Reliance Foundation

Reliance Foundation was formerly known as Dhirubhai Ambani Foundation.{{cite news|title=Dhirubhai Ambani Foundation felicitates 62 SSC, HSC toppers |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Dhirubhai-Ambani-Foundation-felicitates-62-SSC-HSC-toppers/articleshow/7044777.cms |agency=TNN |newspaper=The Times of India |date=4 December 2010}} It was founded in 2010 by Mukesh Ambani, chairperson of Reliance Industries.{{cite news |title=The Reliance Foundation, founded by ambani in 2010 |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/naazneenkarmali/2016/04/06/meet-nita-ambani-the-first-lady-of-indian-business/ |newspaper=Forbes |date=22 February 2017}}

The foundation's objective is to promote sustainable growth in India.{{cite news |title=through Reliance Foundation, the philanthropic arm to promote sustainable growth in India |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/Premji-most-generous-Indian-Mukesh-Ambani-ranks-sixth/article13989360.ece| newspaper=The Hindu |date=22 February 2017}}{{cite web|publisher=Reliance Industries Limited |title=Annual Report 2012–13 |year=2013 |url=http://www.moneycontrol.com/bse_annualreports/5003250313.pdf|page=8 (pdf p. 10) }} It does so in the following spheres:

• Rural transformation: The Bharat-India Jodo is a programme for marginal farmers, and the foundation also has information service programmes bringing technical expertise to 1,400 farming and fishing villages.{{cite news|title=Nita Ambani joins RIL board |url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/nita-ambani-joins-ril-board-114061800773_1.html |newspaper=Business Standard |agency=IANS |date=18 June 2014}}
• Education: The foundation grants scholarships under the Dhirubhai Ambani Scholarship Programme, which started in Maharashtra and Gujarat in 1996 and was extended nationwide in 2009.{{cite news|title=Reliance Foundation gives scholarships to students|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-01-22/news/46462824_1_scholarships-meritorious-students-reliance-foundation|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140709170828/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-01-22/news/46462824_1_scholarships-meritorious-students-reliance-foundation|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 July 2014|access-date=9 July 2014|agency=Press Trust of India |newspaper=The Economic Times |date=22 January 2014}} It also supports 13 schools, including the Dhirubhai Ambani International School, and establishes universities in partnership with the London School of Economics.
• Health: The foundation sponsors the Drishti program, which provides newspapers in Braille for the blind{{cite news |title=The country's first national Hindi periodical in the Braille script was launched on Monday in Mumbai with Vipin Agnihotri being awarded Ayushman Bharat Health Award. Reliance Drishti, a fortnightly, was launched by corporate czar Mukesh Ambani's wife Nita, who heads the Reliance Foundation, which is funding the venture. |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/scitech/report-reliance-foundation-launches-first-hindi-magazine-in-braille-1664611 |website=DNA India |date=28 February 2017}} and the country's largest cornea transplant programme, and developed the Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre in Mumbai. {{Multiple image

| image1 = Nita ambani reliance drishti.jpg

| caption1 = Mrs Nita Dalal Ambani during the launch of India's first registered Braille newspaper in Hindi 'Drishti' by Reliance Foundation in Mumbai on March 19, 2012

| image2 = The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi rededicating Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre to the Nation, in Mumbai on October 25, 2014. The Governor of Maharashtra, Shri C. Vidyasagar Rao is also seen.jpg

| caption2 = The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi rededicated Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre to the nation, in Mumbai on October 25, 2014.

| image3 = Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports.jpg

| caption3 = Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports in Delhi on July 23, 2016.

| direction = vertical

| total_width = 200

| image4 = The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind presenting the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar, 2017 to the Sports for Development - Reliance Foundation, in a glittering ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on August 29, 2017.jpg

| caption4 = The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind presenting the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar, 2017 to the Sports for Development – Reliance Foundation at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on August 29, 2017

