National: NMDC Limited, India’s largest iron ore producer and a Navratna PSU, is redefining what it means to be a corporate leader in modern India. With a legacy rooted in mining, NMDC has built people’s trust through its impactful work at the grassroots level. Over the past 20 years, the company has invested over Rs. 690 Crores in education initiatives under its CSR programmes, positively impacting more than one lakh students annually in Chhattisgarh and Karnataka.
NMDC’s 3S Approach: Sustainable, Scientific, Spreading Smiles
Over the past two decades, the company has invested more than Rs 2600 Crores into sectors like skill development, education and infrastructure, creating not just facilities, but a secure net of opportunities that reaches everyone.
Shri Amitava Mukherjee, CMD, NMDC, says, “At NMDC, community development is a core part of our identity. We are deeply committed to addressing the unique needs of the regions where we operate and ensuring that our initiatives create real and lasting change. By significantly increasing our CSR contribution in education year after year, we educate not just an individual but the whole family, their generation, and their society. Flagship initiatives like Astha Gurukul, Saksham Schools, and the ITIs in Bhansi and Nagarnar are shaping the backbone of the rural landscape where NMDC operates.”
Taking education to the grassroots levels
In regions like Bastar, where children, especially young girls, once walked miles to attend temporary schools under trees, NMDC’s intervention has brought about a visible change. Today, they learn in well-equipped classrooms.
With more than Rs 690 Crores spent solely on education over the past two decades, the development of regions such as Bastar, Dantewada, and Bellary has seen NMDC walking alongside every step of the way.
Astha Gurukul, a residential school initiative by NMDC, has educated over 12,000 students so far affected by extremism. It is the first school in the region to follow the CBSE syllabus, providing quality education to these students.
At the Saksham Campus, a first-of-its-kind, 100 per cent specially-abled facility, visually and hearing-impaired children are no longer left behind. Their classrooms are filled not just with aids and materials tailored to their needs, but also with the hope of a new future. The campus offers inclusive facilities, including dedicated group hearing rooms and sign language symbols on steps. The Hoslon Ki Udaan initiative promotes holistic development through sports and art, benefiting over 4,000 students to date.
NMDC has partnered with State Authorities to create physical infrastructure across the region, like the Education City at Geedam, Dantewada, expanding across 150 acres, a single campus offering primary education to professional courses, including Polytechnic College
In addition to the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in Nagarnar, which have trained 225 individuals, and Bhansi, which has supported around 1,500, the Polytechnic College in Dantewada is helping rural youth acquire industry-relevant skills. Many students have secured employment with companies such as Bajaj Ltd., Ashok Leyland, and Krishna Maruti.
The Balika Shiksha Yojana, which began with support for 25 tribal girls in nursing, has now reached nearly 583 beneficiaries. It currently operates at more than thrice its initial capacity, with plans for further expansion. Residential schools established in Nagarnar and Bastar have opened access to formal education for many first-generation learners.
As part of its ongoing CSR initiatives, NMDC has developed educational infrastructure, including smart classrooms, laboratories, sports facilities, and libraries. Dropout rates are being addressed through support for mid-day meal schemes, benefitting around 8,000 children annually. Additionally, NMDC’s Education Improvement Programmes have supported 4,367 students so far, including 2,027 girls.
Through initiatives like Balika Shiksha Sahyog Yojana, NMDC provides up to 18,000 scholarships annually. To date, more than 1.5 lakh scholarships have been provided to students.
In line with evolving community needs, NMDC continues to launch new initiatives. The Science Centre in Dantewada, also funded by NMDC, was recently mentioned by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in Mann Ki Baat for its impact on students and parents. Located in an area once known for conflict, the Centre is now a hub of innovation, featuring tools such as 3D printers and robotics, and offering hands-on learning opportunities to local families.