“It is with immense sorrow and a heavy heart that I extend my deepest condolences on behalf of Reliance Foundation to the families who have lost their loved ones in the tragic train accident in Odisha. As soon as we learnt about the accident, our specialised disaster management team was immediately deployed to facilitate the rescue effort on ground. Our team continues to provide round-the-clock aid and assistance to the injured.

While we cannot undo the suffering caused by the tragedy, we are fully committed to helping the bereaved families rebuild their lives and prepare for the future. With this as our solemn mission, we are announcing a 10-point programme to offer our unwavering support to those affected by this unfortunate incident. Our Foundation, along with the extended Reliance family, stands in firm solidarity with the affected communities during this difficult time”, Mrs Nita Ambani, Founder & Chairperson, Reliance Foundation, said in a statement about the railway accident that occurred in Balasore, Odisha, on June 2.

Below are the 10-point relief measures that will support the people affected by the tragedy, both immediately and on a long-term basis:

1. Free fuel for ambulances dealing with the disaster through Jio-BP network.
2. Provision of free ration supplies, including flour, sugar, dal, rice, salt and cooking oil, for the next six months to affected families through Reliance stores.
3. Free medicines for injured to support their immediate recovery needs; medical treatment for those needing hospitalisation due to the accident.
4. Counselling services for emotional and psychosocial support.
5. Providing employment opportunities through Jio and Reliance Retail to one family member of the deceased, as needed
6. Provision of support aids to people with disabilities, including wheelchairs, artificial limbs.
7. Specialist skill training for those impacted to find new employment opportunities.
8. Microfinance and training opportunities for women who may have lost their sole earning family member
9. Provide livestock such as cow, buffalo, goat, poultry for alternate livelihood support to rural families impacted by the accident
10. Free mobile connectivity to a family member of bereaved for a year to enable them to rebuild their livelihood.

Present at Balasore since the accident took place, Reliance Foundation’s specialist disaster management team closely coordinated with the Emergency Section, Collectorate, Balasore, and National Disaster Response Force. Helping passengers quickly evacuate coaches and rushing injured to emergency vehicles, to immediately make available masks, gloves, ORS, bedsheets, lighting and other necessities for rescue at the site of accident, Reliance Foundation volunteers also involved in the rescue making gas cutters available to evacuate passengers trapped in coaches; also mobilised other volunteers from nearby communities for the efforts.

To ensure that rescue efforts continued uninterrupted, Reliance Foundation identified and networked with youth volunteers from the area to quickly prepare food for about 1,200 people. Meals were provided to rescue personnel, much needed for the personnel, and for families of those affected, who arrived at the accident site. Adequate drinking water was also ensured.

For more than a decade, Reliance Foundation’s disaster management team has worked towards empowering communities to be able to respond to disasters, whether natural or otherwise, and become resilient. Reliance Foundation works with communities training youth in disaster response, provides advisories to guide communities in actioning important measures before, during and after disasters.

Through the years, Reliance Foundation has supported communities following floods, cyclones, earthquakes, during droughts and extensively during the COVID-19 pandemic through multiple initiatives aimed at ensuring relief and enabling rebuilding of lives and livelihoods, supporting over 21 million people through over 48 disasters. Reliance Foundation has stood with the nation through every time of need and stands in solidarity, now, committed to extending its support to the families affected by this tragedy.

‘Plant4Life’, a community-driven environment initiative by Reliance Foundation to enhance green cover and to care for the Earth was launched on the occasion of World Environment Day on June 5.

Over the course of the next few months, 500,000 saplings are set to be planted across the country with the support of at least 50,000 volunteers through ‘Plant4Life’. The campaign aims to build a buzz around environment conservation and involvement of the community. A strong momentum would be generated by Reliance’s community of volunteers imbibing the spirit of ‘We Care’.

“On the 50th anniversary of World Environment Day, we wanted to mark the occasion with a special initiative, bringing together thousands of Reliance volunteers across the country to create momentum for individual and community action, to protect and preserve our Earth for future generations,” said Mr. Jagannatha Kumar, CEO, Reliance Foundation.

On Monday, the campaign kickstarted with the planting of over 1 lakh saplings in 25 states and three Union Territories. Plant4Life also has a self-plantation component for Reliance employees to take care of their own plants. The campaign, which will continue over the next few months, includes making of seedballs by volunteers and their families. Seedballs made with mud and compost germinate and give way to plants when dispersed during rains.

Activities across locations include at-scale mangrove plantations in Odisha and West Bengal, and co-development of a Miyawaki forest in Kutch, Gujarat, with the support of the state’s forest department. In Kutch, cactus fodder varieties recommended by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research will be planted to increase fodder availability during summer.

Over the years, Reliance has supported various environment conservation initiatives including natural resources management and tree plantation. To date, Reliance has facilitated the plantation of more than 2.39 crore saplings across the country.

