In recognition of its cofounder, the startup GUVI is launching the ‘Sridevi Arunprakash Innovation Award’ with a cash prize of ₹ 1 lakh to recognise emerging women entrepreneurs with remarkable innovations in the edtech industry. GUVI was incubated at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras.
Women entrepreneurs can file nominations for the ‘Sridevi Arunprakash Innovation Award’ on the official website of GUVI. Leading edtech industry experts like Ragini Chaudhary, director Investments, Caspian Venture Capital and Private Equity firm will decide the winner.
“The first memorial day of Sridevi Arunprakash was observed on September 20,” says the IIT Madras statement. “Recognising the barriers of students from weaker sections, the startup is working to bridge the employability skill gap in IT and Software industry by providing an opportunity to students to upgrade themselves professionally through relevant technical skills.”
Arun Prakash, founder and chief executive officer, GUVI, said, “Sridevi always helped me in getting the right frame of reference to see the women in tech and their balancing acts for real-life challenges. This will be a starting point for all of us to walk in the path of her vision for women in tech.”
SP Balamurugan, co-founder of GUVI, added, “These initiatives are our way of paying tribute to Ms Sridevi and a commitment from us to nurture tech talent and recognize women innovators across India. The entire GUVI team is behind these initiatives to make them successful.”
The startup will also provide free employability skills to 5,000 Economically Weaker Section (EWS) students. The initiative, ‘Fly High’, will provide technical skills training in the vernacular.
Industry experts will provide “vernacular tech-courses, mentorship services to the selected students under Fly High to make them skilful aspirants completely free of cost.
As per the official website only students of 2020, 2021 and 2022 pass out batch, from ‘CSE, IT, EEE, ECE’ streams who have maintained an average of 7 CGPA and above, with a family income less than 3 lakhs per annum who have received schooling from government or government-aided schools can apply.
