THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
JAMSHEDPUR/BHUBANESWAR/NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 17, 2026
Tata Steel and its social impact arm, Tata Steel Foundation, jointly
enabled more than 600 women from their grassroots programmes across Jharkhand,
Odisha and Ludhiana to participate in the Tata AI Sakhi Immersion Programme at
the India AI Impact Summit 2026 held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Organised
by the Government of India and spearheaded by Tata Consultancy Services, the
workshop emerged as a flagship initiative of the Tata ecosystem aimed at
strengthening AI literacy, confidence and dignity among women at the grassroots
level.
The session was graced by Smriti Irani, Chairperson of the Alliance for
Global Good, Gender, Equity and Equality at CII, who attended as the chief
guest. Also present on the occasion were Sourav Roy, Chief Executive Officer of
Tata Steel Foundation, along with government officials and dignitaries from
Tata group companies. A total of 311 women from Jharkhand, 315 from Odisha and
nine from Ludhiana participated, forming a cohort of 635 out of the overall
1,600 women attending the summit on the day.
The immersive workshop focused on demonstrating how artificial
intelligence can serve as a practical tool for livelihood enhancement,
entrepreneurship and everyday problem-solving. It aligned with the Foundation’s
vision of “realising her potential with dignity” while reinforcing its
reputation for pioneering inclusive, first-of-its-kind initiatives.
Women mobilised by Tata Steel Foundation represented a wide spectrum of
community interventions spanning health through MANSI+, livelihoods in
agriculture, women’s leadership under Disha, community enterprise through
Navjeevan, Srujanika and Pragati, and tribal identity platforms such as Samvaad
and Johar Haat. This diverse participation reflected the Foundation’s
integrated approach to inclusive development. Through guided hands-on learning
in small groups, participants explored AI applications for business promotion,
product design, documentation support, access to information and skill
building, with trained mentors facilitating experiential sessions. The
initiative further strengthened the Foundation’s focus on women-led development
by combining digital inclusion with existing community capabilities and
livelihood opportunities.
Speaking on the occasion, Sourav Roy said, “At Tata Steel Foundation, our
programmes have consistently focused on strengthening women’s leadership and
livelihoods, and the AI Sakhi immersion is a natural extension of that journey.
By introducing grassroots women to practical applications of artificial
intelligence, we are enabling them to expand economic opportunities, access
information and solve everyday challenges with greater confidence. I stand in
gratitude and admiration for each woman who has made it to the summit, as a
demonstration of their work and their commitment to the community. Their
curiosity and willingness to adopt new tools are what truly drive meaningful
change at the grassroots.”
Adding a distinctive cultural dimension to the summit, all 1,600 women participants across Tata Group initiatives wore tussar silk shawls symbolising grassroots craftsmanship and collective identity. These shawls were sourced from Navjeevan, a producer group supported by Tata Steel Foundation, thereby generating additional livelihood opportunities for rural artisans while showcasing indigenous textile heritage on a national platform.
At the summit, participants were grouped into cohorts based on their aspirations and levels of digital familiarity. Women artisans explored AI-enabled design innovation and marketing tools, while digitally literate participants learned how AI can assist with documentation, access to government schemes, business promotion and communication. Advanced users engaged with applications related to business scaling, personalised learning pathways and portfolio diversification using AI tools, marking a significant step towards embedding technology in grassroots women’s enterprises.