The Plant4Life campaign aims to mobilise employees to build on these efforts to care for Earth and resonates with the mission of the LiFe campaign launched by the Honourable Prime Minister of India for a mass movement to nudge individual and community action to protect and preserve the environment.

This special award is a new addition to The Boodles tennis and will see the ESA initiative spread its wings out of India

Mrs Nita. M. Ambani, Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation presented the inaugural Reliance Foundation ESA Cup to Diego Schwartzman at The Boodles Tennis event at Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire. The Boodles is truly unique - an exhibition tennis event that is the most lavish warm-up for The Championships at Wimbledon – a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience, at Stoke Park which this year celebrates its 19th anniversary and is taking place from 27th June – 1st July 2023. It is a heady mix of high-calibre tennis featuring tennis superstars, combined with a day of unmatched hospitality on the manicured lawns of Stoke Park’s 17th-century estate. It has a fun English garden party atmosphere, with world-class tennis being played in intimate and beautiful surroundings. The award of the Reliance Foundation ESA Cup will be presented on each of the 5 days of The Boodles tennis.

On Tuesday, (27th June), Mrs Nita M. Ambani presented the inaugural Reliance Foundation ESA Cup to the winner Argentinian, Diego Schwartzman, and made a donation to Action4Youth, based in Buckinghamshire, UK which we know is a cause close to today’s winner’s heart.

Speaking on the occasion, Mrs Nita M. Ambani, Founder and Chairperson, Reliance Foundation said “It was an absolutely amazing atmosphere out here as we got to watch some great tennis and celebrate the importance of sports in bringing a community together. The opportunity of also serving charitable causes through a day of great sporting action makes this even more meaningful. I wish and encourage all the young people in this community to take up any sport of your choice and bring to yourself and to those around you the spirit of enthusiasm, conviction, positive attitude and resilience to life, the joy that we hope will also make this community an even more charming place to be in.”

The Education and Sports for All (ESA) initiative is a comprehensive development program run by Reliance Foundation (CSR arm of Reliance Industries Ltd) under the leadership of Founder and Chairperson Mrs. Nita M. Ambani which supports various initiatives that promote holistic development and equal opportunities in education and sports for children. With The Boodles Tennis challenge, the ESA initiative will be spreading its wings outside India. After impacting the lives of millions of people in India, the programme will now aim to touch the lives of children at Stoke Park and seek to make sports accessible for everybody while also inspiring the next gen to take up sports in their daily lives.

Galaxy of stars assemble at The Boodles 2023:

• Excitement is high as 2023 sees the return of this much-loved event post the pandemic and Stoke Park’s owners, Reliance Industries Limited are looking to deliver the greatest Boodles experience yet! Seven of the world’s top 20 men’s tennis players are playing in The Boodles tennis this year, including tennis stars Stefanos Tsitsipas (world no.5), Holger Rune (world no.6) and Andrey Rublev (world no.7).

Reliance Foundation and ESA:

• Mrs Nita M. Ambani, Founder and Chairperson, Reliance Foundation, and the first Indian woman to be elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee, has played an instrumental role in developing the sporting infrastructure in India from the grassroots level across football as well as athletics. The organization has also made a vital contribution to the Olympic movement in India by supporting various athletes across various Olympic sports.
• Since 2010 Reliance Foundation has impacted the lives of over 69.5 million people across India through its initiatives in Rural Transformation, Health, Education, Sports for Development, Women Empowerment, Disaster Management, Arts, Culture & Heritage and Urban Renewal.
• Reliance Foundation's various sports initiatives have impacted the lives of 22 million young people across India. The Reliance Foundation Education and Sports for All (ESA) is one of the key programmes of Reliance Foundation, which supports various initiatives that promote holistic development and equal opportunities in education and sports for children. Every year, thousands of children through NGOs supported by Reliance Foundation in addition to several other experiences that ESA offers to underprivileged kids for joy and celebration through festive education and sports activities.

Inspiring the next generation through Education and Sports for All

• This year, in India, ESA Day was dedicated to inspiring the girl child. Over 19,000 young girls from 36 NGOs and 200 special children watched an Indian Premier League cricket match live at the stadium an opportunity that the Reliance Foundation Founder & Chairperson hoped would inspire more girls to take up sports. Read More
• In continuation of the Education and Sports for All programme in India, ESA expanded to performing arts, as Mrs. Ambani dedicated the final two shows of ‘The Sound of Music’ for 3400 children, from humble backgrounds, including especially able kids and senior citizens at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, a first-of-its-kind, multi-disciplinary cultural space in the sphere of arts. Envisioned by Mrs. Nita M Ambani, it aims to preserve and promote India’s rich art, culture, and heritage through varied art forms. Read More
• The Reliance Foundation ESA programme, through Stoke Park’s community outreach initiatives, is committed to supporting causes that have a positive impact on the local community. These efforts include working together with charities on various initiatives to inspire and encourage children and young people in education and sports in the local area. This includes supporting local athletes, talent inclusion and local sporting events, as well as various education initiatives to support local schools, with a special focus on supporting children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Reliance Foundation Scholarships programme, one of India’s largest, inclusive and diverse scholarships initiatives for higher education, has opened applications to award 5,000 undergraduate scholarships for the academic year 2023-24. Applications are open until 15 October 2023 to all first-year regular undergraduate students across all branches of study.

