HCL commemorated 49 years of leading change by collectively celebrating HCL Day across 10 locations in India. A mega plantation drive planted over 49,000 saplings pan-India, with enthusiastic participation from over 2,100 participants, including HCLTechies, government partners, nonprofits, community stakeholders, and more.

Every plantation site was buzzing with activity and joy as saplings of native species were planted. The event drew parallels with HCL's own 49-year journey, highlighting the company's agility and ability to build lasting impact.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was formally signed between HCLFoundation and the Tamil Nadu Department of Prisons and Correctional Services to strengthen collaboration in the presence of Dr. Maheshwar Dayal (IPS), Director General of Prisons and Correctional Persons, and Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Senior Vice President – Global CSR and Director, HCLFoundation.

The partnership aims to foster meaningful rehabilitation, skill development, and social reintegration initiatives for incarcerated individuals, with a shared vision of creating a more inclusive and equitable society.

HCLFoundation's Sports for Change National Finals 2025, held at SSN, Chennai. A total of 758 athletes from 45 districts across 14 states came together on a stage of this magnitude for the first time. The opening ceremony was led by Padmashri Achanta Sharath Kamal, a table tennis legend, and Dr. Kala Vijayakumar, Pro Chancellor – SNU and President – SSN Institutions.

The celebrations reached a peak when Tamil Nadu lifted the champion's trophy for the second consecutive year, a proud moment for the host state that reflected the spirit, skill, and determination of the Games.
 

This year's PFC theme, 'Expanding Horizons: Scaling Impact,' delved into the transformative power of innovative thinking, collaborative spirit, and inclusive approaches in amplifying grassroots initiatives into widespread, lasting change.

 PFC celebration this year brought a joyous tribute to our collective accomplishments, infusing us with renewed energy and purpose for the journey ahead. The visual identity of PFC draws inspiration from our rural heritage, paying homage to the timeless traditions and vibrant spirit of our villages.

My E-Haat Conclave Edition 2 , was a celebration of art & artisans. This year's theme, Revitalizing the Craft Economy: Empowering Artisans, Enriching Traditions, underscores HCLTech’s commitment to fostering a sustainable future for India's artisanal community. The craft sector, comprising over 7,000,000 artisans and 35,000 unique products, is vital to the nation's economy. The Conclave featured two key panels. The first on Craft Entrepreneurship and Incubation discussed sustainable ventures and capacity building, resulting in strategies for scaling enterprises. The second on Innovation and Technology Intervention focused on enhancing productivity, market reach and engagement through technology, leading to strategies for digital empowerment and design innovation. 13th Dec, New Delhi.

HCLFoundation held the first Roundtable on the ‘Yamuna River Basin Collective Action’ an initiative by HCLFoundation, at HCLTech Noida campus. We are proud to share that HCLTech has pledged to lead the water stewardship in Yamuna basin as a part of the ‘CEO Water Mandate Water Resilience Coalition’. Various representatives from civil society organizations and think tanks working in the Yamuna Basin, including former Director General of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Mr G. Asok Kumar were a part of this discussion. Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Senior Vice President, Global CSR, HCLTech and Director, HCLFoundation gave insights on this initiative.- 5th November, Noida.

HCLFoundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Animal Husbandry Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh, to develop the Government Veterinary Hospital in Sandila, Hardoi, as a Centre for Artificial Insemination & Animal Husbandry Extension Services (CAAES). The MoU was exchanged by Shri K. Ravindra Nayak, Principal Secretary, Animal Husbandry, GoUP, and Mr. Alok Varma, Project Director - Samuday & My Clean City, HCLFoundation, in the presence of Shri Manoj Kumar Singh, Chief Secretary, Government of Uttar Pradesh. At the ceremony, a training booklet developed by HCL Foundation on Improved Animal Management Practices for dairy farmers was also unveiled by the dignitaries.- 4th November, Hardoi.

A mega plantation drive was organized to mark 48 years of HCL on August 11 across 13 districts in India. Over 2,000 volunteers, including HCLTechies, their families, NGO partners, and community members, came together to plant 48,000 native tree and mangrove saplings. Chairperson Ms. Roshni Nadar Malhotra and several members of HCLTech's leadership team joined the effort, making it a truly special event.

HCLFoundation inaugurated STEM Stars Lab in Noida, in collaboration with Katha, to inspire creativity and innovation in students through cutting-edge digital and robotics education. This initiative is part of HCLFoundation's mission to empower communities through education, with 7 operational labs across Noida and Greater Noida, benefiting over 2,000 students.

