Adya Kote leads youth philanthropy movement at TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2024 ~
~ 30+ companies have contributed 1.65 Crore and 150+ individual fundraisers have raised approximately Rs. 1.20 Crore ~
Bengaluru, 24th April 2024: The Tata Consultancy Services World 10K Bengaluru, with the support from 70+ NGOs, individual fundraisers, and corporates in just three months, has collectively raised over INR 3 crores for social causes. Spearheaded by the philanthropy partner aidbees- the social kindness platform, the event continues to inspire Bangaloreans showcasing the power of collective action for the larger good #EndendiguBengaluru ... Forever Bengaluru.
The Philanthropy Pillar of the TCS World 10K Bengaluru has seen phenomenal growth over the years and today, the event stands unsurpassed as the single largest fundraising platform in South India having raised INR 53+ Crores for more than 400 NGOs over the years.
PHILANTHROPY IN 2024
This year has been about increased determination and the will to stay on course for social welfare. Corporate participation is on the rise, with teams eager to make a difference. Even first-time individual runners are going above and beyond, choosing to raise funds for multiple NGOs, giving way to an expansive impact on countless underprivileged lives!
30+ companies have contributed 1.65 Crore and 150+ individual fundraisers have raised approximately Rs. 1.20 Crores already showing the power of philanthropy. The fundraising goes on till the 10th of May 2024.
The participating NGOs have engaged projects for various causes ranging from education to child welfare and environmental protection among others. Furthermore, the funds have also been utilised to build India’s first tennis wheelchair center for disabled individuals.
Rashmie Kumar, Founder Director, aidbees, commented, “30,000 runners, more than 150 fundraisers and over Rs. 3 Crores raised already- Bengaluru has shown the power of community and I am thrilled for aidbees to be facilitating social change through the Run.”
She further added, “TCS World 10K Bengaluru helps the NGOs in building their visibility in society and effectively maximizing their donor base. The NGOs working for various causes can showcase their efforts and raise funds. This year, 70+ NGOs have registered for the Run and they have various projects on causes that impact the underserved. Individuals and companies are super excited to run and support their chosen cause. aidbees is honored to be associated with the event, and we want to thank every donor who has contributed towards social welfare through us in this year's edition!"
Highlighting the importance of the philanthropy pillar Vivek B Singh, Jt MD, Procam International, said, “The spirit of giving is what truly sets the TCS World 10K Bengaluru apart, and Bengaluru consistently demonstrates incredible generosity towards social causes. It's not just about the numbers or the money raised; it's about the lives touched, impacted and the futures changed. Our sincere gratitude to aidbees for steering this pillar to success and kudos to all our fundraisers for their monumental effort.
As a young fundraiser, 16-year-old Adya Kote from the Right to Live (Kote Foundation), who has raised INR 30 Lakhs, shared, "Growing up I had heard endless stories about my father’s and grandfather’s selflessness. This profoundly impacted me and drove me to act. A significant amount of the funds I'm raising will be dedicated to building washrooms and other basic facilities in government schools across Karnataka. I think the TCS World 10K Bengaluru is an opportunity for people of my generation to challenge stereotypes about our attitude towards giving back to the community.”
Speaking at the occasion, Sunil Kumar Jain, representing Astha NGO and Chairman of the Indian Wheelchair Tennis Tour said, “For disabled people there are so many barriers for their social engagement and their economical engagement through which their entire mobility gets curtailed. By empowering people with a disability through sports we started working on developing and promoting wheelchair tennis in India in 2016.”
He further added, “We have committed to set up India's first wheelchair training center at Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru and construction is currently ongoing. This year we are participating in TCS World 10K Bengaluru hoping to create awareness about it in the running community and other people in the city to generate support and we aim to be operational by August 29th, 2024, which also happens to be National Sports Day.”
