Ashok Leyland, the Indian flagship of the Hinduja Group and the country’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, received the Mother Teresa Award for Corporate Citizen of the Year 2024 at an event held at Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA). The award and citation were presented to the CSR team of Ashok Leyland by Dr. Palanivel Thiagarajan, Hon’ble Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services, Government of Tamil Nadu
Established in 1998, the Mother Teresa Award for Corporate Citizen is a prestigious honour that recognizes organizations demonstrating exceptional social responsibility, a commitment to community welfare, and a strong focus on environmental sustainability. Highly regarded across India’s corporate sector, this award celebrates companies that go beyond business imperatives to create a lasting and meaningful impact on marginalized communities.
Mr. Shenu Agarwal, MD and CEO, Ashok Leyland said, “At Ashok Leyland, we see corporate social responsibility as an integral part of our business philosophy. Our commitment to nation-building goes beyond manufacturing world-class vehicles, as we strive to uplift communities, protect the environment, and drive meaningful change. Receiving the Mother Teresa Award is a great honour and a reaffirmation of our efforts to create a sustainable and inclusive future. Our Road to School and Road to Livelihood programs continue to make a meaningful impact, now reaching over five lakh students. This year, we proudly welcomed 92,000 new students, and we are set to expand further by adding another 1,00,000 students in FY26, reinforcing our commitment to education and empowerment.”
Mr. Balachandar NV, CSR and Corporate Affairs, Ashok Leyland said, “Our CSR initiatives focus on holistic and long-term impact, aligning with our vision of creating a better society. This award is an encouragement for us to continue driving positive change through education, healthcare, environment sustainability, and skill development. We remain very proud of our ‘Road to School’ project, an initiative that takes education to the last mile, focuses on holistic child development enabling them to realize their full potential. For us, ‘Road to School’ is far more than just a CSR program; it represents a company-wide commitment to driving real, meaningful change in the lives of students.”
Ashok Leyland’s Road to School (RTS) program, in partnership with the Learning Links Foundation, aims to bridge educational gaps for students in rural and underserved government schools across India. Launched in 2015 with 36 schools in Tamil Nadu, RTS now supports 2,505 schools across seven states, impacting over 4.81 lakh students from grades 2 to 12. The initiative promotes holistic development, including academics, health, hygiene, emotional well-being, and sports, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Ashok Leyland is committed to reaching 1 million students and actively contributes to education, healthcare, road safety, skill development, women empowerment, and environmental sustainability. This award underscores the company’s dedication to fostering a sustainable and inclusive future while driving economic and social progress.
