It was the summer of 2015. Tata STRIVE, the concept, had just crawled out of slide decks and the first Tata STRIVE Skill Development Centre was approved to be established at the Krishi Vikas Kendra in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. Funded by Tata Chemicals, this first of its kind rural centre was supposed to set the benchmark of the work that Tata STRIVE would do in future. Being an organization at its absolute infancy, I was tasked with the responsibility of establishing the training facility in record time. And here I was, working with multiple infrastructure vendors, infrastructure partners, etc., in the extreme heat of Aligarh. Multiple questions crossed my mind – Why am I doing this? What is the end objective? What is the ‘Purpose’ of this hardship.

As the centre started taking shape, we started venturing into the community around the centre, advocating about our training programs, and mobilising learners. I found the whole organization around me, participating in the activities, enjoying every moment, and soaking up the experience. As we met more and more distressed families and underserved youth, I started realizing the value that this joint effort could potentially have, the power it had to pull out not just individuals, but entire families from poverty cycles.

The ‘Purpose’ was clear that every decision or action of ours was centered around learners and were made considering their best interests. This belief was further exemplified, when the certified learners from our initial batches in Aligarh were gainfully employed, rendering many happy stories.

Today, this sense of purpose permeates every facet of our work. From the meticulous design of our skilling programs to the dedicated efforts of our trainers and the strategic decisions made at every level, the ‘why’ remains constant. The benefit of each learner is not a secondary consideration – it is the central tenet of our purpose. Their aspirations, their dreams of a better future, fuel our passion and guide our initiatives.

The challenges we face in our mission are often significant. Yet, it is our deep-seated sense of purpose that fuels our resilience. It reminds us of the profound difference we can make in the lives of young people, providing them with the tools and confidence to break cycles of disadvantage.