This Project Aims To Celebrate The Father-Daughter Bond And Educate Girl Children

It is so true that when you educate a woman, you educate a whole generation. It was Anand Mahindra, the Chairman of the Mahindra Group, who founded the Project Nanhi Kali in 1996 with the intent of providing primary education to girl children in India. This project was started with a strong belief that women's education will not only lead to improved economic conditions of the country but will also help in eradicating evil practices such as child marriage and dowry system.

Ever since the project Nanhi Kali was launched, it has made several efforts towards girl child empowerment. One such attempt is the Proud Fathers for Daughters event which was first launched in the year 2014. This year the event is scheduled for 19 October and 20 October.

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This event celebrates the bond shared by fathers and daughters. The aim is to conceptualise the positive change in the patriarchal society of India and to make people realise that daughters are as important as sons. It will also provide a platform where renowned and ace photographers from all over the country will capture through their lens the adorable bond shared by fathers and their daughters.

It is a matter of pride for Indians that recent years have witnessed a positive change where parenting is no more gender-specific and be it a father or both of them equally share the responsibilities.

Nowadays, fathers who stay at home and take care of their children are widely appreciated, but when a mother goes out of her way and does something for her children, it is seen as a duty.

In order to celebrate the role played by mothers who stay at home to look after their kids, the event will be providing an exclusive slot for mother-daughter duos.

A renowned photographer, film producer and national award winner, Atul Kasbekar shared some insights about the event. He said, "When Anand Mahindra and I created this platform, our idea was to help educate the girl child. We are truly thrilled to see it grow over the years while staying true to the original purpose."

"Accompanied by some of the industry's best people behind the lens who are donating their time and talent, makes Proud Fathers For Daughters a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many. #Mission5000 to #MakeEveryDaughterSmile is an ambitious target but we are certain that we will achieve it with your endless support," he added.

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Deeply moved by the 2012 Nirbhaya rape incident that shook the entire country, Anand Mahindra decided to launch this initiative to contribute and help in bringing a positive change in the mindset of people towards the girls in Indian society. He believes, through this initiative, a change can be brought in the society where girls can feel safe and independent. Therefore, he collaborated with Atul Kasbekar to actualise this noble idea.

Get world class lensmen to shoot you & send a girl to school.
Proud fathers for daughters😊@nanhiKali
Register: https://t.co/QPlh7VTHDd pic.twitter.com/FcWEteOV2f

— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) 3 August 2017

This year to make the event a bit special, the event will be attended by some renowned photographers other than Atul Kasbekar. Some of the names are Prasad Naik, Colston Julian, Tarun Vishwa, Tarun Khiwal and Tejal Patni. The photographers will dedicate their time to capture some beautiful and adorable moments of father-daughter duos and the best part is it is free of cost.

The first edition of Proud Father for Daughters helped in providing a platform where some renowned photographers clicked the moments between father and their daughters so that they can cherish those moments forever. The amount that was raised by the event since 2014, is being used to educate and empower 1700 girls. This year too the amount that will be collected from the event will be used for educating and empowering the girls through Project Nanhi Kali.

According to Sheetal Mehta, the Senior Vice President - CSR, Mahindra Group, and Executive Director, K.C. Mahindra Education Trust, "Through Proud Fathers For Daughters this year, our focus is to drive positive and exponential change and enable a larger number of girls to secure their right to an education. The converging roles of mothers and fathers is a unique aspect that will be celebrated in this edition, as mothers will get an exclusive opportunity to commemorate their bonds with their daughters. This will help us widen our engagement to reinforce pride in having a daughter, as much as sons, in our society."

The year 2019 is the sixth edition of the Proud Fathers for Daughters event and it is scheduled on October 19 and 20. the venue of the event is said to be at NSCI, Worli (Mumbai). Individuals will have to pay the registration amount of INR 6,000 and book a slot for themselves. However, one can come and donate to help in educating 5,000 girls, which is a target set by the organisers for this year.

This year at Proud Fathers For Daughters we are setting ourselves a goal of educating an additional 5000 girls with #Mission5000
Help us achieve this goal by supporting the education of many more Nanhi Kalis#MakeEveryDaughterSmile
Register: https://t.co/2zKcyZ6mIa #tarunvishwa pic.twitter.com/I7kmWFZr3c

— Nanhi Kali (@NanhiKali) 4 October 2019