Ashok Leyland extends its ‘Road to School’ program in Erode, Salem and Dharmapuri Districts of Tamil Nadu

Ashok Leyland, the Indian flagship of the Hinduja Group and the country’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, in partnership with Hinduja Leyland Finance extended the corporate social responsibility program, ‘Road to School’, to 352 schools in Erode, Salem and Dharmapuri Districts of Tamil Nadu. Ashok Leyland will aim to help improve the primary and middle school education in government schools in these three districts. The purpose of the program is to bring about social equality among the school students in the remote villages. Overall, this program reaches over 1,700 schools and benefits 2,00,000 students in more than six states across the country.

The ‘Road to School’ Project in Ammapettai, Erode district was inaugurated by Thiru Raja Gopal Sunkara I.A.S., District Collector, Erode in the presence of Mr. N V Balachandar, Consultant CSR & Corporate Affairs, Ashok Leyland; Mr. T Sasikumar, Head – CSR & Corporate Affairs, Ashok Leyland; and Thiru T. Sambathu, Chief Educational Officer, Erode; and Teachers and students.

The RTS Project in Konganapuram and Magudanchavadi blocks of Salem district was inaugurated by Dr. Brinda I.A.S., District Collector, Salem in the presence of Mrs. Srividhya Ramasamy, Company Secretary, Hinduja Leyland Finance Ltd; and Mr. Srinivasa Rangarajan, Company Secretary Hinduja Housing Finance Ltd; Mr. N V Balachandar, Consultant CSR & Corporate Affairs, Ashok Leyland; Mr. T Sasikumar, Head – CSR & Corporate Affairs, Ashok Leyland and Thiru M. Kabeer, Chief Educational Officer, Erode.

The launch of expansion of Road to School Program in Palacode, Dharmapuri district was inaugurated by Tmt. Santhi, I.A.S., District Collector, Dharmapuri in the presence of Mr. T Sasikumar, Head – CSR & Corporate Affairs, Ashok Leyland and Mr. Vijaykumar, District Educational Officer, Dharmapuri.

Mr. N V. Balachandar, Consultant CSR & Corporate Affairs, Ashok Leyland said, “Ashok Leyland has proudly nurtured this initiative, witnessing its remarkable growth over time. For us, ‘Road to School’ is far more than just a CSR program; it represents a company-wide commitment to driving real, meaningful change in the lives of students. We firmly believe in the transformative power of education and its lasting impact on individuals. With the inclusion of schools in Erode, Salem, and Dharmapuri into our ‘Road to School’ family, we are thrilled to expand our impact and contribute to building our country’s future.

The Road to School Program over the years has created a huge impact in the remote rural schools which has enabled children to improve not only in learning levels but important aspects such as Life Skills development, Sports, Art and thereby improving their ability to be competitive. The program’s uniqueness is the Social Development initiatives that we do in these villages align with the Sustainable Development Goals. The ‘Road to School’ is therefore a program beyond education and, in the true sense, focusses on holistic Development.”

Road to School (RTS), Ashok Leyland’s leading CSR initiative in collaboration with Learning Links Foundation, strives to bridge educational disparities among students in rural and underserved areas attending government schools across India. The Road to School Program envisions fostering holistic development and promoting inclusive education as a means of social empowerment. It supports both academic and co-curricular growth, encompassing health, hygiene, physical and emotional well-being, and sports. RTS program is aligned with the United Nations Global Sustainable Development Goals on improving the quality of education, scholastic and co-scholastic development including sports, and art education, and promoting good health and well-being amongst underserved children from government schools.

The Road to School program has made significant strides in improving educational infrastructure across Tamil Nadu. With this, Ashok Leyland Limited and Hinduja Leyland Finance Limited have extended their support to 352 primary and middle government schools across Dharmapuri, Erode, and Salem districts of Tamil Nadu. These schools are located in blocks identified by the State government as educationally disadvantaged or in need of targeted interventions. This initiative aims to enhance the educational quality and holistic development of over 20,000 children enrolled in these institutions.

Since its inception in 2015 in Krishnagiri district, Tamil Nadu, the program has expanded remarkably. Today, it reaches over 1,700 schools and benefits 2,00,000 students in more than six states across the country.

Ashok Leyland is steadfast in its mission to impact 1 million students, ensuring every child in India has access to quality education. With a commitment to nurturing this vision, the company aims to make a lasting difference in the educational landscape in India.