Designed for the new generation, the campaign captures a powerful cultural shift where Gen Z and Gen Alpha are no longer just audiences, but aspirants ready to take on the world. Starting from May 7 to May 15, the initiative will blend beauty, style, and global pop culture, offering customers an opportunity to prepare for the spotlight through curated, high-engagement activations.

The experience complements the growing excitement around HYBE INDIA’s global girl group auditions. Running online from March 31 to July 31, the auditions tap into India’s emerging pool of young, aspirational talent, further amplified by on-ground auditions on May 17 and HYBE INDIA Pop-Up Park on May 16 in Pune, offering interactive experiences and an opportunity to enter the company’s world-class training and production ecosystem.

“Shoppers Stop announces its nationwide campaign, ‘Get Spotlight Ready’, in partnership with HYBE INDIA,” said Kavindra Mishra, Customer Care Associate, Managing Director, and CEO of Shoppers Stop. “For decades, Shoppers Stop has played a pioneering role in bringing leading global brands closer to Indian consumers. With ‘Get Spotlight Ready’, the brand takes its journey forward, now enabling Indian talent to shine on a global platform. This marks a significant shift in its purpose, from curating global experiences for India to nurturing India’s talent to the world stage.”

As part of the Pune leg of the campaign, India’s belly dancing sensation Saumya Kamble will take the stage on May 9 at Shoppers Stop, Phoenix Mall of Millennium, Pune at 5 PM, delivering a high-energy performance that promises to captivate audiences while inspiring young aspirants to pursue their dreams.

Shoppers Stop will prepare aspirants to ‘Get Spotlight Ready’ through an immersive ecosystem that blends style, skill, and self-expression with expert-led sessions. Aspirants will be able to explore five curated fashion and beauty looks, discover their complementary colours at the colour analysis zone, and capture their transformed style at an interactive, high-energy photobooth.

Each experience is designed to help participants refine not only their appearance, but also how they present themselves with confidence. ‘Get Spotlight Ready’ with Shoppers Stop is an invitation for aspirants to prepare, transform, and own their moment in the spotlight.

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Epiphany School serves children from some of Pune’s most marginalized communities –  young students who grow up amidst poverty, crime, alcoholism, and unstable home environments. Despite their circumstances, these children arrive at school each day with immense resilience and the hope of a brighter future.

As part of the celebration, the children were invited to experience a restaurant outing for the first time in their lives. Santé Spa Cuisine hosted them with warmth and joy, offering a generous South Indian buffet and a guided tour of the restaurant, along with interactions with the entire team.

A highlight of the event was a tote-bag painting workshop based on the Seven Chakras, conducted by Aashray Retreats × Arty Aura. This creative activity beautifully reflected Santé’s philosophy of inner balance, wellness, mindfulness, and energy alignment.

Founder Sonal Barmecha shared, “Chakras are the centre of our inner universe, and when they align, life shifts from resistance to flow. Clarity sharpens, intuition strengthens, and manifestations come naturally. At Santé, inner balance is at the heart of everything we do. Celebrating our milestone with children who deserve love, dignity, and joy felt truly meaningful.”

To make the day even more special, Sonal gifted school supplies to all the children – a gesture that brought immense excitement and warmth. Epiphany School Principal, Sangeeta Kadam, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity and for the exposure given to her students.

Founder of With Love NGO, Dimple Somji, shared, “Our foundation serves as a bridge between hearts  –  uniting givers and receivers, compassion and action. Being a bridge is not only hard work; it is heart-work.”

Through this collaboration, Santé Spa Cuisine reaffirmed its commitment not just to wholesome food and wellbeing, but also to inclusivity, compassion, and community upliftment.

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The flagship CSR project of AM/NS India, Beti Padhao Scholarship, aims to bridge the gap in education finance by offering scholarships to young women from economically weaker sections to fulfil their academic aspirations. The initiative is aligned with the government’s efforts to promote the education of the girl child. The scholarship recipients range from class 9 students to those pursuing higher secondary education, graduation, ITI, diploma, engineering, medical, professional courses, as well as athletes in national and state sports. Under this initiative, AM/NS India is awarding scholarships to girl students in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.

