This is an honourable and exciting profession to make a difference to lives: Dr. Devi Shetty
Bangalore 22 July 2016: Narayana Hrudalaya Charitable Trust (NHCT) and Mindtree Foundation today joined hands with Jain Group of Institutions (JGI) to launch the second phase of Project Udaan.
Launched in 2014, Project Udaan, a Scholarship and Mentoring Program aims towards selecting deserving yet underprivileged students from Government Schools in rural Karnataka districts, who have the potential and inclination to study medicine and become doctors. The program followed a streamlined selection process to ensure that deserving and bright 57 high school students, who want to make a career in medicine, were given the opportunity in the right atmosphere. In addition to the monthly scholarship, the selected students were mentored by a dedicated team of senior doctors at Narayana Health City to gain insights and knowledge in the field of medicine.
Abraham Moses, General Manager and Good Samaritan, Mindtree Foundation said, “Mindtree Foundation started promoting education in Kanakapura Taluk for government school children six years ago and right from the start our emphasis was on delivering quality education from the primary level to the high school level. Partnering with Narayana Hrudayalaya Charitable Trust has helped us to move the spectrum to medical education”.
In a bid to further its contribution towards the society and advance opportunities for less privileged students, JGI Group has collaborated with NHCT and Mindtree Foundation to implement phase two of Project Udaan. In the second phase, 28 meritorious students who graduated from high school to higher secondary school (Class XI and XII) will be offered additional coaching, both direct and online by InnoTech Learning Solutions (ITLS) for which JGI Group will provide infrastructural support and facilities. In addition, JGI Group will also assist these 28 meritorious students with subsidized tuition fees and transport facilities.
Students and Project coordinators of Project Udaan - Phase 2
“It is deeply heartening to see that the first phase of Udaan has been implemented above and beyond our expectations by enabling these 28 students in phase two to achieve their dreams. We are delighted that Jain Institutions is partnering with us in this venture and look forward to working with them to make a difference in the rural education and healthcare system”, said Abraham Moses from Mindtree Foundation.
Talking about the association with Project Udaan, Prof. NVH Krishnan, Registrar, Jain University said, “I have no doubt that graduates from the Udaan programme will form the backbone of healthcare programmes in rural areas of Karnataka in the near future. It is only children who experience pain today that can serve and heal those in need tomorrow. Jain University, JGI Group is happy to participate in this noble endeavour”.
Project Udaan is an extension of a similar program launched in the state of West Bengal called ‘Udayer Pathe’ (on the path of growth), which is the brain child of Dr. Devi Shetty to create an opportunity for bright students from economically challenged sections of society to study medicine and serve in rural areas of our vast country. Speaking on the occasion of the launch of its second phase in Bangalore, Dr. Devi Shetty, Managing Trustee, Narayana Hrudayalaya Charitable Trust said, “It is most satisfying to see the progress of young students from rural areas enthusiastic to become doctors. The second phase of Project Udaan has taken off successfully with the active involvement of Mindtree and JGI to see more students enabled to take up medical profession. This is an honourable and an exciting profession to make a difference to lives."
These 28 students will also be mentored by the panel of academicians and physicians at Narayana Health City on a regular basis. The successful completion of Higher Secondary School examination with required grades would enable these students to progress to the next milestone of successfully attempting the competitive exam for medical entrance.
About Narayana Health:
With all super-speciality tertiary care facilities that the medical world offers, Narayana Health is now a one-stop healthcare destination for all.
From the first facility established in Bengaluru with approximately 225 operational beds in 2000, our Company has grown to 54 facilities (which includes 53 facilities in India and 1 facility in the Cayman Islands operated by our Company's associate company, Health City Cayman Islands Ltd.) with 5300 operational beds with a potential to reach over 6600 beds. Our Company has a network of 23 hospitals (multispeciality and superspeciality healthcare facilities which provide tertiary care services), 7 heart centres (superspeciality units which are set up in a third party hospital) and 23 primary care facilities (including clinics and information centres), across a total of 18 cities in India. (For details, visit www.narayanahealth.org)
About Narayana Hrudayalaya Charitable Trust:
Narayana Hrudayalaya Charitable Trust came into existence in March 2004. Since then trust has been carrying out activities for the furtherance of general public welfare and upliftment of the needy and deserving sections of the society irrespective of the caste, creed and religion. As you are aware, the Trust was created with an objective and aim to establish, maintain, administer and run clinics, healing centres and nursing homes to make available quality and affordable health care to all persons without any discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, religion, language and community. Besides providing support for health care facilities to needy people of society at large, they have also been carrying out programs to help and assist in unfolding the creative potentials and talents of the children and amateurs.