• Over the next three years, 500,000 youth will be impacted with this partnership.
• State-of-the-art courses for future skills will be developed through this partnership.

Reliance Foundation and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) have entered into a strategic partnership to create courses with future-ready skills for 500,000 Indian youth. This partnership entails the development of curriculum focusing on creating capacity for the youth in fields including EdTech, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), environmental sustainability, policy analysis and much more. With the help of Reliance Foundation’s digital-forward approach, this partnership is expected to garner popularity among youth interested in newer career avenues that require futuristic thinking.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said, “India will become unstoppable by embracing the mantra of skilling, re-skilling and up-skilling. Various digital initiatives in the skilling ecosystem are ensuring Skills Anywhere, Skills Anytime and Skills for All. As India marches towards becoming a developed nation, by leveraging technology, scale and sustainability, Indian workforce will meet not only domestic demand, but also global demand and set new benchmarks.”

Emphasising the importance of this strategic partnership, Mr. Jagannatha Kumar, CEO, Reliance Foundation, said, “India has the largest youth population in the world, and this is our effort to prepare them with future-ready skills. At Reliance Foundation, we believe that this will help in fulfilling their aspirations and achieve their goals. This partnership with NSDC will help youth in skilling, to align competencies with evolving work profiles and opportunities. Reliance Foundation and NSDC bring a common vision and purpose along with our unique strengths, to contribute to our youth.”

Designing and development of high-quality curriculum; setting up student services; training of trainers; supporting collaborations; AI aided online assessments; certifications and industry aligned placements are an integral part of this partnership.

Reliance Foundation has been working on creating and enhancing livelihoods with opportunities for the marginalised and youth. This partnership with NSDC is yet another step in that direction.

About NSDC

Giving boost to Indian Government Skill India Mission, NSDC, a nodal skill development agency, working under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India, is a unique Public Private Partnership (PPP) that aims to catalyze the creation of a large and quality vocational training ecosystem in India. Since inception, NSDC has trained over three crore people in different sectors through its collaboration with training partners pan India. NSDC has established 37 Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) and implements the Government’s flagship skill development schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), among others. NSDC also funds enterprises, companies and organizations that provide skill training. The organization enables private-sector capacity building in skill development by offering concessional loans, other innovative financial products, and strategic partnerships. For more information, please visit at https://nsdcindia.org

International Olympic Committee member Nita M. Ambani said that the inclusion of cricket in the sports program for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics Games was a welcome addition that had the potential to attract a lot of new interest and opportunities for the Olympic movement across newer geographies in the world.

Speaking after cricket was officially confirmed as an Olympic sport at the ongoing 141st IOC Session in Mumbai, Mrs. Nita M. Ambani said, “As an IOC member, a proud Indian, and an ardent cricket fan, I am delighted that IOC members have voted to include Cricket as an Olympic Sport in the LA Summer Olympics 2028!”.

Cricket has only featured in one previous edition of the Olympics in 1900 when only two teams took part. “Cricket is one of the most loved sports globally, and the second most watched. For 1.4 billion Indians, cricket is not just a sport, it's a religion!” Nita M. Ambani said.

The IOC session is being held in India for only the 2nd time in history, returning to the country after 40 years. The historic decision to include cricket in the Olympics came at one of the epicentres of the sport - India. “I’m delighted that this historic resolution was passed at the one hundred and forty-first IOC Session taking place right here in our country in Mumbai,” Nita M. Ambani added.

Nita M. Ambani hoped that the sport’s appeal around the globe would increase significantly with this announcement. “The inclusion of cricket in the Olympics will create deeper engagement for the Olympic Movement in newer geographies. And at the same time, provides a boost to cricket’s growing international popularity.”

Watch Mrs. Nita M. Ambani’s video message on this announcement below.

Nita M. Ambani, who is the first Indian woman to become an IOC member, heralded the day as one of great joy for India. “I thank and congratulate the IOC and the LA Organizing Committee for their support of this landmark decision. It's truly a day of great joy and jubilation!” she concluded.

About the village:

Brahmanipali village is one of the most back ward villages in Balangir district. It is located 18 km from Balangir District HQs. Most of thevillagers are marginal farmers having less than 1 acre of land.

