दिल्ली आजकल ब्यूरो, दिल्ली
19 दिसंबर 2023

साल 2023 को ‘अंतरराष्ट्रीय मिलेट वर्ष’ के रूप में मनाया जा रहा है. रिलायंस फाउंडेशन ने इस अवसर पर मिलेट से संबंधित नीतियों, समस्याओं और उपायों पर ‘शेपिंग पर्सपेक्टिव्स ऑन प्रैक्टिस एंड पॉलिसी फॉर मिलेट्स इन इंडिया’ एक सम्मेलन आयोजित किया. सम्मेलन में किसानों के साथ सरकार से जुड़े अधिकारियों और बाजार विशेषज्ञों ने हिस्सा लिया. सभी हितधारक इस बात पर सहमत दिखे कि खाद्य सुरक्षा, कृषि आजीविका और पोषण में विविधता की चुनौतियों का सामना करने के लिए मिलेट तैयार है.

नीति निर्माताओं, किसान प्रतिनिधियों, शोधकर्ताओं और उद्योग प्रतिनिधियों ने अधिक सहयोग की आवश्यकता पर बल दिया. साथ ही किसान-केंद्रित प्रयासों को बढ़ाने और भारत की मिलेट नीति की सफलताओं और चुनौतियों पर विचार-विमर्श किया गया.

सम्मेलन में कृषि एवं किसान कल्याण मंत्रालय की संयुक्त सचिव सुश्री शुभा ठाकुर ने कहा, “रिलायंस फाउंडेशन को किसानों के साथ काम करते हुए देखकर खुशी होती है. यदि मिलेट को सफल बनाना है तो सभी को साथ आना होगा. किसानों की आय बढ़ाने के लिए ब्रांडिंग, निर्यात क्षमता को बढ़ाने की आवश्यकता है.

रिलायंस फाउंडेशन के सीईओ जगन्नाथ कुमार ने कहा, “यह दशक वैश्विक खाद्य प्रणाली और मिलेट के लिए परिवर्तनकारी रहा है. हम देख रहे हैं कि मोटे अनाजों की मांग में बदलाव हो रहा है और भारत ने आगे बढ़कर इस बदलाव का नेतृत्व किया है. यह मध्यम से छोटे और सीमांत किसानों के लिए बेहतर आजीविका सुनिश्चित करेगा. साथ ही कृषि पद्धतियों के माध्यम से प्राकृतिक संसाधनों को संतुलित करने में भी मदद करेगा. साझा विकास लक्ष्यों के साथ इस गति को बनाए रखना आवश्यक है. रिलायंस फाउंडेशन में, हम मिलेट के साथ भोजन और कृषि प्रणालियों में विविधता लाने के लिए गहराई से प्रतिबद्ध हैं.

इस अवसर पर, ‘फोस्टरिंग रेजिलिएंस फॉर सस्टेनेबिलिटी: रिलायंस फाउंडेशन्स मिलेट एक्सपीरियंस’ का प्रकाशन किया गया. जिसमें विभिन्न राज्यों में मिलेट से उपजे अनुभवों और जानकारियों का दस्तावेजीकरण किया गया है. इसमें किसानों के लिए गुणवत्तापूर्ण बीज सुलभ बनाना, निरंतर तकनीकी सहायता प्रदान करना, महिला एजेंसियों को सशक्त बनाना और मिलेट के बारे में जागरूकता पैदा करना शामिल है.

बताते चलें कि 2018 में देश ने ‘राष्ट्रीय मिलेट वर्ष’ मनाया था. इसके साथ ही भारत ने संयुक्त राष्ट्र में ‘अंतर्राष्ट्रीय मिलेट वर्ष’ यानी इंटरनेशनल ईयर ऑफ मिलेट्स (IYOM) का प्रस्ताव पेश किया था. मार्च 2021 में संयुक्त राष्ट्र के 75वें महासभा सत्र में, मिलेट खाने और उगाने के लाभों के बारे में वैश्विक जागरूकता बढ़ाने के लिए वर्ष 2023 को इंटरनेशनल ईयर ऑफ मिलेट्स (IYOM) घोषित किया गया.

Nita M Ambani, IOC member and Founder Chairperson of the Reliance Foundation, thanked the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, for inaugurating the opening ceremony of the 141st IOC session in Mumbai on Saturday.