The importance of investing in the power and potential of youth was a firm belief of Reliance’s Founder Chairman Shri Dhirubhai Ambani. Taking this vision forward, the Reliance Foundation Scholarships aim to strengthen young people’s access to higher education. In December 2022, on the occasion of Shri Dhirubhai Ambani’s 90th birth anniversary, Mrs Nita Ambani, Founder & Chairperson, Reliance Foundation, announced Reliance Foundation’s significant commitment to support 50,000 students with scholarships over the next 10 years as part of her vision to empower youth for a better tomorrow.

The Reliance Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship selects students based on a merit-cum-means criteria for undergraduate college education, to continue their studies without financial burden. The Scholarships aim to enable students to become successful professionals and realize their dreams, unlocking their potential to lift themselves and their communities and contribute towards India’s future socio-economic development.

“India has the world’s largest youth population, and our young people have immense potential to take the nation to new heights. At Reliance Foundation, we work to provide opportunity and access to quality education. We are strongly committed to helping young people fulfil their aspirations and enable them to contribute to India’s growth,” said Mr. Jagannatha Kumar, CEO, Reliance Foundation.

The Reliance Foundation Undergraduate Scholarships programme will award selected scholars a grant of up to Rs. 2 lakhs for the entire course of study. The scholars will also get to be a part of an enabling support system that equips them with skills for holistic development and a vibrant alumni network. The programme encourages applications from girls and people with disabilities. Selection will be based on performance in an aptitude test, Class 12 marks, household income and other eligibility criteria.

Since 1996, through the Dhirubhai Ambani Scholarships and Reliance Foundation Scholarships, Reliance has supported undergraduate scholarships for more than 18,000 young people, over half of them being women and nearly 2,800 people with disabilities. Many scholars have studied at premier institutes and have gone on to occupy leadership positions in their communities and organisations in India and abroad.

For the Reliance Foundation Undergraduate Scholarships 2022-23, nearly one lakh students expressed interest by registering and out of 40,000 applications from nearly all states of India, 5,000 scholars were selected on the basis of eligibility and performance in the aptitude test. Out of these, 51% of the students were women and 97 scholars were people with disabilities. The selected scholars were from 1,630 educational institutions pursuing full time graduation courses from all streams of study.

For more details about Reliance Foundation Scholarships and to apply, please visit www.scholarships.reliancefoundation.org.

As the world has gathered for the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly week, Reliance Foundation, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), and United Nations India will host two dialogues with the overarching theme, “India’s journey towards the Sustainable Development Goals”.

Delivering Development: Journeys, Directions and Lighthouses on 22nd September 2023 will focus on India’s ambitious agenda, which aims to address its priorities and challenges including improved health and educational outcomes, food and energy security, economic empowerment and growth, and climate resilience. India’s approach in its development journey towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals will be also be discussed in this dialogue. The second dialogue, on 23rd September 2023, South Rising: Partnerships, Institutions and Ideas, will discuss the role of India and the Global South in advancing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals agenda. The focus here will not only be on the significant role these regions play towards global development, but will also include deliberations on the post2030 agenda and lessons to move forward from thereon.

A special publication ‘Ideas, Innovation, Implementation’ that delves into the work of development organisations in India across each of the 17 SDGs, will be released at the event. Speaking about the events, H.E. Ruchira Kamboj, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, stated, “As the world takes stock of how far we have reached towards achieving the SDGs, it is important to highlight stories of success that could be adapted in other contexts, especially by countries of the Global South. India’s development journey and innovative bottom-up multistakeholder approaches to achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals offer exemplary models for other countries of the Global South.”

Mr Jagannatha Kumar, CEO, Reliance Foundation, said, “We need to think now, beyond 2030. Even as we take stock of our performance on the SDGs, the dialogues that we are jointly hosting during the UNGA week aim to open conversations to find innovative new ways to answer this question. It is time not just to take stock of how far we have reached, but also thinking beyond 2030, defining what our brave new world will look like. Presenting our ideas and experiences on a global platform during a significant time such as the UNGA is indeed an introspective time for organisations in the development sector. From the collective experiences of India, we have also seen resilience, a wealth of experiences and multiple insights on the path to development. As we explore these conversations, we look beyond towards actions – collective, concrete and concerted.”