About the river Banjhinala:

There is a small river called Banjhinala which is the life line of villagers as they have to cross it each day to reach Balangir District HQs. Not only the people of Banjhinala village but also the people from the adjoining 12 villages depend on it. Due to the lack of a bridge, the villages were cut off the rainy season. The worst affected are the women and children. During medical emergencies the villagers are unable to reach the hospital in time.

Construction of the wooden bridge:

Reliance Foundation team working with the Brahmanipali VFA analysed the situation and collectively decided to construct a wooden bridge across river Banjhinala using their own limited resources. This decision would go a long way in alleviating the difficulties faced by over 5,000 people of all 12 villages in that area. Earlier during the rainy season, only those villagers who knew how to swim were able to cross the river.Prior to the bridge construction, there were instances when villagers tried crossing the river to reach the hospital and lost their lives in the process.

Design and specification of the bridge:

The bridge is 180 ft long, 10 ft wide and at a height of 15 ft. The bridge is constructed with 48 wooden pillars551 posts and planks. Sal tree wood has been used to construct the pillars and roofing was constructed using palm trees.On both sides is a concrete guard wall.

Impact:

The wooden bridge has not only ensured connectivity for Brahmanipali village after 200 years of its establishment but also the 12 villages of Udar GP in Deogaon block. Apart from addressing connectivity issues, the bridge strengthened solidarity and reinforced collective participation leading to confidence in the VFA members that with collective action catalysed by Reliance Foundation they can make their village as an ideal village.

Shortly after the bridge's inauguration, the Collector of Balangir, Dr. M. Muthukumar came to know of this and visited the site along Block Development Officer and Chairman of Deogaon Mr. Meher and other officials. Very impressed with the efforts of the VFA and Reliance Foundation he promised to construct a permanent bridge at this site very shortly. This has boosted the morale of the whole community.

Voice of People:

"It was a dream for last three generations which turned to reality today" Pancha Ghibela (50 years), Brahmanipali village   
"The bridge would be more helpful to women and patients access better medical health care from Balangir"  
Sukanti Ghibela(45 years), Brahmanipali village   
"It is an inspiration for many VFAs. While contributing labour we thought why not start a similar   
work in our village Sialabhali "  
Nirakar Meher (62 years)  
"It is a symbol of bridging relationship between two neighbouring i.e. Banjhipali and   
Brahmanipali"  
Santosh Chatria (32 years)

Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA Program Promotes Health and Fitness to Boys and Girls through Comprehensive School-Based Program

Program expects to engage over 750,000 youth and train PE teachers at more than 1,000 partner schools across 8 cities

Reliance Foundation and the National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced that the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program, a comprehensive youth basketball initiative that applies the positive values of basketball to engage and impact the lives of Indian boys and girls, will expand from three to eight cities in 2014-15. The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program focuses on inspiring youth to adopt a healthy, active lifestyle by integrating basketball into each participating school’s physical education curriculum.

The eight cities are Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Kochi and Kottayam. The program, which runs from September 2014 to February 2015, expects engage more than 750,000 youth across 1,000 schools. Fifteen coaches will oversee the program and anticipate training more than 1,000 local physical education instructors as coaches over the course of the program’s second year.

On the occasion Jagannatha Kumar, Head, Reliance Foundation commented, “We are happy to announce the expansion of our Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program for the second year in succession and are confident that this initiative will instill strong values in the children in their formative years. It is very gratifying to learn that the implementation and the start of the program is eagerly awaited not only by the children but also by their parents, as they too are looking forward for their children to excel in sports! This program is also aimed at unlocking the aspirational energy of the youth in our country by allowing young upcoming talents to blossom. Further, this initiative will empower the youth to participate effectively in making this basketball initiative a great success.”

“The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program reflects our commitment to increase participation in basketball among the youth of India, and to promote a healthy and active lifestyle,” said Yannick Colaco, Managing Director, NBA India. “The Reliance Foundation continues to be an excellent partner in this commitment, and we look forward to working with the children, coaches and educators from these eight cities.”

