Ashraya Foundation, in collaboration with The Jha Group and the Centre for Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship of Delhi University (CISE), announces the launch of “Shanti Jha CISE Jr Fellowship in Innovation and Entrepreneurship for 100 students of Delhi University.
The Centre for Innovation and Social Enterprise (CISE), was set up in March 2020 at KMC, Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi with the objective to engage in process of innovation, foster creative ideas and sustainable strategies for social change.
The fellowship was announced by Satish Jha, Chairman of Ashraya, a non-government organisation that has been working relentlessly for bringing educational reforms in rural and semi-urban areas of India over ten years, and Prof. Roopinder Oberoi, Founder and Convener of CISE KMC and Prof Dinesh Khattar Principal KMC University of Delhi.
The selection for the Jr Fellowship to be conducted by a team of entrepreneurs, will select 50 male and 50 female students who measure up to the criteria, benchmarked to global standards, and adopted by the jury for the purpose. This program will be limited to 12 months from the grant and the honorarium will not exceed Rs 1 Lakh per Fellow and will be available to be used towards an enterprising project.
Outside of the government programs, this is one of the single largest initiatives by a non-governmental organization or an individual since the independence.
While announcing the launch of Shanti Jha CISE Jr Fellowship: Satish Jha, chairman of Ashraya said, “India’s size demands entrepreneurship at scale. We should be working to launch a million enterprises a year. That can only be helped by creating a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. It is just a small beginning Ashraya is pleased to make.”
Prof. Dinesh Khattar, Principal KMC Said, “University of Delhi Centre for Innovation and Social Enterprise is focused on students who have ideas and inclination but lack opportunities and resources. I am highly grateful to Ashraya foundation for this program which will translate in to tangible impact for our students.”
Prof. Roopinder Oberoi, Founder and Convener of CISE, KMC said, “The Shanti Jha Jr Fellowship offers unparalleled opportunities to students to work on their start up ideas, exercise real leadership, gain work experience, and get professional training. The Fellowship will help through handholding an enterprising project that will be mentored by CISE in collaboration with Ashraya foundation and The Jha Group. It would certainly support students to engage and develop a positive outlook and career ambitions in this novel sector and offer multiple prospects to the students of University of Delhi.”
The Jha Group is led by Satish Jha an early-stage investor and social entrepreneur who is also the former Editor of The Times of India Group and a co-founder of Jansatta, a national Hindi daily, of the Indian Express.
Satish Jha has played a critical role towards developing and implementing the Digital Learning Ecosystem program across Maharashtra, Delhi, Jammu, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh in 27 schools for 9000 students at a cost of Rs 80,000 per student over 5 years. He has also supported Ashraya to adopt and deploy the Digital Learning Ecosystem across 1146 municipal schools of BMC, Mumbai.