Yash Chopra Foundation
Bollywood

Empowering The Next Generation: Yash Chopra Foundation Expands Scholarship Program To 11 Scholars, Welcomes First-Ever Robotics & AI Students!

Cine Reporter

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Continuing to honor the enduring legacy and vision of legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra, the Yash Chopra Foundation (YCF)—the philanthropic arm of Yash Raj Films—is taking its commitment to film industry families to inspiring new heights. For over 50 years, the Hindi cinema fraternity has showered YRF with immense love, and YCF continues to give back directly to the backbone of the industry: its behind-the-scenes workforce.

Through the prestigious YCF Scholarship Program, the Foundation provides substantial financial aid of up to ₹5 lakhs per student, supporting the children of registered Hindi film industry workers and FWICE union members in their pursuit of higher education. In a historic step forward this year, the scholarship has expanded beyond creative and film studies to embrace cutting-edge technology-led domains—marking the first time students pursuing Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Engineering, IT, Law, and Medicine have been selected. This milestone highlights the rapid evolution of the media landscape and the vital role tech plays in shaping the future of storytelling.

Following a rigorous merit- and need-based screening process from over 300 applicants, 11 exceptional scholars have been selected to receive financial assistance for their course fees for the 2026–27 academic year:

  1. Aryan Singh – B.Tech in CSE (AI & ML), Thakur Shyamnarayan College of Engineering

  2. Asma Choudhary – PG in M.Com (Banking and Finance), NM College

  3. Jaid Kalim – B.Tech in Electronics and Computer Science, Fr. Conceicao Rodrigues College of Engineering, Bandra

  4. Jay Siddeshwar Jangam – UG in Mass Communication & Journalism, CVM University, Gujarat

  5. Nidhi Subhashchandra Yadav – B.Sc. in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Systems, Thakur College

  6. Pranjal Pramod Kapure – B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Bhilai

  7. Prathamesh Pradip Karanjolkar – MCA, TIMSCDR – Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research

  8. Rudra Mangesh Damle – UG in B.Com (Financial Markets), Pillai College of Arts, Commerce & Science, New Panvel

  9. Sachin Vishwakarma – B.Tech, K. J. Somaiya Institute of Technology, Mumbai

  10. Uzma Sarfaraz Khan – PG in M.Sc. (IT), Vivek College of Commerce

  11. Valencia Rojiyar Madhura – B.Tech in Computer Science & Engineering (Cyber Security), NMIMS College of Engineering

Highlighting the vision behind the expansion, Akshaye Widhani, CEO of Yash Raj Films, shared:

“The Hindi film industry has always been built on the contribution of people working across every level of the ecosystem, and the YCF Scholarship Program is our way of extending that support to the next generation of their families. What is particularly meaningful this year is seeing that support evolve with the aspirations of the students themselves. From media and management to Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, engineering and medicine, the 11 scholars represent a much wider spectrum of possibilities than when we first started this program. As the industry changes, it is important that the opportunities we create for its families evolve with it too. We are happy to play a small part in helping these students access the education and careers they aspire to.”

By bridging dreams with real opportunities, YCF continues to uplift the families of technicians, lightmen, spot boys, and daily wage earners, ensuring that those who help build cinema see their children build a brighter, tech-empowered future.

By Keerti Kadam