Reliance Foundation and the NBA have developed a weekly curriculum for coaches to use while teaching basketball to students. In addition, the program will implement a new three-phase player development system:

• Weekly Elite Training Camps – The topboy and girl in each age group - U10, U13 and U16 - from each school will be invited to weekly camps in each city that will beconducted by the coaches and focused on advanced techniques. Each player will be tracked and provided a report card on his or her progress.
• Regional Elite Camps – Coaches will conduct an intensive, four-day camp at the conclusion of the program for the top 80 children in each city.
• National Elite Camp – The top 120 youth from all of the eight cities will be selected to attend a four-day national camp conducted by NBA India coaching staff.

The RF Jr. NBA program consists of a Train the Trainerprogram for local coaches, in-school basketball sessions for children in grades 3-10, elite training camps, as well as Hot Shot, 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 competitions. Each participating school receives essential equipment to encourage and facilitate participation among its students, including basketballs, whistles, air pumps and coaching guides.

The first year of the program was conducted in three cities: Mumbai, Kochi and Kottayam, engaging more than 140,000 youth, 40 percent of whom were female, from 225 schools. The program trained more than 250 coaches and distributed over 4,500 basketballs to partner schools. NBA legend MuggsyBogues and WNBA player Swin Cash were in Mumbai and Kochi to conduct coaches and player clinics and support the program.

The complete eight city schedule for the 2014-15 Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program is detailed below.

Prospective participants including children, parents, coaches and schools can visit http://rf.jrnba.com for program information, including training resources and tips on staying fit.

The Reliance Foundation and the NBA also recently announced a project to install basketball hoops in more than 50 schools across Mumbai as part of their joint commitment to developing basketball infrastructure in India and to facilitate access to the game.

About Reliance Foundation:

Reliance Foundation (RF), 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 with its focus on five core pillars: Rural Transformation, Education, Health, Urban Renewal, and Promotion and protection of India’s Arts, Culture and Heritage. Smt. Nita M. Ambani is the Chairperson of Reliance Foundation and the guiding spirit behind the Foundation's ambitious vision of becoming the leading vehicle for social development, empowering the underprivileged and infusing social transformation in India. Reliance Foundation reaches out to over 5,500 villages and various urban locations across India”.

About the NBA:

The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League. The league has established a major international presence with offices in 14 markets worldwide, games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 47 languages, and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2013-14 season featured a record 92 international players from 39 countries and territories. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, which is available in 60 million U.S. homes, and NBA.com, which recorded 26.9 billion page views during the 2013-14 season, with more than half of all visitors originating from outside of North America. The NBA is the No. 1 professional sports league on social media, with more than 650 million likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league and its teams and players have donated more than $237 million to charity, completed more than 3 million hours of hands-on community service, and created more than 895 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play.

Contact: 
Reliance Industries: Leeladhar Singh - +91 7738216155

Reliance Foundation and the University of Chicago announced a collaboration to develop innovative technology that will help train medical students and clinicians for better diagnosis and improved healthcare. The collaboration is also supporting doctors in real time with evidence-based clinical decision-making tools.

The partnership will develop cloud-based software applications that can train medical professionals using case studies written by experienced physicians and state-of-the-art clinical reasoning methods. Provided through technology partners i-Human Patients, Inc. and AgileMD, the software will help improve medical education and provide point-of-care clinical decision support tools for healthcare practitioners. These tools will help reduce diagnostic errors, improve outcomes and help save many lives.

The programme will be piloted in Reliance Foundation’s Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre in Mumbai. Reliance Foundation aims to enhance access to quality healthcare in India. “We are excited to collaborate with the University of Chicago, one of the leading universities, in transforming universal delivery of healthcare,” said Jagannatha Kumar, CEO, Reliance Foundation. “Through this collaboration, we look forward to bringing in a technology-based revolution in providing medical education and equipping healthcare professionals to achieve greater standards of excellence”

Reliance Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Reliance Industries Ltd., a Fortune Global 500 company and the largest private-sector company in India. The group has so far touched the lives of 4 million people across India through various initiatives in the areas of healthcare, education, livelihoods etc.

“We have developed this evidence-based program which, with the power of technology, can be widely disseminated. Technology should be a democratizing force and India should be able to leapfrog in deployment of such advanced education and health care delivery tools”, stated Dr Vinay Kumar, who is the Donald N. Pritzker Professor and Chairman of Department of Pathology at the University of Chicago.