Speaking on the occasion, Mrs Ambani said, “Respected Prime Minister, we are filled with immense joy and gratitude that you have joined us today. You are the leader of the world’s largest democracy, the Architect of New India. Your support to sport has made this session in India a reality.”

Mrs Ambani welcomed Thomas Bach, the President of the International Olympic Committee as well as the delegates from the IOC, saying, “It is an absolute honour for us to host this historic IOC Session in India after 40 years, and in Mumbai for the first time ever! Aamchi Mumbai ─ our Mumbai ─ welcomes all of you.”

Mrs Ambani spoke about how this session was a great confluence between India and the world, saying, “In this meeting of the IOC, I see the confluence of two wonderful forces. One is the Olympic Movement, which unites humanity and transcends all national, racial, religious, and linguistic barriers. The other is India, the world’s largest democracy as the host of this meeting.”

“The mantra and motto of our 5,000-year-old civilisation is ‘वसुधैव कुटुंबकम’, which our Prime Minister declared as the theme – at India’s Presidency of the G20 Summit last month. It means: “The Entire World Is One Family.”

“Today, more than ever, our world needs to reunite in fraternity and solidarity.”

Mrs Ambani also congratulated India’s athletes for their record medal haul at the recently concluded Asian Games 2023. “Our young girls and boys are exhibiting incredible talent in diverse sporting arenas around the world. Most recently, they have made us all proud at the Asian Games in China. Many of them come from very humble backgrounds. Some of them are in our midst today. Let’s give them a huge round of applause.”

Mrs Ambani concluded her speech by saying that India is a torchbearer for the Olympic movement, encouraging everyone to commit to it.

“When our Prime Minister Narendrabhai Modi declares the hundred and forty first IOC Session open, India will once again open its arms to the world, not just as a host but as a torchbearer for the Olympic Movement,” Mrs Ambani said.

दिल्ली आजकल ब्यूरो, दिल्ली
12 अक्टूबर 2023

आईओसी के प्रेसिडेंट थॉमस बाख ने नीता अंबानी और रिलायंस फाउंडेशन के काम की सराहना की है. प्रेसिडेंट बाख मुंबई में चल रही आईओसी एग्जीक्यूटिव बोर्ड की मीटिंग के उद्धाटन पर बोल रहे थे. बाख ने कहा कि नवी मुंबई में रिलायंस फाउंडेशन यंग चैंप्स अकादमी के दौरे पर उन्होंने जो देखा, उससे वे बेहद प्रभावित हुए हैं.

आईओसी प्रेसिडेंट बाख ने कहा “अंतरराष्ट्रीय ओलंपिक समिति की मेरी सहयोगी और मित्र नीता अंबानी के साथ मैंने रिलायंस फाउंडेशन का दौरा किया. वहां बच्चों और युवाओं के लिए चल रहे खेल और शिक्षा से संबंधित कार्यक्रम देखे. मैं वास्तव में रिलायंस और उसकी टीम से बहुत प्रभावित हूं क्योंकि इस केंद्र में पूरे भारत के बच्चों को देखा जा सकता है. इनमें से अधिकांश वंचित परिवारों से आते हैं. यहां उन्हें स्कूली शिक्षा के साथ एक उच्च स्तरीय एथलीट बनने के लिए प्रशिक्षण और तैयारियों का अवसर भी दिया जाता है.

बाख विशेष रूप से रिलायंस फाउंडेशन और इसकी चेयरपर्सन और आईओसी सदस्य श्रीमती अंबानी के ओलंपिक मूल्यों के अनुसार किए जा रहे काम से बेहद खुश थे. उनके अनुसार नीता अंबानी का काम ओलंपिक मूल्यों का सटीक प्रतिबिंब है. उन्होंने आगे कहा आईओसी में मेरी साथी भारत में खेलों के लिए अच्छा काम कर रही हैं.

बाख ने आगे कहा कि “रिलायंस फाउंडेशन का काम कुछ ऐसा है. जो वास्तव में हमारे ओलंपिक मूल्यों और दृष्टि को दर्शाता है. इतने बड़े पैमाने पर इस काम देखना और किया जाना और वह भी एक निजी संस्था रिलायंस फाउंडेशन द्वारा किया जाना वास्तव में प्रभावशाली है. नीता अंबानी द्वारा निर्देशित यह काम, भारत में खेल के भविष्य के लिए और ओलंपिक में खेले जाने वाले खेलों के लिए भी बहुत उत्साहजनक है.”

