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Coal To Canvas: PSU Partnerships Stitch Odisha's Tribal Dreams
Team NDTV | Updated: February 03, 2026 11:54 IST
New Delhi:
Amid Jharsuguda's coal dust, Rambati Saura's fingers dance across the Usha pedal, birthing uniforms from scraps. Once bound by housework in tribal Lamptibahal, the Swablambi programme—Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), Gram Utthan, and Usha Silai School—ignited her path, boosting orders and income post-25-day training. Now mentoring low-literacy girls, she funds her children's future, embodying Kushalta Ke Kadam's ripple effect across 100 schools.
Village Visions in Jalgaon
In Maharashtra's Pachora, Madhuri Sonawane balances childcare and stitches at Bhagini Nivedita Gramin Vigyan Niketan's (BNGVN) hub. Padma Shri Neelima Mishra's vision, fused with Usha's expertise, trains rural women for home-based garment units, earning ₹5,000-10,000 amid scarce jobs. Ratna Patil, sole breadwinner for her disabled husband, refines skills from farm distractions to professional precision.
Urban Threads in Mumbai
Mumbai's Sir Ratan Tata Institute (SRTI) hums as HM, a novice, envisions custom designs. This 1928 legacy, now with Usha's 25-day course, trains 15 vulnerable women from slums in baby clothes and sarees, blending employability with low-investment home ventures. Rutuja Suryawanshi scales her post-graduation passion into a brand, confidence soaring.
Skill Synergy in Haryana
Palwal's Shri Vishwakarma Skill University (SVSU) pulses with 7-day intensives under Guru Shishya Kaushal Samman Yojana. Prof. Dinesh Kumar's Centre of Excellence equips 30 rural women with industry-grade machines for seat covers and jobs, backed by alumni handholding and certifications. Prof. Jyoti Rana ensures self-sustainability, from enterprises to economic contributions.
Partnerships Woven Strong
Kushalta Ke Kadam with NDTV spotlights these synergies: MCL's CSR funds 15,000-16,000 women; BNGVN scales to industrial links; SRTI fosters resilience; SVSU bridges academia-industry. Tribal voices like Geeta Tanti expand shops, proving PSUs amplify Usha's model nationwide. Visit ushasilaischool.com to adopt and extend the thread.
Published: January 21, 2026 18:05 IST
Team NDTV | Monday February 16, 2026Odisha's Suchismita Sahu, Rajasthan's Preeti Prajapat, Manipur's Akhirun—Usha Silai School's Kushalta Ke Kadam celebrates these awardees, from homemakers to master trainers earning accolades
- Team NDTV | Thursday February 12, 2026
From Ladakh peaks to Assam fringes, Usha Silai School trains tribal women in Turtuk, Kargil & Dakhinkuchi—crafting livelihoods with armed forces, NHPC & NGOs. Stitching national resilience
- Team NDTV | Thursday January 29, 2026
From West Bengal's transgender tailors to Telangana's tribal seamstresses and Meghalaya's embroidery revivalists, Usha Silai School's Kushalta Ke Kadam partners with NIRDPR and state governments
- Team NDTV | Tuesday February 03, 2026
In Odisha's mining heartlands, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited teams with Usha Silai School's Kushalta Ke Kadam and Gram Utthan, empowering tribal women turning them into entrepreneurs
Do you want to be a part of the huge change that Usha Silai School is bringing about in the lives of millions of rural women? With just a simple click of a button, you can now contribute towards the opening of an Usha Silai School or support various other aspects of the school.
Kushalta Ke Kadam, an initiative by USHA Silai School and NDTV has entered its eighth season. The aim is to empower more women across rural India by teaching them sewing skills and helping them open new doors of opportunities for themselves. The initiative encourages rural women to become financially independent and entrepreneurs by taking up sewing and training others in their respective communities.
Since 2011, the USHA Silai School initiative has trained more than 12 lakh rural women through over 33,000 Silai schools, spanning over 20,751 villages across India.
The women earn Rs. 4,000 – 5,000 per month on an average, with the highest recorded monthly earning being Rs. 84,000 in a month. This earning works as a catalyst towards building their self-confidence, reducing gender inequities, and raising their stature within their families and in society at large.