* Reliance employees engage children from disadvantaged communities with inspiring storytelling, art and other activities

* During the week of Children’s Day, the initiative will reach about 22,000 children, including children from over 1,100 Anganwadis

* The outreach efforts with children will continue over the next few weeks across India

Reliance Foundation’s Kahani Kala Khushi is back! This year’s initiative kicked off on Children’s Day to inspire children across schools and Anganwadi centres through storytelling and other activities across India over the next few weeks.

As part of this initiative, employee volunteers from across Reliance businesses, representatives of organisations partnering with Reliance Foundation in this initiative and communities will engage with children from disadvantaged backgrounds. During the week, the initiative will reach about 22,000 children.

Marking Children’s Day on Thursday, the initiative began at a government school in Mumbai, where over 400 Reliance employees volunteered engaged 3,800 children through storytelling, art, outdoor and indoor games. Over the next few days, hundreds of such volunteers will engage with children across the country.

In Maharashtra and Telangana, the initiative began in 63 Anganwadis for pre-school aged children on Thursday and is set to reach 18,000 children in more than 1,100 Anganwadis during November 14 – 16.

Kahani Kala Khushi initiative aims to build communication skills and confidence in children along with their cognitive functioning, driven by Reliance Foundation’s commitment to children and youth as a core area of our work the aim is to build aspirations of young people to shape a strong and prosperous nation.

Reliance Foundation is committed to spreading joy among children from disadvantaged communities around this time of the year for over a decade now. This year’s Kahani Kala Khushi initiative is an intensive effort to combine storytelling and art with inspiration to engage children. Last year’s initiative was held in 25 cities reaching out to over 17,000 children.

• Open to youth seeking skilling, reskilling and upskilling for successful careers
• Simplifies job connect with new-age technology
• Forward-looking platform facilitates mentorship by industry experts
• AICTE collaboration to enhance reach and impact of the Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy

In a step forward to shaping India’s tomorrow, Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Minister of State, Ministry of Education, Government of India, launched the Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy, a platform dedicated to preparing India’s youth for jobs of the future.

The platform was launched at a national conference on ‘Empowering Youth for the Jobs of the Future’, organized by Reliance Foundation in collaboration with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) that brought together leading voices from across government, policy, corporate philanthropy, industry, civil society, and academia to discuss skilling India’s youth.

Speaking at the launch, Shri. Jayant Chaudhary, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said, "India's youth stand at the crossroads of immense opportunities, and the collaboration between Reliance Foundation and NSDC marks a significant milestone in empowering them for the jobs of the future. The launch of the Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy, a joint platform, is a testament to this commitment, ensuring our youth are equipped with the skills needed to succeed in tomorrow's workforce. By investing in skilling, we are not only building a stronger workforce but also shaping a generation of leaders ready to take on global challenges. This initiative reflects our dedication to ensuring that every young person has access to the tools and training they need to thrive in an increasingly competitive world. Together, we are laying the foundation for a brighter, more inclusive future for all."

Calling attention to the future of skilling in a rapidly-evolving employment landscape, Mr. Jagannatha Kumar, CEO of Reliance Foundation, said, " Enabling young people to achieve their aspirations is a part of the core philosophy of Reliance Foundation. Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy is a step towards fulfilling those aspirations and preparing youth for the jobs of the future. By harnessing technology, the platform maximizes its reach and accessibility. It bridges the gap between education and employment to equip our young people with the skills they need to succeed in a dynamic landscape of jobs and entrepreneurship. Furthermore, the Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy plays a vital role in fostering a collaborative ecosystem by forging partnerships and uniting key stakeholders to drive innovation in skill development, ensuring that India's youth are empowered in this rapidly changing economic environment."

The Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy www.rfskillingacademy.com is open-to-all platform that offers future-ready courses for skill building, personalised expert guidance, and facilitates industry linkages for meaningful employment. It is designed to support an individual at any and every stage of their career by facilitating skilling, upskilling, and reskilling, including with unique user-specific recommendations and mentoring through industry leaders. Through the platform, Reliance Foundation aims to empower over 6 lakh young Indians in the next one year alone.

Reliance Foundation and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) have agreed to collaborate on the Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy to enhance the reach and impact of future-oriented skill courses developed on the platform, thereby supporting the Skill India Mission. By working together, the two organisations will ensure that these courses are accessible to students enrolled in higher educational institutions affiliated to AICTE across the country, significantly boosting their employability and readiness for the future workforce.