Faculty members of the University of Chicago Medicine, led by Scott Stern, MD, have developed the Symptom to Diagnosis clinical reasoning methodology. This evidence-based approach to clinical reasoning forms the foundation for the clinical education and point-of-care products being developed in collaboration with Reliance Foundation. Stern will lead the case development team made up of leading medical educators from the US and India.

About Reliance Foundation

www.reliancefoundation.org Reliance Foundation aims to play a catalytic role in addressing the nation’s development challenges through innovative and sustainable solutions with its focus on five core pillars: Rural Transformation, Education, Health, Urban Renewal, and Promotion and protection of India’s Arts, Culture and Heritage. Mrs. Nita M. Ambani is the Chairperson of Reliance Foundation and the guiding spirit behind the Foundation’s ambitious vision of becoming the leading vehicle for social development, empowering the underprivileged and infusing social transformation in India. Reliance Foundation reaches out to over 5,500 villages and various urban locations across India.

About the University of Chicago

One of the world’s premier academic and research institutions, the University of Chicago has driven new ways of thinking since its founding in 1890. With a commitment to free and open inquiry, UChicago scholars take an interdisciplinary approach to research that spans arts to engineering, medicine to education. For more than a century, UChicago scholars have worked around the world to help create new fields of study, and their impact today is greater than ever, with 177,000 alumni and numerous permanent centers around the world. The University of Chicago celebrated the opening of its new Center in Delhi March 28-30, 2014. Delhi joins the University’s Center in Beijing, opened in 2010, and the Center in Paris, opened in 2004, in bringing together researchers and students to collaborate across the academic spectrum.

Contact: 
Tim Honaker, University of Chicago, thonaker@tech.uchicago.edu, +1 773-834-3203 
Tushar Pania, Reliance Foundation, Tushar.Pania@ril.com, +91 98200 88536

Smt. Nita M. Ambani, Founder & Chairperson, Reliance Foundation, has been invited to join the Board of Visitors of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre, which through seven decades of painstaking research and patient care has been committed to Making Cancer History®. While inviting her to join the Board, Melvyn N. Klein, Chairman of the Board of MD Anderson Cancer Centre said, "By giving your time, talents and treasure, you will help advance the institution's mission to eliminate cancer – and ultimately make a significant difference in the lives of cancer patients and their families." Smt. Ambani is the first Indian and the second Asian to join the Board of MD Anderson.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is widely acclaimed as the world's premier cancer centre, with a commitment to rapidly translate scientific knowledge into better cancer therapies and prevention strategies and improved quality of life for patients and survivors. Its 20,000 strong employees are working with dedication to saving lives.

Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre, which was rededicated to the city of Mumbai last week by the Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi, has Oncology as a thrust area. Latest equipment that can help early detection and cure cancer, coupled with nuclear medicine, will help doctors treat cancer patients quickly and with reduced pain. Both Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center will collaborate to work in the area on Oncology and bring to India latest research findings and discoveries to give patients in India high quality treatment and care here.

Accepting the invitation from the MD Anderson Cancer Centre, Smt. Ambani said, "I feel privileged to join the Board of Visitors of MD Anderson Cancer Center and look forward to both learning from and contributing to its exemplary mission of making cancer history. Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre will draw on the expertise and capabilities of this remarkable institution, and work towards providing better care for cancer patients in India and bringing about ground-breaking research to eventually defeat cancer."

- NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Reliance Foundation Chair Nita Ambani and Sacramento Kings Owner Vivek Ranadivé Event at IES School-

- 1,000 Schools Across Eight Cities in India Have Participated in the Program -

The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program, a comprehensive school-based youth basketball programhas reached more than 750,000 youth in 1,000 schools in India since its launch in 2013.NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Sacramento Kings owner, Vivek Ranadivé andReliance Foundation Chair Nita Ambanivisited the IES School,Dadar in Mumbai to celebrate this milestone. At the event, NBA Legend Vlade Divac hosted a basketball skills clinic for 100 students and interacted with coaches, providing valuable playing and coaching techniques.

