Gujarat’s first dedicated paediatric hospital launched

Gujarat’s first Paediatric Covid Hospital with 230 beds was einaugurated today by state’s Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel at Guru Govindsingh Hospital in Jamnagar. Also present with him at this inauguration were state’s ministers, local MP, MLAs and senior officials from the government of Gujarat, as well as Shri Parimal Nathwani, Director-Corporate Affairs at Reliance Industries Ltd and Rajya Sabha MP. After setting up a 400 beds Covid Care facility in Jamnagar in a record time of less than a week, this state-of-the-art new Paediatric Covid Hospital is another major achievement by Reliance Foundation.

Under the visionary leadership of our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the massive vaccination drive which is being carried out across the country will help in preventing a possible third wave. Under the leadership of Smt Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson, Reliance Foundation has been at the forefront of the nation’s fight against the pandemic. The Foundation has undertaken numerous activities and initiatives for all its employees, their families and for society at large to assist and safeguard them from this rampant pandemic. Besides setting up free hospitals for COVID affected, free meals to over seven crore needy and free mass vaccination to fight the pandemic - #CoronaHaaregaIndiaJeetega.

Gujarat’s first Paediatric Covid Hospital with 230 beds at Jamnagar will include 30 ICUs for children, 10 neonatal ICUs, 22 medical intensive care units and 10 state-of-the art Ventilators. This facility will cater to the needs of Jamnagar, Devbhumi-Dwarka and the whole of Saurashtra region for a possible third wave in future. All the beds at this facility have been provided with uninterrupted medical grade oxygen supply.

This facility is equipped with state-of-the-art covid care gadgets including Bi-pap machines for PICU, HFNC Units, C-PAP machines and ultra-modern specific devices related to NICU. ECG Machines, Defibrillator Machines, Children’s Weighing Machines, Neo Natal Pulse Oximeters, Auto Scope, Ophthalmo Scope, Infrared Thermometers, vein finders, Loringo Scope, Ambu-Bag etc. are also provided here. Moreover, advance technology, simple light weight (1.8 Kg), wireless portable X-ray machine, first of its kinds in India, is also available - it can take x-rays in seconds at the patient’s bed side. This unit is eco-friendly as it emits minimal radiation and needs no electricity.

Necessary steps have been undertaken to maintain adequate ventilation, lighting as well as hygiene for the admitted children. As this hospital is specially designed for children, resting chairs for parents have been also provided for their comfort.

Email:
contactus@reliancefoundation.org

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“SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT FOR INDIA’S OLYMPIC ASPIRATIONS”

• Decision confirms India will be hosting an IOC session for the first time in four decades since New Delhi, 1983
• IOC Member Mrs Nita Ambani Leads Compelling Pitch to herald significant step forward in India’s engagement with Olympic Movement
• Indian Delegation Reiterates Country’s Aspiration to host Olympic Games in future

International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Mrs Nita Ambani has described today’s overwhelming decision to award India the right to host the IOC Session in Mumbai in 2023 as “a significant development for India’s Olympic aspirations and a matter of great pride and joy”. Mumbai received a historic 99% of the votes in favour of its bid from the delegates participating in the process, with 75 members endorsing its candidature to host the IOC session in 2023.

An IOC session is the annual meeting of the members of the IOC, comprising 101 voting members and 45 honorary members. It discusses and decides on the key activities of the global Olympics movement including adoption or amendment of the Olympic Charter, election of IOC members and office bearers and election of the host city of Olympics.

The decision confirms India will be hosting this prestigious IOC meeting for the first time since 1983, in what is set to be the start of a new era of engagement between India’s youthful population and the Olympic Movement. Mrs Nita Ambani also reaffirmed her long standing commitment towards enabling the country hosts the Youth Olympic Games and the Olympic Games in the future.

“The Olympic Movement is back to India after a 40-year wait! I am truly grateful to the International Olympic Committee for entrusting India with the honour of hosting the IOC Session in Mumbai in 2023,” said Mrs Nita Ambani. “This will be a significant development for India’s Olympic aspiration and will herald the start of a new era for Indian sport.”

“Sport has always been a beacon of hope and inspiration for millions around the world,” she added. “We are one of the youngest countries in the world today and I’m excited for the youth of India to embrace and experience first-hand the magic of the Olympics. It is our dream to strengthen this partnership further and host the Olympic Games in India in the years to come!”

An Indian delegation, comprising Mrs Nita Ambani, the first woman to be elected as an IOC member from India, and including Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Dr Narinder Batra, Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Mr Anurag Singh Thakur, and India’s first individual Olympic gold medallist (Beijing 2008, shooting) Mr Abhinav Bindra, presented a compelling case during the 139th IOC Session, held alongside the ongoing Winter Olympics in Beijing. The delegation spoke of the unique opportunity for the Olympic Movement to engage with India’s passionate sports fans.