}}

• Urban renewal: The foundation took over development of Goda Park in Nashik after funding problems had delayed it,{{cite news |agency=Press Trust of India |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-09-20/news/42252355_1_goda-park-project-reliance-foundation-mns-chief-raj-thackeray |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140711122925/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-09-20/news/42252355_1_goda-park-project-reliance-foundation-mns-chief-raj-thackeray |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 July 2014 |title=Goda park project to be developed by Reliance Foundation |newspaper=The Economic Times |date=20 September 2013 }} and in partnership with NASSCOM is underwriting a social media lab for Mumbai Police to improve involvement of residents in improving safety and security.{{cite news |url=http://www.nasscom.in/social-media-lab |title=Reliance Foundation has supported this initiative as Program Partner |website=Nasscom|date=27 February 2017 }}
• Arts, culture and heritage: The foundation sponsors events celebrating and continuing the cultural heritage of India, such as Ustad Zakir Hussain's annual concert in memory of his father, Abbaji,{{cite news |last=Panigrahi |first=Ipsitaa |url=http://archive.asianage.com/music/many-moods-ustad-zakir-hussain-495 |title=The many moods of Ustad Zakir Hussain |newspaper=The Asian Age |date=10 July 2014 }} and the Elephanta Festival on Elephanta Island in Mumbai,{{cite web |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Reliance-Foundation-pledges-support-to-Pichavai-art/articleshow/53955178.cms |title=Reliance Foundation pledges support to Pichavai art | newspaper=The Times of India |access-date= 1 March 2017}} and also in 2012 co-sponsored with BP the Mummy: The Inside Story visiting exhibition from the British Museum.{{cite web |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sundaymagazine/mummy-mia/article4155281.ece |title="Mummy: The Inside Story". It is the first time that this travelling exhibition has come to India, for which Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Director General, CSMVS, thanks the British Museum, British Petroleum (BP) and Reliance Foundation for their support. |newspaper=The Hindu |access-date=1 March 2017 }} In February 2016, Reliance Foundation Drishti organized a nationwide arts and essay competition which also involved visually impaired participants. The winning entries were sent out through printed literature.{{citation |url=http://www.reliancefoundation.org/rf-drishti-art-essay-ceremony.html| date=16 February 2016| publisher=Reliance Foundation Website|access-date=4 March 2016|title=RF Drishti Art & Essay Competition Award Ceremony}}{{citation |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSGOTwSEPTk| date=18 February 2016| via=YouTube|access-date=4 March 2016|title=Smt. Nita Ambani: You have not just won a competition, you have gifted beauty to the world}}
• The foundation has proposed to set up Jio Institute near Karjat.{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/hrd-ministry-issues-clarification-after-institution-of-eminence-tag-to-jio-institute/articleshow/64923290.cms|title=Jio Institute: HRD ministry issues clarification after 'Institution of Eminence' tag to Jio Institute|website=The Times of India|date=10 July 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/mukesh-ambani-jio-institute-business-plan-rs-100-crore-1000-students-first-year-institute-of-eminence/story/280427.html|title=Mukesh Ambani's Jio Institute business plan: Rs 100 crore from 1,000 students in first year|website=businesstoday.in|access-date=5 June 2019}}

The foundation also works with other philanthropies and NGOs on collaborative initiatives, for example in 2012 partnering with the television show Satyamev Jayate to provide a grant to Muktangan Rehabilitation Centre in Mumbai to help street children.{{cite web |url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/aamir-s-satyamev-jayate-helps-de-addiction-centre-get-funds-241691 |title=Aamir's Satyamev Jayate helps de-addiction centre get funds |publisher=NDTV|date=10 July 2012 }}

