HCL Foundation Organizes Pan India Symposiums for Ninth Edition of HCLTech Grant, “Bengaluru Hosts Inaugural Event”

Launches HCLTech Grant Edition IX with an annual commitment of ₹16.5 crores
HCL Foundation has already invested ₹ 1137 crores in CSR in the last 12 years

HCL Foundation (HCLF), the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of HCLTech, today organized the inaugural event, part of a series of pan India symposiums, for HCLTech Grant Edition IX in Bengaluru. With India holding the G20 Presidency this year, the topic of the symposium focused on addressing Sustainable Development Goal 1 of ending poverty and what it means for civil society in the context of G20.

The symposium witnessed several NGOs and civil society organizations from Karnataka and neighboring states engaging in discussion and dialogue on the role of CSR in contributing towards nation-building and aligned with the SDG of eliminating extreme poverty from the perspective of G20.

The day-long symposium provided a platform to NGO representatives and civil society experts to collaborate, learn, and generate ideas to contribute towards nation-building.

The event featured an insightful panel discussion with eminent speakers that included Jeya Chandran, State Project Head, United Nations Development Programme, Karnataka; Kalyani Pantangi, Director & Senior Consultant for Management & Business Services, Intelliace Solutions Private Limited; Veena M, ESG Consultant; and Dr. Usha Manjunath, Professor and Director, Indian Institute of Health Management Research, Bangalore along with Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Vice President, Global CSR, HCL Foundation. The symposium also included a masterclass on CSR laws and its amendments by Bhomik Shah, Founder and CEO, CSRBOX, and Nikhil Pant, CSR Advisor and former Chief Programme Executive, National Foundation for CSR, Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Govt. of India. Ms. Archana Tripathi, CEO – SAAHAS, Ms. Jyoti Thyagarajan, Founder and Executive Trustee – Meghshala Trust, Mr. Murthy Naveen Kumar, National Archer, The Association of People with disability, Dr. Chethana Thirthahalli, Lead health – HCL Foundation were a part of the Grant Process and Experience sharing. This is the second successive year that HCL Foundation has organized a symposium in Bengaluru, following the overwhelming response received from NGOs last year.

Besides Bengaluru, the HCLTech Grant Symposiums will be held in Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Guwahati, Raipur, and New Delhi.

Through these symposiums, HCL Foundation aims to educate NGOs about the HCLTech Grant, one of India’s most coveted institutionalized grants. The grant identifies NGOs that are undertaking groundbreaking work in rural development through an independent, robust, and democratic process. Grants are given to the three winners in the categories of education, health, and environment with a commitment of ₹5 crores for a four-year project in each category. Additionally, a grant of ₹25 lakh each is given to the other two finalists in each category for a one-year project. The total funding committed for the ninth edition is ₹16.5 crores.

To date, HCL Foundation has conducted numerous symposiums under the HCLTech Grant, out of which 22 e-symposiums and 44 symposiums were conducted in person.

Three NGOs—Planatearth, Innovators in Health (IIH) India, and Meghshala Trust – were winners in the Environment, Health, and Education category of the HCLTech Grant 2022 and received ₹5 crore (appx. $620,000) each for their projects.

HCL Foundation has committed more than ₹130 crores (appx. $16 million) to NGOs since the launch of the HCLTech Grant programme eight years ago, reaching over 1.8 million beneficiaries in more than 25,000 villages in remote districts across 22 states and two union territories of India. The partnership has been forged with 49 NGOs, of which 21 NGOs have been awarded grants of ₹ 5 crores each, and 28 NGOs have received ₹ 25 lahks each for their respective projects.

HCLTech Grant has seen a significant increase in registrations. From 2016 onwards, 49,453+ Registrations and 8,634+ Applications were received under HCLTech Grant. The idea of the HCL Grant is not only to recognize the work of NGOs contributing to the nation’s growth and development but also to stay engaged with them to achieve the desired impact.

The HCLTech Grant Compendium published each year features not just the winners but also the work of up to 30 shortlisted NGOs, ten from each category. It is a step toward re-establishing the value of strong governance in civil society and providing international visibility to Indian NGOs doing path-breaking work in the rural development sector.

About HCL Foundation: HCL Foundation delivers the corporate social responsibility agenda of HCLTech through its flagship programmes and special initiatives. We concentrate on improving education, skill development, livelihoods, healthcare and the environment. Our HCL Samuday and HCL Grant focus on rural development; HCL Uday and Clean Noida focus on urban development; and HCL Harit focus on environmental action. Our Power of One initiative helps our people give back to society, Sports for Change transforms outcomes for young people, My E-Haat supports skill development and livelihoods and our HCL Foundation Academy is a shared learning platform.
For more information, please visit www.hclfoundation.org/hcl-grant.

Quote of Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Vice President, Global CSR, HCL Foundation:

India’s leadership role in the G20 signifies a momentous achievement on the global stage. It has bolstered our dedication to various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), already underway through collaborative efforts with stakeholders. As one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, we acknowledge the challenges of advancing amidst the impacts of global warming. The symposium held today has garnered a remarkable response, reaffirming our commitment to supporting the commendable work of NGOs and fostering robust governance within civil society.

We firmly believe that India’s G20 presidency will guide us in establishing a resilient environment for growth, accelerating opportunities for livelihood, enhancing educational outcomes, and steadfastly pursuing the accelerated attainment of SDG1. We have full confidence that these symposiums will empower NGOs with cutting-edge practices and transformative ideas, contributing to the progress of a better India.

Article Credits: News Patrolling