“Nearly half of India’s population, over 600 million, are under 25 years of age,” said Mrs Nita Ambani, during her speech to IOC delegates. “This makes India one of the most crucial and exciting places to nurture and grow the Olympic Movement. Inspired by the Olympic Values Education Programme, it is our mission to identify potential talent and guide them to greatness in the world of sport. To coincide with the Olympic Session 2023, we propose to launch a series of elite sports development programmes for youth across deprived communities.”

Speaking at the successful conclusion of the bidding process, IOA President Dr Narinder Batra said:

“I thank Mrs Nita Ambani for her vision and leadership and also thank all my IOC Member colleagues for their support, I cannot wait to see you here in Mumbai next year. This is the start of a new era for India sport – an era that features the long-term goal of hosting the Olympic Games in India. We are ambitious and recognise our objectives are bold. But India is on an exciting journey and we want the Olympic Movement to play a central part in building a brighter future for our next generation. Delivering a truly memorable IOC Session in Mumbai in 2023, with a strong emphasis on youth potential, sustainability, and innovation, will be one of the first steps to showcase India’s new sporting capacity.”

The Session, to be held in the summer of 2023, will be hosted at the state-of-the-art, brand new Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai. Situated in the heart of the city at Bandra Kurla Complex, the JWC is the largest convention centre in India and will start operations in early 2022.

• The First Responders celebrates extraordinary women who stepped forward to lead their communities during the pandemic
• Published by Reliance Foundation and Observer Research Foundation, the book illustrates the importance of supporting leadership capacity building for women

Women who courageously supported their communities across India during the pandemic feature in a new book launched at Raisina Dialogue 2022 in New Delhi on Wednesday. Called The First Responders: Women Who Led India Through The Pandemic, the book published by Reliance Foundation and Observer Research Foundation celebrates the leading role of these women in helping combat the challenges of the pandemic at the grassroots and shows the importance of supporting leadership capacity building for women. These heroic stories were gathered from across India in partnership with a range of partner organisations.

The launch of the book at the event with international delegates from over a 100 countries was followed by a panel discussion on the subject, ‘The First Responder: Women Leadership and the SDGs’, with illustrious speakers Smt Smriti Irani, Minister for Women and Child Development; Ms Kwati Candith, Deputy Minister, International Relations and Co-operation, South Africa; Ms Waseqa Ayesha Khan, Member of Parliament, Bangladesh; Dr Vanita Sharma, Advisor, Strategic Initiatives, Reliance Foundation; and Mr Shombi Sharp, Resident Coordinator, India, United Nations.

The book, The First Responders, spotlights the work of 25 Indian women across governance, education and skilling, health and nutrition and entrepreneurship and livelihoods, and highlights their individual journeys to leadership over several years and how they were able to utilise those skills during the pandemic. Each of the women featured rose up to the challenge of steering their communities forward at a time when physical contact was risky and the pandemic posed uncertainty on the way ahead.

From a water conservation advocate in Uttarakhand to a health worker in Madhya Pradesh and from a football coach in Manipur to a police officer in Telangana, the women leaders featured in the book are from varied walks of life. These women do not know each other, but their stories of leadership have key similarities that represent the untold stories of many such women across the country who stepped forward to help during this time. Their stories also illustrate the importance of creating a conducive environment to nurture a woman’s intrinsic ability to lead, promotion of sustainable livelihoods for women, promoting multi-level collaborations and communication, ways to reduce the burden on public healthcare system and recognising as well as ensuring a woman’s right to life with dignity.

The practices, methods and tools used by the ‘First Responders’ to steer their communities have learnings for policymakers and development practitioners, particularly regarding the importance of supporting capacity building for women leaders. The book exemplifies the outcomes envisaged in Goal 5 of UN Sustainable Development Goals that calls up on the international community to ensure full and effective participation and equal opportunities for women.

Reliance Foundation works to help women become self-sufficient and discover the leaders and entrepreneurs amongst themselves. Since 2010, it has reached several million women through multiple approaches to enhance their lives and livelihoods. The First Responders: Women Who Led India Through The Pandemic aims to spark positive change through example as it provides a glimpse of the countless stories of women’s leadership at the grassroots and demonstrates the significant impact these women have made while supporting their communities. Reliance Foundation will continue to highlight real-life stories and experiences to create an enabling environment for women, especially at the grassroots.

The First Responders is available for free download here

I look forward to further strengthening the Olympic Movement in our country: Mrs. Nita Ambani

~India’s first Olympic Values Education Programme launched in Odisha today ahead of the upcoming IOC 2023 session~

IOC Member, Mrs Nita Ambani lauded the launch of India’s first ‘Olympic Values Education Programme’ (OVEP) by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today in Odisha, emphasising that OVEP combines the twin powers of education and sport in instilling the core values of Olympism. The OVEP is a practical set of resources designed by the IOC to introduce young people to the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship. The programme aims to disseminate this values-based curriculum to help children become active, healthy and responsible citizens. A landmark initiative in India’s Olympic movement, the launch of OVEP comes as a build-up to the prestigious IOC 2023 Session.

