Hyderabad, Jan 11 : Hand in Hand India (HIH), a non-profit dedicated to poverty eradication and sustainable job creation, organized a one-day CSR symposium on January 8, 2025, at Lemon Tree Premier, HITEC City, Hyderabad. The event aimed to foster discussions on emerging CSR trends, impactful social initiatives, and the growing importance of employee volunteering.

Krishnan N, Managing Trustee of Hand in Hand India, opened the symposium by reflecting on the organization’s journey since 2004. Over the years, HIH has implemented numerous global projects focusing on job creation, child labor elimination, education, healthcare, environmental management, and skill development. Krishnan emphasized that the organization’s integrated approach continues to be pivotal in addressing poverty alleviation and rural development challenges.

Delivering the keynote address, Guest of Honour Mahankali Srinivas Rao, former CEO of T-Hub, underscored the significance of collaborations between corporates and NGOs for achieving lasting social impact. He stressed the importance of aligning corporate strategies with grassroots needs through community-driven projects.

Chief Guest Ms. Sudha Jhijaria, Head of Billion Hearts Beating Foundation and CSR Head at Apollo Hospitals, shared Apollo’s healthcare initiatives, including rural health camps, emergency trauma care centers in cities like Tirupati and Ayodhya, and the Billion Hearts Beating campaign for heart health awareness. She highlighted Apollo’s efforts in providing CPR training for first responders and police personnel.

Sandip Mookerjee, Advisor at HIH India, spoke about the organization’s ongoing mission to eliminate child labor, empower women, and uplift rural communities. He noted that HIH has liberated over 375,000 children from bonded labor and re-integrated them into education. As part of their job creation mission, HIH surpassed its target of creating 10 million jobs in October 2024, with a continued focus on sustainability and scalability for long-term impact.

The symposium featured panel discussions involving representatives from corporate houses and NGOs, exploring CSR trends and sharing perspectives on enhancing NGO-corporate collaborations and fostering employee volunteering.