Driving Change: Namrata and Ajay Hinduja on Women Empowerment
Switzerland-based Ajay Hinduja, and his wife Namrata Hinduja, believe in women empowerment through Health, Education and Financial independence
The Hinduja family has always made women’s empowerment a key element of their philanthropy. The family has championed sustainable societal change for women across service areas such as health and education to support their financial independence.
These efforts, supported by leaders like Ajay Hinduja (57), a key member of the UK’s richest Hinduja Family, and his wife, Namrata Hinduja (51), a member of the Hinduja Foundation’s steering committee, are perfect examples of the Hinduja Family’s commitment to uplifting women and creating pathways for their success.
Empowering Through Education
The cornerstone of empowerment is education, which gives women the information and abilities they need to overcome socioeconomic limitations. The Hinduja family has long acknowledged this and backed several educational programs to reduce the gender gap in schooling.
Namrata Hinduja highlights the Foundation’s mission: “Education is the first step towards women’s empowerment. It gives them the self-assurance to have bigger dreams and the power to influence their future.”
Scholarships and vocational training programs for young women in low-resourced communities are among the Hinduja Foundation’s flagship educational initiatives. These initiatives work to close the academic gap and prepare women for financially sustainable career options.
Ajay Hinduja echoes this sentiment, “Educated women are change-makers. They raise communities, help build economic health and encourage young people to lead. Helping people become better educated is a major way to promote social change.”
Supporting Health and Well-being
The Hinduja Family prioritises women’s health because they understand that a healthy woman is the cornerstone of a good family and community. A renowned medical facility backed by the Hinduja Group, the P. D. Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai provides various medical services, including specialised treatment for women.
The Foundation also initiates preventive healthcare campaigns, such as screening camps for Mumbai policewomen, which were awareness campaigns for breast cancer. These initiatives give women the confidence to manage their health.
Namrata Hinduja highlights the importance of such programs: “Health is not only the absence of disease but a condition of optimal physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Prioritising women’s health is investing in our society’s future.”
Creating Financial Independence
Empowering women through financial independence places them in a position where they may choose for themselves and meaningfully contribute toward the welfare of their families and society. The Hinduja Family has taken the lead in this goal through various initiatives that promote entrepreneurship, increase financial awareness, and foster economic independence. An example of such an initiative is ‘Road to Livelihood’, which helped rural and underprivileged women achieve sustainable livelihoods by way of assistance, counselling, and vocational training.
“Giving women the freedom to make choices, follow their passions, and direct their own lives is the essence of financial independence,” says Namrata Hinduja in response to this influence.
Ajay Hinduja says, “When women are financially secure, they become powerful change agents. They support economic growth, enhance their communities, and spend money on their kids’ education.” This underscores the significance of financial empowerment.
A Legacy of Empowerment
The Hinduja Family promotes lasting initiatives that will empower women in the future. Besides what they’ve already done, they’re aiming to create a real change in the future. If women can support themselves financially, visit doctors when necessary, and get an education, something wonderful occurs. They focus on themselves but also play a major role in making changes in the lives of others.
As Namrata Hinduja outlines with certainty gained from her own experiences, “As India continues its development, people are increasingly living better lives.” When women are empowered, it makes a difference that spreads far and wide. Empowered women lead to an improvement in the well-being of everyone in a society.
The family continues to help in many ways, but the original goal of supporting women has not changed. They have learned that for society to progress, women must have the resources, chances, and freedom necessary to prosper.