HCLFoundation along with its NGO and government partners, HCLTechies, their family, friends and community volunteers came together to make their beaches spick and span clean to commemorate 39th International Coastal Cleanup Day. These cleanups were organized across eight coastal sites in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala.

Around 18,458 kgs of waste including plastic bottles, fishing nets, footwear, glass bottles and mixed waste was collected across the coastal areas by 2426 volunteers cumulatively spending 13,379 hours

HCLFoundation’s Sports for Change National Finals 2024, held at SSN, Chennai . We witnessed sport transcends the boundaries of competition and victory and instill invaluable life lessons. 800 + children from 12 States & 2 UT’s (40+ districts) of India participated in this grassroots sports promotion series aimed at nurturing and promoting national sports talent. 

Samuday by HCLFoundation was awarded the NATHEALTH Impact Awards 2024, at the 10th Annual Arogya Bharat Summit, they were the 1st Runner Up in the CSR category for our Adolescent Health Anemia project. This initiative aims to reduce anemia among over 20,000 adolescent girls aged 10-19 years. Mr. Alok Varma, Project Director – Samuday & My Clean City, received the award, along with team members of the innovative project.

HCLFoundation was part of Uttar Pradesh Global Investor Summit, organized the Ground Breaking Ceremony - 4.0 (GBC - 4.0). The event was inaugurated by the Hon'ble Prime Minister that witnessed the gathering of dignitaries from across the country, providing a valuable platform to highlight the achievements of the state government. We were recognized for ground-breaking work and successfully implementing projects in the state.

Mr. Alok Varma, Project Director, Samuday by HCLFoundation and My Clean City, received the award on behalf of HCLFoundation.

Kanchan Verma, Director General, School Education and State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan inaugurated two STEM labs at Government Inter College, Nishatganj, Lucknow. Through our STEM interventions, we promote scientific acumen amongst young people to help them achieve academic excellence and break all barriers to live a dignified life. 
 

The 7th Edition of the Partnering for Change 2024 - a network of partners meet, was hosted with over 470 participants from 200+partner organization, NGOs & key stakeholders. The event witnessed promising progress made by each NGO partner & best practices that emerged across varied geographies, themes and flagship programmes.

HCLFoundation was at the forefront tackling the grappling harsh winters . HCLFoundation team  along with its NGO partners CHETNA and EFRAH in partnership with Police Commissionerate, Gautam Buddha Nagar, remain committed to providing essential relief. Over 2000+ blankets and 1000+ tarpaulin sets were distributed.  
 

At the HCLTech campus Noida café 1,a new opened café was inaugurated that offers a array of delicacies. The café is run by our SHG women under our special initiative programme My E-Haat. HCLTechies can now indulge in the fruits of their dedication and passion, savoring cookies, millet recipes and snacks for a truly wholesome experience.

HCLFoundation marked the National Youth Day and Swami Vivekananda's legacy at the HCLTech Campus, Jigani, Bengaluru. The event saw 200+ attendees on-site - students and youth from partner organizations and many more virtually joining from Yuvakendras (Skill development centers) 
 

HCLFoundation celebrated the year with Dairy Development Project, 8 active women farmers were felicitated at the Dairy Kisan Protsahan Evam, Uttar Pradesh. This was to mark the increase in sales over a year, wherein farmers get additional monetary benefit, in terms of bonus.

Sports for Change by HCLFoundation participated at the 1st Edition of the Khelo India Para Games, organized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, over 1,500 athletes from 36 states & UTs participated in 7 sports disciplines. Thanks to their outstanding performance our medal tally closed with a staggering 18 Medals - 12 Gold, 4 Silver, 2 Bronze!

COP 28 held in Dubai, saw Dr. Nidhi Pundhir lead HCLFoundation contingent and engage in meaningful conversations with several stakeholders for collective action for a sustainable and resilient future.

My E-Haat Conclave was organised to mark the successful two-year journey of My E-Haat initiative. It was a celebration of art & artisans

HCLFoundation was at forefront of relief efforts in the aftermath of cyclone Michaung in Chennai. Over 3,800 ration kits comprising essential items were distributed to community members.

HCLFoundation has been presented with the 'Best Communication in Sanitation' award by India Sanitation Coalition - FICCI. The award is a testament to the creative and intense behaviour change communication campaigns rolled out under Samuday by HCLFoundation programme in Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh to foster open defecation free villages and adoption of a clean and hygienic lifestyle with efficient waste management locally.