Earlier this year, Mrs Ambani led a delegation for India’s bid to host the IOC Session in 2023, where India was near unanimously awarded the rights after a gap of 40 years. The IOC Session in India marks a new era in Indian sports history, giving a boost to India’s ultimate Olympic aspirations with a sports ecosystem in the country which would encourage and empower the youth to hone their skills and bring global laurels. Mrs Ambani is part of multiple Olympic Movement commissions and OVEP which falls under Olympic Education is especially close to her heart as it helps inculcate core Olympic values in children.

“India is a land of great opportunities and infinite possibilities,” said IOC member Nita Ambani. “We have over 250 million children in our schools, brimming with talent and potential. They are the champions of tomorrow, the future of our nation. Only a small number of children in the world may become Olympians, but every child can be touched by the ideals of Olympism. That is the mission of OVEP, and that is what makes it a huge opportunity for India. As we prepare to host the IOC Session 2023 in Mumbai next year, I look forward to further strengthening the Olympic Movement in our country.”

The OVEP was officially launched by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik, IOC Member Mrs. Nita Ambani, IOC Education Commission Chair Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski, Olympian and member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission Abhinav Bindra and President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Narinder Batra. OVEP will be integrated into the school education system of Odisha. The programme is being developed in partnership with the Department of School & Mass Education, the Government of Odisha and the Abhinav Bindra Foundation Trust.

Mrs. Ambani further thanked the Odisha Government for their continued support towards India’s Olympic dream and grassroot development. She said, “Under the visionary leadership of Shri Patnaik ji, through increased investments and dedicated efforts, Odisha has become a hub of India’s sporting ambitions. The state is actively creating a holistic ecosystem for sport, which provides top quality training and infrastructure to our young athletes.”

Notably, Reliance Foundation works closely with the Odisha Government for the Odisha Reliance Foundation Athletics High-Performance Center (HPC). Two Reliance Foundation athletes from the HPC – Jyothi Yarraji and Amlan Borgohain, broke national records and bagged medals at international athletic events over the past month. Jyothi, has been on a phenomenal run, initially breaking a 19-year old national record and then bettering her own record in the subsequent event. With this feat, Jyothi has earned the AFI qualification time for the Commonwealth Games, highlighting that the future of Indian sports is in safe hands.

About the OVEP-Odisha program:

The OVEP-based projects and activities help address the global challenges of sedentary lifestyles, lack of concentration, and adolescents dropping out of school. The resources and toolkits are designed to make it possible for young people to enjoy and learn from physical activity and gain lifelong social, cognitive and physical skills. In its first year, the programme aims to impact 32,000 children enrolled in 90 schools in the cities of Bhubaneswar and Rourkela and, once in full swing, it will reach around 7 million children. The state of Odisha intends to take OVEP to all its schools and higher education institutions in a phased manner, thereby enabling its young population to truly take on board the Olympic values.

The Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage (olympics.com), which leads the OVEP programme for the IOC, will conduct training sessions for “master trainers” nominated by the state of Odisha, along with trainers from the ABFT, who will in turn kick-start the programme with focus groups of eight to ten schools in the state. Orientation sessions will be held for school principals, education and sports officials, and other core group members involved in the project.

Olympic Values Education Programme: The Olympic Values Education Programme is a series of free and accessible teaching resources created by the IOC, to complement academic curricula using the context of Olympic sports and the core principles of Olympism. Participants are encouraged to experience values-based learning and to assume the responsibilities of good citizenship. OVEP communicates the long-term benefits of sport and physical activity through an understanding of Olympism and its impact on individual health, enjoyment, and social interaction. https://olympics.com/ioc/education/olympic-values-educationprogramme

Mrs. Nita M. Ambani: “Athletics is one of the most popular disciplines in global sport, and this association aims to accelerate the growth of Indian athletics by providing opportunities and world-class facilities to our young talent, with a special focus on girls.”

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) announced a long-term partnership to enable the holistic growth of Athletics in India. Reliance Foundation has been a dedicated partner to AFI over the years and now the partnership is set to deepen the engagement between the two organizations.

Highlights of the partnership:

• The partnership aims to discover, nurture and develop Indian athletes from across the country and provide them with world-class facilities, coaching and sports science and medicine support by leveraging the Reliance Foundation ecosystem including the Odisha Reliance Foundation Athletics High-Performance Center and Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital.
• In line with the larger vision of the organization, this partnership will have a special focus on girl athletes and aim to bridge the gender divide and enable them to achieve their dreams.
• As AFI’s principal partner, the Reliance brand will appear across the national team’s jerseys and training kits at key national, international competitions and training camps.

Mrs. Nita M. Ambani, IOC Member, and Director, Reliance Industries Ltd said, “We are delighted to expand Reliance Foundation’s partnership with the Athletics Federation of India. Athletics is one of the most popular disciplines in global sport, and this association aims to accelerate the growth of Indian athletics by providing opportunities and world-class facilities to our young talent, with a special focus on girls. With access to the right infrastructure, training, and support, I’m sure we will see many more of our young athletes on victory stands around the world! This partnership is also an important step towards our dream of strengthening the Olympic Movement in India.”

