Indian Oil launches phase VIII of ‘Prison to Pride’ & Phase V of ‘Nayi Disha - Smile for Juvenile’

New Delhi: In a continued endeavour to uplift the lives of prison inmates and juveniles, Indian Oil's Chairman Shrikant Madhav Vaidya launched Phase VIII of Indian Oil’s ‘Parivartan - Prison to Pride’ and Phase V of ‘Nayi Disha - Smile for Juvenile’ on July 19. In this phase Indian Oil will touch the lives of over 1000 individuals across 22 prisons and juvenile homes. With this roll-out, Indian Oil is set to transform the lives of over 7300 inmates and juveniles across 150 institutions, including 15 female juvenile centers, offering sports coaching and equipment across 23 states and 6 union territories.

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On the occasion Indian Oil Chairman said, “I am proud that Indian Oil is the leading voice among the corporates and stands as a beacon of hope for the incarcerated. Through ‘Parivartan’ and ‘Nayi Disha’ we are leveraging sports to provide second chances to prisoners and juveniles who can tread a new path in life.”

Vaidya, further highlighted that these endeavours exemplify Indian Oil’s core value of 'Nation First', extending beyond business to touch the lives of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable sections of the society.

Vaidya also shared that beyond these initiatives, Indian Oil is also illuminating lives through its 'Umeed – A Hope' project. “In collaboration with State Prison departments, we have already established over 53 fuel stations operated by current and former inmates, fostering a sense of belonging and pride among inmates through social reintegration.”

On the occasion, the participating state government officials and prison authorities thanked Indian Oil for this unique intervention that will help the inmates and juveniles build a better life and contribute fruitfully to the society.

It is noteworthy that these flagship outreach programmes of Indian Oil for jail inmates have gained global recognition for their social impact. Inmates from Yeravda prison, Pune won Gold Medals (Open category) and Bhopal Juvenile Centre (Youth Category) at the Intercontinental “Chess for Freedom” online chess championship for prisoners organised by World Chess Federation (FIDE).

The initiative has also received the Sportstar Aces Chairperson Award 2023 for sports for social good and the prestigious Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards for Thought Leadership. It was also acknowledged by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) at the Chess for Freedom Conference at Chicago in 2023.

Vaidya was bestowed with the prestigious title of “Friend of FIDE” by the World Chess Federation (FIDE). This award recognises Indian Oil’s valuable contribution to FIDE Chess for Freedom programme and promotion of sports as a tool for social transformation in India.

‘Parivartan- Prison to Pride’ initiative was launched on August 15, 2021, while the first phase of ‘Nayi Disha - Smile for Juvenile’ was introduced on January 26, 2023.

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