Mar 09: An award ceremony for the winners of the Competition of environmental and socially useful projects, organized by the autonomous non-profit organization (ANO) “Energy of Development” and the Primakov Center for Foreign Policy Cooperation named after E.M. Primakov, took place in India. Representatives of public organizations, youth associations, and charitable foundations from various states of the country took part in the event.
Following a competitive selection process, nine organizations received grant support. The following were declared winners:
- the charitable organization Manav Seva Sansthan with the Youth 4 Earth project, aimed at environmental education and the involvement of 450 children and youth in environmental activities.
- the educational foundation Dr Abdul Kalam Trust, which presented the Voices for Nature initiative, aimed at developing a responsible attitude towards the environment.
- Dindigul Multipurpose Social Service Society with a project to develop beekeeping as a sustainable source of income for women.
- Consumer Unity and Trust Society, which launched the Youth Climate Clubs program to develop youth leadership skills in rural areas of Rajasthan.
- Elixir Foundation with the Sashakt project (an initiative to support families in vulnerable situations).
- the UDAAN organization, which presented the Green Minds and Clean Earth project, aimed at developing environmental thinking.
- People in Need Foundation (implements youth initiatives that help build drought-resistant communities).
- Samarthya Kalyankari Sanstha, a public organization, received support for the ShePlays, SheLeads project, which aims to develop life skills in adolescent girls.
- the global youth federation YUGANAT with the RESET project, dedicated to environmental education and the transformation of rural areas.
Elena Remizova, Counselor of the Russian Embassy in India and Head of the Rossotrudnichestvo Representative Office, presented the awards to the winners.
“The Rossotrudnichestvo Representative Office in India has a long history of fruitful cooperation with Rosatom. It is symbolic that the announcement of the competition results coincided with the opening of the Russian Language and Culture Center in Gujarat. This is a significant event for all of Western India. We intend to continue supporting Rosatom’s projects and programs to develop youth initiatives and cultural and humanitarian cooperation between the two countries,”
“The humanitarian dimension of cooperation is an important part of the state corporation’s international activities. Supporting socio-humanitarian initiatives fosters long-term partnerships and strengthens trust between Russian and Indian societies,” noted Ekaterina Zhukovskaya, Head of International Cooperation at the Energy of Development ANO.
“First, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Rosatom on behalf of the entire Sashakt team for this unique opportunity to present our work on an international platform. We began the project with the idea of helping marginalized families become self-sufficient. Rosatom’s grant will accelerate this process: we will be able to reach more districts and create a safe space for women. The funds will help us support over 100 families – increasing their income, ensuring their children’s education, and improving their standard of living.” Said – Niyati Bajpai, head of the Elixir Foundation initiative.
Following the official presentation, representatives of the organizations presented project implementation plans, discussed mechanisms for engaging with local communities, as well as reporting procedures and ongoing support for initiatives.
A significant event, timed to coincide with the ceremony, was the grand opening of the Center for Russian Language and Culture at Gujarat University. The event brought together representatives of diplomatic missions, the academic community, and public organizations from both countries. A panel discussion on “Humanitarian Cooperation between Russia and India in Bilateral and Multilateral Formats” was held as part of the program.