Mr. Adille Sumariwalla, President, Athletics Federation of India said, “We are very thankful to Mrs. Nita Ambani and Reliance Industries, with whom AFI has been working with closely over the last few years, for their support as Principal Partner. We have seen our athletics contingent grow at international events, and with a committed partner in Reliance Industries, we are very sure that, soon, we will see an increase in participation and international success across multiple disciplines. The partnership will focus on holistic development, building a strong talent pool and potential medal winners who will make India proud in the years to come.”

Reliance Foundations Athletics’ Journey:

• Since 2017, Reliance Foundation has invested in the development of athletics through the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports program, reaching more than 5,500 educational institutes in 50+ districts across the country.
• In 2018, Reliance Foundation set up Odisha Reliance Foundation Athletics HPC, a high-performance centre in partnership with the Government of Odisha, from where multiple national and international medalists and national record holders have been shaped. Recently, Jyothi Yarraji (representing India in CWG 2022) and Amlan Borgohain from the HPC broke long-standing national records.
• RF has also been supporting the AFI with sports science and medicine support, with physiotherapists from Reliance Foundation accompanying the Indian contingent to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Reliance Foundation has been working closely with multiple partners including the AFI to establish, encourage and enable India’s next champions and enable the ecosystem of Indian sports through improvements in infrastructure, skill development, digital empowerment, and creating sporting heroes. Mrs. Nita M. Ambani has been leading India’s Olympic Movement and has been deeply committed to providing sporting opportunities for the next generation in India. Her role as an IOC member since 2016, has enabled her to bring valuable international exposure to India’s efforts to transform sports and engage with the Olympic Movement, and led the India delegation that won the bid to host the 140th IOC session 2023 in Mumbai, India.

About Reliance Industries Limited:

Reliance is India’s largest private sector company, with a consolidated revenue of INR 792,756 crore ($104.6 billion), cash profit of INR 110,778 crore ($14.6 billion), and net profit of INR 67,845 crore ($9.0 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2022. Reliance’s activities span hydrocarbon exploration and production, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals, retail and digital services. 

Reliance is the top-ranked company from India to feature in Fortune’s Global 500 list of “World’s Largest Companies”. The company stands 53rd in the Forbes Global 2000 rankings of “World’s Largest Public Companies” for 2022 - top-most among Indian companies. It features among LinkedIn’s ‘The Best Companies to Work For in India’ (2021). Website: www.ril.com

About Reliance Foundation Sports:

Reliance Foundation celebrates the spirit of sports – joy, health, grit, determination, winning and losing. And works to ensure that more and more children and youth from all sections of society are able to play sports and, in the process, build a fitter, stronger and more active India. Our initiatives have touched the lives of over 21.5 million young people since 2013 across the country from 13,000+ schools and colleges, enabling an opportunity for a talented kid anywhere to be able to achieve their dream of a career/glory in sports. We are especially committed to ensuring more presence and success of girl and women athletes in India and design our programmes in a manner that offers them maximum opportunities. At Reliance Foundation, we hope to be the wind beneath the wings of Indian sportspersons and help them reach their true potential.

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Jio Institute welcomed its founding batch of students at an inaugural programme held today. The programme was attended by students, their parents, Jio Institute leadership & staff, faculty, members of the Reliance family, and leaders from industry & academia. Jio Institute is commencing academic sessions with two inaugural Post Graduate Programmes in Artificial Intelligence & Data Science and Digital Media & Marketing Communications. The classes will begin on 21st July 2022.

The first cohort of Jio Institute’s Post Graduate Programmes, has a healthy mix of geographic and gender diversity. The cohort hails from 19 Indian states and 4 countries outside India – South Africa, Bhutan, Nepal and Ghana. The batch comprises students from academically diverse disciplines like Engineering, Science, Arts, Commerce, Mass Media, and Management Studies/Business Administration. The founding class possess an average work experience of about 4 years in diverse fields such as Advertising, Automotive, Banking, Construction, Digital Media, Edtech, Fintech, Healthcare, Information Technology, Logistics, Micro Finance, Oil & Gas, Pharma, Telecom, Government, NGO and so on.

Both the one-year post-graduate programmes are being taught by renowned faculty from top global institutions and industry. In both programmes, Jio Institute is focusing on cultivating essential life skills through its holistic learning module in addition to Foundation, Core and Elective Courses. Jio Institute has planned for a study abroad module during which students will get exposure to a renowned global university. Along with these, Jio Institute will lay emphasis on application-based learning through capstone projects.

