Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) proudly marked the culmination of the first year of ‘Samarth by Hyundai’, a holistic social initiative to support people with disabilities in India. Launched in 2023, ‘Samarth by Hyundai’ is aligned with Hyundai Motor Company’s global vision of “Progress for Humanity” and focuses on raising awareness and building a movement for the inclusion of people with disabilities in India.
In the past year, HMIL through Samarth by Hyundai and its wide-ranging initiatives has worked to build awareness, offer support, and provide opportunities for people with disabilities, exemplifying its commitment to inclusivity. The company has made significant strides by creating awareness, accessible environments at HMIL dealerships, launching disabled-friendly vehicle accessories, and forging key partnerships with NGOs, media and other stakeholders to empower people with disabilities.
The culmination event featured:
1. Felicitation of Indian Paralympians: The company felicitated 7 Paralympians supported under ‘Samarth by Hyundai’ initiative for their outstanding achievements.
2. Presentation of Charter of Recommendation to Government: Hyundai Motor India Limited presented its “Charter of Recommendation for Enhancing Accessibility and Inclusivity” to the government. The charter seeks government support to further the cause of inclusivity in India. HMIL reaffirmed its dedication to advocating for better policies and more inclusive infrastructure for people with disabilities.
3.Samarth Hero Awards: The company announced the launch of the “Samarth Hero Awards” to honor individuals and organizations contributing to the empowerment of people with disabilities.
4.The event, attended by esteemed dignitaries from the Government of India including; Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, Hon’ble Minister of Sports; Dr. Virendra Kumar, Hon’ble Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment & Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship & Minister of State for Education. From HMIL Mr. Unsoo Kim, Managing Director; Mr. Tarun Garg, Whole Time Director and Chief Operating Officer, Mr. JT Park, Function Advisor, Sales & Marketing; and several other key government officials, NGO partners and stakeholders celebrated the accomplishments of first year of Samarth by Hyundai initiative.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Unsoo Kim, Managing Director, Hyundai Motor India Limited, said, “At Hyundai, we believe in making a meaningful impact beyond mobility. ‘Samarth by Hyundai’ is a testament to our commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable society for all. I am immensely proud of the strides we’ve made in our first year, and I thank our partners, stakeholders, and the government for their unwavering support. Together, we will continue to drive change and provide opportunities for people with disabilities, as we remain deeply committed to India and its people.”
Hyundai Samarth – Recap: In the past one year through ‘Samarth by Hyundai’, Hyundai Motor India Limited and its philanthropic arm Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF) has initiated multiple initiatives to create a more aware, inclusive and supportive society for people with disabilities.
To spread awareness to masses, HMIL launched a 360-degree media campaign featuring Mr. Shah Rukh Khan as the ambassador for Samarth by Hyundai. The company has created more than 200 content assets which includes inspirational stories, reaching to over 300 million people across India in 2024, celebrating the spirit of inclusivity and raising awareness around the challenges faced by people with disabilities in day-to-day life.
Hyundai Motor India Limited also initiated Internalization efforts to promote inclusivity.
1.Accessible HMIL Dealerships & Website: Under Hyundai Samarth, HMIL has made all its dealerships more accessible across India, ensuring wheelchair access across most locations.
2.Disabled-Friendly Vehicle Accessories: HMIL launched TurnPlus, which is a swivel seat mechanism (manual or electric) for passenger vehicles for the especially able to easily enter and exit in the vehicles at the co-driver seat. This feature is now available across our dealerships and is compatible with most of our passenger vehicles.
3. Awareness Programs: The company also conducted knowledge sessions along with experts for HMIL employees to spread awareness about people with disabilities, creating a more inclusive internal environment.
Strategic Partnerships for Empowerment
Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF), the philanthropic arm of HMIL partnered with GoSports Foundation and Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled to provide holistic support for people with disabilities under ‘Samarth by Hyundai’ Initiative. Under this partnership HMIL & HMIF along with its NGO partner conducted multiple initiatives like:
1. Support to Blind Men’s Cricket Series: In collaboration with Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, HMIF organized a five-match International Bilateral Blind Men’s Cricket Series, raising awareness and offering a platform for visually impaired Cricketers. Indian Men’s Blind Cricket Team triumphed over Sri Lanka in this thrilling series. HMIL will continue its commitment to training 50 blind cricketers at the grassroots level each year for the next 2 years and will host an international blind cricket series.
2. Samarth Para-Sports Programme: Samarth by Hyundai, in partnership with GoSports Foundation, launched the Samarth Para-Sports Programme, aimed at identifying and supporting para-athletes. Over the past year, 20 para-athletes were onboarded, receiving financial aid, sports science guidance, assistive devices, and mentorship. Along with this, HMIL along with NDTV partnered with Wheeling Happiness to support 6 Para Athletes. 7 of these 26 athletes represented India at the Paralympics, with 2 winning medals. HMIL plans to further its support to Para Sports in India for next year.
3. The Samarth Assistive Devices Conclave was another significant milestone. The event aimed to raise awareness about assistive technology for the ease of living and featured discussions on inclusivity, assistive tech, and AI in para sports. HMIF in Partnership with Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled provided 72 assistive devices during the event and overall distributed 228 devices in 2024. HMIF is committed to delivering 684 assistive devices over three years, with 228 devices planned for the second year.
4. Hyundai Samarth School Engagement Programme: The company along with its awareness partner NDTV reached over 50,000 students across 120 schools, spreading awareness about inclusivity.
5. Samarth Wall for Para Athletes: To motivate the Indian Para Athletes competing at the international events, HMIL organized a corporate visitor wall, garnering 25,000 signatures in support of the athletes. To date, 4.87 lakh individuals have taken the #PledgeForInclusivity, showing widespread support for the Samarth by Hyundai initiative.
Looking Ahead as Hyundai Motor India Limited looks to the future, the Samarth by Hyundai initiative remains dedicated to spread awareness and work towards building more inclusive society. Over the next year, HMIL will continue to support para-athletes & Blind Cricket, deliver assistive devices, and raise awareness about the importance of inclusion for people with disabilities. Additionally, the company will focus on two pillars i.e. Technology & Infrastructure in partnerships with NGOs, Media & Government to make society more inclusive for people with disabilities.
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