On the occasion International Coastal Cleanup Day, HCLTech volunteers, NGO partners, and government stakeholders demonstrated their commitment towards #CleanerCoasts , came together for a Community Plogathon. At 7 sites, a total of 1,575 participants took part, their collective efforts resulted in the collection of an impressive 6,067 kilograms of waste. (20th Sep 2023)

HCLFoundation celebrated National Sports Day, with over 800+ enthusiastic young athletes coming together from 10 districts for a thrilling 5 days of competition held

HCLFoundation renewed its partnership with the Tamil Nadu Police to empower children residing in urban slums in and around Chennai across categories of sports, scouts, supplementary education and health amongst others through a formal MoU signing with - Shri Sandeep Rai Rathore IPS, DGP/Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai City; Shri K. Shankar IPS, Commissioner of Police, Avadi; and Dr. A. Amalraj IPS, Commissioner of Police, Tambaram City Police, and Dr Nidhi Pundhir, Vice President, Global CSR, HCLFoundation

To mark the 47th HCL Day, 47,000+ saplings of different native species were planted

HCLFoundation has been awarded a certificate of appreciation for its development of infrastructure facilities in Government schools of Gautam Buddha Nagar and Hardoi district under “Operation Kayakalp” programme launched by the State Government of Uttar Pradesh. The award was presented by the honorable Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Shri Yogi Adityanath at a ceremony held in Lucknow.

We at HCLFoundation believe that good school infrastructure tends to reduce dropout and improves attendance which ultimately results into better academic results, and our committed to the cause.

HCL Foundation and National Co-operative Union of India (NCUI) under the Ministry of Cooperation, GoI, have joined hands to establish skill development centers, foster the cooperative movement and uplift communities across India. This pilot project focuses on empowering artisans, women, and youth; driving socio-economic development and creating a ripple effect of positive change.

Through collaborative efforts, a culture of cross-promotion and knowledge-sharing will be cultivated benefiting the skill and livelihood development of the entire community. Over the next 3 years, our mission is to empower over 5000 participants, by offering sustainable income-generation activities.

The MoU was signed by Dr. Sudhir Mahajan, Chief Executive, NCUI and Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Vice-President, Global CSR, HCL Foundation in the presence of Shri Dileep Sanghani, Chairman, NCUI.

HCL Foundation has renewed its partnership with the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) for another three years to boost native biodiversity in the eco-sensitive regions of Uttarakhand.

The extended partnership aims to double down on the deep positive impact against habitat degradation and native biodiversity loss that this unique initiative has been able to make. HCL Foundation aims to plant an additional 10,000 Rudraksha saplings and other native species in the region by 2026. It will also organize community awareness programs to restore degraded habitats and conserve native biodiversity.

HCLTech won the National Water Award in the Industry for CSR Activities category for significant efforts in holistic water conservation and management in India. The award has been instituted by the Government of India's Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti(Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, RD & GR). HCLFoundation has been supporting sustainable, scalable and innovative solutions for effective water conservation through comprehensive programs in rural and urban areas. Till date, our key milestones include harvesting 57.9 billion liters of #water and rejuvenating over 200 water bodies and rainwater harvesting structures across India. Rahul Singh, COO - Corporate Functions, HCLTech and Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Vice President, Global CSR, HCLFoundation received the award from India's Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar.

To mark World Earth Day, HCL Foundation launched a national-level ‘Generation for Climate Action (GENCAN)’ initiative in partnership with the Centre for Environment Education (CEE) for promoting sustainability and climate education and action in schools through its flagship programme, HCL Harit – The Green Initiative. 200+ students participated in this national launch. In addition, an interactive panel with 9 students took place where students shared about the actions they are taking towards building a greener planet.

Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Vice-President, Global CSR & Director, HCL Foundation; Shri Kartikeya Sarabhai, Director CEE; Dr. Sunita Farkya, Professor & Head, Department of Education in Science and Mathematics, NCERT; Dr. Ashok Khosla, Chairman, Development Alternatives; Dr. Pratibha Singh, WASH, Sustainability and Climate Change Specialist, UNICEF India; and Mr. Sam Barratt, Chief of the Youth, Education and Advocacy Unit, UNEP inaugurated the booklet and website on April 20, 2023 at New Delhi. Generation For Climate Action Initiative (GENCAN) is a 10-month school-based climate education and action learning programme for grades 6 to 12. The programme seeks to provide school children with the required knowledge and skills on climate change and take individual and collective actions towards carbon footprint reduction of the school.