About Jio Institute

Jio Institute is a multi-disciplinary higher education institute set up as a philanthropic initiative by Reliance Industries Ltd. and Reliance Foundation. The Institute is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence by bringing together global scholars and thought leaders and providing an enriching student experience through world-class education, relevant research platforms, and a culture of innovation. Jio Institute is committed to pursuing excellence in academics, research, and innovation. Jio Institute founders’ transformational precedents across sectors and their unwavering faith in the potential of India’s youth form the core of all Institute’s initiatives. The institute’s visionary leadership aims to nurture aspirations and provide platforms for the entrepreneurial spirit. Dr. R A Mashelkar, Padma Vibhushan, Former Director General, CSIR, Government of India, is the Chancellor, Dr. Dipak Jain, Former Dean, Kellogg School of Management, USA, is the Vice-Chancellor of Jio Institute and Dr. Guruswami Ravichandran, Former Otis Booth Leadership Chair of Applied Science & Engineering, California Institute of Technology (Caltech) USA has recently joined as the Provost.

The academic leadership and faculty at Jio Institute have been conducting Masterclasses, Symposiums, Panel Discussions, Executive Education, Fireside Chats and Workshops on a myriad of topics such as Emerging trends in Digital Media and Marketing Communications, Building AI for India, The Digital Library of the future, Consumers, Technology & Data-driven Marketing, Future & Potential of Sports Management, Currents Needs & Future Roadmap for Public Health Management, Emerging Paradigms in Material Sciences, etc

~TO HOST THE FIRST-EVER INDIA HOUSE AT THE PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES~

Mrs. Nita M. Ambani: “It is our dream to see India take center stage in the global sporting arena”

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) today announced a long-term partnership that aims to elevate the performances of Indian athletes, support the national sports federations and build the credentials of India as a global sporting nation, with an aspiration to host the Olympic Games in the future. Under this partnership, RIL and IOA will also establish the first-ever India House at Paris Olympics 2024.

As IOA’s Principal Partner, RIL will support Indian athletes in major multi-sport events including the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and the Olympics Games. In addition, the Olympic hospitality houses are a games tradition, and India’s first Olympic House at Paris 2024 Olympics will be a historic milestone. Establishing this home away from home and showcasing India to the world at the pinnacle event of world sport is yet another example of RIL’s commitment to the Olympic movement.

Mrs. Nita M. Ambani, IOC Member and Director, Reliance Industries Ltd, said, “It is our dream to see India take centre stage in the global sporting arena. Our partnership with the IOA reinforces Reliance Foundation’s deep commitment to supporting and empowering young athletes across the country with world-class infrastructure and opportunities. We are also very excited to host the firstever India House at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024. It will be a great opportunity to showcase India’s immense talent, potential, and aspiration to the world!”

IOA Secretary General, Mr. Rajeev Mehta: “I thank Reliance Industries and Mrs. Nita Ambani for this partnership with the Indian Olympic Association and for their continued support over the years in supporting Indian sports and inspiring the next generation of children to join the Olympic movement. It will be a momentous occasion to have an India house at Paris 2024. This is a giant step in reiterating India’s commitment to the Olympic Movement.”

In the run-up to the Paris 2024 Olympics, India will also be hosting the 140th prestigious IOC Session in June 2023 at the state-of-the-art Jio World Centre in Mumbai. The IOC Session, which coincides with the 75th year of Independence, will highlight the role of sport in India and celebrate the contribution of India to the Olympic Movement. In May 2022, India’s first ‘Olympic Values Education Programme’ (OVEP) was launched in Odisha, which combines the twin powers of education and sport in instilling the core values of Olympism. The OVEP is a practical set of resources designed by the IOC to introduce young people to the Olympic values of excellence, respect, and friendship. The programme aims to disseminate this values-based curriculum to help children become active, healthy, and responsible citizens.

About the Olympic Hospitality House:

Nations from across the world strengthen their Olympic Movement involvement during the Olympic Games, with the official Olympic Hospitality House that gives the millions of fans and travellers a vision and an understanding of the country and also serves as an avenue to engage officials, sportspeople and their families and the public. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, over 50 nations had set up their country-specific Hospitality House, bringing to the games a combination of their country’s cultural and sporting history. The 2024 Paris Olympics will have India’s first house.

About Reliance Industries Limited:

Reliance is India’s largest private sector company, with a consolidated revenue of INR 792,756 crore ($104.6 billion), cash profit of INR 110,778 crore ($14.6 billion), and net profit of INR 67,845 crore ($9.0 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2022. Reliance’s activities span hydrocarbon exploration and production, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals, retail and digital services. Reliance is the top-ranked company from India to feature in Fortune’s Global 500 list of “World’s Largest Companies”. The company stands 53rd in the Forbes Global 2000 rankings of “World’s Largest Public Companies” for 2022 - top-most among Indian companies. It features among LinkedIn’s ‘The Best Companies to Work For in India’ (2021). www.ril.com

About Reliance Foundation Sports:

Reliance Foundation celebrates the spirit of sports – joy, health, grit, determination, winning and losing. And works to ensure that more and more children and youth from all sections of society are able to play sports and, in the process, build a fitter, stronger and more active India. Our initiatives have touched the lives of over 21.5 million young people since 2013 across the country from 13,000+ schools and colleges, enabling an opportunity for a talented kid anywhere to be able to achieve their dream of a career/glory in sports. We are especially committed to ensuring more presence and success of girl and women athletes in India and design our programmes in a manner that offers them maximum opportunities. At Reliance Foundation, we hope to be the wind beneath the wings of Indian sportspersons and help them reach their true potential

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Telephone : (+91 22) 2278 5000
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Internet : www.ril.com

A CALL TO CULTIVATE WOMEN LEADERS IN INDIA

• 50 women fellows will be selected from across India for 10-month fully funded fellowship programme, including virtual and in person training
• Applications now open and will close by 3 October 2022

Few can argue with the fact that great leaders are made during the most trying of times, and by those who set ambitious, urgent and innovative goals to solve complex global issues.

