IT Company Sears India announces the launch of its National Digital Literacy Center in Wagholi, Pune
Pune, 27th January 2016: Sears India, a technology development center of US retail giant Sears, with offices in Pune and Bengaluru, today jointly announced the launch of its National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM) Centre dedicated to training individuals in Digital Literacy in Wagholi and its nearby areas in Pune. Sears India has partnered with NASSCOM Foundation to set up the center in Wagholi as a CSR initiative supporting PM Narendra Modi’s Digital India vision.
Sears India will facilitate the training infrastructure and the trainers at the center with the help of Implementation Partner, Krushi Vikas va Gramin Prashikshan Sanstha, Talni (KVGPS). The center will be training as many as 1000 beneficiaries from the under-served communities per year on all digital devices, specifically, computers and smart phones. Once trained, the beneficiaries will be able to send emails, connect on social media, buy from ecommerce websites, and will even know how to use Internet to avail various government services such as registering for Aadhar cards, Ration cards, PAN cards, etc.
On the occasion, Chief People Officer of Sears India, Santosh Panicker said, “It’s always been our consistent effort to support our community by addressing elementary issues that haunt the progress of our country. The new Digital India initiative by the current government is a wonderful initiative that aims at imparting IT training to 52.5 lakh persons in its first phase by 2016. Our efforts, although very small, have the potential of impacting the lives of approximately 12,000 individuals.” Alok Kumar, VP and MD, Sears India expressed his commitment towards community service and supported his CSR team’s efforts in their endeavors towards their company’s CSR objective of ‘equal education for all’.
Ms. Sanjeevani Sarjerao Waghmare, Sarpanch of Wagholi village expressed gratitude towards Sears India, NASSCOM Foundation and KVGPS for sponsoring and implementing this noble cause. She expressed, “Corporates are doing great service to the community by launching NDLM centers in rural areas. I shall ensure that the Sears India NDLM center benefits as many people as possible in and around Wagholi village. Thanks once again for all your efforts.”
Shrikant Sinha, CEO, NASSCOM Foundation said, “We believe that digital literacy is one of the most potent tools for the empowerment of the under-served and rural communities in today’s digital economy. Working in partnership with Sears India and implementation partner KVGPS, NASSCOM Foundation is proud to announce the launch of its 17th center in Pune. Being digitally literate will help citizens access online services as Pune starts its journey towards becoming a smart and 100% digitally literate city.”
About Sears India:
Sears IT and Management Services India Pvt. Limited, also known as Sears India (Sears Holdings India/ SHI) provides corporate IT services to Sears Holdings Corporation (SHC, NASDAQ:SHLD) and its family of companies including Sears, Roebuck and Co., and Kmart Corporation. Sears is one of the largest retailers in US, with a 130 years’ legacy. Sears India works as an extended arm to the core Information Technology (IT) team of SHC and assists in developing and maintaining IT systems, solutions and applications used by SHC and its subsidiaries. Sears India has been an active player in honoring its corporate social responsibility and is also supporting ‘equal education for all’, and ‘sanitation’ through its participation in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, e-Saksharta and other initiatives.
