Launches Phase VIII of ‘Prison to Pride’& Phase V of ‘Nayi Disha – Smile for Juvenile’
Mumbai: In a continued endeavourto uplift the lives of prison inmates and juveniles, Mr Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, Chairman, IndianOil launched Phase VIII of IndianOil’s ‘Parivartan – Prison to Pride’ and Phase V of ‘Nayi Disha – Smile for Juvenile’ today. In this phase IndianOil will touch the lives of over 1000 individuals across 22 prisons and juvenile homes. With this roll-out, IndianOil is set to transform the lives of over 7300 inmates and juveniles across 150 institutions, including 15 female juvenile centers, offering sports coaching and equipment across 23 States and 6 Union Territories.
On the occasion Chairman, IndianOil said, “I am proud that IndianOil is the leading voice among the corporates and stands as a beacon of hope for the incarcerated. Through ‘Parivartan’ and ‘Nayi Disha’ we are leveraging sports to provide second chances to prisoners and juveniles who can tread a new path in life.” Mr Vaidya, further highlighted that these endeavours exemplify IndianOil’s core value of ‘Nation First’, extending beyond business to touch the lives of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable sections of the society.
Mr Vaidya also shared that beyond these initiatives, IndianOil is also illuminating lives through its ‘Umeed – A Hope’ project. “In collaboration with State Prison departments, we have already established over 53fuel stations operated by current and former inmates, fostering a sense of belonging and pride among inmates through social reintegration”.
On the occasion, the participating State government officials and prison authorities thanked IndianOil for this unique intervention that will help the inmates and juveniles build a better life and contribute fruitfully to the society.
It is noteworthy that these flagship outreach programmes of IndianOil for jail inmates have gained global recognition for their social impact. Inmates from Yeravda prison, Pune won Gold Medals (Open category) and Bhopal Juvenile Centre (Youth Category) at the Intercontinental “Chess for Freedom” online chess championship for prisonersorganised by World Chess Federation (FIDE).
The initiative has also received the Sportstar Aces Chairperson Award 2023 for sports for social good and the prestigious Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards for Thought Leadership. It was also acknowledged by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) at the Chess for Freedom Conference at Chicago in 2023. IndianOil Chairman, MrShrikant Madhav Vaidya was bestowed with the prestigious title of “Friend of FIDE” by the World Chess Federation(FIDE). This award recognisesIndianOil’s valuable contribution to FIDE Chess for Freedom programme and promotion of sports as a tool for social transformation in India. ‘Parivartan- Prison to Pride’ initiative was launched on August 15, 2021, while the first phase of ‘Nayi Disha – Smile for Juvenile’was introduced on January 26, 2023
