11th Edition of Udyog Utsav Hosts Over 500 Girl Students in Chennai

The unique annual career visioning conference sees participation from as many as 10 Chennai schools and 20 corporates and institutions

 Chennai: Avtar Human Capital Trust, the non-profit arm of Avtar Group—India’s foremost Diversity, Equity & Inclusion solutions firm and Asan Memorial College of Arts and Science, Pallikarnai hosted the 11th edition of Udyog Utsav 2024 in Chennai. The event saw full participation, underscoring the growing commitment to empowering young girls and driving their career ambitions. The one-day conference hosted interactive sessions with industry leaders and educational institutions for the girls studying between class 9 to 12 in government and corporation schools.

Addressing the gathering Dr Saundarya Rajesh, Managing Trustee, AHCT said, “It has been 25 years since we embarked on the journey towards increasing women’s workforce participation at India Inc. And, it has been more than a decade since we began working with schools, corporates and educational institutions that are committed towards making the country a developed nation on account of gender-balanced workspaces. Standing tall towards this mission is our 11th edition of Udyog Utsav (UU), which is amplified by the collective support of inclusive organizations, government and educational institutions, progressive-thinking schools providing an incredible platform to all Puthri scholars. Our Puthri scholars are the architects of our developed India. By empowering these young minds with tools, resources and mentorship, we are not only shaping their futures but inspiring a generation of leaders to come.”

In the last one decade, Project Puthri has impacted over 20,000 plus girl children across 12 different locations in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Coimbatore and has now expanded its presence in Bengaluru. For its continuous work towards empowering girl children studying in government and corporation schools, Avtar Human Capital Trust was presented with the ‘Doing Good for Bharat’ Award at the India CSR & ESG Summit 2024, hosted by CSRBOX.

The Chennai Udyog Utsav, which is an annual event, aims to integrate young girls robustly into India Inc. and bridge the gender gap sooner than what has been predicted for India.

The Chief Guest, Mr. Arun Miranda, Managing Director of Astrotech Steels presided over the function along with Dr. TS Santhi, Principal, Asan Memorial College of Arts and Science and honored schools that actively participated in the Udyog Utsav.

Dr. T S Shanthi, Principal, Principal, Asan Memorial College of Arts & Science, said, “It is truly an honor to be part of the 11th edition of Udyog Utsav. A program that is designed to empower and uplift girls. The fact there are hundreds of girls who have gathered by different schools in Chennai to witness this career visioning conference is a true testament to the impact that Project Puthri has made thus far. The potential within each one of the Puthri scholar is greater than any obstacle that they may face. I am happy to note that the Udyog Utsav is planting the seeds of courage, determination, curiosity and excitement of the bright future that beholds for all the Puthri scholars.”

In his special address, Arun Miranda, Chairman & Managing Director, Astrotech Steels Pvt Ltd at the Udyog Utsav said, “The tagline of Project Puthri that says ‘Redesigning the destinies of girl children’is the essence and nucleus of Project Puthri. At Astrotech, we do not differentiate talent based on the school or college one comes from. The best talent finds its place at Astrotech. The career guidance and counselling that Udyog Utsav is providing is unique and I urge each of the girls present here to make use of this opportunity to the maximum. The best way to give back to the society is through education. I urge each of you to repay to the society by kindness and imparting the knowledge that you gain to the generations to come.”

This year’s conference delved into the critical theme of nation-building through youth empowerment, offering a series of workshops, panel discussions, and expert talks. This year’sUU event had participation from more than 20 leading corporations—including Akanksha Associates, Caterpillar, Cognizant, Comcast, Encore, FLEX, First source, GSK, Harman, KBR, Nippon, Pfizer, Ramboll, Straive and TCS.