Sminu Jindal, Founder-Chairperson of Svayam, was recently honored with the Mahatma Award 2024 for her remarkable contributions to advancing India’s accessibility agenda. The award for “Leadership in Inclusion, Accessibility, and Social Impact” was presented to her on the eve of Gandhi Jayanti at India International Centre in New Delhi recently.
The Mahatma Awards, which is supported by the Aditya Birla Group, celebrate exceptional contributions in environmental stewardship, social welfare, and governance practices. This year, the honorees for Mahatma Award for Lifetime Achievement included Ms. Sudha Murthy, Philanthropist and Educationist and Member of Rajya Sabha Parliament, and Ms. Kiran Nadar, Chairperson Kiran Nadar Museum of Art among others. The honorees for Mahatma Award for Leadership included Rati Forbes, Director Forbes Marshall in addition to Sminu Jindal, while the honorees for the Mahatma Award for Young Change Makers consisted of Dr. Abhishek Lakhtakia, CEO, Adani Foundation, and Siba Mohapatra, CSR Cluster Head, Hindalco among others. The honorees for Mahatma Award for CSR, ESG and Sustainability included Apollo Tyre Ltd., Coca-Cola India Pvt. Ltd., HPCL Indus Towers Ltd. and more while the Mahatma Award for Social Impact was awarded to honorees like Anudip Foundation. Delhi Council for Child Welfare, IRMA, JECRC University and others.
Expressing her gratitude for this recognition, Ms. Sminu Jindal, Founder-Chairperson, Svayam said, “Creating accessible environments are essential for all, from athletes to soldiers returning with disabilities. My experiences have highlighted the importance of understanding and supporting those who face challenges. Education and awareness are vital for breaking stigma and enhancing accessibility. An accessible world offers opportunities and the freedom to make choices and that is the world that Svayam is trying to create – a world with limitless possibilities for people with reduced mobility.”
Under Ms. Jindal’s leadership, Svayam has been a pioneering leader in advocating for an inclusive environment, tirelessly working to uphold the dignity of people with reduced mobility by collaborating with government ministries & agencies, private sector and transport authorities, in India and abroad. Svayam believes in accessibility as a fundamental right for all and these initiatives resonate profoundly with Ms. Jindal’s overarching mission to reform infrastructure, transportation, and other sectors ensuring accessibility for diverse groups, including the elderly, pregnant women, and victims of war and natural disasters.
With a dedication to nurturing an inclusive society where every individual can thrive and fully participate in their communities, Svayam aims to break all barriers in furthering India’s accessibility agenda. Also present at the event were organizer Mr. Amit Sachedva, Founder of the Mahatma Award, Ms. Kiran Bedi as the Chief Guest in addition to Mahatma Gandhi’s granddaughter Ms Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee and Ms. Rajashree Birla, Chairperson, Aditya Birla Centre for Rural Development and Community Initiative.
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