“Reliance Foundation is committed to developing multiple sports at the grassroots level. We are delighted that the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program got off to an exciting start, by reaching out to hundreds of thousands of children in the very first year itself and providing them opportunities to discover and experience the fun and techniques of basketball,” said Ambani.“We are grateful to NBA for sharing their world-class expertise and resources, as well as the community of schools, coaches and physical education instructors for their wholehearted support to this initiative. Through this collaborative program, we are committed to igniting in millions of our youth a passion to explore and enjoy sport.”

The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program promotes health, fitness and an active lifestyle through basketball, and teaches the values of the game such as teamwork, sacrifice, discipline, dedication and sportsmanship. The program also features a combination of in-school and after-school activities along with basketball competitions.

I am excited to be in Mumbai to see the impact of our international basketball development programs firsthand,” said Silver. “Our goal is to provide children in India with the opportunity to play and enjoy basketball, and I thank the Reliance Foundation for supporting our efforts to grow the game across the country.”

“It feels great to see such enthusiasm among kids for basketball in India,” said Ranadivé. “The way the Jr. NBA program is progressing; the day isn’t far when an Indian boy or girl will be playing in the NBA or WNBA.”

As part of the program, NBA Legends Bruce Bowen, andMuggsy Bogues and WNBA player Swin Cash have visited Chandigarh, Kolkata, Kochi, Ludhiana and Mumbaito conduct basketball clinics for players and coaches.

The goal is to reach one million youth and train 2,000 coaches and physical education instructors across India by 2016.

The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program consists of a Train the Trainerprogram for local coaches, inschool basketball sessions for children in grades 3-10, elite training camps, as well as Hot Shot, 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 competitions. Each participating school receives essential equipment to encourage and facilitate participation among its students, including basketballs, whistles, air pumps and coaching guides. More than 15,000 basketballs and 300 basketball rims have been distributed to partner schools across India to facilitate access to the game.

About Reliance Foundation

Reliance Foundation (RF) aims to play a catalytic role in addressing the nation’s development challenges through innovative and sustainable solutions with its focus on five core pillars: Rural Transformation, Education, Health, Urban Renewal, and Promotion and protection of India’s Arts, Culture and Heritage. Smt. Nita M. Ambani is the Chairperson of Reliance Foundation and the guiding spirit behind the Foundation's ambitious vision of becoming the leading vehicle for social development, empowering the underprivileged and infusing social transformation in India. Reliance Foundation reaches out to over 5,500 villages and various urban locations across India.

About the NBA

The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League. The league has established a major international presence with offices in 13 markets worldwide, games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 47 languages, and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2014-15 season featured a record 101 international players from 37 countries and territories. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, which is available in 60 million U.S. homes, and NBA.com, which recorded 26.9 billion page views during the 2013-14 season, with more than half of all visitors originating from outside of North America. The NBA is the No. 1 professional sports league on social media, with 700 million likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league and its teams and players have donated more than $242 million to charity, completed more than 3 million hours of hands-on community service, and created more than 915 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play.

Contact: 
Padma Rao | +919833180409 | Genesis Burson-Marsteller | padma.rao@bm.com 
Gautam Sheth | +919869233393 | WordsWork | gautam@wordswork.com 
Leeladhar Singh | +91 7738216155 | leeladhar.singh@ril.com 
Farzan C. Damania|+918452040647|farzan.damania@imgreliance.com

LEAD SPONSOR FOR ‘GATES OF THE LORD: THE TRADITION OF KRISHNA PAINTINGS’ AT THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO

MRS NITA AMBANI, CHAIRPERSON, RELIANCE FOUNDATION, AND ISHA AMBANI ATTEND GALA OPENING AMID CHICAGO’S LEADING LIGHTS

As part of its core pillars of promoting art, culture, and heritage, the Reliance Foundation showcased the traditional Indian art form of Pichvais to global audiences in Chicago. Reliance Foundation is the lead sponsor of the exhibition ‘Gates of the Lord: The Tradition of Krishna Paintings’ to be held at the Art Institute, Chicago from September 13, 2015, through January 3, 2016.

Speaking at the inaugural reception, Mrs. Nita Ambani, Founder & Chairperson, Reliance Foundation, said: “The artists of the temple town of Nathdwara are renowned for having preserved their painting traditions in an unbroken legacy for more than three centuries. Reliance Foundation has supported this exhibition to provide the US audience with an opportunity to celebrate these living traditional artists who have remained unrecognized for far too long.”

