National Initiative to Support High-Potential Students from Disadvantaged Backgrounds Across STEM, Arts, Innovation and Defence
MUMBAI (Economy India): The Godrej Foundation has launched “Tomorrow Makers,” a national platform aimed at identifying and nurturing high-potential students from disadvantaged backgrounds across India.
The initiative seeks to bridge the opportunity gap by connecting talented youth with mentorship, advanced learning programmes, competitions, scholarships and professional networks across multiple fields including STEM, innovation, arts and defence.
According to the Foundation, Tomorrow Makers is based on the belief that while talent is widely distributed across India, access to quality opportunities and support systems remains uneven, particularly for students from underserved communities.
Four Career Pathways for Young Talent
The platform offers four major pathways for students and graduates:
- STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)
- Invention and Making
- Arts
- Defence
Through partnerships with eight specialised organisations, the programme aims to support students from Classes 6 to 12 as well as graduates by providing structured mentorship, training and career development opportunities.
Focus on STEM and Competitive Exams
For students in Classes 10-12 with strong aptitude in science and mathematics, Tomorrow Makers has partnered with Dakshana and Avanti Fellows.
These organisations will provide free coaching and mentorship for competitive examinations such as JEE and NEET, helping students pursue careers in engineering, medicine and technology.
For younger students in Classes 6 and 7, organisations including Genwise and MakerGhat will offer summer camps, robotics workshops, computing programmes and advanced mathematics training.
Students will also receive opportunities to participate in national and international robotics competitions.
Arts and Defence Pathways
Under the arts pathway, the Foundation has partnered with Slam Out Loud to identify and nurture students with talent in music, drama, writing and creative expression.
The programme will offer mentorship, exposure and skill development opportunities aimed at building future creative leaders from underrepresented backgrounds.
For graduates, Tomorrow Makers offers specialised support in theatre and defence careers.
Drama School Mumbai will provide professional theatre training for aspiring performers, while Delta Squad Foundation will help candidates prepare for defence service examinations and leadership development.
Scholarships for Economically Weaker Students
The platform will also provide need-based scholarships to ensure that financial limitations do not prevent deserving students from accessing these opportunities.
Omar Momin, Chief Executive Officer of Godrej Foundation, said India possesses enormous untapped talent but lacks equal access to mentorship and talent acceleration systems.
“Through Tomorrow Makers, we aim to help bridge this gap by building pathways that identify and nurture high-potential young people from across regions and socio-economic backgrounds,” Momin said.
He added that the initiative hopes to build a future pipeline of innovators, researchers, artists, entrepreneurs, soldiers and public leaders.
Expanding Access to Opportunity
Vandana Goyal, Co-CEO of Avanti Fellows, said the programme could help talented students from economically weaker sections gain access to elite institutions and STEM careers.
“There are students with exceptional talent across India, but many of them never get the opportunity to enter elite institutions because of their socio-economic circumstances,” she said.
Meanwhile, Delta Squad Foundation founder Esan emphasized that leadership and national service begin long before joining the armed forces, while Slam Out Loud founder Jigyasa Labroo highlighted the need for better representation of underprivileged artistic voices in India’s cultural ecosystem.
Registration and Assessment Process
Students across India can register for Tomorrow Makers through WhatsApp by sending “Hi” to +91 8655979118 or by visiting the official website.
After registration, applicants will undergo an online assessment process designed to evaluate aptitude in science, innovation, arts and endurance.
For Classes 6 and 7, the assessment is available in 11 Indian languages including Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati, Kannada and Malayalam.
The Foundation stated that while registrations are open to all students, nearly 80 percent of selected candidates each year are expected to come from low-income households.
About Godrej Foundation
The Godrej Foundation is an independent philanthropic trust with a 15 percent shareholding in the Godrej Industries Group.
The organisation focuses on promoting economic growth, innovation, inclusion and talent development while supporting underserved communities across India.
(Economy India)