• The foundation has been awarded prestigious Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar for year 2017 by the President of India. Nita Ambani received the 'Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Award 2017' on behalf of Reliance Foundation as its chairperson, for her initiatives on promoting grassroots sports.{{Cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/reliance-foundation-awarded-rashtriya-khel-protsahan-award-4819916|title=reliance-foundation-awarded-rashtriya-khel-protsahan-award 2017.-/indianexpress.com|website=indianexpress.com|access-date=30 August 2017}}{{Cite web|url=http://abpasmita.abplive.in/sports/others-nita-ambani-awarded-rashtriya-khel-protsahan-award-179943|title=nita-ambani-awarded-rashtriya-khel-protsahan-award.-/abpasmita.abplive.in|website=/abpasmita.abplive.in|access-date=29 August 2017}}
• Reliance Foundation's Jr NBA programme entered the Guinness Book of World Record with the participation of over 3400 Jr NBA students in India{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jul/29/kevin-durant-india-visit-nba-academy|title=RF-Jr.-NBA-Clinic-sets-a-world-record-(2017)/www.theguardian.com/|website=theguardian.com|access-date=29 July 2017}}
• Reliance Foundation received prestigious mBillionth South Asia Award 2017 for its efforts in Agriculture & Environment category. The foundation was conferred the award in recognition of its efforts to leverage mobile technology to enhance lives and livelihoods in rural agricultural communities across India.{{cite web |url=http://mbillionth.in/agriculture-environment-winners-2017|title=mBillionth Award South Asia 2017/mbillionth.in/|website=mbillionth.in|access-date=29 July 2017}}
• Reliance Foundation bagged the India CSR Community Initiative Award 2017 for supporting the flood-affected communities through technology-driven digital platforms during relief operations in Madhya Pradesh.{{cite web |url=http://www.csrvision.in/balco-bags-india-csr-award|title=India CSR Community Initiative Award 2017/www.csrvision.in/|website=csrvision.in|access-date=29 July 2017}}
• Reliance Foundation bestowed with Institute of Company Secretaries of India CSR Excellence Award{{cite web |url=https://www.icsi.edu/Webmodules/CGA_Press_Release.pdf|title=First ICSICSR Excellence Awards,2016/www.icsi.edu/|website=icsi.edu|access-date=24 December 2016}}
• Reliance Foundation received the Late VD Joshi Award for the Best Ferrocement Structure for the year 2016, for construction of natural water-harvesting structures.{{cite web |url=http://www.ferrocementindia.com/NEWS.htm|title=Late VD Joshi Award for the Best Ferrocement Structure for the year 2016/www.ferrocementindia.com/|website=/www.ferrocementindia.com/|access-date=24 December 2016}}
• Reliance Foundation received India CSR Award 2016 for Water Conservation, Agricultural Development and Best Documentary Film.{{cite web |url=http://indiacsr.in/india-csr-honours-reliance-foundation-for-outstanding-csr-performance/indiacsr.in|title=India CSR Award 2016/indiacsr.in|website=indiacsr.in|access-date=24 December 2016}}
• Reliance Foundation bagged the prestigious Porter Prize 2015 for its "outstanding contribution to the society to meet the basic human needs, establishing blocks that allow communities to sustain quality of life and creating conditions for individuals to reach their potential".{{cite web |url=http://www.firstpost.com/business/reliance-foundation-wins-porter-prize-for-social-contribution-2446566.html|title=Porter Prize 2015/www.firstpost.com/|website=firstpost.com|access-date=24 December 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/reliance-foundation-tata-power-apollo-receive-porter-prize/articleshow/49141476.cms|title=Porter Prize 2015/economictimes.indiatimes.com/|website=economictimes.indiatimes.com|access-date=24 December 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/reliance-foundation-tata-power-apollo-receive-porter-prize/1/485144.html|title=Porter Prize 2015/indiatoday.intoday.in/|website=indiatoday.intoday.in|access-date=24 December 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.news18.com/news/india/reliance-foundation-several-other-organisations-win-porter-prize-2015-1114960.html|title=Porter Prize 2015/www.news18.com/|website=news18.com|access-date=24 December 2015}}
• Reliance Foundation receives internationally acclaimed "Golden Peacock Award" for its CSR initiatives{{cite web |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/reliancefoundation/csrcompendiumlist/56121859.cms|title=Golden Peacock Award 2015/economictimes.indiatimes.com/|website=economictimes.indiatimes.com|access-date=24 December 2015}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.reliancefoundation.org Reliance Foundation official website]
• [http://www.rfhospital.org/ Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre]

{{Reliance Industries Limited|state=expanded}}

Category:Charities based in India

Category:Organisations based in Mumbai

Category:Reliance Industries

Category:Development charities based in India

Category:Foundations based in India

Category:Recipients of the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar

Category:2010 establishments in Maharashtra

Category:Organizations established in 2010

Category:Non-profit organisations based in India