The scholarships were presented to the recipients by the Chief Guest, Deputy Collector, Pune, Smt. Punam Ahire. Present on the occasion from AM/NS India were Head (Downstream – HR) Mukund Jagirdar & Head (Operations) Hemant Pandhareamong others.

AM/NS India has partnered with Protean eGov Technologies for mobilising the scholarships. Protean’s Vidyasaarathi, a pioneering corporate scholarship management platform, has managed the complete scholarship lifecycle, including application, validation, allocation, and fund disbursement of the AM/NS India scholarships. The ‘Beti Padhao Scholarships’ are awarded to candidates meticulously shortlisted through a rigorous selection framework, ensuring merit and need-based eligibility.

Commending the endeavours of AM/NS India, Smt. Ahire said, “I applaud the initiative undertaken by AM/NS India, benefiting 131 girl students from the Pune region. These interventions will support the educational aspirations of the girl students and empower them to pursue their dreams.”

Sharing his perspectives, AM/NS India, Director & Vice President (HR & Administration), Ashutosh Telang, said, “At AM/NS India, we believe education is the foundation of empowerment and that true progress begins with equal opportunity. The AM/NS India ‘Beti Padhao Scholarship Program’ reflects our commitment to inclusive growth and social equity. We believe that every girl deserves the opportunity to learn, lead, and thrive. This scholarship is a small step toward unlocking their immense potential and building a society where dreams know no gender. We are proud to stand with every girl child who dares to dream and strives to achieve.”

Since its inception in March 2022, the ‘Beti Padhao Scholarship’ initiative has positively impacted nearly 1864 underprivileged girl students across India.

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The fourth phase of the ‘Asmita’ program, focusing on girl empowerment, was inaugurated on International Girl Child Day by the Rotary Club of Bibwewadi. The event took place at the Radisson Blue Hotel in Kharadi. Since its inception in 2019, supported by the CSR department of GTPL, the program has helped over one lakh girls across five states.

During the event, B.P.K (Bob) Shah, a senior entrepreneur, and philanthropist, was honored with the ‘Vocational Service Award’ from the Rotary Club of Bibwewadi in the august presence of Sonali Kulkarni, Divya Momaya- Director of CSR GTPL, Saurabh Banerjee – CFO, GTPL, Sheetal Shah – District Governor 3131, Nitin Dhamale – Governor Elect, Mohan Palesha & Pankaj Shah – former District Governors, Manasi Shah – President, Bibwewadi Club, and project coordinators Dr. Jignesh Pandya and Dr. Prachi Pandya along with Bhavin Desai & Nikhil Bhalerao.

In her speech, Kulkarni reflected, “My generation was not even aware of the term mental health, let alone the concept. Today’s generation is lucky to be informed about these issues, and they have the knowledge and resources to address them. The presence of councilors in their schools is a significant change.”

Kulkarni expressed her gratitude for the solid support system she received from her parents, brothers, and a supportive husband throughout her career. She feels fortunate to have had great friends and colleagues in the film industry. Her mentors taught her to remain sensitive and act with integrity, allowing her to work honestly without comparing herself to male cofactors, which has made a significant difference in her journey.

Manasi Shah, while providing details about the initiative, stated, “For the past five years, our club has been working to raise awareness among girl students about menstruation, sexual violence, self-defence, cyberbullying, and financial literacy. We have successfully reached out to about one lakh girls across 200 locations and aim to reach an additional fifty thousand in the coming year. Considering the importance of mental health, the fourth phase will focus on the mental well-being of college girls and provide both theoretical and practical knowledge to them.”

Divya Momaya emphasized the need for women to become financially independent and highlighted the challenges women face in corporate settings. She noted, “When a woman in the household is educated, the entire family benefits, but when she ventures into business and becomes financially independent, she shapes the next generation.”

B.P.K (Bob) Shah shared insights about his journey and the global work done with Rotary. The event began with a prayer by Ahana Bhalerao, followed by the opening remarks from Manasi Shah. Dr. Jignesh Pandya hosted the proceedings, and Bhavin Desai presented the vote of thanks.