Dr. Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation, said, “India has emerged decisively as the voice of the Global South, and its G20 presidency has foregrounded the priorities of the developing world. Our development agenda has long reflected the social, economic and environmental concerns that define the SDGs today. We are convinced that some of the approaches and practices we have evolved could act as lighthouses for other parts of the world, hasten our collective progress towards the 2030 Agenda, and serve as a legacy for the post-SDG era. In this context, the publication, Ideas, Innovation, Implementation, aims not simply to present a set of exemplary interventions, but also to spark dialogue about how we might innovate to build more equal societies, and a safe and prosperous planet.”

Mr. Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator, India, said, “While the SDGs remain our shared blueprint for a more prosperous and peaceful world by 2030, the world has fallen far behind at the halfway point. Yet India represents an increasing source of optimism that we can get back on track. From delivering domestic development results at a scale able to move the SDG needle, across poverty reduction, inclusive digitalization, women-led development and the energy transition, to bringing positive momentum to multilateralism and South-South cooperation, India is blazing new paths. A week ago, all eyes were on the G20 as world leaders gathered under to deliver an important consensus New Delhi Declaration with the SDGs at its core. We need to carry this same momentum forward to 2030 and beyond.”

The two dialogues are expected to feature high-level speakers and experts like Ruchira Kamboj, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations; Hemang Jani, Senior Advisor to Executive Director for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka, The World Bank Group; Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, United Nations Christopher Elias, President, Global Development, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and many more. Both dialogues will reinforce the commitment of various developmental organisations to generate continued dialogue, innovative partnerships, and new ideas in the pathway to accelerate the world’s progress towards the SDGs.

For more details of the events, please visit https://reliancefoundation.org/new-york-dialogues2023

Permanent Mission of India to the UN

Website: https://pminewyork.gov.in/

Twitter: @IndiaUNNewYork

Facebook: @IndiaAtUN

Instagram: @indiaatun

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 Smt. Nita M Ambani, Founder and Chairperson, Reliance Foundation is relentlessly working for the overall well-being and enhanced quality of life for all, focusing on rural transformation, education, health, sports for development, disaster management, women empowerment, urban renewal and arts, culture and heritage, and has touched the lives of over 70 million people across India, in over 54,300 villages and urban locations. More on www.reliancefoundation.org

Follow Reliance Foundation on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ril_foundation

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foundationRIL

LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/reliancefoundation

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reliancefoundation/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RelianceFoundationTV

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, visit: www.orfonline.org

Follow ORF on:

Twitter: @orfonline

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ORFDelhi

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/observer-research-foundation/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orfonline/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ORFOnline

Telegram: https://t.me/orftg

United Nations in India

The United Nations system in India includes 26 organizations that serve in India. The UN provides strategic support to India to help the country achieve its aspirations to end poverty and inequality and to promote sustainable development in line with the globally agreed SDGs. The UN also supports India, as the world’s largest democracy, in the country’s ambitious commitments to rapid change and development priorities. For more information, visit: http://india.un.org/

Follow UN India on:

Twitter: @UNinIndia

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/unitednationsinindia

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/united-nations-in-india/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uninindia/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnitedNationsIndia

The 19th Asian Games has over 650 Indian athletes, its biggest contingent ever, representing the country at the continent’s showpiece event. Reliance Foundation has launched the #LehraDoTeamIndia campaign to celebrate the Indian athletes and encourage the fans to get behind them with the iconic 'Lehra Do' cry as they aim to seek glory for the nation and make the tricolour fly high in Hangzhou, China.

The campaign features some of India’s most decorated and celebrated athletes as well as athletes who will be appearing at the Asian Games for the first time and have immense promise. Among the stars to feature in the campaign are two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu as well as hockey legends PR Sreejesh and Sushila Chanu. It also features veterans Achanta Sharath Kamal (Table Tennis) and Virdhawal Khade (Aquatics), who have represented India at multiple Asian Games. Avinash Sable (Steeplechase) will be looking to add an Asian Games medal to his Commonwealth Games medal from last year, while Tejaswin Shankar (Decathlon) will look to add a decathlon medal to his bronze in high jump from the Commonwealth Games last year.

The campaign also has an eye on the future by including Shaili Singh (Long Jump), Anupama Upadhyaya (Badminton), Simranjeet Kaur (Archery), Mayuri Lute (Cycling) and Yash Tushir (Wrestling), who will all be making their first appearance at the Asian Games but are already among the brightest talents in the country. Abhinav Bindra, the 1st Indian to win an individual Gold at the Olympics, also headlines the campaign. The campaign has been brought to life by Ogilvy India.

