Tata Steel Foundation Awards Jyoti Fellowship to 1211 Economically Backward Meritorious Students in Joda

Rs 1.29 Cr fellowship disbursed

• Around 300 women engaged in discussions on development of digital skills

• 100 farmers learnt on commercial farming and sustainable water management practices

Joda: Tata Steel Foundation (TSF) awarded Jyoti Fellowship to the tune of Rs 1.29cr to 1211 meritorious students, belonging to economically disadvantaged Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities of Joda region in its Arunima programme at Joda on Tuesday.

Arunima, a two-day event aimed at emphasizing the critical significance of sustainable water management and development.

Atul Kumar Bhatnagar, GM (OMQ), Tata Steel, graced the occasion as chief guest, joined by Rajesh Kumar, Chief, Joda, Tata Steel, Deepak Kumar Behera, Chief, Kalmang Gandhalpada Project, Tata Steel, Rahul Kishore, Chief, NINL, Ambika Prasad Nanda, CSR Head, Odisha, Tata Steel Foundation, and other officials from TSF.

The inaugural day featured the Jyoti Fellowship event, where the deserving students were awarded fellowship.

Aligned with the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development – Averting a global water crisis,” the event focused on addressing water-related challenges through capacity building, awareness initiatives, and innovative solutions.

The programme showcased the Foundation’s sustainable water and agriculture projects, encompassing water harvesting structures, watershed management, and educational endeavours for farmers.

The second day of the event centered on women leaders and farmers. Through the Foundation’s Disha Project, approximately 300 women participated in discussions on socio-political empowerment and digital skill development. Notable personalities like Padamshree Daitri Naik and Padamshree Tulsi Munda attended as chief guests, sharing insights on the personal journeys of participants.

Approximately 100 farmers discussed commercial farming and sustainable water management, stressing surface and groundwater conservation, water harvesting structures, and watershed management.

The Joda edition of Arunima showcased Tata Steel Foundation’s holistic approach to sustainable community development, focusing on farmer capacity building, women’s involvement, technology integration, and innovative initiatives like livelihood-based farm ponds. This reflects the Foundation’s dedication to empowering communities to improve water management practices, foster inclusivity, and support deserving students for a brighter future.