The Hindu Business Line : For women who aim high

A career in Science is challenging. But it's fulfilling too, as the women recipients of the L'Oreal Scholarships for Young Women in Science have proved.

Sweta Gupta, one of the recipients of the L'Oreal India `For Young Women in Science' scholarships.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) today is fast becoming an important asset of the corporate world. However, the present definition of CSR is different from the traditional `philanthropy' practised by business houses.

Apart from the conscience aspect of `giving back to society', current CSR trends are also driven by socio-economic pressures. But philanthropic activities of corporates are required today, and when carried out by NGOs, do achieve results.

Today the list of such companies is endless and examples are many, with some of them becoming institutions, such as the Rath Marathon (once upon a time), Asian Paints' `Sarod Samman' during Durga Puja in Kolkata, and ITC's Sangeet Sammelan.

Companies institute Chairs in management and technical institutes, or launch developmental initiatives, like the Azim Premji Foundation, started by the Wipro Corporation Chairman, putting up computers in rural schools, HCL and Emerging Markets Initiatives. Companies such as ITC, Hindustan Lever and others have rural development programmes.

Says Sanjeev Duggal, CEO and President, NIS Sparta, "Companies today are awakening to a modern, resurgent India that can be built by the combined efforts of the government and the corporates. The Indian corporate sector is gradually maturing to the concept and implementation of CSR, with each one contributing in its own special way to society."

Determined to demonstrate good citizenship through practical, useful and targeted action is the L'Oreal Group. The L'Oreal Scholarships for Young Women in Science programme is instituted to encourage young women to pursue career-oriented education and get placements in scientific disciplines.

Another example of this is the Fair & Lovely's Project Saraswati under which the company recently awarded scholarships to outstanding women students for post-graduate studies.

Didier Villenueva, Managing Director, L'Oreal India, says, "The L'Oréal - UNESCO `For Women in Science' programme is a symbol of the Group's commitment to promoting women's scientific education."

This programme is a part of the "L'Oreal - UNESCO for Women in Science" award, which aims at improving the position of women in the sciences. The programme achieves this by recognising outstanding women researchers who have contributed to scientific progress across five continents: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America. This award identifies them as role models for other young women to emulate.

Each year, through the awards, five women from each continent are given $100,000 for their achievement and contribution to science. In addition, 15 fellowships of $20,000 are awarded to young scientists from all over the world to encourage their contribution to scientific research.

To extend this international initiative, L'Oréal India has developed a local programme to encourage young girls to take up a career in science, says Villenueva.

The L'Oreal India `For Young Women in Science' scholarships was initiated in 2003, granting three scholarships of Rs 2 lakh each, for a four-year study in any scientific field. Currently, young girls who have passed standard XII from Mumbai with a minimum of 90 per cent PCM/PCB are eligible for the scholarship.

Explaining the selection process, he says, "An application form has to be filled in with an essay written by the candidate. The short-listed candidates are interviewed along with their parents by an independent jury." While in India the company has undertaken the project by itself, internationally, UNESCO is associated with it.

Some of the beneficiaries are Sweta, Minal Lalpuria and Kanchan Bahirat. Sweta Gupta, a first-year MBBS student from Latur, who plans to specialise in cardiology, says, "With this scholarship I can spare my parents the financial burden required for my education. It has motivated me to study further and go higher up in life." It is But finance is not the only constraint in pursuing higher education, and Sweta cites others as well.

"For the MBBS entrance exam, 50 per cent of the seats are in the reserved category while three per cent are for disturbed States. Hence, candidates in the open category do not get a fair chance to compete and get a medical seat."

Summing up the initiatives undertaken by India Inc, Tilak Mukerji, Director - Social Research, TNS India, says, "The objectives of companies demonstrating `good corporate citizenship' are many — truly giving something back to society, building an appropriate corporate image and creating a wider brand for the company. But most important of all is manifesting this social responsibility in different ways — sports, arts, education, women's empowerment and fashion."

Women have always been in the shadow and education can provide them with the means to strike out on their own. "These initiatives by corporates should be welcomed and increased multi-fold to be able to make an impact in a large society like ours. The credibility of such actions is further enhanced when the sponsors are corporates that have women as their target audience. This brings in synergy," says Mukerji.

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