The Madras Chamber of Commerce & Industry awarded the prestigious MCCI TAFE CSR AWARDS 2022 to HCL Foundation and Thuvakkam NGO on 31, January 2023. The award was given in recognition of the innovation, collaboration and social impact created in the Field of Environmental Sustainability & Ecological Balance through the “Greenery – Urban Forest” project.

Thuvakkam, in collaboration with the HCL Foundation, under the HCL Harit greenery initiative, created a stretch of forest between the Indra Nagar MRTS and Kasturba Nagar MRTS stations. The first sapling was planted on August 11th, 2021, with the help of volunteers and the general public. Nearly 0.85 acre of land now houses 7,050+ grown saplings. Having over 40 species, the plants are all indigenous to the soil, and are of different varieties, such as flowering, shrubbery, and shade-giving plants. The Greater Chennai Corporation has lain a bicycle path along the forest, which has proven to be a great attraction for the general public.

HCL Foundation extended its partnership with the Gautam Buddha Nagar Police Commissionerate and NGO partner CHETNA by establishing an additional multidimensional mobile classroom under its ‘Nanhe Parinde’ initiative. ‘Nanhe Parinde’ is an initiative of HCL Uday, HCL Foundation’s urban flagship program, through which five mobile vans are currently operating in the Gautam Buddh Nagar area. The mobile vans will offer academic support to the children in mathematics and science, English language skills, art lessons and digital literacy. They will also provide children sports and recreational opportunities to help reduce school dropout rates and juvenile crime rates in the community.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a period of five years was signed between HCL Foundation and the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissionerate for this initiative. Ram Badan Singh (IPS), DCP Headquarters, GB Nagar Police Commissionerate, and Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Vice President, Global CSR, HCL Foundation, signed the MoU. Bharati Singh (IPS), Additional Commissioner of Police (HQ), flagged off the initiative in the presence of Dr. Pundhir and Sanjay Gupta, Director, CHETNA.

Commemorating the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, HCL Foundation organized the second edition of YUVA MELA to mark the National Youth Day in the presence of Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Vice President, Global CSR, HCL Foundation and Mr. Veera Raghva Rao (IAS), Commisioner of Training and Employment, Govt. of Tamil Nadu. HCLF also inked a partnership with the Directorate of Employment and Training of Tamil Nadu to introduce new-age courses in four Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in Chennai and flagged off the ‘Skill Rath’, a mini-ITI van which will visit all the parts of the Chennai city to promote technical education and enrolment in ITIs.

The event, held in HCL SEZ Chennai Campus brought together 300 participants physically from the Chennai location and almost 1,000+ young minds connected virtually who are a part of the various interventions supported by HCL Foundation. The participants celebrated the day with cultural events including the fashion show and group dance performance.

HCL Foundation is currently working with 58 Yuva Kendras or Skill Development Centers across the country, offering knowledge on more than 70 varieties of technical and non-technical trades that help in the placement opportunities. These centers, under the Skill Development and Livelihood vertical, have impacted nearly ninety thousand youth across and have ensured more than 80% placements in diverse trades.

Tamil Nadu Forest Department (TNFD) has joined hands with HCL Foundation, in a timely step towards marine and coastal conservation to resolve the ghost net and marine debris problem in the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, Tamil Nadu. In alignment with SDG 14, HCL Foundation will be supporting TNFD to take up a 3-year action for the removal of ghost nets and marine debris. We will work together for a mass awareness campaign towards debri free Gulf of Mannar for the coastal communities.

An MoU was signed on December 19, 2022, in the presence of Mr. Srinivas Reddy, I.F.S, Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW); Dr. Naganathan, I.F.S, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF) – Wildlife; Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Vice-President, Global CSR, HCLTech; Dr. Santanu Basu, Project Director, HCL Harit and; Mr. Bakan Jagdish Sudhakar, I.F.S, DFO and WLW, Ramanathapuram.

HCL Foundation Sports Scholar, Jerlin Anika has become India’s first woman Deaflympian to receive the Arjuna Award for her achievements in badminton. She received the prestigious honour from the Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu.

A badminton prodigy, 18-year-old Jerlin won three gold medals at the 2022 Deaflympics in Brazil while representing India. She also won six gold medals at the Asia Pacific Youth Badminton Championships and Asia Pacific Deaf Badminton Championships in Thailand this year. Earlier, Jerlin won one gold, two silver, and one bronze at the World Deaf Badminton Championships 2019 in China. 

Since 2019, Jerlin has been supported by HCL Foundation, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of HCLTech, under its ‘Sports for Change’ initiative. By providing a high-quality and inclusive sporting experience, the programme aims to enable balanced participation, excellence, and holistic development of children from disadvantaged communities.