers operates 256,074 telecom towers across all 22 telecom circles in India, making it one of the country’s largest tower infrastructure providers, according to company information.

  • HCLTech Grant adds water, biodiversity themes in second decade

    HCLTech Grant adds water, biodiversity themes in second decade

    HCLTech‘s grant program will expand its focus to include water and biodiversity as it enters its second decade, building on initiatives that have impacted over 300,000 individuals across India, the company said.

    The HCLTech Grant, which has supported community-driven development projects over the past 10 years, will add the new themes in its 11th edition alongside existing areas of health and education, according to a statement.

    The grant program has aligned interventions with 12 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, addressing challenges in government and rural schools, maternal and child health in remote regions, and ecological restoration in forest-dependent communities, the company said.


    “Sustainable change is not achieved by charity alone, but by coupling research with empathy, technology with trust, and resources with measurable results,” the HCLTech Grant statement said.

    The grant program’s strategic roadmap through 2030 includes three phases: consolidation and scaling through 2027, deepening impact and diversification until 2029, and institutionalization and sustainability by 2030.

    The HCLTech Grant will strengthen its research framework by implementing Social Return on Investment (SROI) methodologies to quantify outcomes and expand digital monitoring tools for real-time impact tracking, according to the announcement.

    Technology integration within the grant program will include satellite-based water mapping, AI-enabled health diagnostics and digital learning platforms to scale community solutions, the company said.


    The water theme under the HCLTech Grant will align with India’s Jal Jeevan Mission and SDG 6, developing a national model for integrated water resource management, the statement added.

    HCLTech plans to establish a Centre for Social Research and Innovation through the grant program to synthesize learnings and contribute to sectoral policy dialogues, while creating an alumni network of grantees for peer learning and mentoring.

    The grant program has collaborated with state health departments and the National Health Mission to strengthen public health systems across multiple states, impacting thousands of students and educators across districts.

    In environment interventions, the HCLTech Grant has worked with rural and forest-dependent populations to restore degraded ecosystems, revive water bodies, and promote biodiversity-friendly livelihoods, contributing to climate adaptation and ecological resilience.

  • Bharti Airtel Foundation launches multi-year scholarship program at Indian School of Business

    Bharti Airtel Foundation launches multi-year scholarship program at Indian School of Business

    The Bharti Airtel Foundation has established a multi-year scholarship initiative with the Indian School of Business (ISB), offering financial support to students in the institution’s Post Graduate Programme in Management for Young Leaders, the foundation announced.

    The program will provide five students from each cohort with full or partial waivers covering tuition, accommodation and meal expenses through a need-cum-merit based selection process, the foundation said in a statement.

    The scholarship recipients, designated as “Bharti Scholars,” will be chosen based on both financial need and academic merit, according to the announcement.

    “Education is the cornerstone of progress and empowerment,” said Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Co-Chairman of the Bharti Airtel Foundation and Vice Chairman of Bharti Enterprises. “When talent meets opportunity, extraordinary things happen.”

    The memorandum of understanding was signed in the presence of Mittal, Madan Pillutla, Dean of ISB, and DNV Kumara Guru, Senior Director of Advancement, Alumni Engagement and External Relations at ISB.

    The foundation has supported over 2,000 scholars since its inception, with 44% of recipients being female students, according to the statement. The initiative focuses on creating higher education opportunities for children from underserved communities.

    ISB said the partnership advances its commitment to ensuring financial constraints do not limit access to management education for qualified candidates.
    The Post Graduate Programme in Management for Young Leaders is designed for early-career professionals seeking business education.

  • HCL Foundation donates medical equipment to UP hospital

    HCL Foundation donates medical equipment to UP hospital

    HCL Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of technology firm HCLTech, has donated advanced medical equipment to a government hospital in Uttar Pradesh state, the foundation said on Tuesday, as part of efforts to improve healthcare infrastructure in the region.

    HCL Foundation provided the equipment to the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Greater Noida, including a 3 Tesla high energy inductive therapy system for deep tissue healing, an intermittent compression therapy unit, a computerized balance evaluation system, a high power laser therapy unit, and a DEXA scan machine for bone health assessment.

    The new equipment is expected to benefit more than 30,000 patients annually from Noida, Greater Noida, the Delhi National Capital Region and surrounding areas, HCL Foundation said.

    “At HCL Foundation, we believe that quality healthcare should be accessible to everyone,” said Dr Nidhi Pundhir, Senior Vice President for Global CSR at HCLTech and Director at HCL Foundation.

    The donation by HCL Foundation supports the Uttar Pradesh state government’s efforts to strengthen medical infrastructure and expand healthcare access in the region.

    Brig. (Dr.) Rakesh Gupta, Director of GIMS, said the support from HCL Foundation would “significantly strengthen” the institute’s healthcare infrastructure and patient care capacity.

