EKSTEP FOUNDATION AND PVR NEST COLLABORATE IN ‘BACHPAN MANAO BADHTE JAO’ MISSION TO CELEBRATE CHILDHOOD

EkStep Foundation has partnered with PVR NEST’s ‘Let’s Start Doing Good initiative’ under the ‘Bachpan Manao Badhte Jao’ mission to showcase the ‘Bachpan Manao’ short film as a public service message in over 1000 screens of PVR INOX theatres across the country. The film made by Prakash Varma of Nirvana Films will run in PVR INOX screens from November 17 – November 30.

As part of the initiative, the mission is launching a short film for the first time on the Big Screen that encapsulates the simple yet profound joys of childhood, the moments where children learn and grow best. This heartwarming film aims to encourage viewers to “Celebrate Childhood, Keep Growing” and opens their hearts and minds to the magic of the early and foundational years of every child. This unified effort aims to encourage caring adults especially parents and teachers to see the holistic growth of every child and understand the window of opportunity these early years present while recognizing the importance of the power of exploration and play to ensure a strong foundation for every child.

Deepika Mogilishetty, Chief of Policy and Partnerships at EkStep Foundation – Bachpan Manao says,

“The film is a call to every caring adult – mother, father, teacher, preschool educator, anganwadi teacher and anyone who engages with children up to the age of 8 to recognize the abundance of childhood and the opportunities it inherently provides. With simple actions and attention, we can as a society ensure the best foundation for the future of every child in India. Partnering with PVR NEST gives the mission wings as it travels to cinemas and into the hearts and minds of people, and they have generously connected it to the Let’s Start Doing Good initiative in PVR INOX screens across the country. For everyone reading this and going to the cinemas, we say carry and spread the message – Bachpan Manao Badhte Jao.”

The ‘Bachpan Manao, Badhte Jao’ mission is a collaborative effort of over 80 organizations recognizing that children learn through PLAY, living moments are learning moments, children need holistic development and children need to be given ‘Seekne Ki Aazadi’. Scientifically, it is known that the brain’s plasticity is strongest during the first 8 years and over 85% of an individual’s brain development occurs by the age of 6.

Rohini Nilekani, Co-founder, EkStep Foundation, shared her vision for the initiative, stating, “Bachpan Manao, Badthe Jao’ is a societal mission to nurture the learning journey of India’s children by celebrating childhood itself, which is the greatest teacher of all. The youngest citizens of our country are the future. Every year, about 25 million children are born in India, and every year we have the opportunity to ensure that every generation of children is learning. Come, let’s all help to democratize the joy of learning.”

‘SDG (Start Doing Good)’ represents a collaborative effort between PVR INOX and communities, aimed at fostering dialogue, action-oriented projects and conferences centered around the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This campaign forges partnerships with organizations dedicated to long-term commitments toward these global objectives. PVR NEST, the CSR arm of PVR INOX Limited with its belief in transforming the lives of children at risk has joined this mission by screening the Bachpan Manao launch film in PVR INOX theatres across the country as part of their “Let’s Start Doing Good’ initiative. PVR NEST invites everyone to raise the level of conversation for the sake of our youngest.

Commenting on the occasion, Deepa Menon, Founder Head, PVR NEST said, “The launch of “Bachpan Manao, Badhte Jao” marks a significant milestone in advancing early childhood development and the foundational stage in India. EkStep Foundation, co-founded by Nandan Nilekani, Rohini Nilekani and Shankar Maruwada is incubating the growing network of 80+ organizations who are aligned to solving for the growth, well-being and development of India’s youngest. PVR NEST supports the creation of safe urban public spaces for children and women and is happy to collaborate with EkStep Foundation in realizing every child’s fundamental right to holistic growth. It is helping reinforce the message in cinema, a powerful medium, not only for entertainment but also for reflecting and influencing society. ‘Bachpan Manao, Badhte Jao’ collabaction (a term derived from collaboration and action) is committed to forging partnerships that drive, sustain, and scale actions for lasting inter-generational impact”.

Adding further, Shankar Maruwada, Co-Founder and CEO of EkStep Foundation said, “This mission urges us to relook at the way we approach early childhood in today’s world. It invites us to understand, value and celebrate the abundance within and around each child. Our role is to be a catalyst for this mission so that it can grow further, carried proudly on the shoulders of all collabactors.”