UDAIPUR (India CSR): From the quiet village of Bhamniya Khet near Udaipur to the cruise decks of Marella Cruises in Spain, Deepika’s story is one of grit, opportunity, and transformation. With limited resources and little exposure, she joined the Zinc Kaushal skilling programme offered by Hindustan Zinc and trained in Food & Beverage Services. That decision changed her life – opening doors to a global career in hospitality and instilling the confidence to dream beyond boundaries.
Her journey is not an exception. It is part of a larger movement catalysed by Zinc Kaushal, Hindustan Zinc’s flagship skilling and livelihood initiative that has trained over 10,000 rural and tribal youth across Rajasthan and Uttarakhand since its launch in 2019. With an investment of Rs 26 crore, the programme is actively shaping a new generation of skilled professionals, with a strong emphasis on gender inclusivity – 45% of trainees so far have been women.
In FY2026 alone, the programme trained 2,600+ youth, including 420 through convergence partnerships with NABARD, JK Cement, YES Foundation, and Bajaj Finserv. A landmark milestone this year was the 100% placement of a special batch of deaf and mute trainees at premier hospitality brands such as Taj Fateh Prakash, Radisson Blu, and The Fern Residency, showcasing the programme’s commitment to inclusive workforce development.
With an 83% placement rate and an average salary increase of 16%, Zinc Kaushal is not just skilling youth, it is enabling economic mobility, building confidence, and anchoring sustainable livelihoods in underserved regions. Alumni from the programme today work with reputed employers like Tata Consultancy Services, Foxconn, Honda, Marella Cruises, and GMR Group, highlighting the curriculum’s relevance and industry trust.
Take Wasif, a young man born deaf in Udaipur. After enrolling in Zinc Kaushal’s hospitality programme, he began his career with Ramada and today serves as a Guest Service Associate at Taj Aravali. But his impact doesn’t stop there – Wasif now mentors other hearing-impaired youth, creating a ripple effect of empowerment within the community.
Zinc Kaushal’s scope extends beyond just employment. Its collaboration with the Udaipur Police Department under the Smart Policing initiative focuses on skilling vulnerable youth and integrating them into mainstream employment, an example of responsive community engagement and forward-looking partnerships.
Implemented in collaboration with Ambuja Foundation and Tata Strive, the programme runs across six key skilling centres in Rajasthan: Debari, Dariba, Zawar, Chittorgarh, Agucha, and Kayad, and previously in Pantnagar, Uttarakhand. Its holistic design and focus on long-term impact have earned it four district-level awards from the Government of Rajasthan for contributions to youth employability.
Zinc Kaushal reflects Hindustan Zinc’s larger vision of empowering communities through education, employment, and equitable growth. As the country celebrates World Youth Skills Day, these real stories of change – from Deepika to Wasif, offer powerful proof that when youth potential meets opportunity, it can transform not just individual futures, but entire communities.
(India CSR)