However, every great leader needs a strong support system.

The WomenLead India Fellowship aims to be that system of support for women leaders in India who are taking on the world’s greatest challenges. Launching today with a nationwide call for applicants, WomenLead India is a 10-month long fellowship programme powered by Reliance Foundation and Vital Voices Global Partnership to strengthen the leadership capacity of female catalysts of social change in any of the following sectors:

• Rural Transformation: Developing holistic, sustainable solutions to address the main development concerns of rural communities, such as economic empowerment, nutrition security, water security, ecology, governance capacity of local organisations, and women’s empowerment.
• Education: Addressing inequalities in access to Early Childhood Care and Education, primary, secondary, and higher education across income, gender, social group and geography; improving quality of educational services imparted across all levels; and developing or strengthening educational institutions.
• Sports for Development: Building character and leadership skills among the youth in India by using sports as a medium to encourage lifelong learning and by also expanding access to sports in rural and marginalised communities.
• Arts, Culture & Heritage: Preserving and promoting India’s art, culture, and heritage; advancing the knowledge of Indian arts, culture, and heritage domestically and globally; sustaining and making art and culture relevant to the younger generation. 

The Fellowship will provide tailored leadership capacity building and skills development to 50 women leaders who will be selected to participate in the inaugural cohort. Selected fellows will also benefit from mentoring support and peer-to-peer engagement.

“We believe in the collective and creative power of women to empower not just themselves, but also their families and communities. When women lean on women and rise together, they build a network and system of leadership that can help transform the world around them. It is our mission to drive and support this leadership amongst women. The WomenLead India Fellowship powered by Reliance Foundation and Vital Voices is an important step in nurturing inspirational women leaders who will be at the forefront of driving social change in India,” said Mrs Nita M Ambani, Founder-Chairperson, Reliance Foundation.

“Every problem solver needs a support network and we aim to be that for these women leaders by making a long-term investment in both the woman and the important work that she is doing to advance and empower the people of India and beyond,” said Ms Alyse Nelson, Co-Founder, President, & CEO, Vital Voices. “We are thrilled to partner with Reliance Foundation to make this investment in India’s next generation of women leaders.”

Reliance Foundation and Vital Voices are looking for innovative and collaborative women leaders who have a minimum of three years of work experience in enacting social change in their communities in one or more of the sectors outlined above; women who are driven by a clear sense of mission and who are committed to advancing the status of women and girls and women who are committed to transparency and good governance.

The WomenLead India fellows will be mentored in one of the following tracks based on their prior experience.

• Economic Empowerment and Entrepreneurs
• Social Sector Leaders
• Changemakers

The 10-month fully funded programme serves as just the start of a relationship between the Fellows and the vast network of women leaders and global influencers who make up the Vital Voices and Reliance Foundation networks.

Applications close by 3 October 2022. Those interested in learning more about how to become a part of this transformative new programme are encouraged to visit: https://www.vitalvoices.org/program/womenleadindiafellowship/.

Reliance Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Reliance Industries Limited, aims to play a catalytic role in addressing the nation’s development challenges through innovative and sustainable solutions. Led by Founder and Chairperson Smt. Nita Ambani, Reliance Foundation is relentlessly working towards facilitating transformative changes to ensure overall wellbeing and higher quality of life for all. Reliance Foundation is focused on addressing the nation’s development challenges in rural transformation, education, health, sports for development, disaster response, urban renewal and arts, culture and heritage, and has touched the lives of more than 63 million people across India, in more than 50,800 villages and several urban locations.

Learn more: www.reliancefoundation.org

About Vital Voices Global Partnership

Now celebrating 25 years since its founding, Vital Voices Global Partnership has directly invested in more than 20,000 changemakers across 184 countries and territories since its inception in 1997. Driven by the universal truth that women are the key to progress in their communities and nations cannot move forward without women in leadership positions, Vital Voices has provided early support for leaders who went on to become Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, U.S. Youth Poet Laureates, Prime Ministers, awardwinning innovators, pioneering human rights defenders, and breakthrough social entrepreneurs, including Amanda Gorman, Malala Yousafzai, and more. In an effort to advance and expand this work, in 2022 Vital Voices opened the doors to the world’s first global embassy for women, the Vital Voices Global Headquarters for Women’s Leadership —a first-of-its-kind space that allows for convening, innovation, planning, and action — all in the pursuit of tackling the world’s greatest challenges. Serving as a “venture catalyst,” Vital Voices identifies leaders with a daring vision for change and partners with them to make that vision a reality. It provides connections, increased capacity, a peer network, financial support, skills training, and increased visibility for their work, which ranges from gender-based violence and climate justice to economic inequities and political disempowerment, and more.