Thanking the Reliance Foundation for its support, President and Eloise W. Martin Director, Art Institute, Chicago, Douglas Druick said: “The patronage of Mrs. Nita Ambani and Reliance Foundation has allowed us to showcase this collection of Pichvais paintings. This vibrant art form is sure to enthral discerning US audiences. We at AIC are proud of our historic relationship with India, and we welcome Mrs. Ambani as an honorary member of the President’s Council of the AIC.”

NOTE TO THE EDITOR

ABOUT PICHVAIS: Pichvais (Sanskrit for back and hanging) art is an old and living artistic tradition of India. It involves intricate paintings on textiles that are hung behind the idol of Shrinathji. The themes of these paintings are Shrinathji, a form of Lord Krishna as a child, and his exploits. The paintings depict scenes of Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhan mountain on his little finger, playing with the gopis (milkmaids), or pastoral scenes with cows and forests. The Pichvais art form, which developed in the 17th century, is a tradition of the Pushtimarg sect, founded by Sant Vallabhacharya about 500 years ago.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION: The Exhibition at AIC features drawings, paintings and historic photographs. This exhibition of the Pushtimarg sect of Hinduism is the first of its kind anywhere in US. The Exhibition is an outcome of the Lead Sponsorhip of Nita and Mukesh Ambani and the Reliance Foundation. It comprises paintings from two prestigious and rarely exhibited private collections, the Amit Ambalal collection from Ahmedabad, and the TAPI collection, Surat.

ABOUT AIC AND INDIA: India has a historic connection with the Art Institute, Chicago (AIC). It was here that Swami Vivekananda delivered his famous “Sisters and Brothers of America” speech in 1893. Since 1890 AIC has collection of Indian art including Himalayan, Islamic and Southeast Asian art that goes back to Indian art forms from 1890. For the last eight years, it has been developing this field with a full-time curator. In 2010-11, the museum did the first Indian contemporary installation by a major Indian artist, Jitesh Kallat’s Public Notice 3. AIC was the first museum to receive a grant from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, to set up the Vivekananda Memorial Program for Museum Excellence in 2012 to retrain Indian museum professionals.

ABOUT RELIANCE FOUNDATION: Reliance Foundation is an initiative of Reliance Industries Ltd. Among India’s largest social initiatives, it is focused on addressing the nation’s development challenges in domains of Rural Transformation, Education, Health, Sports, Urban Renewal, and Arts, Culture and Heritage. Its hands-on approach has directly impacted over 5,500 villages across India.

Led by Founder and Chairperson Mrs. Nita Ambani, Reliance Foundation reaches out to the marginalized sections of the population living in remote corners of the country, to provide them with sustainable livelihoods. Reliance Foundation audaciously inspires and facilitates transformative change to ensure higher quality of life by developing the nation’s social capital.

Since its inception in 2010, Reliance Foundation has impacted over four million lives through its work.
work. www.reliancefoundation.org

Contact person:
Tushar Pania – 98200 88536 tushar.pania@ril.com
Sejal Mody – 99306 61349 sejal.mody@reputare.co.in
Manish Pachouly – 98201 23097 manish.pachouly@reputare.co.in

- Program Expanding to 14 Cities Across India in its Third Year -

Reliance Foundation and the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced today that the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program, a comprehensive youth basketball initiative that applies the values of basketball to positively impact the lives of Indian boys and girls, expects to engage more than 1.5 million boys and girls and 2,700 physical education instructors and coaches in 2015-16. The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program focuses on inspiring youth to adopt a healthy, active lifestyle by integrating basketball into the physical education curriculum of each of the 2,200 participating schools.

Returning for the third consecutive year, the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program will nearly double its number of participating cities, expanding from eight to 14. The program will take place in Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Chennai, Delhi, Kochi, Kottayam, Kolkata, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Jaipur, Lucknow and Hyderabad and will run from September 2015 to March 2016.

“We are delighted that the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program is expanding to more cities and reaching more children,” said Reliance Foundation Spokesperson. “This program has used the sport of basketball to greatly impact the lives of Indian children. We are grateful to the NBA for sharing their world-class expertise and resources, and to the schools, coaches and physical education instructors who continue to support this initiative.”