इस सप्ताह की शुरुआत में, इंटरनेशनल ओलंपिक कमेटी (आईओसी) ने ओलंपिक संग्रहालय के साथ मिलकर भारत में ओलंपिक मूल्य शिक्षा कार्यक्रम (ओवीईपी) की सफलता के लिए रिलायंस फाउंडेशन के साथ गठबंधन किया था और एक सहयोग समझौते पर हस्ताक्षर किए थे. यह समझौता युवाओं के बीच खेल के माध्यम से ओलंपिक मूल्यों को बढ़ावा देने के लिए संगठनों की साझा प्राथमिकता को रेखांकित करता है.

नए सहयोग पर आईओसी प्रेसिडेंट थॉमस बाख और भारत में आईओसी सदस्य और रिलायंस फाउंडेशन की फाउंडर चेयरपर्सन नीता अंबानी ने मुंबई में रिलायंस फाउंडेशन यंग चैंप्स (आरएफवाईसी) फुटबॉल अकादमी की यात्रा के दौरान इस पर सहमति व्यक्त की थी. इसका भी उल्लेख प्रसिडेंट बाख ने अपने उद्घाटन भाषण में किया.

22 September 2023

As the world has gathered for the 78^th session of the United Nations General Assembly week, Reliance Foundation, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), and United Nations India will host two dialogues with the overarching theme, “India’s journey towards the Sustainable Development Goals”.

Delivering Development: Journeys, Directions and Lighthouses on 22^nd September 2023will focus on India’s ambitious agenda, which aims to address its priorities and challenges including improved health and educational outcomes, food and energy security, economic empowerment and growth, and climate resilience. India’s approach in its development journey towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals will be also be discussed in this dialogue. The second dialogue, on 23^rd September 2023, South Rising: Partnerships, Institutions and Ideas, will discuss the role of India and the Global South in advancing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals agenda. The focus here will not only be on the significant role these regions play towards global development, but will also include deliberations on the post-2030 agenda and lessons to move forward from thereon.

A special publication ‘Ideas, Innovation, Implementation’ that delves into the work of development organisations in India across each of the 17 SDGs, will be released at the event. Speaking about the events,  Ruchira Kamboj, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, stated, “As the world takes stock of how far we have reached towards achieving the SDGs, it is important to highlight stories of success that could be adapted in other contexts, especially by countries of the Global South. India’s development journey and innovative bottom-up multi-stakeholder approaches to achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals offer exemplary models for other countries of the Global South.”

Mr Jagannatha Kumar, CEO, Reliance Foundation, said, “We need to think now, beyond 2030. Even as we take stock of our performance on the SDGs, the dialogues that we are jointly hosting during the UNGA week aim to open conversations to find innovative new ways to answer this question. It is time not just to take stock of how far we have reached, but also thinking beyond 2030, defining what our brave new world will look like. Presenting our ideas and experiences on a global platform during a significant time such as the UNGA is indeed an introspective time for organisations in the development sector. From the collective experiences of India, we have also seen resilience, a wealth of experiences and multiple insights on the path to development. As we explore these conversations, we look beyond towards actions – collective, concrete and concerted.”

Dr. Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation, said, “India has emerged decisively as the voice of the Global South, and its G20 presidency has foregrounded the priorities of the developing world. Our development agenda has long reflected the social, economic and environmental concerns that define the SDGs today. We are convinced that some of the approaches and practices we have evolved could act as lighthouses for other parts of the world, hasten our collective progress towards the 2030 Agenda, and serve as a legacy for the post-SDG era. In this context, the publication, Ideas, Innovation, Implementation, aims not simply to present a set of exemplary interventions, but also to spark dialogue about how we might innovate to build more equal societies, and a safe and prosperous planet.”     

Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator, India, said, “While the SDGs remain our shared blueprint for a more prosperous and peaceful world by 2030, the world has fallen far behind at the halfway point. Yet India represents an increasing source of optimism that we can get back on track. From delivering domestic development results at a scale able to move the SDG needle, across poverty reduction, inclusive digitalization, women-led development and the energy transition, to bringing positive momentum to multilateralism and South-South cooperation, India is blazing new paths. A week ago, all eyes were on the G20 as world leaders gathered under to deliver an important consensus New Delhi Declaration with the SDGs at its core. We need to carry this same momentum forward to 2030 and beyond.”

