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News Description
Kotak Education Foundation Launches Impact Film on Kotak Shiksha Nidhi, Honoring Resilience and Hope, Post-Pandemic
By Kotak Education Foundation
January 12, 2026
Kotak Education Foundation (KEF) unveiled the Kotak Shiksha Nidhi Impact Film, a powerful tribute to the resilience, courage, and transformation of students whose education was safeguarded in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic through one of Kotak Mahindra Group’s timely and extensive initiatives- Kotak Shiksha Nidhi.
Launched pan-India in response to the unprecedented crisis caused by COVID-19, Kotak Shiksha Nidhi was conceived to ensure the continuity of education for students who had lost one or both parents, or a primary earning family member, to the pandemic. The initiative supported over 1,500 students from Class 1 to graduation and diploma courses, spanning the ages of 6 to 22 years, at a time of profound personal loss and financial vulnerability, with financial aid of up to ₹ 2.5 lakhs per annum.
More than a financial aid programme, Kotak Shiksha Nidhi was thoughtfully designed as a holistic support system, extending academic assistance, career guidance, analytical skills training, mental health and wellness counselling, and coaching in personality development and life skills. This integrated approach enabled students not just to remain in the education system, but to rebuild confidence, rediscover purpose, and envision a future beyond adversity.
Many beneficiaries of the programme have since gone on to successfully graduate, pursue higher education, secure internships, and gain full-time employment, bringing renewed stability and hope to their families and communities.
The impact film is a testament to the programme’s enduring legacy and the lives it has shaped.
Kotak Shiksha Nidhi Film: https://youtu.be/mASuQUavH6w
Commenting on the launch of the film, Jaideep Hansraj, Whole Time Director (Executive Director) Kotak Mahindra Bank, said, “The Kotak Shiksha Nidhi Impact Film is a salute to courage. Behind every frame is a young learner who refused to let loss define their future. Through timely financial support and holistic care including academic guidance, mental wellness, and life skills, we worked with the families as they rebuilt hope. This film reminds us why equitable access to education matters: because when support arrives at the right time, potential becomes possibility.”
Commenting on the launch of the film, Jayasree Ramesh, COO(Education), Kotak Education Foundation, said, “At Kotak Education Foundation, we know that every child’s learning is precious and no crisis should stand in its way. Kotak Shiksha Nidhi was created with care and foresight, to protect the dreams of children facing unimaginable loss. This video shares their stories of resilience and courage, highlighting a Pan-India movement that ensures every child can continue to learn, grow, and thrive.”
Capturing Stories That Numbers Cannot
The Kotak Shiksha Nidhi Impact Film was created to bring alive the emotional journeys behind the impact, the grief, resilience, strength, and transformation experienced by students and their families. Recognising that it was impossible to tell the stories of over 1,500 students in a single film, the KEF team carefully curated a selection of narratives representing diverse regions, age groups, and lived realities, each reflecting a powerful journey of courage and renewal. To authentically capture these stories, the team travelled across four states, engaging deeply with students and their families and documenting their lived experiences with sensitivity and respect. The film was produced in collaboration with an acclaimed production house and directed by Sarthak Dasgupta, an award-winning filmmaker recognised nationally for his impactful short films and compelling storytelling. Together, the teams have created a film that not only documents change but also celebrates the human spirit and the transformative power of education.
A Collective Effort, A Shared Purpose
The Kotak Education Foundation extends heartfelt gratitude to its on-ground teams, partners, creative collaborators, and most importantly, the students and families who trusted KEF with their stories. Their openness and courage form the soul of this film. The Kotak Shiksha Nidhi Impact Film reinforces KEF’s enduring commitment to equity in education and its belief that when the right support reaches learners at the right time, education can become a powerful force for healing, dignity, and long-term change.
Kotak Education Foundation
It has been a rewarding 18 years since we embarked on our mission to equip economically disadvantaged children and youth with education and foundational skills, galvanizing them towards a better future. Our ‘Inch Wide Mile Deep’ approach, home-grown projects focused on quality education for the low-income segment have been instrumental in shaping the success of our projects across India. KEF’s approach is primarily three-pronged –
a) holistic interventions with children and educators in school,
b) equitable scholarships for higher studies, and
c) vocational education and skills training for livelihood.
KEF launched Kotak Kanya Scholarship in 2021 to offer financial and academic support to meritorious girl students for the pursuit of higher education from all across India. Kotak Junior Scholarship supports meritorious students from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region for pursuing 11th and 12th standards. The Kotak Graduate Scholarship is a thoughtfully designed program for eligible scholars aspiring to pursue professional courses such as Engineering, MBBS, Integrated LLB, professional certificate courses. Kotak Shiksha Nidhi, a timely, groundbreaking initiative by KEF, was introduced pan-India after the COVID-19 pandemic. It enabled school and college education of students who were impacted by the tragic loss of one or both parents or a primary earning family member due to COVID-19.
KEF’s scholarship wing has been supporting students for over a decade, providing scholarships and financial assistance to over 7,500+ scholars till date. Over 1,500+ alumni are successful white-collar professionals working in leading companies and other esteemed institutions.
This year, KEF initiated a scholarship program exclusively for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs). The objective is to support students with disabilities across India by reducing financial barriers and enabling them to continue their education with dignity and independence. In the first year we will be supporting 150+ children across school and college.
KEF’s Unnati program upskills unemployed youth from economically weaker sections of society and coaches them in the basics of IT and spoken English, life skills and personality development. It ensures placements for all eligible participants so they can stride with confidence into any professional sphere.
Armed with its vast experience and expertise, KEF now scales its depth as well as the breadth of its reach. KEF’s philosophy is evolving from ‘school as a unit’ to working toward district/state-level education transformation. As KEF expands its ambit, it will help drive systemic reform and state education transformation to create long-term Impact at Scale. Strengthening school leadership and teacher capacity building, creating a digital ecosystem and learning environment in schools, equipping middle school students with confidence and skills of communicative English, upskilling teachers to provide Foundational Literacy & Numeracy skills through the KSHAMATA project and supporting districts in building and running Model Schools through these key projects. KEF is expanding to new geographies through the capacity building- KSHAMATA project beyond Maharashtra, supporting schools in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Goa.
Kotak Education Foundation is the primary implementing agency for the CSR initiatives of Kotak Mahindra Group in Education. Kotak Karma is the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) identity of Kotak Mahindra Group Companies. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.kotakeducationfoundation.org
About Kotak Mahindra Group
Established in 1985, Kotak Mahindra Group is one of India's leading financial services conglomerates. In February 2003, Kotak Mahindra Finance Ltd. (KMFL), the Group's flagship company, received banking license from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), becoming the first non-banking finance company in India to convert into a bank - Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd (KMBL).
Kotak Mahindra Group (the Group) offers a wide range of financial services that encompass every sphere of life. From commercial banking, to stock broking, mutual funds, life and general insurance and investment banking, the Group caters to the diverse financial needs of individuals and the corporate sector. The premise of Kotak Mahindra Group’s business model is concentrated India, diversified financial services. The bold vision that underscores the Group’s growth is an inclusive one, with a host of products and services designed to address the needs of the unbanked and insufficiently banked.
Kotak Mahindra Group has a global presence through its subsidiaries in UK, USA, Gulf Region, Singapore and Mauritius with offices in London, New York, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore and Mauritius respectively. As on 30th September 2025, the Group has a national footprint of 5,511 branches including branches in GIFT City and DIFC (Dubai). For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.kotak.bank.in.
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