650+ Indian athletes. One passion. To make India proud at the Asian Games 2022. All the very best, #TeamIndia. 𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙝 𝙠𝙖 𝙣𝙖𝙖𝙢 𝙙𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙮𝙖 𝙥𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙝𝙧𝙖 𝙙𝙤! 🇮🇳@ril_foundation @WeAreTeamIndia @19thAGofficial | #LehraDoTeamIndia #WeAreTeamIndia #Cheer4India… pic.twitter.com/wW5nJwLLzB

— RF Youth Sports (@RFYouthSports) September 24, 2023

Reliance Foundation athletes seek glory at Asian Games: Reliance Foundation’s athletes have been in fine form this year, putting in impressive displays at the World Championships in athletics and boxing, the Asian Athletics Championships as well as the World University Games.

A total of 19 athletes from the Reliance Foundation will be competing at the Asian Games this year, including Lovlina Borgohain, Jyothi Yarraji, Amlan Borgohain, Jinson Johnson, Manika Batra, Shiva Thapa, Man Singh, Mohammed Afsal, Gulveer Singh, Kartik Kumar, Dhruv Kapila, Anupama Upadhyaya, Simranjeet Kaur, Vicky, Mrinal Chauhan, Tushar Shelke, Ganemat Sekhon, Palak Gulia and Kishore Kumar Jena.

Reliance Foundation also runs the largest corporate sports programs for the development of sports across the nation. Reliance Foundation’s Sports for Development initiatives have been helping kids across the nation to help achieve their sports dreams. These sports programs have a mass reach - promoting inclusivity, providing sponsorships, and sports science and nutrition assistance for the elite as well as promising upcoming athletes.

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 22 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.

For more information please follow us on https://www.rfyouthsports.com/

• Joint book by Reliance Foundation, United Nations India office and Observer Research Foundation
• Permanent Representative of India to the UN says India offers exemplary models for other countries at two jointly hosted high-level events
• India’s leadership and experience brings promise towards achieving the Sustainable Develoment Goals says multi-country ministerial panel

A strong belief in the Indian approach and leadership to achieve the Sustainable Development was the underlying tone of two high-level discussions organised in New York by Reliance Foundation, Observer Research Foundation, the United Nations India office and the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations.

As the world came together during the United Nations General Assembly week to deliberate on accelerating pace on the 2030 agenda, a publication ‘Ideas, Innovation, Implementation: India’s Journey Towards the SDGs’ that brought this message to life was released. The book, a joint initiative by Reliance Foundation, Observer Research Foundation and the UN India office, highlights 17 lighthouse initiatives across 17 SDGs, undertaken by not-for-profit organisations and communities, transforming the ecosystem towards the SDGs and beyond.

Ideas, Innovation, Implementation: #India’s Journey Towards the #SDGs — a publication by Reliance Foundation, @orfonline, and @uninindia — was launched at the Delivering Development: Journeys, Directions and Lighthouses dialogue during the #UNGA78 week in New York. 

Here are a… pic.twitter.com/c4vQ6je9qV

— Reliance Foundation (@ril_foundation) September 23, 2023

Releasing the publication at the first forum on ‘Delivering Development: Journeys, Directions and Lighthouses’, Ms. Ruchira Kamboj, Permanent Representative of India to the UN, said, “We refuse to make a choice between fighting poverty and protecting our planet; instead, we will pursue sustainable, inclusive, and equitable transitions that leave no one behind. In this spirit of fostering transparency and sharing best practices, I am delighted to announce that we have just released a comprehensive report "Ideas, Innovation, Implementation: India’s Journey towards the SDGs.”

Speaking at the second panel on 'South Rising: Partnerships, Institutions and Ideas’, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on SDGs, green development, women-led development, and digital public infrastructure would determine global progress for the next decade and transition would be driven by the Global South. “We need political rebalancing and economic rebalancing as part of the G20. None of this can go beyond a point unless there is cultural rebalancing which is respecting the diversity of the world, giving other cultures and traditions their due respect. From millets to traditional medicine, respecting others’ heritage, tradition, music, ways of life – these are parts of the change the global south would like to see.”

Ms Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Jamaica built a strong articulation of India’s support especially to smaller countries. “In a situation where you had to call on friends for support, the question was, who could you call, and more importantly, who would answer. India answered. India answered the world and the small countries in the Caribbean,” adding, “We believe in the Indian approach. We cannot see ourselves as victims, but we need to innovate and find new ways. We need to prove ourselves. India has done it. India walks the talk as we have seen. We take inspiration in Vasudaiva Kutumbakam.”

South Rising: Partnerships, Institutions and Ideas, a Ministerial panel, featuring @DrSJaishankar, @kaminajsmith, @HughToddgt, and @JoaoCravinho, was jointly organised by Reliance Foundation, @orfonline, @UNinIndia, and @IndiaUNNewYork in New York.#UNGA78 #EqualityForAll… pic.twitter.com/QGvQsuHPxW

— Reliance Foundation (@ril_foundation) September 24, 2023

Echoing similar sentiments, Mr Hugh Hilton Todd, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Republic of Guyana said, “Multilateralism needs leadership. That’s what India is providing. India, as a country, is extremely humble and responsible. Quietly, India has been taking care of its people and the rest of the world. It’s only natural that India has earned its rightful place in helping not only by providing leadership in the global south but helping to advance integration. India has proven itself to be a responsible partner and leader.”

