Manav Rachna's Dr. O.P Bhalla Foundation signs MoU for the Smart Fellowship powered by EKL - an initiative by Workverse, and advised by Nimaya Foundation

Dr. O P Bhalla Foundation and Manav Rachna Educational Institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Workverse, founded by Samyak Chakraborty in the presence of program advisor Ms. Navya Nanda, co-founder of Nimaya. This collaboration is aimed to support The Smart Fellowship, a career accelerator program for women from restrictive backgrounds that helps them build an inspirational career. A batch of 60 underprivileged students will be a part of this programme. The Smart Fellowship is powered by Escorts Kubota Limited, an initiative by Workverse and Nimaya as the Program advisor.

Representatives of Manav Rachna, Dr OP Bhalla Foundation, Nimaya Foundation, Workverse and Balaji College

The MoU was signed by Dr NC Wadhwa, Vice Chairman, Dr OP Bhalla Foundation and Mr. Samyak Chakraborty, Founder, Workverse; in the presence of Dr Prashant Bhalla, President, MREI; and Ms. Navya Naveli Nanda, Founder, Nimaya Foundation and other senior members from Dr. OP Bhalla Foundation, Nimaya Foundation, Workverse and EKL.

The main objective of this proposed project is to enable girls with socio-economic barriers to build aspirational careers by developing them and endowing them with 21st-century skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, entrepreneurial mindset, and emotional intelligence, among others, spread over five weeks in 70 hours. The project will be delivered through self-paced content, live case studies, in-person activities, and projects like workplace simulation, placement training, and workshops that enhance soft skills.

The Smart Fellowship course structure will provide each participant with 5 weeks of soft skills training program that includes components such as Animated Modules on Workplace intelligence skills, Masterclasses with trainers, CEOs, Founders and experts, and a Simulated workplace environment to learn and test proficiency in a 21st Century Skills.

A certification and a "workplace intelligence profile" assess their performance on the 10 modules. The program will provide material to engage and excite the students about this program with regular talk series for the benefit of students.

Dr. O.P. Bhalla Foundation and Balaji College of Education, Ballabgarh, Faridabad have committed female students from the latter to join the program, and the college will ensure a minimum of 85% individual attendance to ensure course completion.

An orientation programme was held today for the beneficiaries of the programmes wherein girl students were informed about the The Smart Fellowship course structure and its benefits.

Dr. Prashant Bhalla said, "The Smart Fellowship offers a comprehensive program that surpasses conventional frameworks. By facilitating mentorship of promising talent by industry titans,The Smart Fellowship bridges the gap created by restrictive circumstances". He added, "This endeavor aligns perfectly with our ongoing work in adopting villages and schools in Faridabad, specifically through our focus on upskilling residents and fostering equal opportunity platforms."

Dr. NC Wadhwa said, "This collaboration aligns with the vision of our Visionary Founder late Honorable Dr. O.P. Bhalla Ji. Dr. O.P. Bhalla Foundation has adopted a multi-disciplinary approach in areas such as education, skill development, gender equality, and healthcare. Thousands of girls benefit from these initiatives every year. This collaboration will help us empowering them to lead healthier, more informed lives, and unlocking avenues for personal and professional growth."

Ms. Navya Naveli Nanda and Mr. Samyak Chakrabarty, mentors have shared their vision, "49% of Indias population is women, and enabling them to become front-seat drivers of Indias economic engine can have a positive domino effect right from a national level to that of her own individual domestic community. However, with the changing nature of work, the meaning of upskilling also has to transform. Rote skills are no longer sufficient in ensuring sustained career trajectories, let alone growth. Automation-led professional redundancy is real and needs to be tackled, especially for women."

This collaboration holds the promise of creating a positive impact on the lives of underprivileged students. The joint effort aspires to break socio-economic barriers and empower these young students with essential skills, enabling them to pursue aspirational careers that will add depth to the learning experience, fostering a holistic development approach. The collaborative spirit reflects a shared vision of creating a more inclusive and empowered workforce, contributing to the overall progress of society.