Bridgestone India awards 4th edition mobility social impact winners

Bridgestone India announced the winners of the 4th Edition of the Mobility Social Impact Awards at a ceremony held in Pune, attended by industry leaders and individuals from various social sectors. The awards are part of an initiative that highlights mobility solutions improving healthcare, education, livelihoods, nutrition, and social inclusion. The winners shared a total prize pool of Rs. 30 lakhs, distributed across two categories.

The awards are categorised in three sections: Accessible Mobility, Safe Mobility, and Smart Mobility. Accessible Mobility focuses on innovative solutions that improve access to essential services such as healthcare, nutrition, education, and livelihoods. Safe Mobility promotes transportation that bridges gender gaps, enhances road safety, and mitigates disaster risks. Smart Mobility aims to drive social impact through solutions that promote sustainable development and address issues like poverty and biodiversity conservation. However, no project met the criteria for the Smart Mobility category this year, and awards were given only in the first two categories.

KAM Foundation from Pune, Maharashtra, won in the Accessible Mobility category for its initiative, "Sustainable livelihood in sanitation." This project focused on improving the professional, economic, and social status of sanitation workers by integrating mechanisation and occupational safety standards, impacting the lives of 50 unorganised daily-wage sanitation workers.

Anchalik Jana Seva Anusthan (AJSA) from Odisha won in the Safe Mobility category for its "Green Express" initiative. The project transformed the lives of 3,500 tribal households by introducing climate-resilient crops and livestock rearing, along with electric vehicle carts that improved transportation efficiency for women-led Self Help Groups (SHGs), reducing costs and opening new market opportunities.

The first runner-up in the Accessible Mobility category was Kranti Shirur, a Pune-based organisation. Their project supported 2,460 survivors of gender-based violence and educated 2,000 children, including 460 girls, while facilitating entitlements for 7,695 beneficiaries.

The second runner-up in the Safe Mobility category was the Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (CEFHA) Trust from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, for their project "Empowering Adivasi Women through Mobility Skills." This initiative helped women engage in entrepreneurial activities, including small-scale trading, by providing auto-rickshaw driving training.

Tata Steel Foundation from Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, received a special recommendation from the jury for its project "Masti Ki Pathshala," while the Association of People with Disability from Bangalore, Karnataka, also received a special recommendation for its "Rehab on Wheels" project, which provided accessible rehabilitation services for people with disabilities in remote areas.

The jury included Sanjay Sasane, Principal of the Institute of Driver Training & Research (IDTR), Pune, Deepak Walokar, Former Director of Karve Institute of Social Service, Pune, and Smita Agarwal, Former Head of Education at Tata Steel CSR. Bridgestone India was represented by Hiroshi Yoshizane, Managing Director, Ranu Kulshreshtha, Head of CSR, and Sudhir Kulkarni, Executive Director of HR & Admin.

The awards were presented by Chief Guest Lina Kashyap, Professor Emeritus and former Deputy Director at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, with attendance from representatives of corporate organisations, NGOs, and local government officials.