In a notable event, ten students with disabilities from the state of Nagaland were honored with scholarship awards as a part of the Saksham, the flagship Corporate Social Responsibility program of Indus Towers.
The Indus Towers Scholarship Award Ceremony implemented by Shishu Sarothi, an organization based in Guwahati, was organized on 12 December in Dimapur in collaboration with Nagaland State Disability Forum, the state partners for the implementation of Indus Towers Scholarship Program, in Nagaland. In an attempt to empower students with disabilities, the Indus Towers and Shishu Sarothi has initiated scholarships in the North-East Region.
Demonstrating its commitment to enhance socio-economic conditions of communities, Indus Towers, now in its seventh year of partnership with Shishu Sarothi, will be offering scholarships to 180 students for the academic year 2023-24 towards Academics/ Professional and Coaching for Employment Oriented Examinations. Out of these, 162 students belong to the northeast region, while scholarships for 18 slots are reserved for students with disabilities from outside North-East region who are studying in government recognized institutions of national importance.
Ketaki Bardalai, Executive Director, Shishu Sarothi, mentioned about the educational challenges faced by children with disabilities specially in the North-East Region of India. Citing recent WHO figures, she expressed that only 9 percent of these children complete secondary education, and 45 percent remain illiterate. The Team of Shishu Sarothi expressed deep appreciation to Indus Towers for empowering youth with disabilities, recognizing the crucial role education plays in unlocking employment opportunities and fostering empowerment.
Rajender Gurung, CEO-NESA Circle, Indus Towers, said, “Indus strongly believes that supporting communities with CSR that matters can make significant impact. We are proud our partnership with Shishu Sarothi in identifying candidates who can utilize the Indus Towers Scholarship Program in developing a fulfilling career through academics or professional courses and coaching for employment-oriented examinations.”
Diethono Nakhro, State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Govt of Nagaland, during her address applauded the commendable impact of the scholarship program initiated by Shishu Sarothi and Indus Towers Ltd in 2016. Emphasizing the crucial support it provides to students with disabilities, she appreciated the company’s initiative for empowering youth with disabilities, enabling them to pursue education and aspire to promising career paths, fostering inclusivity and socio-economic growth in the region.
The Guest of Honour, Imsuinla, District Inclusive Education Coordinator, Samagra Shiksha commended the initiative, expressing her admiration for the program’s commitment to addressing the educational needs of persons with disabilities. In her address, she highlighted the rarity of such initiatives and lauded Indus Towers Ltd for taking a revolutionary step towards inclusivity.
The felicitation ceremony was followed by an induction to guide scholars on accessing the scholarship portal and other relevant information.
The program concluded with an awareness session on the Rights for Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 conducted for student scholars. The initiative sought to equip the student scholars with valuable insights into the legal landscape surrounding disabilities, ensuring that they are well-informed and capable of navigating the various provisions and safeguards available to them. The session covered key aspects of the Rights for Persons with Disabilities Act 2016, including provisions related to education, employment, accessibility, and non-discrimination.
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The Indus Towers Scholarship Program, implemented by Shishu Sarothi, was initiated in 2016 to encourage and support students with disabilities. Since then, it has supported 644 students from the North East and beyond. The program provides support for educational fees, and some students receive additional assistance for study materials, assistive devices, hostel fees, and conveyance. For more details, visit: www.ssscholarship.org or call: 7086268549.
About Indus Towers Limited
Indus Towers Limited is India’s leading provider of passive telecom infrastructure and it deploys, owns and manages telecom towers and communication structures, for various mobile operators. The Company’s portfolio of over 2,04,000 telecom towers, makes it one of the largest tower infrastructure providers in the country with presence in all 22 telecom circles. Indus Towers caters to all wireless telecommunication service providers in India. The Company has been the industry pioneer in adopting green energy initiatives for its operations. For further details visit www.industowers.com
About Shishu Sarothi
Shishu Sarothi Centre for Rehabilitation & Training for Multiple Disability is a registered not-for-profit organisation working to enable and empower children and persons with disabilities since 1987. It strides the twin tracks of service delivery and rights-based work in the domains of health, education, advocacy, and research. Shishu Sarothi’s direct services and supplementary projects and programs have reached thousands of children and persons with disabilities from Assam and other states of NE India. For further details visit www.shishusarothi.org
