Jubilant Bhartia Foundation and Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship honours Social Entrepreneur of the Year – India 2024
The Jubilant Bhartia Foundation and the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, the sister organization of the World Economic Forum, honoured Mr Akshay Saxena of Avanti Fellows with the esteemed Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award – India 2024. The award was presented by Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas in the presence of distinguished personalities from industry, government and civil societyat a ceremony held at New Delhi.
Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, congratulated the winner and finalists. He appreciated the innovative challenges undertaken by social entrepreneurs in positively impacting lives and environment. Minister Puri said, “Social enterprises have been part of Indian fabric for a very long time. They typically cater to low income communities, typically agriculture, financial inclusion, health and education, clean energy.” He complemented government, social sector and corporates working together in partnership.
Ms. Hilde Schwab, Co-Founder and Chairperson of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship highlighted,“Social entrepreneurs have achieved remarkable milestones by addressing challenges in unconventional ways. Today, when the world is moving from an industrial age to an intelligent age, social entrepreneurs are catalysts for innovation and positive impact, benefiting both people and the planet.
Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder & Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum and Co-Founder of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, observed the growing alignment between corporates and social entrepreneurs. He mentioned how India’s social innovation landscape is offering globally relevant models for the sustainable development agenda.“The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship is proud to have partnered with the Jubilant Bhartia Foundation in recognizing the outstanding contributions of Indian social entrepreneurs over the past 15 years”, he said.
Mr. Shyam S Bhartia, Chairman and Founder, Jubilant Bhartia Group and Founder Director of Jubilant Bhartia Foundation, congratulated the winner and all the finalists.In a significant announcement, Mr. Shyam Bhartia stated, “I am happy to announce that Jubilant Bhartia Group has signed the Rise Ahead Pledge, a new initiative of the Schwab Foundation and the Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship. , Jubilant Bhartia Group has become the first Indian company to sign this pledge.”In alignment with their commitment and the Global Alliance, Mr. Bhartiaannounced the establishment of the “Jubilant Bhartia Centre for Social Impact” supported by the Schwab Foundation.
Mr. Hari S Bhartia,Co- Chairman & Founder, Jubilant BhartiaGroup,in his vote of thanks commended the enterprising spirit of social entrepreneurs and said that the corporates can learn from the experience of social innovators, their problem solving abilities to address the needs of the society.
Mr. Akshay Saxena on winning the SEOY Award India 2024 shared, “I am delighted! Thank you Jubilant Bhartia Foundation and the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship for recognising us. Over the past fifteen years, the Social Entrepreneur of the Year (SEOY) Award has become one of the most prestigious accolades for social entrepreneurs in India. Since 2010, the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship and the Jubilant Bhartia Foundation have collaborated to promote social innovation in India through this award, recognizing and supporting the expanding field of social innovation in the country.
