Mumbai, October 30, 2019: SBI Youth for India witnessed the completion of the 6th Batch of SBI YFI Fellows. SBI YFI Fellowship is a 13-month long rural development fellowship programme initiated and managed by SBI Foundation. It was a day to revisit projects and accomplishments made by the fellows over the past year. The gathering was held at the State Bank Bhawan Auditorium in Nariman Point, Mumbai, on October 30, 2019.
Launched in 2011, SBI Youth for India Fellowship is the flagship initiative of SBI Foundation, the CSR arm of State Bank of India. It is a 13-months rural development programme connecting educated urban youth, with a desire and passion to work at the grassroots level, with prominent organisations working in the development sector.
Each year, a handpicked group of young change makers proudly wear the badge of SBI YFI Fellows to go work in remote villages to help solve critical rural development challenges.
Our October Cohort Fellows are doing great work in areas of enhancing livelihoods, menstrual health management, integrated WASH Model, rain water harvesting, sustainable waste management system, improving digital literacy and so on.
The valediction ceremony witnessed presentations by outgoing fellows on their year-long projects in various domains, including health, education, livelihoods, environment, and many more. The event also had a display of products made by various rural communities all over the country, with an aim to increase their visibility and provide them with a platform for better marketing.
The highlight of the ceremony was the address by Chairman of SBI, Rajnish Kumar. He shared his expert inputs on the presentations by fellows and inspired the audience and fellows to continue in the sector. Other dignitaries from SBI who graced the event were Managing Directors – Arijit Basu, PK Gupta and Dinesh Khara, along with Alok Kumar Chaudhary, DMD, HR & CDO and Ishaat Hussain, Independent Director, SBI Foundation.
Addressing the outgoing batch of fellows and the esteemed guests, Nixon Joseph, President & COO, SBI Foundation, said, “We conduct the Valediction Event to appreciate the change these young people have made, to bring think tanks and to find better ways to engage youth in rural development. It’s also to guide the fellows who have completed their journey to continue further on this path.”
The ceremony was graced by Kamlesh Mehta, eight times Senior National Title Winner in Tennis, and representatives of Partner NGOs, along with Amit Gordon, Barefoot College;
R. Gopinath, MSSRF; Sanchita Mitra, SEWA Bharat; Shreeya Bhagwat and V Ramaprasad, BAIF, and V. Venkateshan, DHAN Foundation.
The programme concluded with an insightful talk by Mahendra Kumar Rekhi, MD and CEO, SBI Foundation, on the CSR domain and welcoming the highly motivated fellows to the development sector. He also emphasised on the power of youth in today’s scenario.
The event witnessed experts from the Development Sector along with chief SBI Executives.