HCL Foundation (HCLF), the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of HCL Tech, held a symposium here on Tuesday to prepare NGOs for this year’s edition of HCLTech Grant.
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In the last over eight years, HCL Foundation has committed over ₹130 crore to various NGOs to fund diverse projects aimed at transforming rural India. The upcoming ninth edition of the grant would come with an annual commitment of ₹16.5 crore, said Nidhi Pundhir, Vice President, Global CSR, HCL Foundation.
Commenting on the timeliness of the grant, she said, “India’s presidency in the G20 bolstered our dedication to various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), already underway through collaborative efforts with stakeholders.’‘
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According to Ms. Pundhir, many projects that had started out as an idea are now embedded in the government system, lending velocity to the change process. “Earlier editions of the grant already impacted 18,20,752 people and all these projects come with multiplier effects,’‘ she added.
HCLTech Grant, which identifies NGOs that are undertaking groundbreaking work in rural development through an independent, robust, and democratic process, would be given to three winners in the categories of education, health, and environment with a commitment of ₹5 crore for a four-year project in each category. Additionally, a grant of ₹25 lakh each would be given to the other two finalists in each category for a one-year project.
HCL Group Founder Shiv Nadar-set up HCL Foundation has already invested ₹1,137 crore in various CSR activities in the country in the last 12 years.
HCLTech Grant Symposiums would also be held in New Delhi, Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Guwahati and Raipur.