The Keshav Suri Foundation (KSF) and The LaLiT Suri Hospitality Group have released two reports documenting their work on education, employment and livelihood opportunities for LGBTQIA+ and other marginalised communities.
The reports, titled Aditya Nanda Scholarship Impact Assessment and Building Inclusive Livelihoods Through Hospitality, cover initiatives undertaken over the past decade and highlight outcomes related to education, skilling, employment and community partnerships.
The Aditya Nanda Scholarship, instituted in 2019, provides 100 per cent fee support to deserving LGBTQIA+ students. It also includes mentorship, career counselling, queer-affirmative mental health support and skill-building opportunities.
Through The LaLiT Suri Hospitality School and partnerships with the Indian School of Hospitality and Lovely Professional University, scholars can pursue undergraduate, postgraduate, hospitality and culinary programmes.
According to the scholarship assessment, 55 per cent of scholars remain enrolled, while 34 per cent have completed their programmes. The report also states that 28 per cent of scholars have re-entered formal education after an interruption and 31 per cent are first-generation learners. Scholars have come from 12 states and union territories, with programme attrition at 3.4 per cent.
The second report documents The LaLiT’s efforts to create employment and career pathways through hospitality between 2016 and 2026. During this period, the initiatives engaged more than 500 LGBTQIA+ team members, 200 transgender professionals and 300 persons with disabilities, while creating more than 300 direct employment opportunities.
The initiatives also partnered with more than 35 community organisations and NGOs, reaching over 1,500 individuals. More than 350 diversity, equity and inclusion sensitisation sessions engaged over 15,000 students, employees, leaders and other stakeholders.
Keshav Suri, Executive Director, The LaLiT Suri Hospitality Group and Founder, Keshav Suri Foundation, said the Aditya Nanda Scholarship was established in memory of his cousin and mentor Aditya Nanda.
The two reports highlight the role of education, employment and community partnerships in creating opportunities for marginalised communities to pursue education, employment and sustainable livelihoods.