Furthermore, Bhavana J, who is currently in the 10th grade and a beneficiary of the Reaching Hand foundation, spoke on the numerous ways she has been empowered by the initiative, “After coming to New Home, which is a part of the Reaching Hand foundation, it gave me the opportunity to read so many books and expand my knowledge. Not only that, I used to struggle with speaking English and using a laptop, but my teachers and friends and the foundation helped me a lot and gave me confidence and a sense of community.”
PANELIST PROFILES
Astha NGO - Sunil Kumar Jain (Chairman- Indian Wheelchair Tennis Tour)
The mission of Astha is to empower every person with a disability and to lead a life of complete participation and contribution. It is to empower their lives through sports, education and voting rights while leading the programs with the motto of "Anything is Possible ''. Astha's work empowers persons with disabilities to lead a life of their dreams by using sports as a tool for development and by improving education opportunities among Indians with disabilities. More importantly, Astha's work also focuses on improving the voting rights of Indians with disabilities.
Astha has been participating in TCSW 10K since 2015 and this year, they are raising funds to build the DEUCE TENNIS CENTER- the first wheelchair tennis centre of the country, in Chikkaballapur, and it will have 4 state of the art tennis courts.
Fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Sunil Jain is the chairman of the Indian Wheelchair Tennis Tour and the Chief Enabler of Astha. His early years till the age of 15, were mainly spent on one or the other treatment for his physical disability caused by Poliomyelitis (polio virus). In 2007 he participated in a training program conducted by Landmark Breakthrough Technologies. Through his participation in the curriculum offered by Landmark Breakthrough Technologies, he created a social project to create an environment for persons with disabilities to create and live life of aspirations. This led to him creating a not-for-profit and non-government organization “Astha”. In 2016, within Astha he created a division called “Indian Wheelchair Tennis Tour '' (IWTT) www.iwtt.in to create excellence in wheelchair tennis in India. The vision of IWTT is to take Indian Wheelchair Tennis onto the world map by 2026.
Mathew Abraham, Board Member - Reaching Hand
Reaching Hand is the highest fundraising NGO this year, having raised over Rs. 33 Lakhs for their projects
Reaching Hand started in 1996 in Bangalore to work with underprivileged children, vulnerable youths & disadvantaged women. It envisions an empowered future for all by acting as a catalyst for social change. Reaching Hand empowers children, youth and women through its innovative programs, focusing on providing quality education, health care services and skill development training so that they lead a life of self-worth, hope & dignity. Reaching Hand runs a shelter home in Bangalore called "New Home'' for the most vulnerable children, especially girls from disturbed family backgrounds. They provide quality education through the school - LightHouse International Academy, which follows the NIOS syllabus. Participating in the Run since 2011, Reaching Hand is the highest fundraising NGO this year, having raised over Rs. 33 Lakhs for their projects
Mathew Abraham is a social entrepreneur and a co-founder of ventures “PeoplePro Enterprise for Social Impact”, and “PepperPot”. Mathew serves on the Board of “Reaching Hand”, as an adviser. The NGO works in the areas of child development, girls glory, youth empowerment and government schools. A bachelor in computer science from the Nitte Institute of Technology, Mathew Abraham evolved into a seasoned people architect during his stint in responsible positions with several reputed corporate houses like NIIT, Aptech, DDE IRG, Sedgwick Parekh and has developed a reputation for creating extraordinary leaders out of people from ordinary backgrounds. An early “Thought Leader” in “experiential Learning”, Mathew is also a Motivational Trainer, Franchising coach and passionate facilitator!
