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Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Mekin Maheshwari named Senior Ashoka Fellow for Udhyam Learning Foundation's work towards making India entrepreneurial
Mekin Maheshwari named Senior Ashoka Fellow for Udhyam Learning Foundation's work towards making India entrepreneurial Mekin Maheshwari, Founder and CEO of Udhyam Learning Foundation, has been elected as a Senior Ashoka Fellow, joining a global community of leading changemakers recognised for their exceptional contributions to social innovation and systemic transformation. This recognition by Ashoka , the world's largest network of social entrepreneurs (founded by Bill Drayton in 1980 and headquartered in Washington, D.C.), affirms Mekin's visionary leadership and pioneering work through Udhyam Learning Foundation in building entrepreneurial mindsets and 21st-century skills among underserved youth and micro-entrepreneurs across India. Established in 2017, Udhyam runs two core programs - Shiksha and Vyapaar, partnering with governments, institutions, and ecosystem partners to drive large-scale, replicable, systemic change. Udhyam Shiksha integrates mandatory entrepreneurship education among grade 9–12 students in government schools, leveraging technology and teacher training, reaching over 39 lakh learners through 40,000 educators across 9,000+ schools/ITIs in 12 states. Udhyam Vyapaar supports 6,100+ nano/micro-entrepreneurs through mentorship, delivering over 15,000 hours of training and enabling an income uplift of approximately ₹27.5 crore. What is the Ashoka Senior Fellowship? Ashoka is the world's largest network of social entrepreneurs, advancing the vision that everyone can be a changemaker. For over four decades, Ashoka has identified and supported leading social innovators whose ideas create system-changing impact. With a presence in over 90 countries, Ashoka Fellows work across sectors to solve some of the world's most pressing challenges. Senior Fellows are recognised as role models who bridge sectors and inspire the next generation of leaders. Through its fellowship, collaborative platforms, and youth programs, Ashoka empowers individuals and institutions to drive lasting social change. Dr. Shruti Nair, Diamond Leader, Ashoka Innovators for the Public, India, shared, 'At Ashoka, we believe that in today's rapidly changing world, it's not enough to prepare young people for the jobs that exist — we must empower them to create the solutions the world needs. Mekin's impact through Udhyam has already helped shift the mindset at a huge scale around the importance of young people growing up with an entrepreneurial outlook. He is one of roughly 20 social entrepreneurs elected as Senior Ashoka Fellows in India over the last few decades. We are thrilled to welcome Mekin into the Ashoka community. His values and co-leadership are critical to advancing our shared vision of India as an 'Everyone a Changemaker' society.' 'Given the right environment, anyone can be a changemaker' - Mekin Maheshwari An early leader at Flipkart - India's largest homegrown e-commerce brand - Mekin played diverse and critical roles, including Head of Technology and later Chief People Officer, helping shape the company's culture and scale its team to 350,000 employees. Despite his success, Mekin felt unfulfilled and concerned about how India's education system was lagging behind its economic growth. Realising that job creation couldn't keep pace with population growth, he saw a need for a mindset shift toward self-reliance. Taking a gap year, he travelled across India, meeting social innovators to better understand the problem. He observed that while India holds a demographic advantage—with 67% of its population in the working age—unemployment and lack of opportunity keep low- to middle-income families in cycles of poverty. He realised that entrepreneurship education, rooted in experiential learning and problem-solving, could transform how young people make decisions for personal and societal progress. Notably, this mindset had never been introduced at scale in school systems serving underprivileged communities. To address this, Mekin founded Udhyam with the goal of embedding entrepreneurial thinking into mainstream education. By partnering with public education systems, Udhyam aims to make this approach scalable, relevant, and integral to growing up in India. Udhyam is not only enabling a shift in young people's mindsets, but also influencing how adults from low- to middle-income communities in India view their futures—moving from job-seeking to job-creating. Through practical skilling and mentoring, the initiative empowers individuals to navigate uncertainty and build livelihoods on their terms. This approach is helping youth develop agency early in life, while also supporting adults to grow sustainable micro-enterprises. Together, these efforts are building a culture of self-reliance, economic participation, and local problem-solving within communities often excluded from traditional opportunity pathways. ' We believe that every individual has the potential to thrive if we create enabling environments. This fellowship is not just a personal honour but a recognition of the collective will at Udhyam to reimagine education, livelihoods, and dignity for all,' said Mekin Maheshwari. This recognition of over 8 years of grassroots work by an ex-corporate leader is rare; most corporate leaders tend to transition into philanthropy or take on advisory roles with think tanks. Through this milestone, Ashoka and Udhyam aim to spark a broader dialogue: What if more corporate leaders brought their scale-oriented thinking to address the root causes of social challenges? Mekin's journey offers a powerful blueprint. Disclaimer - The above content is non-editorial, and TIL hereby disclaims any and all warranties, expressed or implied, relating to it, and does not guarantee, vouch for or necessarily endorse any of the content. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Hans India
