Photo Credit: Parinita Mathur
Clear Cut Education Desk
New Delhi, UPDATED: Sep 05, 2025 10:23 IST
Written By: Janmojaya Barik
September 5 is a day when India pauses to celebrate those who are the true builders of the nation. Teachers’ Day is a heartfelt tribute to the educators who have shaped our childhood and contributed selflessly to our society by largely shaping our individual journeys. This auspicious day commemorates the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, India’s second president and a distinguished scholar himself, who famously suggested marking his birthday as a day to honor the teachers whose contributions and sacrifices often go unnoticed.
In recent years, education has emerged as a key focus area for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in India, accounting for nearly one-third of total CSR spending. According to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs’ 2023-24 data, education, skilling, and livelihood projects consistently rank as the top sectors supported under CSR obligations, but is it enough?
This alignment need not be accidental. Teachers and schools are at the heart of SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) 4: Quality Education, and corporates are increasingly stepping in to complement government efforts by improving infrastructure to promote and improve digital literacy in the country by supporting nutrition and capacity-building. On this Teachers’ Day, it is timely to reflect on how CSR initiatives are not only celebrating educators but also empowering them with tools and resources to create sustainable impact in classrooms.
1) Tata Steel Foundation – Thousand Schools Program
(Students of thousand schools project. Image Source: Tata Steel)
The Thousand Schools Programme was started by Tata Steel in January of 2015 to reinvigorate school education in its areas of operation. The program, which initially aimed to create a model of Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE) within the Right to Education (RTE) framework that is replicable and scalable, has been extremely successful.
“Nearly 200,000 children (aged 6–16) and 6,000 pre-primary children have benefited directly.
• Child labor-free zones established across six blocks in Odisha.
• 99% of 14,335 out-of-school children were reintegrated into school.
• 32 Community Education Resource Centers (CERCs) created to offer rich learning resources, as stated by Tata Sustainable Group.
2) HCL Foundation – “My School Project”
(Officials of HCL Group and DA, Gautam Budh Nagar. Photo Credit : PTI)
Launched under an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) between the Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration and HCL Foundation, the program rolled out mobile STEM and digital labs with robotics kits, laptops, tablets, and internet connectivity. These labs, which will rotate through 12 government schools, will offer interactive sessions for students in grades 6 to 10. Described by District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma as a “significant step towards improving the educational ecosystem,” the initiative aims to spark curiosity and innovation among students. Nidhi Pundhir, Director at HCL Foundation, underlined their transformative potential, stating that the mobile labs would not only help students learn better but also “allow them to dream bigger.”
3) Infosys Foundation – Rural Digital & STEM Learning Transformation
Photo Credit: Infosys
Infosys Foundation, in collaboration with eVidyaloka Trust, launched the Rural Digital and STEM Education Program, deploying digital classrooms in 375 government schools across 11 states. This initiative aimed to close the educational gap between rural and urban students, offering access to quality education along with both academic and extracurricular learning opportunities. This includes setting up digital infrastructure and facilitating remote, volunteer-led learning sessions, which has always been the core component of eVidyaloka with its vast volunteer base.
Infosys Foundation has also partnered with India Literacy Project (ILP) to establish 11 model schools in rural Mysuru.
With an investment of over ₹91 lakh, the program supports around 2,300 students (grades 8–10) and trains 130+ teachers in ICT, digital literacy, STEM learning, spoken English, and career guidance, as stated by Infosys.
4) Amway–Nourishing Schools Foundation – School Nutrition Education Drive
(Representatives of Amway India and Nourishing Schools Foundation with the students)
Amway India, partnering with the Nourishing Schools Foundation, has launched a school nutrition education program aimed at building food literacy and promoting healthy lifestyle habits among students. The initiative, implemented in six government- and NGO-run schools in Delhi, will reach over 6,000 individuals, including approximately 1,500 children, in its inaugural year. The curriculum incorporates games, visual aids, specially designed toolkits, and teacher training to foster student-led awareness on nutrition within school and community settings.
This program is a part of Amway’s CSR Initiative, the “Power of 5 Goes to School” campaign.
5) Elkem & Sahyadri Foundation – “Wings Fly High” Mobile Computer Lab
(The mobile computer lab, a collaborative CSR initiative by Elkem ASA, and Sahyadri Foundation, Nagpur, is designed to provide free computer education to students in NMC schools | Photo Credit: ET Education)
Elkem ASA, has partnered with Sahyadri Foundation to launch a unique CSR-driven education program in Nagpur, which it calls the “Wings Fly High” mobile computer lab. This progressive initiative brings free, hands-on digital literacy training to students in municipal schools through a well-equipped bus delivering engaging educational sessions for grades 5 to 8. It bridges access gaps in areas where digital infrastructure is limited and showcases how mobile interventions can effectively reach underserved learners.
While these progressive practices by these companies set a major precedent on how education is a social responsibility and should be everyone’s concern, the void in the access to education still remains a major concern for the nation, and this teacher’s day shall be a reminder to us to honor those who are working tirelessly to fill it.
