Pledges to educate a total of half a million girls in the next three years

Mumbai, October 5, 2018: Ahead of the fifth edition of Proud Fathers for Daughters, Project Nanhi Kali commits to educating a total of half a million girl children in the next three years. Project Nanhi Kali will deepen engagements with partner brands, drive sensitization at the Nanhi Kali centres, and strengthen the teams on-ground, to achieve this milestone. The Proud Fathers For Daughters event brings visibility towards the cause of the girl child. The objective of this annual fund raiser event, is to bring about an attitudinal shift towards girls in our patriarchal society, with the underlying message that daughters are in every way as precious as sons.

Mr. Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group said, “The World Bank has stated that educated women help lift households, communities, and nations out of poverty. Nothing could be less ambiguous. If India wants to escape the gravitational pull of poverty, then it cannot afford to waste a moment in ensuring an education for all girls. Through this pledge by Project Nanhi Kali, we are striving to overcome the societal, economical and cultural barriers that prevent girls from claiming their right to an education.”

Back in 2012, deeply moved by the Nirbhaya rape incident, Anand Mahindra and Atul Kasbekar conceptualized ‘Proud Fathers For Daughters’ to change mindsets and attitude towards the girls in India. The first Proud Fathers For Daughters event was held in 2014 and since then this annual event features renowned photographers who capture the special bond between a father and a daughter. The fifth edition of the annual event is scheduled on October 6 and 7, 2018, wherein Atul Kasbekar, Colston Julian, Jaideep Oberoi, Prasad Naik, Rohan Shrestha, Tarun Khiwal and Avinash Gowariker will be capturing magical moments that celebrate the father-daughter bond at Mehboob Studios in Mumbai.

While the photographers do not charge any fee, there is a registration charge for the photoshoot which goes towards education of an underprivileged girl through Project Nanhi Kali. Together with other participants, this event has raised enough proceeds to fund the education of more than 1200 girls over the last four years. India is grappling with the issue of education, and the girl children are the most effected. Estimates show that on an average, a girl in India receives less than four years of education in her lifetime. There are alarming statistics that will require a collaborative and long-term effort by the industry.

Many top celebrity father-daughter duos have lent support in the past to this initiative, including Shatrughan Sinha and daughter Sonakshi Sinha, Anil Kapoor and daughter Sonam Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor and daughter Ridhima Kapoor, Javed Akhtar and daughter Zoya Akhtar, Sachin Tendulkar and daughter Sara Tendulkar, Leander Paes and daughter Aiyana Paes, Arjun Rampal and daughters Myra and Mahikaa as well as Alyque Padamsee and daughters Raell and Shazahn Padamsee.

About Project Nanhi Kali

Project Nanhi Kali was founded in 1996 by Mr. Anand Mahindra, the Chairman of the Mahindra Group which is today one of India’s top industrial houses. The genesis of this programme was his belief that educated women not only contribute to the economy, but also would lead to reduction of social evils like dowry and child marriage. To date, Project Nanhi Kali has empowered more than 3,50,000 girls across rural, tribal and urban regions in 14 states of India by providing them with academic and material support. It also mobilises communities to change mindsets towards girl child education. To know more, please visit www.nanhikali.org.

About Mahindra

The Mahindra Group is a USD 20.7 billion federation of companies that enables people to rise through innovative mobility solutions, driving rural prosperity, enhancing urban living, nurturing new businesses and fostering communities. It has a leadership position in utility vehicles, information technology, financial services and vacation ownership in India and is the world’s largest tractor company, by volume. It also enjoys a strong presence in agribusiness, components, commercial vehicles, speedboats, consulting services, energy, industrial equipment, logistics, real estate, steel, aerospace, defence and two wheelers. Headquartered in India, Mahindra employs over 240,000 people across 100 countries.

Learn more about Mahindra on www.mahindra.com | Twitter and Facebook: @MahindraRise

Media contact information:

Ankita Upadhyay
Group Communications,
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.
Mobile: +91 8826946333