Adya Kote - a young fundraiser - Right To Live (Kote Foundation)
Adya Kote is a 10th-grade student studying at Candor International School with a passion for Biology, Bharathanatyam and Basketball. She has represented her basketball team twice in the Karnataka State Under 16 basketball championship for girls. If not on the court, Adya is often seen on stage at various Bharatanatyam dance performances. And on top of that, she is an amazing photographer capturing her life moments. Amid this busy world, she is on a journey to strike a balance between the rhythm of dance, the court's fast-paced beats and academic excellence while attempting to create a lasting impact on society. Continuing the rally/legacy of her grandfather and father, Adya is passionate about helping people in need. Her father, Raghuram Kote is the founder of Right To Live- an organisation that works on making digital literacy accessible and possible for underprivileged children. Right To Live has been participating since 2022 in the TCSW10K and they have raised close to 65 lakhs in total through the three years established 7-8 computer labs and has helped over 1500 underserved children. They were also the highest fundraising NGO last year and Adya is essentially the brain behind the initiatives of the NGO.
Prasad Sendireddy, Vice President, Silicon Technology & Manufacturing at Western Digital
The company has contributed INR 22 Lakhs and their 200 employees will be running
Western Digital has long been at the forefront of game-changing innovations. From the invention of the first hard drive to recent advancements in 3D NAND , their journey of innovation continues to inspire those who dare to think big. Western’s digital technology and expertise aims to help billions of people and their projects on data flow for businesses are finely researched and taken care of. Along with the technological front-running, Western Digital is firmly dedicated to sustainability and social change. They are the highest contributing company for this year’s TCS World 10K and it is like a homecoming for them as they return for the first time post-Covid. The company has contributed INR 22 Lakhs and their 200 employees will be running on the 28th of April. They are supporting Smile Foundation- an organisation that works for education and life skill opportunities for underprivileged children.
Western Digital’s commitment to educating the underserved is visible and is worthy of applause. Their employees are gearing up for the big day!
Prasad Sandireddy is the Vice President of Silicon Technology & Manufacturing at Western Digital. Experienced in the semiconductor industry for over 19 years, Prasad has worked on a variety of memory technologies across fab process engineering and product development from concept definition to mass production. Previously, he held management roles at Micron Technology, USA and SanDisk Corp., USA before their acquisition by Western Digital. He is an alum of the University of Idaho and holds a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering and Material Science.
Akhilesh Kamath- Kindness Advocator and Employee Fundraiser for Actualize
Akhilesh Kamath is the founder Director of Actualize Consulting, specializing in Engineering Design Consulting and IT services. Beyond his professional endeavours, he’s an avid runner and fitness enthusiast, boasting over 15 years of running experience, including running in the TCSW 10k for the past 12 years. This will be his second time fundraising at the event and he has also looped in his company as a corporate participant too, multiplying the impact that could be made.
Driven by a passion for making a difference, he is committed to contributing to societal betterment in any way possible. This commitment has spurred him to organize fundraisers, including the upcoming one at the TCSW 10K. Akhilesh firmly believes in the transformative power of education for both children and communities. Consequently, he has dedicated himself to raising funds for the less fortunate, recognizing the profound impact it can have. Having previously organized fundraisers, witnessing the tangible difference these efforts make fills him with immense satisfaction. His goal remains to continue leveraging his passion for running to positively impact those in need and contribute to building a better world for all. He and his company are supporting Gubbachi Learning Community, an organisation that is raising funds for the education of over 140 underserved children.
The TCS World 10K Bengaluru is strengthened by partnerships from
- Title Sponsor — Tata Consultancy Services
- Associate Sponsor — IDFC FIRST Bank
- Sports Goods Partner — ASICS
- Driven by — TATA.ev
- Snacking Partner — Cadbury FUSE
- Electric Two-Wheeler Partner — Vida
- Hydration Partner — Bisleri
- Energy Drink Partner — FAST&UP
- Social Connect Partner – Vedanta
- Print Partner — The Times of India
- Entertainment Partner — Mirchi
- Telecast Partner — SONY Sports 1
- Refreshment Partner — Sobisco
- Medical Services Partner — Fortis
- Philanthropy Partner — aidbees
- Hospitality Partner — ITC Windsor Bengaluru
- Silvers’ Run Facilitator — Vayah Vikas
- Inclusion Ally — ABBF