Mr João Gomes Cravinho, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Portugal said, “Behind political will are many interests, intentions of various sorts. To talk about political courage, we need outstanding leadership.To talk about political courage, at the same time, we need a transformation of the way people view their own interests. We must seek to transform the way that people look at the realities they face.”

Reliance Foundation along with ORF and United Nations India hosted two key dialogues amid the UNGA week focussing on the overarching theme of India’s journey towards SDGs. The dialogue – ‘Delivering Development: Journeys, Directions and Lighthouses’ focused on India’s agenda aiming to address priorities and challenges of developing nations, including economic empowerment and growth, financial stability, improved health and educational outcomes, food and energy security, and climate resilience, and towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The second dialogue – ‘South Rising: Partnerships, Institutions and Ideas’ discussed the role of India and the Global South in advancing UN’s Sustainable Development Goals agenda focusing on the significant role these regions play towards global development. High-level delegates at the two events were from multilateral, global and Indian non-profit, academia and corporate philanthropies.

Mr Jagannatha Kumar CEO, Reliance Foundation spoke of the need to think beyond 2030. Mr Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator, India spoke of the importance of public private and multi-stakeholder conversations towards the SDGs. Mr Samir Saran, President, ORF, spoke of the importance of bringing attention to the voices of those invisibilised in the world.

Each case study in the publication released at these events highlights one specific SDG which could bring a potential transformation if scaled and replicated in other geographies, highlights how implementation of the ideas could hasten the journey to the SDGs along while providing a foundation for a post-2030 agenda. With context, problem, approach and details of implementation innovations and impact, the cases provide exemplars for the development sector in India and across the world.

Access the book on the Reliance Foundation website here: https://reliancefoundation.org/sdgs_publication

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, visit: www.orfonline.org

United Nations in India

The United Nations system in India includes 26 organizations that serve in India. The UN provides strategic support to India to help the country achieve its aspirations to end poverty and inequality and to promote sustainable development in line with the globally agreed SDGs. The UN also supports India, as the world’s largest democracy, in the country’s ambitious commitments to rapid change and development priorities.

For more information, visit: http://india.un.org/

India finished in fourth position on the Asian Games medal table with its best-ever medal tally of 107 medals. Out of this record haul, 12 medals were won by the Reliance Foundation-supported athletes, who made a significant contribution to the nation's success. #LehraDoTeamIndia.

Mrs. Nita Ambani, Founder Chairperson, Reliance Foundation, commented on India’s mammoth success at the continental event. “Congratulations Team India, for making our country proud at the Asian Games! Your historic tally of over 100 medals is a shining example of the power of India’s youth.”

Mrs. Ambani also lauded performances by Reliance Foundation-supported athletes. “We are also proud of our Reliance Foundation athletes for winning 12 medals at the Games. A special shout out to Kishore Jena, Jyothi Yarraji, Palak Gulia, the 17-year-old teen phenomenon, and many more, for their outstanding performance. At Reliance Foundation, we remain committed to supporting our young athletes and fostering and nurturing talent in sports.”

Lovlina Borgohain and Kishore Jena punch Paris Olympics tickets

• Lovlina Borgohain, a Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist in boxing, clinched a silver medal in the Women's 75kg category, earning her a spot at the Paris Olympics in 2024. She became the second Indian female boxer to reach the gold medal bout at the Asian Games.
• Kishore Jena's remarkable javelin throw of 87.54 meters earned him a silver medal, solidifying his position as India's second-best javelin thrower after Neeraj Chopra. Remarkably, Jena has improved his personal best seven times in 2023. His personal best was 78.05m before this year.

Teen phenom Palak Gulia 1st Indian woman to win gold in the 10m air pistol event

Young shooting prodigy Palak Gulia achieved a historic double by winning gold in the women's 10m air pistol event and securing a silver medal as part of the 10m air pistol women's team. She became the youngest Indian shooter to medal in this edition and the first Indian woman ever to win gold in the 10m air pistol individual event.

RF athletes light up the track- as India’s 25-year wait for a 10,000m medal came to an end

India completely dominated the athletics events in this Asiad with 29 medals comprising six golds, 14 silvers, and nine bronzes – which is India’s best-ever tally since the inaugural edition in 1951 in athletics.

Kartik Kumar and Gulveer Singh ended India's 25-year medal drought in the Men's 10,000m event with a remarkable 2-3 finish, both setting new personal bests. These were India’s first medals in the event after Gulab Chand’s bronze at the 1998 Bangkok Asiad. Both athletes also etched new personal bests in a scintillating display.