The national conference included key participants from across the country, including Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Chairman, AICTE, Mr. Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO, NSDC, and others, discussing on shaping India’s skilling landscape through strategies like strengthening curricula to include emerging technologies and 21st century skills, integrating mentorship into formal education, vocational training, and workforce development initiatives. The conference also brought out the need to prepare youth for jobs in areas featuring new and emerging technologies and strengthen skilling initiatives while ensuring equity.

A publication by Reliance Foundation, Building India's Future Young Talent: Stories of Transformation, a compilation of stories of individuals from across India, whose lives were transformed through skilling initiatives, was also launched at the conference.

• 5000 Merit-cum-means undergraduate scholarships up to Rs. 2 lakhs each and 100 postgraduate scholarships for excellence up to Rs. 6 lakhs each
• The Reliance Foundation Scholarship comprises a strong capacity building programme throughout the scholar’s journey
• Last date to apply is October 6, 2024
• This is part of Reliance Foundation’s 2022 commitment of 50,000 scholarships over 10 years.

Reliance Foundation announced the launch of applications for its prestigious scholarship programme for the academic year 2024-25 to identify, support and mentor 5,100 outstanding undergraduate and postgraduate students across India.

The Reliance Foundation Scholarships aim to nurture excellence and empower youth to be at the forefront of leading India’s growth story. Through holistic support and a generous financial grant, the scholarships help students achieve their academic and professional aspirations. First-year undergraduate and postgraduate students pursuing full-time regular degree courses from institutes across India are eligible to apply.

The Reliance Foundation Undergraduate Scholarships strive to enable talented students to realise their dreams to become successful professionals and unlocking their potential to contribute towards India’s future socio-economic development. They will be awarded to 5,000 meritorious students based on a merit-cum-means criteria for their undergraduate college education, empowering them to continue their studies without financial burden.

The Reliance Foundation Postgraduate Scholarships will select 100 exceptional meritorious students from future-ready courses in Engineering, Technology, Energy and Life Sciences with potential to contribute to creating a new India. All scholarships will be awarded based on academic merit and aptitude and will cover the duration of the degree programmes. The initiative is designed to recognise and develop exceptional talent who think big, think green and think digital for the benefit of society.

In addition to grants of up to Rs. 2 lakhs for undergraduate students and Rs. 6 lakhs for postgraduate students, Reliance Foundation Scholarships provide mentorship, access to industry leaders and experts for career advice besides professional development, leadership development opportunities through workshops, seminars and events to enhance skills, along with community engagement to contribute to societal development through service and outreach programmes.

Education is at the heart of Reliance Foundation’s work, from early childhood to quality higher education. In December 2022, on Reliance's Founder-Chairman Shri Dhirubhai Ambani’s 90th birth anniversary Mrs Nita Ambani, Reliance Foundation Founder & Chairperson, announced Reliance Foundation’s additional commitment of 50,000 scholarships over the next 10 years, making it India’s largest private scholarships. Since then, 5100 students have been awarded scholarships every year.

Till date, Reliance has provided over 23,000 higher education scholarships.

Former Reliance Foundation Scholars through the mentoring and exposure from the Scholarships have embarked on rewarding careers and academic and professional journeys. This year’s launch marks the opportunity for yet another cohort of highly talented students to benefit from this rewarding journey.

Application portal: Students can apply online through scholarships.reliancefoundation.org

The selection process includes an evaluation of aptitude and economic background for the undergraduate student. For the postgraduate scholarships, academic achievements, personal statements, and interviews are part of a competitive selection process to identify the cream of talent from across India.

The deadline for applications is 6 October, 2024.

India, with its vast and youthful population, presents a unique potential for economic growth. Yet, realising this potential depends on equipping its young people with the skills necessary to thrive in the dynamic and rapidly changing job market of the future.

Reliance Foundation is convening the National Conference on ‘Empowering Youth for the Jobs of the Future’ in partnership with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to delve into current youth employment trends, identify the essential future-ready skills, and devise actionable strategies to bridge the skills gap through discussions, presentations, and interactive sessions.

The conference will trace youth journeys and perspectives, facilitating collaborative discussions between the stakeholders to support youth at critical junctures of their careers. Recognising the need for collaborations in the national ecosystem across government, corporates, civil society, multi-laterals, and academia, we aim to unlock the potential of India's young workforce.

Providing further thrust to the initiative, Reliance Foundation will launch its Skilling Academy that seeks to revolutionise learning and employment opportunities for India’s youth, supported by one-to-one mentorship. The Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy is an open-to-all free platform that offers future-ready courses for skill building, personalised expert guidance, and facilitates industry linkages for employment. It aims to assist individuals at various stages of their careers by providing opportunities for skill development.

Click here to explore the Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy.

