Karnataka/Bengaluru, 8 July 2026: ACC, the cement and building materials company of the diversified Adani Portfolio, along with the Adani Foundation, is empowering rural youth with the skills and confidence needed to pursue careers in the defence services.

Shrishail, an 18-year-old from Kundanoor village in Wadi, grew up in a financially constrained household where his father’s daily wage income was barely sufficient to meet basic needs. Limited resources made it difficult for him to access quality training or explore structured career opportunities.

Driven by his aspiration to serve the nation, Shrishail joined the Adani Foundation’s pre-police and army training programme after being mobilised through a community outreach initiative. The programme provided structured physical training, theoretical coaching, mock drills, personality development sessions, and continuous mentorship to prepare candidates for defence recruitment.

Despite initial challenges and lack of access to private coaching, Shrishail remained committed to the rigorous training process. With consistent guidance and dedicated effort, he developed the discipline, physical fitness, and confidence required to compete successfully.

His perseverance paid off with his selection as an Agniveer in the Indian Armed Forces, marking a significant milestone in his journey towards a stable and dignified career.

Shrishail’s journey reflects how Adani Foundation’s focused support is enabling rural youth to transform aspirations into meaningful career opportunities.

To counter this imbalance, the next evolution of corporate giving must move away from fragmented philanthropy and shift toward strategic investments in underserved geographies. True impact is diluted when multiple organizations repeatedly fund the same communities, drawing a parallel to multiple people feeding a single individual while others elsewhere go hungry. By redirecting capital, corporate expertise, and long-term commitment to the country’s most vulnerable and isolated pockets, businesses can address deep-seated developmental gaps. This pivot ensures that corporate capital functions equitably, actively seeking out communities that have historically been left behind by mainstream development frameworks.

With institutional scale and substantial capital now secured, the future of corporate social responsibility lies in piloting scalable, evidence-based models that governments can later institutionalize. Instead of repeating isolated interventions, companies possess the unique capability to test innovative frameworks and build robust ecosystems in challenging environments. Real social transformation is ultimately achieved not by measuring the sheer volume of capital deployed, but by expanding the boundaries of development to include those who are still waiting to be seen.

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In his address, Dr. Chatterjee highlighted the significant and expanding impact of CSR across the nation, reminding participants that India’s CSR framework is an entirely indigenous model—“for India, by India, in India.” He underscored the organic alignment between Schedule VII and the Sustainable Development Goals and elaborated on the “Chatterjee Trikon,” which continues to shape India’s unique CSR architecture. He emphasized that CSR has today grown to include around 28,000 companies with an annual spend of nearly ₹36,000 crore, playing a transformative role in areas such as skill development and preparing India’s youth, especially young women, for the future.

Dr. Chatterjee also expressed particular satisfaction in releasing the report *“Empowering Youth Changemakers,”* prepared by young researchers from Jamia Millia Islamia University under the guidance of Prof. (Dr.) Rihan Khan Suri. He commended the report for capturing the voices, aspirations, and innovative spirit of emerging changemakers who are reshaping the CSR and social innovation landscape. Appreciating the organisers for curating a meaningful and future-focused dialogue, he reaffirmed his commitment to continued engagement with stakeholders working to build an equitable, sustainable, and compassionate India through responsible and impactful CSR.

The team of doctors of RSP who examined the patients were Dr. Sonia Joshi, (Opthalmology), Dr. Goutam Das (ENT), Dr. Manoj Kumar Pradhan (Surgery), Dr. Manabhanjan Mund (Pediatrics), Dr. Divya (O&G), Dr. Leeza Deo (Dental), and Dr. Nilakantha Sahoo (Medicine). They were assisted by Ms. Mousumi Kishan, Ms. Bhagyashree, Ms. Sasmita Oram, Miss Purnima Thakur and Mr. B K Mohapatra, CSR Coordinator.

261 patients were examined in the camp and were provided free medicines and consultation. Besides, 5 patients were identified for further treatment at Ispat General Hospital under various CSR schemes.

It is worth mentioning here that the Medical camps are being organised by RSP in peripheral villages not only reach out to the people living in remote villages but also extend expensive surgical interventions for free treatment at IGH to the identified people suffering from grave ailments.

Underscoring the importance of accountability and measurable impact, Ms. Brar called for robust monitoring, periodic evaluations, and the involvement of credible third-party agencies. She urged stakeholders to align around a unified vision guided by a clear output–outcome framework and methodical project selection. Encouraging a spirit of collaboration, she concluded with a call to action — “Let’s think together, let’s work together” — stressing that well-planned CSR initiatives should empower communities, strengthen livelihoods, and harmonize industrial progress with social well-being and environmental stewardship.

Speaking to a distinguished gathering of policymakers, thought leaders, and industry experts, Dr. Chatterjee highlighted how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has transcended its original role as a corporate obligation to become a nationwide movement driving inclusive development. He underlined that CSR today is not just about compliance but about aligning business responsibility with the nation’s aspirations for social transformation and sustainable growth.

The SKOCH Summit, recognised as a benchmark platform for national dialogue and recognition, this year centered around “Modinomics” — the Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic vision for a Viksit Bharat (Developed India). Eminent speakers, including Prof. S. Mahendra Dev (Chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister), Dr. Ramachandran M (Distinguished Fellow, SKOCH and former Secretary, Urban Development, GoI), Ms. Sindhu Gangadharan (MD, SAP Labs India), Mr. Neelkanth Mishra (Chief Economist, Axis Bank), and Ms. Preeti Anand (Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India), shared insights on how India is poised to become the world’s third-largest economy in the near future.

During the awards ceremony, Dr. Chatterjee was honoured with a prestigious recognition, where he expressed gratitude and reflected on the transformative role of CSR in shaping India’s socio-economic development journey in alignment with the Prime Minister’s vision.

The event also witnessed appreciation for the flawless execution under the leadership of Mr. Sameer Kochhar (Chairman, SKOCH Group), with Dr. Gursharan Dhanjal (Vice Chairman, SKOCH Group) and Mr. Rohan Kochhar (Founder, SKOCH Law Offices) being acknowledged for their contributions.

The evening stood as a testimony to how CSR and sustainability are no longer confined to boardrooms but are actively reshaping India’s development landscape, bringing together citizens, corporates, and policymakers to drive inclusive growth.

Looking ahead, Dr. Chatterjee highlighted the growing role of technology, especially digitization and artificial intelligence, in enhancing transparency and monitoring of CSR initiatives through real-time dashboards. He stressed the importance of integrating CSR with ESG practices to foster greater impact on national development, as well as the increasing convergence of corporate efforts with government programs to maximize outreach. The session underscored the strong support from national and state leadership for CSR, reflecting its rising significance among corporates, civil society, and development professionals.

The conclave was well-attended, indicating the expanding importance of CSR as a strategic priority. It demonstrated a collective recognition of the need for responsible, transparent, and impactful CSR practices to contribute to sustainable development and societal progress.

The MoUs were formalized at a ceremony held at SECL Headquarters, in the presence of Mr. Biranchi Das, Director (HR), SECL.