As technology reshapes the future of health and sustainability, its role in addressing deep-rooted social inequities has never been more urgent. From digital health tools that empower frontline workers to AI-driven training programs for marginalized youth, tech-led CSR initiatives are transforming the way impact is delivered—particularly in underserved communities.
In this exclusive interview with TheCSRUniverse, Ms. Punam Shejale, CISO and Head of CSR & Sustainability at CitiusTech, offers a powerful look at how the company is using digital innovation to drive equitable healthcare access, skilling, and community development. Whether it’s through telemedicine, mobile academies, mental health counselling in rural Punjab, or environmental restoration in Gujarat, CitiusTech’s tech-enabled CSR model is rooted in measurable outcomes and long-term sustainability.
Scroll down to explore how a purpose-driven, technology-first approach is helping build healthier, more resilient communities.
Q. How is your CSR approach leveraging technology to make healthcare more accessible and inclusive, especially for communities that have traditionally been underserved?
A. At CitiusTech, we believe technology is key to making healthcare more inclusive and accessible. Our CSR initiatives focus on using digital tools to empower underserved communities and improve health outcomes. These are strategically mapped to several UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) to ensure global relevance and impact.
Through our Higher Education and Emerging Leaders Programs, we support youth with hearing, speech, visual, and learning impairments. We offer academic coaching, soft skills, and digital literacy training. These efforts have led to a 70% placement rate among 172 beneficiaries.
Our Mobile Academy trains frontline health workers like ASHAs to deliver healthcare and education in remote areas. We also train local women as Arogya Sakhis, equipping them with tablets and diagnostic kits to provide home-based care. Over 1,000 people have benefited, with 377 high-risk pregnancies identified and monitored.
We’ve enhanced public healthcare infrastructure by participating in the renovation of the urogynaecology department at Cama Hospital and creating a centre of excellence with advanced diagnostic and therapeutic equipment.
To support emergency care, we’ve donated ambulances to hospitals including Tata Memorial and Jeevan Jyoti, helping cancer patients and low-income individuals access free medical aid. During the pandemic, these ambulances served around 75 patients monthly.
Our programs aim to uplift entire communities by combining healthcare access with skill development, giving people the tools to improve their lives through technology.
Q. How do your programs use digital tools to empower individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to improve health outcomes?
A. CitiusTech partners with leading organizations to use digital tools that educate and empower communities to improve health outcomes. Through ARMMAN’s Kilkari program, we help deliver vital maternal and child health information via IVR calls to over 2 lakh women in Pune district, while also training more than 1,000 ASHA workers and reaching over a million people through radio campaigns.
With SEED, we support a telemedicine initiative that connects underserved populations to free online doctor consultations and trains 1,000 frontline health workers in digital tools, completing over 50,000 teleconsultations and using social media to promote hygiene and nutrition.
Our collaboration with ISB DLabs’ I-Heal program boosts digital literacy and innovation by supporting AI-driven healthcare startups and training healthcare professionals in emerging technologies. The program has trained 157 healthcare workers and enabled startups to upskill over 80 professionals.
We also work with The Kalgidhar Trust to raise awareness about substance abuse and mental health in rural Punjab through digital campaigns, counselling sessions, and school outreach, impacting over 70,000 individuals across 20 districts. These programs go beyond information-sharing—they build digital capacity, improve access to care, and enable individuals to make informed health decisions for themselves and their communities.
Q. What role does innovation play in your CSR strategy, and how do you ensure that tech-enabled healthcare solutions remain adaptable to the evolving needs of the communities you serve?
A. Innovation is central to our CSR strategy at CitiusTech. We focus on applying emerging technologies to solve real-world challenges through collaboration and practical application.
In Sangli, Maharashtra, we partnered with the Kasegaon Education Society to set up a state-of-the-art Robotic Centre that brings robotics and automation into school curricula, helping students and faculty build hands-on skills. We also support grassroots innovation through initiatives like Hackfest under ISB DLabs’ I-Heal program, where 10 tech-enabled healthcare solutions were showcased and 3 received grants for product development.
CitiusTech addresses mental health through a strategic partnership with The Kalgidhar Trust, focusing on substance abuse prevention and mental wellness in rural Punjab. Using digital tools, social media, and video-based messaging, the program has reached over 70,000 students, teachers, and community members across 20 districts. Activities like World Mental Health Day events promote awareness and encourage healthier lifestyle choices. To ensure access to care, the initiative offers specialized treatment and counselling in underserved areas, delivering 1,137 individual counselling sessions, 416 detoxifications, 503 family counselling sessions, and 133 group therapy sessions. A team of trained psychiatrists, counsellors, and social workers supports a holistic care model that combines medical and psychological support, helping individuals recover sustainably and build long-term mental resilience.
To improve livelihood opportunities, we offer training in computer literacy, AI, and financial skills, helping students become job-ready and competitive in the workforce.
Our approach ensures that tech-enabled solutions remain relevant, adaptable, and impactful, driving long-term change in the communities we serve.
Q. Beyond healthcare and education, how do your strategic CSR efforts in sustainability and social welfare contribute to building healthier, more resilient communities?
A. CitiusTech’s CSR strategy extends beyond healthcare and education to focus on sustainability and social welfare, helping build healthier, more resilient communities. Our initiatives aim to create long-term impact by promoting environmental stewardship, livelihood generation, and inclusive development.
On the environmental front, we’ve reduced our carbon footprint by investing in renewable energy certificates, energy efficiency programs, and waste management practices across our facilities. Waterless urinals have been installed to conserve water. We have reduced absolute scope 1 & 2 emissions by 59% in FY 2025 as compared to FY 2024. We’ve also planted over 10,000 trees in Gujarat to support biodiversity and water conservation.
Our community development programs include renovating water bodies, conducting nutrition training for women, and creating livelihood opportunities through skill-based work like tailoring. We also engage children in environmental education and provide regular health check-ups and nutritional support.
By combining technology with grassroots engagement, we ensure our CSR efforts foster self-sufficiency, improve quality of life, and create sustainable ecosystems that thrive beyond the duration of our programs.