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PUNE: Mahindra Truck and Bus Division (MTBD), a part of the Mahindra Group, in commemoration of Drivers Day 2024, today announced a Scholarship scheme for girl child of truck drivers through the Mahindra Saarthi Abhiyaan. Through this project, Mahindra is committed to making a small contribution towards transforming the lives of truck drivers’ meritorious girls by supporting their right to higher education.

Mahindra is one of the first commercial vehicle manufacturers to pioneer this initiative and felicitate the selected candidate with a scholarship of Rs.10,000/- along with a certificate in recognition of their achievement. This endeavor marks another significant milestone in Mahindra Truck and Bus Division’s ongoing commitment to the Truck driver community, which was initiated with the Mahindra Saarthi Abhiyaan in 2014. This will be done through a program at 75+ transport hubs pan India with well-defined, transparent, and independent processes. Until now, 10,029 young girls have already benefited from scholarships under the initiative, allowing them to pursue their aspirations.

Vinod Sahay – President of Trucks, Buses, CE, Aerospace & Defence Businesses – Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, Member of Group Executive Board, Mahindra Group, said, “Through the Mahindra Saarthi Abhiyaan, we are not just providing scholarships but opening doors to a brighter future and instilling hope in young hearts. We are dedicated to transforming lives by providing educational opportunities for the daughters of the truck driver partners. By investing in their futures, we are cultivating a generation of empowered women who will contribute significantly to our communities and the economy at large.”

Speaking on the occasion, Jalaj Gupta, Business Head – Commercial Vehicles, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., said, “Our sustained commitment through the Mahindra Saarthi Abhiyaan not only uplifts the daughters of truck drivers, but also fosters a culture of new opportunities and motivation. Through this initiative, we wish to see more women in the commercial vehicle segment and remain steadfast in our commitment to investing in their futures, and developing a stronger, more equitable society where every girl can aspire to fulfill her potential and become the leaders of tomorrow.”

The company has planned to felicitate each girl selected for this scholarship with a direct bank transfer of INR 10,000 and a certificate in recognition of this achievement. The felicitation will be hosted from February to March 2025, at select locations by Mahindra Truck and Bus leadership, wherein 1000 scholarships will be presented to Truck Drivers’ Daughters.

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The event was aligned with this year’s theme, “Invest in Girls’ Rights- Our Leadership, Our Well-being,” and addressed the critical issue of the climate crisis, underscoring the profound impact it has on children’s rights, particularly those of girls. Participants also discussed the role of boys and men in advancing gender equality and why gender equality is vital for a country’s progress.

Students from diverse backgrounds and institutions, including PRATYeK (Nine is mine), Citizens Association for Child Rights (CACR), as well as IIT Bombay, Whistling Woods International, and Sophia College (autonomous), actively participated in the meet-up. The event concluded with a pledge made by all the participants to combat gender discriminatory practices in their homes, educational institutions, among their peers, and within their communities.

Rajalakshmi Nair, Chief Field Office (AI), UNICEF Maharashtra said “I find it heartening that adolescents & young people are actively discussing and advocating for the rights of girls. It’s inspiring to see them express their opinion about gender equality. While the government, policymakers, and the social sector have made substantial efforts to improve the situation, there is still much work to be done to ensure the well-being of girls in the areas of health, nutrition, education and skills, gender-based violence, and prevention of child marriage. We need to bring more voices of adolescents and young people to start the dialogue and conversation around gender equality.”

Despite significant strides in gender equality, girls continue to face formidable challenges across various aspects of life, including health, education, gender-based violence, and equal opportunities. UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, UNICEF works for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone.

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Indira fearlessly addresses the societal barriers that hinder women’s progress. From the moment a girl is born, she faces prejudice in some communities. Her vision is to create a cultural shift, where the birth of a girl is celebrated and her potential is nurtured, irrespective of societal norms. While progress has been made, disparities still exist globally. Gender-pay gaps and unequal opportunities persist in the corporate world. Supportive laws, policies, and awareness campaigns are key to eradicating these disparities. Governments should implement measures to incentivize girls’ education and to hold accountable those who perpetuate gender inequality.

