Indus Valley Times

By Alisha Sahoo

New Delhi, Jan.  19: Launching the third edition of its flagship programme, Yashasvi, the JSP Foundation, the social arm of Jindal Steel & Power, extended financial assistance to 4354 more selected girls and women from socio-economically weaker sections in Odisha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh.

Chairperson of JSP Foundation, Mrs. Shallu Jindal, inaugurated the programme and presented scholarship awards, which is aimed at empowering women and supporting women in their pursuit of higher education and skill development.

Advisor of JSP Foundation and a key architect of this initiative, Ms. Yashasvini Jindal graced the occasion in person and offered words of encouragement to the selected women and girls.

Addressing the selected women and girls, Ms. Shallu Jindal said, “JSP Foundation is committed to fostering inclusivity and gender equality in society. The Yashasvi programme strives to make a positive impact in the community by nurturing women’s growth and providing them with opportunities to excel in their chosen fields”. She extended her congratulations to all the selected participants and expressed her best wishes for their success. “I am delighted to see that numerous young women who received support during the past two editions of this programme have successfully secured employment following their training or fulfilled their dream for higher education. I am confident that the third edition of the programme will transform the lives of more women and girls, fulfilling their personal and professional dreams,” she added.

The JSP Foundation received a total of 8914 applications for the third edition of the programme. Out of them, a total of 4254 were selected from 81 districts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand, including 3430 newly added to the list. The scholarship has been renewed for 824. A total of 1807 selected women and girls are pursuing their higher education from 12th to PhD level in the fields of engineering, medicine, science, nursing, management, pharmacy, physiotherapy, social science, and regular streams. Similarly, 3430 women and girls are pursuing skill development programmes in the fields of COPA, sewing machine operation, retail sales, front office management, data entry, beauty therapy, medical technician, and others. The selected scholarship awardees will receive financial support for course fees and other associated fees for pursuing vocational training or academic courses in professional or general streams at institutions or colleges of their choice. The Foundation will remit the financial assistance amount directly to the institutions where they are enrolled. Selected students will be pursuing their courses at 250 credible institutions across India. Out of 4254 students, 2689 are from Odisha, 934 from Chhattisgarh, and 631 from Jharkhand.

Started in 2022, the Yashasvi programme now covers more than 10,000 women and girls who are facing difficulties in achieving their academic or skill development aspirations due to financial constraints. The selection for this scholarship has been based on the financial condition of the student and their past academic performance.

President and Group Head (CSR) of JSP, Shri Prashant Kumar Hota, expressed his gratitude to the women, girls, and various institutions for their overwhelming response to the initiative. He also highlighted the objectives and vision of the programme.

JSP’s Executive Director and Angul Unit Head Shri Pankaj Malhan, Barbil Unit Head Shri Purushotham M D, President and CFO (Raigarh Unit) Shri Hanuman Sharma, Patratu Unit Head Shri Ashish Jain, and JPL’s Tamnar Unit Head Shri Chhavi Nath Singh, along with senior executives of the company, were present on the occasion.