- 315 women participated from Odisha
Jamshedpur/Bhubaneswar/New Delhi, prabaha news : Tata Steel and its social impact arm,Tata Steel Foundation came together to enablemore than 600 women from its grassroots programmes across Jharkhand, Odisha and Ludhiana to participate in the Tata AI Sakhi Immersion Program at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, held at Bharat Mandapam, Delhi.Organised by the Govt of India and spearheaded by Tata Consultancy Services, this workshop is a flagship movement by the Tata entity to bolster learning in AI, confidence and dignity for women in grassroots India.
The session was graced by the visit of Smriti Irani, Chairperson, Alliance for Global Good, Gender, Equity and Equality, CII, as the chief guest. Present on the occasion was Sourav Roy, Chief Executive Officer, Tata Steel Foundation alongwith government officials and dignitaries of Tata group companies.A total of 311 women from Jharkhand, 315 women from Odisha and 9 women from Ludhiana were present in a cohort of 635 out of 1600 at the session today.
The immersive workshop explored how artificial intelligence can become a practical tool for livelihood enhancement, entrepreneurship, and everyday problem-solving.The workshop aligns to the Foundation’s vision of ‘realising her potential with dignity’, while placing the institution as an example of ‘many firsts’.
The participants mobilised by Tata Steel Foundation represented diverse community initiatives spanning health (MANSI+), livelihoods (Agriculture), women’s leadership(Disha), community enterprise (Navjeevan, Srujanika and Pragati) and Tribal Identity (including Samvaad and Johar Haat), reflecting the organisation’s integrated approach to inclusive development. Through guided hands-on sessions, women explored AI applications for business promotion, product design, documentation support, accessing information, and skill development, with trained mentors supporting small group learning. The initiative aligns with Tata Steel Foundation’s intent at strengthening women-led development by combining digital inclusion with existing community capabilities and livelihood opportunities.
On the occasion, Sourav Roy said: ““At Tata Steel Foundation, our programmes have consistently focused on strengthening women’s leadership and livelihoods, and the AI Sakhi immersion is a natural extension of that journey. By introducing grassroots women to practical applications of artificial intelligence, we are enabling them to expand economic opportunities, access information and solve everyday challenges with greater confidence. I stand in gratitude and admiration for each woman who has made it to the summit, as a demonstration of their work and their commitment to the community. Their curiosity and willingness to adopt new tools are what truly drive meaningful change at the grassroots.”
Adding a unique cultural dimension to the summit, all 1,600 women participants across Tata Group companies’ initiatives wore tussar silk shawls which symbolised grassroots craftsmanship and collective identity. These shawls were procured from Navjeevan, a producer group enabled by Tata Steel Foundation, creating an additional livelihood opportunity for rural artisans while showcasing indigenous textile heritage on a national platform.
At the summit, participants were grouped into cohorts based on their aspirations and digital familiarity. Women artisans explored AI-enabled design innovation and marketing tools, while digitally literate participants learned how AI can support documentation, access to government schemes, business promotion, and communication. Advanced users explored business scaling, personalised learning pathways, and portfolio diversification opportunities using AI tools.
Tata Steel Foundation:
In order to recognize the shifts that will govern the next decade in the development space and to take forward our ambition of emerging as a thought leader, the Tata Steel Foundation – a section 8 Company – was established in 2016. With over 1,500 members spread over ten units and six states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Punjab, the Foundation is a community development implementing organization focused upon co-creating solutions with tribal and excluded communities to address their development challenges. In FY25-26, the Foundation reached 6.3 million lives through its consolidated programme portfolio effectively positioned under Impact Pathways on Public Health, Education, Livelihoods, Gender and Community Enterprise, Infrastructure and Tribal Identity, at a commitment of 582.27 crores. It is committed towards playing a larger role in India’s sustainable development as roadmap to achieving its vision to create ‘an enlightened and equitable society where every individual realizes her potential with dignity’.
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