Building India's Future Young Talent: Stories of Transformation, a compilation of stories of individuals from across India who transformed their lives through skilling initiatives of Reliance Foundation and other organisations, will also be launched at the conference. Click on the button below to download a free copy of the publication.

Why skilling matters

India, with its vast and youthful population, presents a unique potential for economic growth. Yet, realising this potential depends on equipping its young people with the skills necessary to thrive in the dynamic and rapidly changing job market of the future.

Reliance Foundation is convening the National Conference on ‘Empowering Youth for the Jobs of the Future’ in partnership with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to delve into current youth employment trends, identify the essential future-ready skills, and devise actionable strategies to bridge the skills gap through discussions, presentations, and interactive sessions.

The conference will trace youth journeys and perspectives, facilitating collaborative discussions between the stakeholders to support youth at critical junctures of their careers. Recognising the need for collaborations in the national ecosystem across government, corporates, civil society, multi-laterals, and academia, we aim to unlock the potential of India's young workforce.

Providing further thrust to the initiative, Reliance Foundation will launch its Skilling Academy that seeks to revolutionise learning and employment opportunities for India’s youth, supported by one-to-one mentorship. The Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy is an open-to-all free platform that offers future-ready courses for skill building, personalised expert guidance, and facilitates industry linkages for employment. It aims to assist individuals at various stages of their careers by providing opportunities for skill development.

Click here to explore the Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy.

Building India's Future Young Talent: Stories of Transformation, a compilation of stories of individuals from across India who transformed their lives through skilling initiatives of Reliance Foundation and other organisations, will also be launched at the conference. Click on the button below to download a free copy of the publication.

Why skilling matters

India, with its vast and youthful population, presents a unique potential for economic growth. Yet, realising this potential depends on equipping its young people with the skills necessary to thrive in the dynamic and rapidly changing job market of the future.

Reliance Foundation is convening the National Conference on ‘Empowering Youth for the Jobs of the Future’ in partnership with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to delve into current youth employment trends, identify the essential future-ready skills, and devise actionable strategies to bridge the skills gap through discussions, presentations, and interactive sessions.

The conference will trace youth journeys and perspectives, facilitating collaborative discussions between the stakeholders to support youth at critical junctures of their careers. Recognising the need for collaborations in the national ecosystem across government, corporates, civil society, multi-laterals, and academia, we aim to unlock the potential of India's young workforce.

Providing further thrust to the initiative, Reliance Foundation will launch its Skilling Academy that seeks to revolutionise learning and employment opportunities for India’s youth, supported by one-to-one mentorship. The Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy is an open-to-all free platform that offers future-ready courses for skill building, personalised expert guidance, and facilitates industry linkages for employment. It aims to assist individuals at various stages of their careers by providing opportunities for skill development.

Click here to explore the Reliance Foundation Skilling Academy.

Building India's Future Young Talent: Stories of Transformation, a compilation of stories of individuals from across India who transformed their lives through skilling initiatives of Reliance Foundation and other organisations, will also be launched at the conference. Click on the button below to download a free copy of the publication.

Why skilling matters

About the Conference

Building Flourishing Futures: Early Childhood Care and Education, hosted by Reliance Foundation, is a two-day conference which will convene leading voices from across India and internationally to reaffirm early childhood care and education's crucial role in children’s holistic growth and well-being.

The conference is poised to become an innovation hub bringing together key stakeholders in the early childhood care and education ecosystem. This includes a diverse set of stakeholders from the private and public ecosystems in India – including pre-schools, Anganwadis, researchers, foundations and policymakers. It seeks to cultivate a shared understanding of the importance of play-based learning, combining Indian and global learnings and best practices with actionable, adaptable strategies to enhance early childhood care and education.

The conference has been designed to provide a vibrant, interactive platform for discussion and learning. Delegates can expect a dynamic agenda filled with inspiring talks, masterclasses, and hands-on learning stations, all showcasing the latest in early childhood care and education.

A landmark gathering of public and private practitioners spanning the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) spectrum, convened to share insights and experience play-based learning at Reliance Foundation’s Building Flourishing Futures conference.

Held at the Dhirubhai Ambani International School (DAIS) in Mumbai, the conference brought together diverse practitioners from the ECCE system, academics and experts from India and internationally.

The two-day conference, explored innovative practices and approaches for developing playful parents, teachers, and communities. Contributing towards the goal of universalization of ECCE as articulated in India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, speakers and participants had a range of learning and educational experiences, with 10 masterclasses, 15 interactive learning stations, and 30 speaker sessions.