  • Empowering Climate-Resilient Farming: ACC’s Solar Boost

    Empowering Climate-Resilient Farming: ACC’s Solar Boost

    In the hot, dry lands of Chhatatand village in rural India, farmers like Bhagywati Devi used to worry every day about rain. No rain meant no crops, no food, and no money. But now, things are different. ACC, a big company in cement and building materials from the Adani group, is working with the Adani Foundation to bring climate-resilient farming to places like this. They use smart ways to save water and grow food better, even when weather is bad. This helps farmers fight low crop yields and crazy rain patterns through climate-resilient farming practices.

    Bhagywati is 47 years old. She has three kids and a husband who works hard as a daily labourer. Life was tough. School fees piled up, and food was always short. “We waited for rain like kids wait for sweets,” she says. When it didn’t come, her fields turned brown. She had to use diesel pumps for water, but they cost too much money and made dirty smoke. Crops failed often, and her family went hungry.

    In 2024, everything changed for Bhagywati. She was one of 20 farmers picked for the Adani Foundation’s solar irrigation project. ACC helped make it happen. Now, a solar pump sits in her small half-acre field. It uses free sunshine to pull water from the ground and send it straight to her plants. No more waiting for rain or paying for diesel. “It’s like a magic machine from the sky,” Bhagywati laughs, her face lighting up.

    With steady water, her crops grow strong all year. She plants rice and veggies without fear. Yields doubled fast. Before, she earned just enough to scrape by. Now, she makes an extra Rs 6,000 each month. That’s big money here—it pays for better food, fixes the house roof, and saves for her youngest girl’s college dreams. “I used to work sun-up to sun-down just to eat. Now, I have time for my family,” she says. She cooks hot meals, helps kids with homework, and chats with neighbors. Her tired hands still work the soil, but her heart feels lighter.

    ACC didn’t stop at water. They taught her trellis farming too. It’s a simple trick: Grow climbing veggies like beans and gourds on tall frames made from sticks or wire. This saves space on her tiny plot. Plants grow up, not out, so she fits more in. “My land was too small before. Now, veggies climb high like happy kids on a swing,” she jokes. Extra harvest means more to sell at the market. Buyers pay good prices for fresh, clean produce. Her income grew again, and people in the village notice. Once, folks saw her only as a wife helping out. Now, they call her for advice on farming. She speaks up in meetings, proud and strong.

    Bhagywati’s story shows the power of climate-resilient farming. ACC brings easy tools like solar pumps and trellis setups to far-off villages. These aren’t fancy gadgets—they’re helpers that fit real life. Farmers learn to use less water, grow more food, and earn steady cash through climate-resilient farming methods. No more chasing rain or burning fuel. Instead, they build safe futures.

    Take Bhagywati’s family: The extra money bought new clothes for festivals. Her middle son dreams of being a teacher, not a labourer. The little girl studies without worry. “ACC gave us more than tools. They gave us hope,” Bhagywati says, watching her kids play under the green vines.

    Across India, thousands like her face the same fights—hotter days, less rain from climate change. But with ACC and Adani Foundation’s work, rural spots like Chhatatand are turning green again. One farmer, one field at a time, they’re proving small changes make big waves. Solar power waters the land. Smart farming lifts spirits. And stories like Bhagywati’s spread, inspiring others to try climate-resilient farming.

    In the end, it’s not just about crops. It’s about families thriving, kids learning, and villages growing strong. ACC builds more than cement—they build lives that last, rain or shine.

  • Empower CSR Careers in India: 2025 Prosperity Surge

    Empower CSR Careers in India: 2025 Prosperity Surge

    By Eldee

    Within the busy corridors of India’s corporate world, CSR careers in India are not a specialty field, but an exciting ecosystem with plenty of opportunities. With the national mandated CSR spend exceeding Rs 25,000 crore in FY 2024-25, young professionals have taken to these career paths, blending ethical impact with enviable paychecks.

    Consider a graduate from an underprivileged background finding a way into a CSR careers in India job description, entering as an officer in a fintech space in Mumbai at Rs 4-6 lakh per year, making it to manager in 5 years at Rs 15 lakh. This is not aspirational marketing; this is a real opportunity in CSR careers in India, when purpose and profit create options with 15-20 % job growth annually.

    However, as climate considerations and the demands for social equity ramps up, one insists, can CSR careers in India democratize access or remain locked in privilege, only the urban elite create value from?

    The magnetic pull of CSR careers in India stems from regulatory firepower and market evolution. The Companies Act 2013’s 2% profit directive has morphed into a strategic imperative, with education gobbling 30% of funds, healthcare 25%, and sustainability initiatives claiming 20%. This fuels diverse CSR careers in India, from impact analysts crunching data for SEBI’s BRSR reports to coordinators spearheading rural skilling programs in Gujarat’s arid belts.

    Salaries for CSR careers in India are better than in many traditional sectors: entry-level CSR careers in India are between Rs 3-6 lakh, mid-management salaries are at Rs 8-15 lakh, and C-suite management salaries in the tech corridors of Bengaluru are Rs 25-40 lakh, with raises at 9.5% that are substantially over the national average. When reviewing LinkedIn’s job pulse report for CSR careers in India, over 600 live opportunities exist for a wide range of matters, including renewable energy in Chennai to community outreach in Delhi, catering for Gen Z’s quest for SDG careers.

