Established in 1998, the Mother Teresa Award for Corporate Citizen is a prestigious honour that recognizes organizations demonstrating exceptional social responsibility, a commitment to community welfare, and a strong focus on environmental sustainability. Highly regarded across India’s corporate sector, this award celebrates companies that go beyond business imperatives to create a lasting and meaningful impact on marginalized communities.

Mr. Shenu Agarwal, MD & CEO, Ashok Leyland said, “At Ashok Leyland, we see corporate social responsibility as an integral part of our business philosophy. Our commitment to nation-building goes beyond manufacturing world-class vehicles, as we strive to uplift communities, protect the environment, and drive meaningful change. Receiving the Mother Teresa Award is a great honour and a reaffirmation of our efforts to create a sustainable and inclusive future. Our Road to School and Road to Livelihood programs continue to make a meaningful impact, now reaching over five lakh students. This year, we proudly welcomed 92,000 new students, and we are set to expand further by adding another 1,00,000 students in FY26, reinforcing our commitment to education and empowerment.”

Mr. Balachandar NV, CSR and Corporate Affairs, Ashok Leyland said, “Our CSR initiatives focus on holistic and long-term impact, aligning with our vision of creating a better society. This award is an encouragement for us to continue driving positive change through education, healthcare, environment sustainability, and skill development. We remain very proud of our ‘Road to School’ project, an initiative that takes education to the last mile, focuses on holistic child development enabling them to realize their full potential. For us, ‘Road to School’ is far more than just a CSR program; it represents a company-wide commitment to driving real, meaningful change in the lives of students.”

Road to School (RTS), Ashok Leyland’s leading CSR initiative in collaboration with Learning Links Foundation, strives to bridge educational disparities among students in rural and underserved areas attending government schools across India. The Road to School Program envisions fostering holistic development of children from government schools in remote areas. It supports both academic and co-curricular growth, encompassing health, hygiene, physical and emotional well-being, and sports. RTS program is aligned with the United Nations Global Sustainable Development Goals on improving the quality of education, scholastic and co-scholastic development including sports, and art education and promoting good health and wellbeing amongst underserved children from government schools.

Started in the year 2015 with 36 Schools in Shoolagiri and Anchetty in Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu, the Road to School program has made significant strides in improving learning levels across 7 states mapping about 2505 schools impacting around 4,81,121 Students in Government Primary, Upper Primary and High Schools (2nd to 12th Std.). Ashok Leyland is dedicated in its mission to impact 1 million students, ensuring every child in India has access to quality education. With a commitment to nurturing this vision, the company aims to make a lasting difference in the educational landscape in India.

The company’s CSR initiatives span multiple domains, including education, healthcare, road safety, skill development, and women empowerment. Additionally, Ashok Leyland actively champions environmental sustainability through afforestation projects, water conservation efforts, and initiatives aimed at reducing the carbon footprint.

This prestigious award reinforces Ashok Leyland’s dedication to creating a sustainable and inclusive future for all. The company remains steadfast in its mission to drive both economic growth and social development, making a meaningful difference in society that transcends business objectives.

Mumbai, India,  October 29, 2024: UST, a leading digital transformation solutions company, has won the Mahatma Award  for CSR Excellence for the third consecutive year for its unwavering commitment to large-scale community and societal impact through its CSR initiatives. Moreover, the Delhi ceremony honoured Ms. Smita Sharma, Global Program Manager-CSR at UST, with the ‘Mahatma Award 2024 for Young Change Makers’. The ‘Mahatma Award’ honours individuals and organisations that leverage their resources, expertise, and talent to make a positive impact for the greater good. Presented by the Aditya Birla Group on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, the award recognised the widespread and significant impact of UST’s initiatives across the areas of education, health, livelihood, environment, and disaster relief.

UST has dedicated itself to the mission of “Transforming Lives” by creating a boundless impact since its inception in 1999. Guided by its mission of transforming lives, UST has implemented 127 projects in nine states across India, touching over 1 lakh people in the last 25 years. Notably, through its education initiatives, UST has positively impacted nearly 64,000 lives, supporting over 245 schools under its Adopt-a-School program and promoting access to quality education for all. By focusing on building infrastructure and medical equipment through its welfare foundation, UST aims to expand public healthcare facilities and offer critical care support to both chronic and terminally ill patients. The organization also helps people with disabilities by providing customized wheelchairs, assistive devices, and livelihood opportunities.

As part of its commitment to environmental conservation, UST has initiated and delivered several projects, including tree and medicinal sapling plantation drives, as well as forest and lake restoration projects. These efforts employ advanced science-based techniques that enhance the wellbeing of both the native ecosystem and local communities. In addition to these initiatives, UST has undertaken various relief efforts during natural disasters, including the floods in Telangana, Noida, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and the most recent Wayanad landslide. The UST CSR focus areas align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 at both the national and global framework levels.

Commenting on this recognition, Sunil Balakrishnan, Chief Values Officer, UST, said, “We are truly honoured to have received the Mahatma Award for CSR Excellence. This consecutive win is a testament to the unwavering commitment UST has maintained over the past 25 years to creating a substantial societal impact through its CSR initiatives, especially as we celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary this year. Deep commitment to transforming lives drives our work, and this recognition reaffirms our dedication to uplifting the communities we serve. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Ms. Smita Sharma for receiving the Mahatma Award 2024 for Young Change Makers. We take immense pride in this award as we continue to believe in creating a boundless positive impact supported by our values, along with the unwavering support of our CSR volunteers whose contributions have been instrumental in these transformative projects.”

“UST is leveraging volunteering efforts community alongside its CSR budget to create an impact in the community. UST’s passion for CSR is truly visible in the need-based initiatives implemented in the community,” said Amit Sachdeva, Chairman, Mahatma Foundation.

Speaking about the award, Smita Sharma, Global Program Manager, CSR, UST, said, “This recognition inspires me to keep pushing boundaries and making an even greater impact. I’m grateful for the unwavering support from UST, which allows me to turn ideas into action.”

UST CSR has established itself as an industry leader in creating sustainable impact, winning several coveted titles over the years. Prominent accolades include the NIPM Kerala CSR Award 2022–23 by the National Institute of Personnel Management—Kerala Chapter in 2024; the 2024 CSR Award for Education by the Kerala Management Association Awards; the Indian Social Impact Awards—Best Women’s Livelihood Initiative and Best Environment-Friendly Initiative for 2024; and the Business Culture Awards for CSR in 2023, to name a few. Additionally, UST employees Smita Sharma and Prasanth Subramanian have also been recognised by other esteemed platforms as changemakers for their individual contributions in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

The esteemed award recognizes AAF and all initiatives under the Foundation towards women & child development, animal welfare, healthcare, skilling & livelihood and sports sectors. With an expenditure of INR 437.87 crore in FY2023-24, AAF has benefitted 1.73 crore lives across 1200+ villages in India. AAF has also pledged INR 5,000 Cr over a period of five years towards India’s socio-economic development aimed to benefit 75 lac community members.

Mahatma Award recognizes and celebrates impact leaders and change-makers across the globe, who are making a social impact and leading the way to a sustainable future. Since its inception, Mahatma Award continues to honor the most accomplished sustainable, responsible, social efforts and initiatives within the private, public, and development sectors.