Showing deep involvement in the subject at the conference, Ms Isha Ambani, Director, Reliance Industries Limited and Vice Chairperson, Dhirubhai Ambani International School, was in rapt attention through the sessions, keenly engaging with experts and attending demonstrations with practitioners at various learning stations.

Key speakers included well-known practitioners Shri Sampath Kumar, IAS., Principal Secretary, Government of Meghalaya, Ms Anne Van Dam from The Learning Square, Dr Vibha Krishnamurthy from Ummeed Child Development Center, Ms Sunisha Ahuja from UNICEF and Dr Rita Patnaik, Joint Director, NIPCCD, Ministry of Women & Child Development.

Experts such as from Dr Mahesh Balsekar, Consultant Paediatrician, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre; Mr Abhimanyu Basu, Dean and CEO, DAIS; Dr Nilay Ranjan, Head - Education, Reliance Foundation also added their insights to the proceedings.

Through the two days, participants who included Anganwadi workers, teachers, principals, policy makers and representatives from philanthropies explored a burst of ideas, engaged in animated play-based learning demonstrations, discussed nuances of policies and practice, caregiving and strategies for cross-learning, towards holistic early childhood care, education and development.

Reflecting Reliance Foundation Founder and Chairperson Mrs Nita Ambani’s philosophy of ‘Happy School, Happy Learners’ educators at the Reliance Foundation schools and the Dhirubhai Ambani International School create stimulating learning environments, from the best of Indian and international early childhood learning practices. With this experience, Reliance Foundation’s vision is to help transform the Early Childhood Care and Education landscape across India, especially through building capacity of Anganwadi workers to deliver play-based learning for children from low income and marginalised communities.

Continued collaboration and innovation can build significant momentum. The ‘Building Flourishing Futures’ conference with a unique convening of diverse opinions, thoughts and good practices, aims to build a dynamic platform where practitioners learn from one another; build collaborations to develop actionable strategies within the ecosystem, leading a transformative journey, so that every child in India has the opportunity to reach their full potential, towards a flourishing future.

A landmark gathering of public and private practitioners spanning the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) spectrum, convened to share insights and experience play-based learning at Reliance Foundation’s Building Flourishing Futures conference.

Held at the Dhirubhai Ambani International School (DAIS) in Mumbai, the conference brought together diverse practitioners from the ECCE system, academics and experts from India and internationally.

The two-day conference, explored innovative practices and approaches for developing playful parents, teachers, and communities. Contributing towards the goal of universalization of ECCE as articulated in India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, speakers and participants had a range of learning and educational experiences, with 10 masterclasses, 15 interactive learning stations, and 30 speaker sessions.

Showing deep involvement in the subject at the conference, Ms Isha Ambani, Director, Reliance Industries Limited and Vice Chairperson, Dhirubhai Ambani International School, was in rapt attention through the sessions, keenly engaging with experts and attending demonstrations with practitioners at various learning stations.

Key speakers included well-known practitioners Shri Sampath Kumar, IAS., Principal Secretary, Government of Meghalaya, Ms Anne Van Dam from The Learning Square, Dr Vibha Krishnamurthy from Ummeed Child Development Center, Ms Sunisha Ahuja from UNICEF and Dr Rita Patnaik, Joint Director, NIPCCD, Ministry of Women & Child Development.

Experts such as from Dr Mahesh Balsekar, Consultant Paediatrician, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre; Mr Abhimanyu Basu, Dean and CEO, DAIS; Dr Nilay Ranjan, Head - Education, Reliance Foundation also added their insights to the proceedings.

Through the two days, participants who included Anganwadi workers, teachers, principals, policy makers and representatives from philanthropies explored a burst of ideas, engaged in animated play-based learning demonstrations, discussed nuances of policies and practice, caregiving and strategies for cross-learning, towards holistic early childhood care, education and development.

Reflecting Reliance Foundation Founder and Chairperson Mrs Nita Ambani’s philosophy of ‘Happy School, Happy Learners’ educators at the Reliance Foundation schools and the Dhirubhai Ambani International School create stimulating learning environments, from the best of Indian and international early childhood learning practices. With this experience, Reliance Foundation’s vision is to help transform the Early Childhood Care and Education landscape across India, especially through building capacity of Anganwadi workers to deliver play-based learning for children from low income and marginalised communities.

Continued collaboration and innovation can build significant momentum. The ‘Building Flourishing Futures’ conference with a unique convening of diverse opinions, thoughts and good practices, aims to build a dynamic platform where practitioners learn from one another; build collaborations to develop actionable strategies within the ecosystem, leading a transformative journey, so that every child in India has the opportunity to reach their full potential, towards a flourishing future.

