B’luru: Amazon India felicitates young school children as part of Pratidhi Scholarship Program 2023-24

Press Release, Dec 20, 2023, 4:58 PM IST

Amazon India announces the second edition of Pratidhi Scholarship Program (2023-24) and felicitation of over 60 school children in Bengaluru. Under this program, 1079 children of drivers at Amazon were shortlisted based on the socio-economic parameters, in the category of Class 3-12. Apart from Bengaluru, felicitation ceremonies are being conducted in 2 other locations across India including in Pune and Delhi. With an initial target of 1000 beneficiaries for 2023, Pratidhi 2.0 was rolled out in July 2023 and is being supported by Buddy4Study Foundation. A maximum of two children of eligible driver partner were eligible for receipt of the scholarship

Drivers, being the critical part of last mile business unit at Amazon, their wellness was conceptualized under multiple initiatives under ‘Driver Experience’ program. In a more focused approach, Pratidhi Scholarship was introduced in 2022 which is an indirect financial support focused on drivers’ families where the provision of scholarships for their children was announced. This year, Amazon received over 3000+ registrations, followed by complete applications submission from around 1200 applicants. 1079 successful applicants were selected on first-come first serve basis.

Applauding Amazon’s unique initiative, Dr. G Manjunath, Additional Labour Commissioner, Government of Karnataka said, “We welcome programs such as Amazon’s Pratidhi Program, which focus on worker welfare. It is a commendable step by the company towards safeguarding the interests of the driver partners associated with them. This is in line with Government of Karnataka’s efforts to provide basic minimum social security to gig workers and to ensure that all workers benefit from economic and social empowerment, in line with the aspirations of our constitutional spirit.”

Congratulating the students at the ceremony, Dr. Karuna Shankar Pande, Director – Last Mile Operations, Amazon India said, “Amazon is committed to investing in education and empowering the next generation of leaders and help nurture the incredible potential that exits in our youth. The Pratidhi Scholarship program is a step towards breaking down barriers for the children of our drivers and enhance their learning outcomes. Our mentorship program, combined with the scholarship, plays a crucial role in achieving this goal and we are immensely gratified to celebrate the accomplishments of the scholars.”

The Pratidhi Scholarship Program, is a testament to the Amazon’s commitment to nurturing talent and supporting educational aspirations in India. The program aims to empower and encourage students to pursue higher education, providing a platform for them to realize their full potential.