Bengaluru, December 17, 2025: The tenth season of Proud Fathers For Daughters, an annual fundraising event by Project Nanhi Kali, was held on December 13 and 14, 2025 at the National Sports Club of India, Worli, Mumbai. The milestone season saw an overwhelming turnout, with 240 father-daughter pairs participating from across India. The proceeds from the event will go towards supporting 700+ girls at Project Nanhi Kali, giving them the opportunity to learn, lead and soar.

Proud Fathers For Daughters was founded by Anand Mahindra, Chairperson of the Mahindra Group and K.C. Mahindra Education Trust, and renowned photographer Atul Kasbekar, with an intention of reshaping societal perceptions of the girl child and championing gender equality. The initiative challenges long-standing stereotypes by showcasing fathers not simply as protectors, but as fierce supporters for their daughters’ aspirations. Each portrait serves as a visual pledge, when fathers stand firmly beside their daughters, they help dismantle generational barriers and reimagine what’s possible for every girl.

Acclaimed photographers Atul Kasbekar, Colston Julian, Jaideep Oberoi, Jatin Kampani, Prasad Naik, Rafique Sayed, Rid Burman and Tarun Khiwal lent their artistry and creative expertise generously to make Proud Fathers For Daughters a truly unforgettable event. They turned every portrait into a cherished memory, while underscoring the power of storytelling through photography to inspire change and drive impact. Their commitment to using their art for social good added a profound depth to the event, amplifying its message of empowerment and hope.

This year’s theme, “Wings of Courage,” celebrates two powerful truths. For daughters, courage often takes flight the moment they are reminded they are seen, valued and believed in. For fathers, pride becomes a catalyst for change, encouraging them to champion their daughters publicly, loudly and unapologetically. The theme is also deeply inspired by Project Nanhi Kali’s core mission of giving girls the wings to rise, through 21^st century and sports leadership skills training.

Participants contributed INR 10,000 for a professional father-daughter photoshoot, with each contribution funding the education of one girl for an entire year at Project Nanhi Kali. Beyond providing education and skilling, Project Nanhi Kali’s new curriculum emphasises leadership through critical thinking, sports and teamwork, preparing girls to thrive in the 21st-century.

Over the years, Proud Fathers For Daughters has seen enthusiastic participation from celebrity father-daughter duos such as Neha Dhupia and Pradip Singh Dhupia, Vidya Balan and P.R. Balan, Shatrughan Sinha and Sonakshi Sinha, Sachin Tendulkar and Sara Tendulkar, and Leander Paes and Aiyana Paes, among others.

Since its inception, Proud Fathers For Daughters has become a symbol of hope and empowerment with the participation of 15 photographers, we have raised funds to support 6297 girls at Project Nanhi Kali.

Anand Mahindra, Chairperson of the Mahindra Group and K.C. Mahindra Education Trust, said: “Every year, Project Nanhi Kali’s Proud Fathers For Daughters initiative reminds us of a simple truth: when a father invests in his daughter’s education and dreams, he builds the strongest foundation for her future. This initiative has grown into a movement that celebrates not just the father–daughter bond, but the belief that every girl deserves the opportunity to learn and lead. I am deeply grateful to the photographers who have given their time and talent to the event, helping raise funds to support girls through Project Nanhi Kali. A special thanks to Atul Kasbekar for helping create this initiative and standing by it for ten remarkable editions; his commitment has been instrumental in shaping both its impact and its heart.”

Sheetal Mehta, Executive Director at Project Nanhi Kali and Senior Vice President, CSR, Mahindra, said: “At Project Nanhi Kali, we have always believed that when you educate a girl, you uplift an entire community. Through our new curriculum which focuses on 21st century and sports leadership skills, we continue to give girls the wings they need to Rise- wings of confidence, wings of leadership, wings of courage. Wings of courage is a celebration of this journey: fathers proudly standing by their daughters, and girls discovering just how high they can fly when they feel supported and believed in.”