When early childhood experts, gather, it is unlikely to be a quiet place. As they sang, shared, and laughed, they walked the talk on the play-based learning approach in India. There are over 13 lakh Anganwadi centres dedicated to foundational development in India. The focus on the early years from birth to age six, as a critical window in a person’s life, has been long recognised.

With innate curiosity, children engage in play to explore, learn, and grow. Activities, stories, or community interactions with cultural significance permeate their world. The academic system, is prone to memorisation and standardised tests and teacher-led instruction.

When children choose activities and try them in different ways, they find independence. They also engage with others in the space and develop mental agility through the process. Unlike structured classrooms, play-based learning enables children to enjoy spontaneous, non-goal-directed activity. With anticipation and surprise children develop an interest and in emotional and physical growth.

Growing interest in play-based learning

There is interest now, in play-based learning a fundamental pedagogical approach. This is a step away from looking at it as a supplementary tool. Studies – including ground-breaking research by Nobel laureate James Heckman – find quality early education has long-term benefits for individuals and societies. UNICEF in its advocacy brief on learning through play, emphasises this. It notes that preschool years play helps children explore the world as well as develop creativity for life.

There is a need for educator training, addressing social norms and building awareness. Recognising these, the National Education Policy 2020 and the NIPUN Bharat Mission are bridging this divide, to achieve foundational literacy and numeracy by 2026-2027.

The true spirit of play-based learning is what occurs in classrooms or early childhood centres while also at homes and in communities. Play should seep into learning spaces, guiding activities while being engaging and inclusive. This requires an enabling, collaborative approach. Educators, parents and community members together, nurture the child’s innate curiosity. Everyone co-creates exciting learning environments. Children develop skills for critical thinking and a strong foundation for school readiness and future learning.

Building stakeholder confluence on play-based learning

During the recent conference held by Reliance Foundation on ‘Building Flourishing Futures’ in Mumbai, practitioners, policy makers and academia and representatives from institutions engaged in play-based learning themselves. Reliance Foundation aimed to build on this crucial point: everyone – practitioner or community member – needs to be hands-on, to walk the talk. The unique convergence of national and international knowledge and practice, the conference transformed into a buzzing multiverse of ideas. It was also an opportunity to explore further practice and policy opportunities. Key stakeholders from government, civil society, grassroots and academia shared diverse experiences.

Government and the larger ecosystem collaboration with organisations and communities is integral. They enhance caregiver capabilities through insights from their body of work and learning. Technological and knowledge capabilities of CSR entities, educational experts, research organisations and knowledge partners across India can come together. They can build educator capacity to deliver play-based learning, contemporary child-friendly learning facilities. With interactive education material, focus on nutrition and development along with other ideas we can step up on leveraging learning on the latest global practices.

Scaling up innovative ECCE approaches

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) initiatives provide an opportunity for innovation, particularly at the intersection of enabling policies and emerging educational technologies. With India’s robust policy framework, the stage is set for significant advancements. We are looking at an advantage of a growing demographic dividend and the largest population of youth in the world. The opportunity lies in strengthening our wealth of human resource early, really early. As we harness our learnings and feed into ideas, stakeholders are also constantly looking for scalable, sustainable play-based learning programmes. that can be adapted across diverse geographical and cultural contexts.

Furthermore, digital tools and learning platforms offer enhanced possibilities to expand learning and quality of ECCE. They can deliver capacity building to empower educators, parents and communities. Additionally, government-private sector-civil society partnerships can accelerate knowledge sharing, so ECCE innovations reach underserved populations. In keeping with the core vision of the ICDS, to create experiences for the innate curiosity and potential of children.

Looking forward

What next? We need to strengthen consistent capacity building among educators and caregivers.

Trainers need to adopt effective strategies to incorporate play-based learning. The community also needs increasing awareness about benefits of play-based learning. We must create continuous professional development and robust support networks for ECCE professionals.

Through these steps, strong policy backing and innovative practices, we can shape a future for a child to thrive in the most crucial stage of her life.

The UN sustainable development goal, target 4.1 of SDG 4, underscores the push towards inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all. As part of India’s commitment to the SDGs, we each have a role in making this a reality. Policymakers, practitioners, and researchers shared innovative play-based learning practices, to better explore, scale-up and adapt insights across different contexts.

Our future aspiration is to ensure that every child can thrive in a stimulating, inclusive, and joyful environment. Each stakeholder has a role in building a positive socio-emotional development movement. Investing in early childhood is an investment in the future of our nation and of our world.

So, in this journey, let the magic of play lead the way.

This blog first appeared in Voices, Lifestyle, The Times of India.