BusinessWire India
New Delhi [India], May 6: Buddy4Study, India's premier AI-powered educational funding platform, marked a historic milestone at its 4th Annual Scholars Day, announcing the successful disbursement of over INR 900 crore in cumulative scholarships to more than 1.70 lakh students since 2011.
The announcement was made during Buddy4Study's 4th annual scholars' day, where more than 200 scholars, including alumni scholars working for prestigious institutions and organisations such as ISRO, EY, Supreme Court of India, etc., spoke to a new generation of scholars.
The event, themed 'Bharat Bhagya Vidhata: Empowering Scholars to Drive Lasting Impact,' convened over 200 scholars, policy makers, educators and CSR leaders from global giants including HDFC Bank, Alstom, Rolls Royce, and Bharti Airtel.
The event was graced by two distinguished Guests of Honour from the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
Dr. Pankaj KP Shreyaskar - DDG (Stats) is a senior bureaucrat and policy expert with more than 20 years of service.
"I congratulate Buddy4Study for this remarkable initiative that truly contributes to nation-building. While government scholarships are widely promoted, their complex application process can be discouraging. What Buddy4Study has built goes beyond a platform; it's a powerful force of trust, uniting CSR funders and ensuring the right students receive support," he said.
Mr. Magan Lal Meena, Director at the Department of School Education and Literacy and Mrs Hema Malini SK Deepak, Under Secretary in the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India, were also present at the event.
During the event Mr. Ashutosh Burnwal, Founder and CEO of Buddy4Study, addressed scholars and partners alike.
He said, "As we stand here today, each one of you carries the power to shape the future of this nation. At Buddy4Study, we've already made a significant impact, supporting over 1.7 lakh students with scholarships and managing more than INR 900 crore in CSR funds. But we're not stopping here. To ensure that even more students can benefit from our initiatives, we're revamping our application and selection processes to make them simpler and faster. By leveraging advanced AI, we aim to reduce a process that typically takes months to just 3 to 6 days. Additionally, through the VidyaDaan Foundation, we are expanding our commitment to mentorship, providing scholars with not just financial support but also the guidance they need to excel."
The event featured an inspiring address by Mr Deepak Ranjan Sahoo, Scientist at Indian Space Research Organisation and a Buddy4Study alumni scholar, whose journey from financial hardship to contributing to satellite-based forest fire detection systems moved the audience.
Scholars' Day 2026 featured engaging sessions, from talent showcases to insightful discussions, focused on inspiring and empowering scholars.
A CSR Funders' Roundtable, moderated by Ashish Jha - Chief Content Strategist at Buddy4Study, brought together CSR leaders from Alstom India, HDFC Bank, Corteva Agriscience, Rolls-Royce India, Schneider Electric India Foundation and Bharti Airtel Foundation to discuss holistic, beyond-funding approaches to empowering scholars.
As Sameer Shah, Head, Program Operations, Bharti Airtel Foundation, shared, "The question is.... are we as organisations able to create confident, resilient, and lifelong learners who want to give back to society?... the answer to that, for me, will be the real case of success."
An Institution Roundtable, moderated by Shruti Pandey, brought together faculty from Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar College, Kirori Mal College, and Gargi College to discuss integrating financial aid as a strategic pillar, leveraging AI, and ensuring equitable access.
"To develop a strategic approach to embedding financial aid into the higher education ecosystem, we need a dedicated navigator to spot eligible students right from the admission stage. And with NEP 2020 now letting students take up multiple courses at once, it is time we moved beyond CGPA as the basis for identifying deserving candidates and started looking at the accumulated credits each student has instead," said Dr. Mohit Abrol, Assistant Professor, English Department, Gargi College, University of Delhi.
During the event, an Alumni Panel Discussion featured alumni sharing key lessons with scholars. It also included felicitation of outreach enablers and Student Financial Aid Office (SFAO) partners, followed by a Scholar Oath Ceremony, certificate distribution, a vote of thanks, and a closing photo session.
An Alumni Achievers Award 2026 session was also held, honouring distinguished scholars.
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