Selected NGOs to receive ₹16.5 crore (appx. $2 million) for projects spanning preservation of endangered species to perinatal mental health and childcare in rural India

NOIDA, India, March 6, 2024—HCLFoundation, which drives the corporate social responsibility agenda of global technology company HCLTech in India, today announced the winner NGOs of the 2024 edition of its flagship program HCLTech Grant.

HCLTech Grant supports pioneering projects in sustainable rural development in India across the themes of environment, health and education. So far, ₹146.95 crore (appx. $18 million) has been committed by the HCLFoundation through HCLTech Grant. The program has helped transform nearly 2 million lives in over 27, 500 villages in India. To learn more about HCLTech Grant, visit: www.hclfoundation.org/hcltech-grant

This year, three NGOs — The Corbett Foundation (environment), Sangath (health) and Makkala Jagriti (education) — will receive ₹5 crore (appx. $609,000) each for their projects of four-year duration.

• The Corbett Foundation’s Guardians of Grasslands initiative focuses on conservation of critically endangered Great Indian Bustard and associated species in 16 villages in Kutch district of Gujarat.
• Sangath’s project EMPOWER to address perinatal depression and malnutrition in villages across three districts of Madhya Pradesh.
• Makkala Jagriti’s project will transform anganwadi (rural childcare centers) ecosystem to provide quality early childhood care and education to children in 451 villages in Mysuru district of Karnataka.

In addition, six NGOs will receive grants of ₹25 lakh (appx. $30,500) each for their projects of one-year duration:

• Environment: Lokpanchayat and MUKTI
• Health: ECHO India (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) and
  Social Revival Group of Urban Rural and Tribal – Korba
• Education: Shishu Sarothi Centre for Rehabilitation and Training for Multiple Disability and Sri Aurobindo Society

“HCLTech Grant is not just about a CSR fund; it is about providing global exposure to Indian NGOs that are doing path-breaking work in the field of rural development. It promotes sharing of best practices in the field of Environment, Health and Education – practices that are transformative in nature. A robust year-long application process comprising shortlisting of applications, due diligence, field visits, audits and jury proceedings ensures complete transparency in the selection of the winners,” said Ms. Robin Ann Abrams, Chairperson, HCLTech Grant Jury and Board Member, HCLTech.

Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Vice President, Global CSR, HCLTech and Director, HCLFoundation said: "The HCLTech Grant Edition IX recipients exemplify innovation and dedication in their respective fields, addressing critical challenges faced by rural India. Their initiatives align closely with our core focus areas, and we are confident that they will make significant strides toward driving inclusive and sustainable development. HCLFoundation remains committed to empowering NGOs through partnerships and capacity-building initiatives. Together, we will continue to lead transformative change in rural communities."

HCLTech Grant, in its 9th edition this year, received nearly 17,000 registrations from NGOs across India. The panel of eminent jurors involved in the selection process included Mr. Shiv Nadar, Founder, HCL Group and Chairman Emeritus and Strategic Advisor to the Board of HCLTech; Ms. Robin Ann Abrams, Chairperson, HCLTech Grant Jury & Board Member, HCLTech; Dr. Richard Lariviere, Sanskrit Scholar & President Emeritus, The Field Museum, Chicago; Mr. B. S. Baswan, Former Director, Indian Institute of Public Administration and Former Human Resources Development Secretary; Ms. Pallavi Shroff, Managing Partner, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co.; Mr. Suresh Narayanan, Chairman and Managing Director, Nestle India Limited. HCLTech Grant governance partner Grant Thornton oversaw and audited the selection process.

In September 2023, HCLTech launched HCLTech Grant in the Americas program to provide grants to NGOs combating climate change and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity across

the Americas. HCLTech has committed $5 million over five years for the program, which has received very positive response. The first set of winners will be announced in the coming months. To learn about HCLTech Grant Americas, visit: www.americas-grant.hcltech.com.

About HCLFoundation

HCLFoundation delivers the corporate social responsibility agenda of HCLTech in India. The Foundation contributes to national and international development goals by investing in long-term sustainable programs and special initiatives with thematic focus on education, nurturing grassroots sports, health and sanitation, skill development and livelihood, environment and disaster risk reduction, and response management. To ensure equitable development, child protective strategies, inclusion and gender transformative approaches are at the core of all the programs of the Foundation. Till date, the HCLFoundation has invested over $150 million to positively impacted over 5.5 million lives. To learn more visit www.hclfoundation.org.

About HCLTech

HCLTech is a global technology company, home to more than 224,000 people across 60 countries, delivering industry-leading capabilities centered around digital, engineering, cloud, AI and software, powered by a broad portfolio of technology services and products. We work with clients across all major verticals, providing industry solutions for Financial Services, Manufacturing, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Technology and Services, Telecom and Media, Retail and CPG, and Public Services. Consolidated revenues as of 12 months ending December 2023 totaled $13.1 billion. To learn how we can supercharge progress for you, visit hcltech.com. 

For further details, please contact:

Siddhartha Bhatnagar Bhatnagars@hcl.com

Sumanta.Biswas sumanta.biswas@hcl.com