HINDUJAS DONATE £3.5M TO DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARDS
(7 February 2006)

The Hinduja Foundation has donated £3.5m to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme. The fund will guarantee an income for The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award going forward and marks the 70th birthday of Mr Srichand P Hinduja, Chairman of the Hinduja Group and Hinduja Foundation who together with his brothers Gopichand, Prakash, Ashok and their four sons run the family’s international business.

Mr Hinduja has long believed in the importance of increasing multicultural understanding within the UK and across the world. The new relationship will be launched on February 21st at a reception at St James’ Palace to be hosted by HRH The Earl of Wessex. Many members of the UK’s Asian community will be attending the launch event.

“We are delighted to be able to help this excellent programme at the start of the Award’s 50th Anniversary. Quite apart from our support, our purpose is to try to inspire others across the UK’s many communities to support the programme as well. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has provided thousands of young people with the opportunity to learn more about themselves and about others. We hope we can help many more do so,” said SP Hinduja.

Sir Tom Farmer, Chairman of Trustees, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award said: "We are very pleased that the Hinduja Foundation has chosen to recognise the invaluable role that the Award plays in the development of young people in the UK. This is an extremely important year for the Award, and the support from the Foundation will help to ensure that the Award continues its commitment of broadening and extending its reach to the many communities of the United Kingdom. I look forward to a successful relationship."

ABOUT THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S AWARD

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a registered charity run with the support of over 50,000 volunteers and 10,000 partner organisations. Since its foundation in 1956, over 3.5 million young people have participated in the UK Award. Currently almost 7% of 14-17 year olds in the UK are taking part through Award Groups in youth clubs, voluntary organisations, Open Award Centres, schools, colleges, young offender institutes and businesses.

Over 500,000 participants are trying for an Award at any one time, with over 225,000 of these in the UK. There were over 145,000 new entrants last year in the UK, and over 58,000 achieved their Bronze, Silver or Gold Award. ·Ethnic minority new entrants increased by 35% between 2003/2004 and 2004/200. In 1988 The International Award Association was established to co-ordinate and develop the Award worldwide and since 1956, over 5 million young people in over 100 countries have taken up the challenge

·The Award was founded by the Patron, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. TRH The Duke of Edinburgh and The Earl of Wessex continue to be involved with the organisation to this date. ·Further information can be found at www.theaward.org

ABOUT THE HINDUJA FOUNDATION

The Hinduja Foundation, which is an integral part of the Hinduja Group, was born of the lifelong conviction of the Group’s Founder, the late Parmanand Deepchand Hinduja, that one’s Dharma (duty) is to work to that one can give. The foundation runs the Hinduja family’s philanthropic activities in India, the United Kingdom and the United States with particular emphasis on healthcare, education, world peace, poverty relief, social welfare and arts and culture.

In the UK in recent years it has supported a research programme at Cambridge University designed to bridge the gap between the traditional Indian (Indic) approach to medicine and Western healthcare, and a project to lessen the barriers between different religions (the Millennium Dome Faith Zone). Current activities in the UK include the Hinduja Cambridge Trust scholarship scheme for Indian students and support for numerous Asian community projects such as the Asian YMCA Student Youth Hostel in London and the Balaji Temple in Birmingham.

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