Jyothi Yarraji displayed exceptional resilience by winning a silver medal in the Women's 100m hurdles, overcoming the challenges of a false start claim to secure India's first-ever medal in this event.

Mohammad Afsal secured a silver medal in the Men's 800m, while Jinson Johnson returned to winning ways with a bronze in the Men's 1500m event, becoming the first Indian male athlete to medal in multiple editions of the Asian Games in the 1500m event.

Contributions to team events

Additionally, Dhruv Kapila in badminton and Simranjeet Kaur in archery contributed significantly to their respective team events, with India winning its first-ever silver in men's badminton and securing a bronze in women's recurve archery. Tushar Shelke, was also a part of the men’s recurve team that won silver after beating Bangladesh in the semi-finals.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) with the Olympic Museum has aligned with Reliance Foundation to build on the success of the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) in India and signed a new cooperation agreement. It underscores the organisations’ shared priority to promote Olympic values through sport among young people

The new cooperation was agreed upon by IOC President Thomas Bach and Nita Ambani, IOC Member in India and Reliance Foundation Founder Chairperson, during a visit to the Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) football academy in Mumbai. During the ceremony, President Bach and Mrs. Ambani exchanged pennants representing OVEP and Reliance Foundation and joined students in leaving their handprints on a new Olympic Values Pledge Wall, marking a commitment to be a positive role model both in sports and in day-to-day life

“Sport has the ability to transform lives of young people,” said President Bach. “We welcome Reliance Foundation joining as an OVEP implementation partner and we look forward to bringing the Olympic values to even more students, first in the Mumbai area and then hopefully across the state of Maharashtra. Respect, friendship, fair play and solidarity are values that young people can benefit from and imbibe for life. And the most important aspect is solidarity with one and all.”

“The word ‘together’ in the Olympic motto, Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together, expresses this sentiment of solidarity. With the OVEP programme, we want to reach out to all children and young people, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds who may not always have access to sport and healthy lifestyles,” added President Bach.

“Reliance Foundation is delighted to partner with the IOC for OVEP and we are really looking forward to this partnership,” said Mrs. Nita Ambani, Founder Chairperson of Reliance Foundation. “OVEP brings both sports and education together. With this partnership, we can hope to positively impact the 250 million school-going children of India, reaching out to the remotest villages and regions of India, giving them options of a more disciplined, healthier, fitter and more wholesome lifestyle. Children are our future and we need to give them the right to education and the right to play.”

To mark the occasion, around 80 RFYC students took part in games alongside more than 100 children from Reliance Foundation schools and their NGO partners. Together, they depicted the integration of Olympic values into both modern and traditional Indian sports such as kho-kho, gully cricket and malkhamb

OVEP is an initiative led by the Olympic Museum that advances the IOC’s Olympism365 strategy, which aims to increase access to sport and bring the health and societal benefits of physical activity to communities across the globe. Launched in India in 2022 with the Abhinav Bindra Foundation in the Indian state of Odisha, OVEP is one of the first major IOC projects to be implemented in India.

Just six months after introducing OVEP to Odisha students, schools reported marked increase in attendance and participation in sports, particularly among girls. The programme, now in its second year, has now reached more than 700 teachers and 250,000 children in 350 schools and expanded to the state of Assam. Once in full swing, OVEP’s engagement in India is anticipated to reach around 29 million children.

The IOC and Reliance Foundation plan to focus on three main areas:

• Grade-specific activities in selected schools to promote Olympism and the Olympic values and instil positive behavioural changes.
• Virtual and in-person sessions between athletes and students to promote physical activity and discuss Olympic values
• Raise awareness of Olympic values through interactive games, quizzes and workshops at sporting and educational events.

Initiatives such as OVEP advance the IOC’s commitment to raise awareness of the benefits of and access to engagement in sports activities to pursue a healthy lifestyle. For more information may be found in the Olympic Agenda 2020+5.

‘Tree & Serpent: Early Buddhist Art in India, 200 BCE– 400 CE’ opens at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) on July 21st. The spectacular exhibition, tracing the origins of Buddhist art, was made possible through support from Reliance Industries Limited and Mrs. Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, an Indian philanthropic organization.

A longtime, passionate supporter of the museum, Mrs. Nita Ambani was named an Honorary Trustee of The Met in 2019, becoming the first Indian person on the museum’s board of trustees. In this role, she has continued to work to introduce the finest of Indian art to global audiences.