The two dialogues are expected to feature high-level speakers and experts like Ruchira Kamboj, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations; Hemang Jani, Senior Advisor to Executive Director for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka, The World Bank Group; Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, United Nations Christopher Elias, President, Global Development, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and many more. Both dialogues will reinforce the commitment of various developmental organisations to generate continued dialogue, innovative partnerships, and new ideas in the pathway to accelerate the world’s progress towards the SDGs.

September 6, 2023

The Reliance Foundation Scholarships programme, one of India’s largest, inclusive and diverse scholarships initiatives for higher education, has opened applications to award 5,000 undergraduate scholarships for the academic year 2023-24. Applications are open until 15 October 2023 to all first-year regular undergraduate students across all branches of study.

The importance of investing in the power and potential of youth was a firm belief of Reliance’s Founder Chairman Dhirubhai Ambani. Taking this vision forward, the Reliance Foundation Scholarships aim to strengthen young people’s access to higher education. In December 2022, on the occasion of  Dhirubhai Ambani’s 90^th birth anniversary, Mrs Nita Ambani, Founder & Chairperson, Reliance Foundation, announced Reliance Foundation’s significant commitment to support 50,000 students with scholarships over the next 10 years as part of her vision to empower youth for a better tomorrow.

The Reliance Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship selects students based on a merit-cum-means criteria for undergraduate college education, to continue their studies without financial burden. The Scholarships aim to enable students to become successful professionals and realize their dreams, unlocking their potential to lift themselves and their communities and contribute towards India’s future socio-economic development.

“India has the world’s largest youth population, and our young people have immense potential to take the nation to new heights. At Reliance Foundation, we work to provide opportunity and access to quality education. We are strongly committed to helping young people fulfil their aspirations and enable them to contribute to India’s growth,” said  Jagannatha Kumar, CEO, Reliance Foundation.

The Reliance Foundation Undergraduate Scholarships programme will award selected scholars a grant of up to Rs. 2 lakhs for the entire course of study. The scholars will also get to be a part of an enabling support system that equips them with skills for holistic development and a vibrant alumni network. The programme encourages applications from girls and people with disabilities. Selection will be based on performance in an aptitude test, Class 12marks, household income and other eligibility criteria.

Since 1996, through the Dhirubhai Ambani Scholarships and Reliance Foundation Scholarships, Reliance has supported undergraduate scholarships for more than 18,000 young people, over half of them being women and nearly 2,800 people with disabilities. Many scholars have studied at premier institutes and have gone on to occupy leadership positions in their communities and organisations in India and abroad.

For the Reliance Foundation Undergraduate Scholarships 2022-23, nearly one lakh students expressed interest by registering and out of 40,000 applications from nearly all states of India, 5,000 scholars were selected on the basis of eligibility and performance in the aptitude test. Out of these, 51% of the students were women and 97 scholars were people with disabilities. The selected scholars were from 1,630 educational institutions pursuing full time graduation courses from all streams of study.

A Spokesperson of Reliance Foundations said, about Reliance Foundation Scholarships and to apply, students can visit our website www.scholarships.reliancefoundation.org & get all the details about the program. 

28 August 2023

The Board of Directors of RIL, at its meeting held today, on the recommendation of the Human Resources, Nomination and Remuneration Committee, considered and recommended to the shareholders for approval of appointment of Isha Ambani, Akash Ambani and Anant Ambani as Non-Executive Directors of the Company. Their appointment will take effect from the date they assume office after approval by the shareholders.

The Board of Directors also accepted the resignation of Nita Ambani from the Board respecting her decision to devote her energies and time to guide and enable Reliance Foundation to make even greater impact for India. The Board of Directors appreciated Nita Ambani for her leadership of Reliance Foundation as its Founder Chairperson. Over the years, RF has made considerable progress in its mission of nurturing and empowering marginalised and under-resourced communities in India. They lauded Nita Ambani’s request to focus even more on strengthening Reliance Foundation as it embarks on a mission to achieve even greater societal transformation by undertaking a host of new programmes and initiatives.

As the Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, Nita Ambani will attend all the RIL Board meetings as a permanent invitee to the Board so that the Company can continue to benefit from her advice.

Isha Ambani, Akash Ambani and Anant Ambani have been closely involved with and are leading and managing key businesses of RIL over the last few years including retail, digital services and energy and materials businesses. They also serve on the boards of the key subsidiaries of RIL. Their appointment to the Board of RIL will enable RIL to gain from their insights and infuse new ideas, the Board opined.