“The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program continues our goal of providing Indian youth with a platform to stay active and learn the values of basketball, including leadership, teamwork, and healthy living,” said NBA India Vice President & Managing Director Yannick Colaco. “On the heels of Sim Bhullar becoming the first player of Indian descent to play in the NBA and Satnam Singh becoming the first Indian-born player to be drafted into the NBA, children in India are as excited as ever about trying the game, and the growth of our program will ensure we get basketballs in the hands of even more boys and girls across the country.”

The program, which remains free for participants, will include a train the trainer initiative for local coaches, in-school basketball clinics, elite training camps and finals in each city featuring 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 competitions. NBA International Basketball Operations staff will be based in each of the cities for three months to oversee the program. Each participating school will receive essential equipment to encourage and facilitate participation among its students, including an India-specific coaching guide with curricula for inschool and after-school programs, basketballs, cones, and a Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA poster. In addition, each participating city will host three youth oriented basketball festivals featuring mini hoops for kids aged 6-10.

More than 1 million youth in over 1,000 schools across nine cities have participated in the program since its launch in 2013. In addition, more than 15,000 basketballs and 300 basketball rims have been distributed and installed through the program, and NBA International Basketball Operations staff has trained more than 2,000 physical education teachers across the country.

NBA Legends Bruce Bowen and Muggsy Bogues, WNBA All-Stars Tamika Catchings and Swin Cash, and Sim Bhullar, the first player of Indian descent to play in the NBA, have all travelled to India to support and participate in the program.

Prospective participants, including children, parents, coaches and schools, can visit rf.jrnba.com for program information, including training resources and tips on staying fit.

About Reliance Foundation:

Reliance Foundation (RF) aims to play a catalytic role in addressing the nation’s development challenges through innovative and sustainable solutions with its focus in the areas of Rural Transformation, Education, Health, Sports for Development, Disaster Response, Urban Renewal, and Promotion and protection of India’s Arts, Culture and Heritage. Smt. Nita M. Ambani is the Chairperson of Reliance Foundation and the guiding spirit behind the Foundation's ambitious vision of becoming the leading vehicle for social development, empowering the underprivileged and infusing social transformation in India. Reliance Foundation reaches out to over 5,500 villages and various urban locations across India.

About the NBA:

The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League. The league has established a major international presence with offices in 13 markets worldwide, games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 47 languages, and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2014-15 season featured a record 101 international players from 37 countries and territories. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA.com and NBA Mobile, which achieved record traffic during the 2014-15 season, as well as NBA TV. The NBA is the No. 1 professional sports league on social media, with more than 850 million likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league and its teams and players have donated more than $260 million to charity, completed more than 3.3 million hours of hands-on community service, and created more than 970 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play.

For further details please reach out to: 
Gautam Sheth | +91 98692 33393 
Brinda Iyer | +91 98205 06845 
Leeladhar Singh | +91 7738216155

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, MSD in India (through its MSD for Mothers programme), Reliance Foundation, Tata Trusts and USAID join hands to form first-of-its-kind Continuum of Care Health Alliance

The alliance aims to create a model for future private sector engagement with national and sub-national governments by establishing synergies with existing government strategies

Project ĀSMĀN, a major healthcare initiative aimed at reducing infant, neonatal and maternal mortality in India, was launched today by a consortium of leading private and development sector partners. The initiative is an alliance between the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, MSD India (through its MSD for Mothers programme), Reliance Foundation, Tata Trusts and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Project ĀSMĀN will work towards facilitating the availability of quality healthcare under the five pillars of the Government of India’s Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child Health and Adolescent Health Program (RMNCH+A).

The initiative was jointly unveiled by Mr. Alkesh Wadhwani, Deputy Director, Integrated Delivery, India, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr. Kenneth C Frazier, Chairman & CEO, MSD, Smt. Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson, Reliance Foundation, Mr. R. K. Krishna Kumar, Trustee – Tata Trusts, and Ambassador Jonathan Addleton, Mission Director, USAID/India, at a special event in the presence of Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, Hon’ble Minister for Women & Child Development, Government of India, and Dr. Jagdish Prasad, Director General Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. Senior government officials, medical professionals and representatives from the development sector also attended the event.