    What makes CSR careers in India must have? Digital disruption – we are no longer phenomenon-driven philanthropy, nor CSR careers in India. CSR careers in India require full fluency in the use of technology for social change whether it is estimating community change outcomes using artificial intelligence or engaging in blockchain interaction with NGOs towards accomplishing a transparency agenda to raise aid. In this hybrid, new CSR careers begin to appear: ESG specialists auditing supply chains, or sustainability leads on circled economy initiatives.

    Salaries in CSR careers in India are superior to that of many more traditional career sectors: starting salaries for beginners in CSR careers in India range from Rs 3-6 lakh; mid-career salaries for managers are Rs 8-15 lakh; and senior executives or C-suite roles in tech hotspots in Bengaluru can make Rs 25-40 lakh with annual raises of 9.5% that outpace national averages. LinkedIn’s data shows there are over 600 live resumes in the CSR careers in India field of practice—ranging from renewables in Chennai to community outreach programs in Delhi—symbolizing some of the most exciting employment opportunities for Gen Z students looking to advance careers in CSR and the SDGs.

    What makes CSR careers in India exciting? The answer is digital disruption. Gone are the days of executing passive philanthropy. CSR careers in India today require a level of fluency in technology—using AI to track outcomes in communities or employing blockchain to work with NGOs. This technical fusion is creating exciting and innovative CSR careers in India, such as ESG (environmental, social, governance) specialists working to assess supply chains of products or sustainability lead working with companies on circular economy projects in Maharashtra.

    Further, CSR careers in India that focus on climate action will continue to be a growth area due to India’s goal of net-zero by 2070—everything from training in renewable energy to community drive for water conservation, all straddling corporate priorities with national goals. Newly emerging locations like Bihar offer a wide-open frontier for students seeking CSR careers in India, and the potential of jobs that shape policy and increase mobility and world exposure is very exciting.

    Although CSR careers in India are seen as exciting, there are important factors that take away from the experience. There are not enough qualified people for CSR careers. Seventy percent of the CSR jobs are in the Rs 15-50 lakh salary category. Barriers for entry also prevent many people from Tier-3 towns or non-elite institutions from getting CSR jobs. Examples of barriers include extensive certifications like GRI and field experience with NGOs.

    While women dominate social change work at the grassroots level, many get stuck in glass ceilings in senior CSR jobs in India. Regulatory hurdles can lead to long decisions that help organizations accomplish their CSR goals. Corporations express the need for more analytical and engagement skills, yet underinvest in training initiatives, leading to underwhelming outcomes from well-intentioned plans.

    Reforms are necessary to strengthen CSR careers in India. Governments should finance the establishment of CSR academies within public colleges that will provide ample education, combining analytical frameworks with hands-on programs, improving both the number of people in the CSR pipeline and knowledge. Companies should establish and uphold diversity of talent mandates, shifting gaps in CSR talent to a workforce pipeline of diverse talent.

    For prospective pioneers yearning for CSR careers in India, the formula is straight forward: Start with an internship from Tata Trusts or an initiative with HUL on sanitation; take examples from free Coursera modules on ESG frameworks, and include data informed wins like “I orchestrated a Rs 5 crore initiative that impacted 10,000 lives” in your CV. The compassion and execution in the context of CSR careers in India is not replaceable in a world shape by AI.

    With CSR spending expected to reach Rs 50,000 crore by 2030, India is gearing up to create lakhs of CSR careers that will connect urban prosperity with rural resilience. And this green-collar transformation is not only economic; it’s cultural, changing the notion of work toward the lens of equity. For India’s youth, CSR careers in India beckon not as a sideline, but as the main event: Wear the mantle, and lead the legacy.

  • Delhi Government, SOS Children’s Villages forge partnership to uplift 350 orphaned children

    Delhi Government, SOS Children’s Villages forge partnership to uplift 350 orphaned children

    The Department of Women and Child Development of the Delhi government and SOS Children’s Villages India signed a five-year partnership on Wednesday to implement the government’s Sponsorship Scheme, aiming to provide holistic care for 350 children without parental care in the capital.

    The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed by Mitali Namchoom, Director of the Department of Women and Child Development, and Sumanta Kar, CEO of SOS Children’s Villages India, at the department’s New Delhi headquarters, focuses on enhancing family-based care through SOS India’s Kinship Care Programme. This partnership will support children’s emotional, physical, and educational development, ensuring they grow into self-reliant individuals.

    “This partnership ensures every child grows up with dignity, surrounded by care and stability,” Namchoom said, highlighting the importance of preserving family bonds and cultural identity.

    Kar added, “Through this partnership, we will empower caregivers with psychosocial and educational support, enabling children to thrive with hope and confidence.”

    The partnership leverages SOS India’s expertise to strengthen the Sponsorship Scheme, aiming to transform the lives of Delhi’s vulnerable children.