Learn more: www.vitalvoices.org

Media Contacts:

INDIA – Jayashree Balasubramanian, Jayashree.B@reliancefoundation.org   
USA – Markette Sheppard, 310-853-3408, markettes@vitalvoices.org

As the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 77) is underway and thought leaders from across sectors gather in New York, Reliance Foundation, the Observer Research Foundation, and the United Nations in India are hosting two events on September 23 to complement the formal proceedings. While the first will be a discussion on ‘Women, Tech, and the SDGs: Reshaping the Pathways to Change’, the second is a high-level discussion that will focus on ‘The G20 Imperative: Green Growth & Development for All’.

'Aspirations, Access & Agency: Women transforming lives with technology’—a publication by Reliance Foundation and Observer Research Foundation—will also be launched at these events. The compendium tells the stories of women leaders who have emerged as agents of technological change and socioeconomic inclusion and are using ICTs to help their communities build pathways to better futures. Each story narrates a woman’s leadership journey and explores how she evolved as a digital enabler.

Jagannatha Kumar, CEO of Reliance Foundation, said, “Through these events, we bring experiences from around the world—ranging from women in remote Indian regions who became social change catalysts to green growth ideas beyond borders. Today, the green economy is to climate conversations what mobile technology access is to inclusive digital empowerment. At Reliance Foundation, we believe when women rise, families flourish and communities grow, countries prosper; a vision driven by our Founder and Chairperson Mrs Nita Ambani. Today, with these discussions, we take another step forward towards Agenda 2030, with our philosophy of ‘We Care’.”

Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation, termed the lessons from the compendium timely and said, "The stories of these remarkable women demonstrate how technology can reshape development pathways and cater to aspirations of many. The journeys chronicled in this publication also urge us to reassess where we are with respect to the SDGs, and how we can overcome the deleterious impact of the pandemic. It is clear that real progress is possible only if our efforts are inclusive, green, led by communities, and catalysed by adept policies and leadership—all attributes of the emerging yet distinct India story.”

Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator, India, noted, “On behalf of the UN Team in India, we are pleased to partner in these important discussions. From women at the frontier of technology, to government, business, and communities coming together for the green transition and climate resilience, there are many inspiring stories of sustainability emerging across the country. India’s leadership in international fora, including its upcoming G20 Presidency, provides an effective platform for others to gain from these experiences.”

The two events featuring high-level speakers and experts from across regions, reinforce the commitment of the three organisations to the development discourse and aim to generate continued dialogue, innovative partnerships, and new ideas in the pathway to accelerate the world’s progress towards the SDGs.

About Reliance Foundation

Reliance Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Reliance Industries Limited, aims to play a catalytic role in addressing India’s development challenges through innovative and sustainable solutions. Led by Founder and Chairperson Smt. Nita Ambani, Reliance Foundation is relentlessly working to facilitate transformative changes for the overall wellbeing and higher quality of life for all. Reliance Foundation is focused on addressing the nation’s development challenges in rural transformation, education, health, sports for development, disaster management, women empowerment urban renewal and arts, culture, and heritage, and has touched the lives of more than 63 million people across India, in more than 50,800 villages and several urban locations.

For more information, please visit https://www.reliancefoundation.org/

Follow Reliance Foundation on social media - 
Twitter: @ril_foundation 
Facebook: @foundationRIL 
LinkedIn: reliancefoundation 
Instagram: @RelianceFoundation

About Observer Research Foundation (ORF)

ORF is a leading multidisciplinary think tank with centres in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata and an overseas affiliate in Washington DC. It helps discover and inform India’s choices and carries Indian voices and ideas to forums shaping global debates. It provides non-partisan, independent, well-researched analyses, and inputs to diverse decision-makers in governments, business communities, and academia, and to civil society around the world.

For more information, please visit https://www.orfonline.org/

Follow ORF on social media – 
Twitter: @orfonline 
Facebook: @ORFOnline 
LinkedIn: Observer Research Foundation 
Instagram: @orfonline

About UN in India

The United Nations Country Team comprises 26 entities delivering together with government, civil society, community, business, and other partners on the SDGs in India. The Resident Coordinator, the designated country level representative of the UN Secretary-General, leads Team UN India in advocating the mandate of the United Nations in support of national priorities under the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.