Commenting on the occasion, Mrs. Nita Ambani said, “I come from India, the land of the Buddha, and it is a huge honour for me to support ‘Tree & Serpent’ through Reliance Foundation’s partnership with The Met. This historic exhibition traces the origins of early Buddhist art from 2nd century BC to 4th century AD, with over 125 objects from ancient India. With the ‘Tree & Serpent,’ we take immense pride in showcasing the deep-rooted connection between Buddhism and India. The teachings of Buddha are entwined with Indian ethos and continue to shape global thought. I hope people from around the world come and enjoy this one-of-a-kind experience. We remain committed to bringing the best of India to the world, and the best of the world to India.”

Our Founder & Chairperson, Mrs. Nita Ambani, attended a special preview and opening reception of 'Tree & Serpent', a spectacular exhibition at The Met that traces Buddhist art's origins and is supported by Reliance Foundation.

An Honorary Trustee of The Met and also the first… pic.twitter.com/hWVRrOE6Pv

— Reliance Foundation (@ril_foundation) July 19, 2023

A special preview of Tree & Serpent, attended by Mrs. Nita Ambani and hosted by Max Hollein, The Met’s Marina Kellen French Director, saw a number of esteemed personalities from the art world and beyond congregate, including, Indian Ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, The US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, and the Met’s Florence and Herbert Irving Curator of South and Southeast Asian, and curator of Tree & Serpent, John Guy.

Tree & Serpent is a uniquely curated exhibition, bringing over 125 objects dating from 200 BCE to 400 CE to The Met. Organized around a series of interlocking themes centered around original relics and reliquaries from ancient India, the show evokes a time when the country’s religious landscape was transformed by the teachings of Buddha, which in turn, found expression in a rich repository of art devoted to relaying his message. It focuses on the sublime imagery that adorned the stupas – a religious monumental structure found in ancient India. Stupas not only housed the relics of the Buddha but also honored him through symbolic representations and visual storytelling – beautiful specimens of which can be marveled at in the exhibition which culminates with the image of Buddha himself.

With major loans from lenders across India, as well as from the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States, Tree & Serpent reveals both the pre-Buddhist origins of figurative sculpture in India and the early narrative traditions that were central to this formative moment in early Indian art. Exquisite in its details of concept and curation, this rare exhibition transports visitors into the world of early Buddhist imagery such as the titular ‘tree’ and ‘snake’, named after two primary motifs in Buddhist art – the sacred bodhi tree and the protective snake. It explores how the ideas of Buddhism – expressed through its world of spectacular images – grew from a core set of ethical teachings into one of the world’s great religions.

Reliance has supported The Met since 2016, with the exhibition Nasreen Mohamedi, the first museum retrospective of the artist's work in the United States and also one of The Met Breuer's inaugural exhibitions. Other notable exhibitions supported by Reliance are Modernism on the Ganges: Raghubir Singh Photographs (October 11, 2017–January 2, 2018) and Phenomenal Nature: Mrinalini Mukherjee (June 4–September 29, 2019), which marked the first comprehensive display of Mukherjee’s work in the United States.

Under Mrs. Ambani’s leadership, Reliance Foundation has sponsored key cultural events in India such as The Elephanta Festival, and Abbaji, the annual concert of master musician Ustad Zakir Hussain, among the many efforts to recognize the cultural legends of India and ensure their relevance to a younger generation. Reliance Foundation has also been working to preserve India’s rich heritage of art and culture as well as enhance avenues for livelihood of traditional artisans and craftspersons. At the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC), Reliance Foundation has supported the arts and crafts exhibition SWADESH which has provided a global platform for showcasing traditional Indian artisans.

As part of a continued commitment to bring global audiences to Indian art and for everyone to experience it internationally, Reliance has supported not only the series of exhibitions at The Met but also presentations such as Gates of the Lord: The Tradition of Krishna Paintings at the Art Institute of Chicago.

About The Met:

The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 by a group of American citizens— businessmen and financiers as well as leading artists and thinkers of the day—who wanted to create a museum to bring art and art education to the American people. Today, The Met displays tens of thousands of objects covering 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City— The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online. Since its founding, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum’s galleries and through its exhibitions and events, revealing both new ideas and unexpected connections across time and across cultures.

About Reliance Industries Limited:

Reliance is India’s largest private sector company, with a consolidated revenue of INR 976,524 crore ($118.8 billion) and net profit of INR 74,088 crore ($9.0 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2023. Reliance’s activities span hydrocarbon exploration and production, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals, advanced materials and composites, renewables (solar and hydrogen), financial services, retail and digital services.

Currently ranking 104th, Reliance is the largest private sector company from India to feature in Fortune’s Global 500 list of “World’s Largest Companies” for 2022. The company stands 45th in the Forbes Global 2000 rankings of “World’s Largest Public Companies” for 2023 - top-most among Indian companies. Reliance has been ranked among the world's 20 best companies to work with, highest amongst Indian companies in Forbes’ World's Best Employers for 2022. It features among LinkedIn’s “Top Companies 2023: The 25 Best Workplaces To Grow Your Career In India”. Website: www.ril.com