Ullas Trust, Polaris’ social transformation initiative, conducted its 17th Ullas Annual Workshop at The Music Academy in Chennai. The ‘Can Do’ workshop was conducted by Arun Jain, Chairman & Managing Director, Polaris Financial Technology in the presence of dignitaries such as R. Sekar, IPS, DGP (Vigilance), Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd., Dr. V. Krishnamurthy, CEO, Meenakashi Multispecialty Hospital, Bosskey, Actor and Standup Comedian, and Dhamu, Film Actor and Mimicry artist, The Master Trainer, Lead India 2020, a National Movement. Young Achievers scholarships were awarded to around 1000 students from 200 Corporation and Government schools during the event. The social initiative managed by Polaris Employees had covered 325 rural schools, during the academic year 2013-14, impacting 1 lakh children.
The Ullas Trust was set up in 1997 by the employees of Polaris to ignite and shape the young minds of students from Corporation, Government and Government-aided schools across the country. Very early in its evolution, the Ullas Trust decided to focus its energies on students from economically challenged backgrounds during the most vulnerable phase in their lives, i.e. adolescence The Trust believes this is the right period to nurture the ‘Can Do’ spirit in children to shape their aspirations and to channel their efforts towards meeting their goals.
Speaking on the occasion, Arun Jain, Chairman & Managing Director, Polaris Financial Technology Ltd said, “It is an inspiring and humbling experience to have the opportunity to engage with over a lakh of young minds. It is overwhelming to see Ullas transform children and encourage the ‘Can Do’ spirit towards chasing their dreams and aspirations. The ‘SUMMIT’ and ‘TOUCH THE SOIL’ initiatives by Ullas are special programs that help children traverse new horizons in different spheres of life, thereby creating a positive impact in the global scenario.”
Polaris employees conduct two integrated and holistic programs - the weekend SUMMIT program and the ‘Touch The Soil’ program’s ‘Diary of Dreams’ workshops help transform the best among young minds. All employees at Polaris hold Ullas initiative close to their heart.
Under the ‘Can Do’ series, the company rolled out a unique Diary of Dreams workshop to over 2000 students anchored by Arun Jain. The students thoroughly enjoyed the interactive workshop and the process of identifying their dreams and making a commitment to achieve the same.
Teams from Polaris have nurtured the dreams of over 1 Lakh students last academic year through the Touch the Soil initiative. The initiative has impacted students in 326 schools covering 77 districts in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, that includes 145 schools across 32 districts in Tamil Nadu.
Ullas has created integrated and holistic programs to encourage the ‘Can do’ spirit in young students based on six guiding principles:
- A young mind learns through his/her observations and by expanding his view. One can broaden his/her vision in this manner
- A young mind gets inspired by experiencing role models. Its only when one observes benchmarks of success can one even think about it
- A young mind gets energized and further encouraged by recognition in a larger group
- Between the ages of 13 and 16, the maximum change in one’s thought process occurs and any positive influence gets amplified
- To bring anything to reality one needs to visualize it. When one pens his or her dreams on paper one’s own personal commitment to the dreams increases and the chances of achieving the dream increases
- During the journey towards achieving dreams, if one’s thoughts are supported and discussed with a mentor, friend and guide, it inspires and accelerates momentum towards one’s goals
Snapshot of the Ullas programs: 1. SUMMIT - the weekend enrichment program The SUMMIT Program, a follow-up of the Annual Workshop, is conducted by Polaris employees for students from government, government-aided and corporation schools for standards 9th to 12th. The SUMMIT program comprises of 20 modules spanning across crucial life skills including communication skills, confidence building, memory skills, active team work, public speaking, leadership skills and computer lab sessions. It is graded from Level 1 to Level 4, with Level 1 beginning for Class IX and finishing with Level 4 for Class XII. Between Standard IX to XII, each student undergoes at least 20 life skills intervention programs and annual workshops that help hone their self-confidence and overall personality. The SUMMIT programs conducted this year in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai and Hyderabad reached more than 6000 students from 450 schools. Polaris employees get into the role of active trainers and mentor these students. By rendering these sessions, besides sheer joy and satisfaction, they get a unique opportunity to shape the thinking of thousands of young students, the future of our country. 2. ‘TOUCH THE SOIL’ Program – Nurtured the dreams of over 1 Lakh students last academic year The ‘Touch the Soil’ program reaches young minds in the districts through its ‘Diary of Dreams’ and ‘Planning’ workshop for Class IX and X students. The program spreads the power of believing in dreams to high school students across the rural areas of the country. The Diary of Dreams workshop encourages children to share their aspirations and put down their dreams on paper, helping commit the dream to their subconscious. The objective is to inspire students to dream big and with conviction and start translating these dreams into action. About Ullas Trust Ullas Trust, the Social Arm of Polaris Financial Technology was started in 1997 with an aim to integrate the employees with a larger community and nurture a “Can do it” spirit among the students. The Trust recognizes and rewards academic excellence through annual scholarships. The Ullas Trust has been organizing an annual workshop for the past 15 years, with the aim of exposing young minds to role models and achievers from the real world. Every year, the workshop culminates with the Trust awarding educational scholarships to students identified through a selection process from Corporation and Government schools in all districts of Tamil Nadu, Mumbai and Delhi.
Going beyond scholarships, the employees of Polaris act as “Mentors” to the Ullas Achievers by engaging them regularly on weekend enrichment programs. For more information, please visit
www.ullastrust.org/
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