Gitanjali Group, one of the leading jewellery retail brand, has been awarded the prestigious Helen Keller Award by National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) in recognition of its commitment to help people with disabilities and aiding their integration into society under its Project Saksham. The award was presented to the group by P Chidambaram, Home Minister, in a grand ceremony on the eve of World Disability Day.
Gitanjali Group’s Saksham Initiative aims to empower People With Disabilities (PWD’s) through providing them training and gainful employment thus creating the conditions for integrating these individuals back in the society.
The Saksham training centre located in Hyderabad offers a six-month training programme to PWDs as well as rural youth on the basics of jewellery designing and manufacturing. The group offers free boarding and lodging facilities for outstation participants and a token stipend for the locals. After completion of the training and gaining some work experience in the factory, Gitanjali helps in gainful employment within and outside the gem and jewellery industry.
The group currently employs nearly 200 persons with disabilities and plans to add over 1,000 disabled workers over the next three years at its manufacturing units.
Mehul Choksi, Chairman and Managing Director, Gitanjali Group, said, “This award not only reflects the commitment of sustained excellence by our group, but recognises our steadfast efforts in helping the lesser fortunate people and help them live a respectable and brighter life.”
CSR initiative of the Gitanjali Group comprises different social programmes in the fields of education, health, providing employment to PWDs etc, under the banners Saksham, Saakshar, Sujyot, Sneh and Srishti.
Gitanjali Group was founded as a cutting and polishing diamonds for the jewellery trade at Surat, Gujarat, in 1966. The company now is present in countries such as USA, UK, Belgium, Italy, the Middle East, Thailand, South East Asia, China and Japan.
— IndiaRetailing Bureau
