Mumbai, Oct 5, 2024: Global logistics conglomerate Allcargo Group has initiated a project under which it will provide scholarships to over 3,000 students by this year-end in Mumbai and Mangalore as part of its Disha program run by the group’s CSR arm, the Avashya Foundation.
The word Disha from Sanskrit language mean direction is a vital financial assistance program that has touched the lives of thousands of deserving students, enabling them to pursue their academic dreams.
Operational since 2010, the Disha program has been a beacon of hope to students facing financial challenges. The foundation has shaped the careers of 40,183 students through various chapters such as Disha Scholarship, Disha Careers Seed, and Disha Anando Program. This year, the program is being organised in three phases, and the foundation has distributed more than 473 scholarships to deserving candidates and is expected to distribute 2,200 more scholarships to students in Mangalore this month. As part of the scholarship program, the Disha Foundation screens socioeconomic and academic indicators to assess the needs of households and students.
The Disha program incorporates a holistic approach for students from primary school to post Graduation, focussing on their overall development. Through career counselling sessions, skill development workshops, and mentorship programs, the foundation helps students to make informed career choices and build the confidence necessary to succeed. Students under the age of 21, after clearing the evaluation rounds, can also avail financial support for other necessities to pursue further education.
The Disha Foundation has been successful in leveraging community partnerships. For instance, the Disha Foundation has collaborated with the Bunts Sangha association to drive the scholarship initiative in Bantwal. During the program held on September 29, 2024, scholarships were awarded to approximately 1,200 students from the Bunt community, as well as other communities.
Besides Bantwal, the foundation is operational across key districts of Mangalore, Udupi, Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai. The program has observed healthy gender participation; more than 50% of students are girls studying at 37 government and unaided/private institutions. Scholarships have been sought for high school, pre- university course, degree, industrial training institute, engineering, nursing, and post-graduation courses.
Dr Nilratan Shende, Head, CSR, Allcargo Group, said, “Guided by the vision of Allcargo Group’s Founder and Chairman Mr. Shashi Kiran Shetty, we are committed to educational empowerment that extends beyond financial aid. We believe in the philosophy of empowering children to learn and excel in their preferred fields. We also believe that to create leaders of tomorrow, corporate India must synergise all its efforts with technological and human intervention. At Allcargo, we don't just give financial support; we provide counselling sessions to students and parents and continue supporting them even after they complete education.”
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