Committed to reducing infant, neonatal and maternal mortality rates in India, the ĀSMĀN programme brings together the knowledge and expertise of each partner to create customised solutions for addressing state-specific requirements. In line with the government’s agenda of reducing mortality rates, this first-of-a-kind alliance will support the introduction and implementation of high impact interventions at the health facility level.

India is the world’s second most populated country and observes over 30 million pregnancies every year. Of this, 27 million women reach the stage of delivery and over 56,000 mothers die during or within 48 hours of delivery. The first 48 hours are equally critical for the child, as 50% of neonatal deaths happen in the first 48 hours. Presently, the states most acutely affected by concerns of Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) are Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

ĀSMĀN aims to create a model for bringing private players together to make significant progress in attaining the goals of providing healthcare for all, and to help India contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. All partners of the ĀSMĀN initiative are bound by a common commitment and have been working for various causes in this space in their individual capacity.

Commenting on the partnership of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with ĀSMĀN, Mr. Alkesh Wadhwani, Deputy Director, Integrated Delivery, India, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said, “The foundation is deeply committed to improving maternal and child health in India. We believe that the health of mothers and children merits particular attention, given India’s share of the overall burden of maternal and child mortality, and we have made it the focus of our work in India. We decided to partner with ĀSMĀN because we strongly believe the combined efforts of our alliance will help significantly advance our collective commitment of expanding access to maternal and child health in India and help ensure that women and children not only survive but thrive. Through this alliance, our foundation will continue its commitment of partnering the government in achieving its ambitious goals to improve women and child health and prioritise equitable growth.”

Mr. Kenneth Frazier, MSD said, “We must never lose focus on the health of mothers and children, even one preventable death is unacceptable. Through our MSD for Mothers initiative we are working every day to help create a world where no woman dies giving life. And, by sharing MSD’s scientific and business expertise in this partnership, it is my hope that the combined strengths and contributions of all involved will help create a sustainable model for high impact solutions in India.”

Smt. Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson, Reliance Foundation added, “I believe that every life must be cared for and we should strive for a healthy India, where no mother is lost to child birth and every child can live life to his or her fullest potential. This is possible through smart, strong and sustainable partnerships. I am proud to be part of an alliance with which Reliance Foundation shares such strong synergies – institutions that share the same passion and commitment to tackle massive national challenges on a mission mode. For me, this partnership goes beyond just funding but leveraging our rich institutional experience, valued expertise and a strong shared commitment to improving mother and child survival in India. ĀSMĀN gives me hope that change is possible.”

Mr. R K Krishna Kumar, Trustee, Tata Trusts said, “Tata Trusts for the last hundred years, have been waging a battle against Maternal, Neonatal and Child mortality. With this alliance, we offer our support through resources and infrastructure; safeguarding and promoting the health and wellbeing of every mother and child.”

Reaffirming USAID’s commitment to ending preventable child and maternal deaths, Ambassador Jonathan Addleton, USAID Mission Director to India, said: “USAID, on behalf of the United States, is fully committed to partnering with the Government of India, private sector and civil society to identify and replicate high-impact solutions to ensure that no woman or child in the country dies due to preventable causes. USAID decided to partner with ĀSMĀN because it brings together the right partners from across sectors whose core competencies and technical expertise can build synergies with existing programs to achieve the goal of zero mother and child deaths by 2035. Through ĀSMĀN, USAID will continue to foster the power of science, technology, innovation, and partnerships to create solutions to reduce child and maternal deaths more quickly and cost effectively.”

Contacts:

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Archna Vyas: archna.vyas@gatesfoundation.org / +91-9643811620

MSD in India
Jyotsna Ghoshal: jyotsna_ghoshal@merck.com / +91-9810194171

Reliance Foundation
Tushar Pania: tushar.pania@ril.com / +91-9820088536
Sejal Mody: sejal.mody@reputare.co.in / +91-9930661349

Tata Trusts
Pritha Chatterjee: pritha.chatterjee@edelman.com / +91-7506354505
Reena Jagtap: reena.jagtap@edelman.com / +91-8452983483

USAID
Meeta Parti: mparti@usaid.gov /+91-9811054892