“I think it’s time we stop limiting girls to dolls and kitchen sets while boys have fun with cars. We are sending the wrong message to our daughters that they are expected to handle all the household chores and the boys are not. This is not right or fair! Education is the foundation upon which women can build their confidence and pursue their dreams. It’s important to empower girls from an early age, ensuring they have equal access to education and encouraging them to be financially independent”, emphasizes Captain Indira, a remarkable advocate for gender equality whose insights shed light on the​​ path toward women’s empowerment.

Gender equality is a global issue that requires collective efforts. Her initiatives envision a world where women are not only paid equally but also respected and given the same opportunities as their male counterparts, and will foster an environment of equality and breaking gender stereotypes. She will work towards breaking down barriers, challenging norms, and creating a future where women are empowered, respected, and celebrated for their unique contributions.

Captain Indira was one of the first few women pilots to fly the Airbus 340 is an embodiment of perseverance and passion for whom flying is the very essence of her being. She has always championed the cause of women and girls and is now keen to ensure that women get the right kind of work environment and support so that they don’t have to sacrifice their careers.

In a world striving for equality, the empowerment of women remains a vital and ongoing pursuit.

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VISAKHAPATNAM: Samsung India’s flagship CSR program Samsung Innovation Campus concluded the AI and Big Data courses for its first all-girls batch of 153 students in Vishakhapatnam, reiterating Samsung’s commitment to being a strong partner of India and working alongside the Government in its mission to empower the country’s youth and #PoweringDigitalIndia.

The students, who were mentored and trained at Dr. Lankapalli Bullaya College, Vishakhapatnam, were presented with certificates of completion at a felicitation ceremony held on Thursday.

An all-girls batch of 153 students, of which 75 have been trained in AI and 78 in Big Data, were felicitated by officials from Dr. Lankapalli Bullaya College, Samsung, and ESSCI.

Electronics Sector Skills Council of India (ESSCI), which is a National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) approved entity, is executing the program through its nationwide network of approved training and education partners.

“Our global citizenship initiative, Samsung Innovation Campus, is in alignment with India’s development agenda. Through this initiative, we want to empower the youth and create opportunities for them in future tech domains, further boosting India’s growth story and strengthening our commitment to Powering Digital India,” said Mr. Hyun Kim, Corporate Vice President, Samsung Southwest Asia.

Samsung India launched its Samsung Innovation Campus program at eight campuses across the country with the aim of upskilling 3,000 less-privileged youth in future tech domains such as AI, IoT, Big Data, and Coding & Programming and helping them get relevant job placements.

Samsung Innovation Campus aims to upskill youth aged 18-25 years in future technologies and enhance their employability. These are key technology skills for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

During the course of the program, participants receive instructor-led classroom training through approved training and education partners of ESSCI across the country.

Youth enrolled in the program are undergoing classroom training and will complete their hands-on capstone project work in their selected technology areas from among Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, Big Data, and Coding & Programming. They will also be imparted soft skills training to enhance their employability and provided job placements in relevant organizations.

Those opting for the AI course will undergo 270 hours of theory training and complete 80 hours of project work while those doing the IoT or the Big Data course will undergo 160 hours of training and complete 80 hours of project work. Participants opting for the Coding & Programming course will do 80 hours of training and be part of a Hackathon.

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Avasara Academy is a secondary school that started in August 2015. The school believes that a student’s ability to pay fees should not affect their chances to experience this unique and holistic educational opportunity. Avasara Academy is a residential school that provides food, sports education, and development programs for the girl students and supports them with their application process for undergraduate studies at reputed universities in India and overseas.

BNP Paribas, through CSR grants, ensures girls with economically disadvantaged backgrounds are educated through the IGCSE curriculum. Through its partnership with Avasara Academy, BNP Paribas is attempting to provide a quantum step change for these girl students in a global world by providing holistic education and enabling the girl students to become women who can assert their rights as equal members of society and yet challenge established gender norms in their social contexts. The girls come from families in which parents work in the informal sector and are at the poverty line

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