Mumbai, 10th October 2022 : HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones has partnered with Shikhar Dhawan Foundation to distribute smart devices to under-privileged students of Delhi NCR region with an aim to promote/support e-learning in India for these kids having affordability and accessibility issue. The first drive of device distribution on 19th September 2022 was organized at NeeV – A Learning Centre, Village Nangli Umarpur, Golf Course Extension, Gurugram under the attendance of Shikhar Dhawan (Cricketer and Founder, Shikhar Dhawan Foundation) and Sanmeet Singh Kochhar (Vice President- INDIA and MENA, HMD Global) along with key leadership of both the organisations. This CSR initiative is a part of HMD Global’s & Shikhar Dhawan Foundation’s collective endeavor to promote e-learning for all the under-privileged students in India where they are not able to afford such devices due to price constraints. HMD Global & Shikhar Dhawan Foundation will be continuously working together to bridge this demand & supply gap in the months to come so as to promote e-learning. The vision for Shikhar Dhawan Foundation is to sow the seeds of prosperity and happiness across the globe through collaborative efforts to serve the community.
The smart devices were handed over jointly by Mr. Shikhar Dhawan and Mr. Sanmeet Singh Kochhar. Smart devices including tablets and smartphones have become crucial in today’s academic scenario. This has been a strain for students from under-privileged backgrounds having limited to no access to such smart mobile devices due to affordability. In order to support the young guns of India, HMD Global and Shikhar Dhawan Foundation seeks to bridge this digital divide through this initiative and further promote e-learning for all students.
Speaking for the cause, Shikhar Dhawan says, “Without access to proper smartphone mobiles devices & internet, school going under privileged students are the ones who are suffering the most. With this problem in mind, our team has been working towards the same to address the issue & I congratulate my team for taking this initiative up which is very close to my heart.”
At the occasion, Sanmeet Singh Kochhar, Vice President-India & MENA, HMD Global said, “This initiative is in tune to HMD Global’s commitment to ensuring everyone has access to affordable and long-lasting technology. We are delighted to be partnering with Shikhar Dhawan foundation, who share our values and ideals of creating deep and sustainable impact in people’s lives. We feel blessed to be able to support the journey of these bright young minds by equipping them with the right tools to further their education. As a part of HMD Global’s ongoing campaign, Smarter Banega India, we intend to empower people with the right technology. We will continue to undertake such social initiatives that align with the HMD Global vision and values”.
Amitesh Shah, Group CEO of DA-ONE (an initiative of Shikhar Dhawan) said, “Access to technology is crucial to lifelong learning independent of geographies. With this initiative, we plan to empower students to bring forth phenomenal contributions to the community. Our partnership for this drive will help us reach out to the underprivileged school children and hand them over the power to change the future with the resource bank in their hands.
Dr. Kanika Dewan, Director of Impact and Strategy at the Shikhar Dhawan Foundation, said,”We are very happy to partner for this drive to provide better accessibility of e-learning in India. Technology has been phenomenal in furthering the reach and quality of education. And yet, basic smart devices are still a luxury for a large part of the country. By equipping these young promising minds with the right technology, we are making a major investment for the future. We will continue to work towards ensuring that every student has access to quality education. “