For more information, please visit https://india.un.org/

Follow UN in India on social media – 
Twitter: @UNinIndia 
Facebook: @UnitedNationsIndia  
Instagram: @uninindia

• Eminent speakers spotlight India in Reliance Foundation-Observer Research FoundationUN in India events during UNGA week
• New book shares stories of women from rural India using digital technology to transform their communities and provides valuable lessons to others
• Thought leaders discuss ‘green growth’, call for increased financial commitment towards sustainable development

Women in India transforming communities with digital technologies could show ways to accelerate progress towards the SDGs said thought leaders here on Friday, at high-level discussions organised by Reliance Foundation, Observer Research Foundation and United Nations in India to complement the 77th UNGA discussions.

The events included launch of Aspirations, Access and Agency: Women Transforming Lives with Technology, a publication by Reliance Foundation and Observer Research Foundation that narrates inspirational stories of women using digital technologies to bring entitlements, financial services, healthcare, sanitation and more to India’s remotest corners. Amandeep Singh Gill, Under Secretary General, Envoy on Technology, United Nations, said the publication shows that “It’s really inspiring how when you bring people, the right process and technology together, magic happens.”

During a discussion on ‘Women Technology and the SDGs’, Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator, India, said women are at the frontlines of both long-term development and shortterm crisis response

India is expected to have 1 billion smartphone users in the next four years with demand rising dramatically in rural areas. Today, 54% women in India have a mobile phone, up from 45.9% four years ago while women operating bank accounts independently increased from 53% to nearly 80% in this time, with over 22.5% of Indian women using mobile phones for financial transactions.

“Reliance’s commitment to development is rooted in our philosophy of ‘We Care’. We are focusing on enabling platforms across sectors to achieve SDGs in India; from women empowerment to green growth and equitable development of all,” said Jagannatha Kumar, CEO, Reliance Foundation.

“Real progress is possible only if our efforts are inclusive, green, led by communities, and catalysed by agile policies and leadership—all attributes of the emerging yet distinct India story,” said Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation.

The discussions offered lessons from international collaboration during the pandemic and led to calls for more intersectional approaches to tackle gender inequality while highlighting pathways for investment, particularly in initiatives for women. Auxillia Mngagagwa, First Lady of Zimbabwe, in her Valedictory Address emphasised that real change is a product of empowering women and girls.

Former Prime Minister of New Zealand and former Administrator of UNDP, Helen Clark, lauded India for having embraced and championed the human development agenda. She also highlighted the importance of ensuring that women have equal access to connectivity so that they are able to fully participate in the society to access health information, use it for education, government services, financial services and more.

In the context of India’s imminent G20 presidency, S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister, India, emphasized at ‘The G20 Imperative-Green Growth and Development for All’ that the G20 forum was an ideal body to listen to concerns of developing countries. India has invited many nations to participate during its presidency so that more voices get to talk about the real problems of the world which may not necessarily be getting the awareness or recognition that they deserve. He also emphasized the need for multilateralism and the importance of its reform.

Vicky Ford, Minister of State for Development, Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), UK, said development efforts must keep climate change in view and innovative financing mechanisms must be deployed to meet the funding needs around the world. She also emphasized the need for educating girls and empowering women.

Borge Brende, President, World Economic Forum, said the private sector should be an important part of G20 agenda and could help finance climate change adaptation, an area that needs more attention. He pointed to the important role of multilateral development banks in catalysing green transitions.

Watch the G20 Imperative discussions here.

About Reliance Foundation

Reliance Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Reliance Industries Limited, aims to play a catalytic role in addressing the India’s development challenges through innovative and sustainable solutions. Led by Founder and Chairperson Smt. Nita Ambani, Reliance Foundation is relentlessly working to facilitate transformative changes for the overall wellbeing and higher quality of life for all. Reliance Foundation is focused on addressing the nation’s development challenges in rural transformation, education, health, sports for development, disaster management, women empowerment urban renewal and arts, culture and heritage, and has touched the lives of more than 63 million people across India, in more than 50,800 villages and several urban locations.

For more information, please visit https://www.reliancefoundation.org/

Follow Reliance Foundation on social media - 
Twitter: @ril_foundation 
Facebook: @foundationRIL 
LinkedIn: reliancefoundation  
Instagram: @RelianceFoundation

About Observer Research Foundation

ORF is a leading multidisciplinary think tank with centres in New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata and an overseas affiliate in Washington DC. It helps discover and inform India’s choices and carries Indian voices and ideas to forums shaping global debates. It provides non-partisan, independent, well-researched analyses and inputs to diverse decision-makers in governments, business communities, and academia and to civil society around the world.

For more information, please visit https://www.orfonline.org/

Follow ORF on social media – 
Twitter: @orfonline 
Facebook: @ORFOnline 
LinkedIn: Observer Research Foundation  
Instagram: @orfonline

About UN in India

The United Nations Country Team comprises 26 entities delivering together with government, civil society, community, business, and other partners on the SDGs in India. The Resident Coordinator, the designated country level representative of the UN Secretary- General, leads Team UN India in advocating the mandate of the United Nations in support of national priorities under the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.

For more information, please visit https://india.un.org/

Follow UN in India on social media –
Twitter: @UNinIndia
Facebook: @UnitedNationsIndia 
Instagram: @uninindia