16-06-2025
- General
- Hans India
Chhattisgarh revises school hours for a week amid heatwave as new session begins
In response to the ongoing heatwaves across several regions of Chhattisgarh, the state government has revised school timings for a week from June 17 to 21. As per the directive issued by the School Education Department, all government and private schools will now function from 7.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. -- a precautionary measure to protect students from the harsh midday sun. Regular school hours will resume from June 23 onward. Amid this weather-conscious adjustment, the new academic session officially began on June 16 with a vibrant start across the state. Schools reopened with the celebration of the 'Shala Pravesh Utsav (School Admission Festival)", marked by warm welcomes, sweets, and cheerful ceremonies. At various schools in Raipur, teachers greeted students with a 'tilak' and distributed sweets, setting a festive tone for the year ahead. Similar scenes unfolded in Bilaspur, Jagdalpur, Raigarh, Durg, and Bhilai, where educators embraced returning students with enthusiasm. Raipur District Education Officer Vijay Khandelwal announced that the admission festival will continue with block-level events on June 18 and a district-level celebration at a Girls' School on June 20. These events aim to boost enrollment and ensure that no child is left behind at the start of the academic year. The state government has also made significant strides in school rationalisation. Previously, 212 primary and 48 pre-secondary schools operated without a single teacher. Additionally, over 7,000 schools were functioning with only one teacher. Through a comprehensive restructuring effort, the government has now ensured that every school in Chhattisgarh has at least one teacher. Meanwhile, 166 underutilised schools have been merged, and institutions with zero student enrollment have been reassessed. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, who welcomed new students in schools through a message on his X handle on Monday, emphasised the state's commitment to achieving 100 per cent literacy. In a letter to education officials, he reiterated the goal of reducing the school dropout rate to zero by Class 12, in line with the National Education Policy 2020. He also launched the 'Mukhyamantri Shiksha Gunvatta Abhiyan (Quality Campaign)', aimed at enhancing learning outcomes in government schools.
Mint
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Two FIRs against Rahul Gandhi, over 100 Congress workers over event without permission in Bihar's Darbhanga
Police on Thursday registered two FIRs against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and more than 100 party workers for organising the 'Shiksha, Nyay Samvad' outreach programme at Ambedkar Hostel in Bihar's Darbhanga district without permission, officials said. At the Ambedkar Hostel, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha interacted with students as part of the Congress' state-wide public engagement campaign. Earlier, the district administration denied permission for the event, proposing an alternative venue instead. The Congress rejected the suggestion, leading to a standoff. Despite objections from the administration and security personnel, Gandhi entered the hostel premises through a different route and addressed the students. In a statement, the Darbhanga district administration said, "The first FIR has been registered based on a complaint filed at Laheriasarai police station by the District Welfare Officer (holding magisterial powers). It states that no permission was granted for the programme at Ambedkar Hostel, yet it was conducted in violation of prohibitory orders." The second FIR was filed against dozens of unidentified people for flouting the prohibitory orders. While Rahul Gandhi and 19 Congress workers have been specifically named in one FIR, over 100 unknown party members are also under investigation. Earlier in the day, Gandhi's cavalcade was stopped at the gates of Lalit Narayan Mithila University in Darbhanga, where local administration officials tried to prevent him from reaching the 'Ambedkar hostel'. The administration had suggested that the 'Shiksha, Nyay Samvad' be held at town hall, but the Congress leader stood his ground, choosing to get out of his car and walk several hundred metres to reach the ground adjacent to the hostel, where a huge canopy had been put up. "My car was stopped at the gates. But I did not relent...I took a circuitous route to reach here on foot", Gandhi said at the function.