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Bengaluru, August 26, 2025:  Mr Anand Mahindra unveiled a coffee table book, ‘May A Million Buds Bloom’, a picture book that documents the transformative impact of Project Nanhi Kali.

Established in 1996 by Mr Anand Mahindra, with a vision to empower young girls with holistic education and help them break the shackles of patriarchy, Project Nanhi Kali has touched the lives of close to nine lakh underprivileged girls across India. From tiny hamlets in rural Maharashtra to tribal settlements perched on the Araku hills of Andhra Pradesh; from far-flung border districts of Darjeeling and Shravasti to the congested by lanes of Varanasi, the project has created robust ecosystems in underserved communities through regular engagements with the girls, their parents and community stakeholders.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group, said: “Our endeavour to empower underprivileged girls through academic support, sports, technology and now skill training is a testament of how Project Nanhi Kali has evolved with changing times. The book ‘May A Million Buds Bloom’, through a combination of storytelling and visual art, offers readers a thought provoking and soul stirring glimpse into what change looks like beyond mere numbers.”

Societal transformation and creating gender-neutral attitudes need long-term commitment, which is where Nanhi Kali’s long-term engagement with young girls, their families and communities have helped reshape the ecosystem. Beyond the numbers, this book captures these markers – leisure as a ‘social right’ for the girl child; agency to move, to dream, to aspire. Community Associates have worked as influencers, changing the opinion leaders within the ecosystem sarpanches (village heads), fathers, and grandmothers and greater exposure to the world. Interspersed with anecdotes and bytes from Nanhi Kalis themselves, the book is a collage of imagery – some visual, some oral – all showcasing the lasting impact of the programme.

The book is authored by Nitya Manoj Kumar, a student and passionate photographer. Over three summers, Nitya travelled to and with Nanhi Kalis all over the country, joined them in their classrooms, on the playground, at their homes, at the village square, on public transport, striving to capture the true impact of Project Nanhi Kali on these girls.  Nitya started her work on this book with the conviction that the true impact of Project Nanhi Kali lies in these intangible seeds of transformation – which cannot be counted, touched or measured, but only felt, and experienced.

Well into its third decade, Project Nanhi Kali has evolved from providing after school academic support through personalised adaptive learning platforms to 21st century skills training. The project boasts of an all women army of Skills Associates who serve as role models and are mentors to the girls.

In recent years, a professionally designed sports curriculum was integrated giving the girls an opportunity to participate in fitness activities and team sports leading to the annual athletics and football tournament Toofaan Games & Toofaan Cup respectively.  With over 150,000 girls participating in the Toofaan Games athletics events, and 1000 football teams on the ground, Project Nanhi Kali is easily the largest active girls’ club in India today.

Starting academic year 2024-25, the project embarked on a new journey – Nanhi Kali 3.0,
in line with National Education Policy 2020. This empowers girls from lower income strata studying in secondary government schools with 21^st century skills such as financial, digital literacy and life skills, making the transition from school to the workplace seamless.

Rohini Mukherjee, Chief of Global Partnerships of Naandi Foundation, said,  “For nearly three decades, Project Nanhi Kali has been committed to breaking down the barriers that prevent girls from accessing their right to education, their right to choose and contribute to the India growth story, and we are already seeing a difference.”

Sheetal Mehta, Executive Director at Project Nanhi Kali and Senior Vice President, CSR, Mahindra Group, said, “This coffee table book beautifully captures something we have always known – that the true impact of our work is not just in the number of girls enrolled, but in the confidence in their eyes, the pride in their achievements, and the dreams they now dare to dream. These portraits are a celebration of resilience, and a powerful affirmation of why we do what we do.” 

Nitya Manoj Kumar said, “This book focusses on the lived experiences of the girls whose lives have been touched by Nanhi Kali. The stories captured here speak of confi

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