Tata Power: Mentorship and Masterpieces

In 2022, Tata Power launched a bold initiative called ‘Pay Autention,' an initiative that grew from a few participants to a thriving community of 18,000+ members with strong government support. This Autism Awareness Month, Tata Power continued its legacy of inclusion with a series of employee engagements and volunteering initiatives. A standout collaboration with Atypical Advantage has opened countless livelihood opportunities through art, workshops, performances, and the impactful Mentor-Mentee Program, where senior leaders personally mentors’ individuals on the autism spectrum, equipping them with specific, career-enhancing skills. After a successful first batch we are all set to launch the second batch. As one mentee from the last cohort shared,

“This mentorship changed my life. My mentor helped me believe in my abilities and taught me skills I never thought I could learn. Today, I feel job-ready and confident.”

Tata Consulting Engineers: Hiring that defines Inclusion

What started as a training program with TCE, soon turned into something much bigger. Initially meant to extend into internships, the program paved the way for full-time employment opportunities. After 2 months of training, candidates went on to accept the job offers with TCE in HR and IT roles. What made this experience special was how TCE approached it. The entire organization, from the guards to the cafeteria team was sensitized, creating a genuinely supportive space. Internships were thoughtfully assigned based on each candidate’s interests, studies, and experience, ensuring everyone had work that matched their potential leading to full time employment opportunities. Look at the smiling faces of all these candidates. This is what true inclusion looks like — and TCE set a brilliant example.

Titan: Performances that made a difference

On April 11th, Rashmi Patil was invited to inaugurate the Titan Long Service Award Ceremony in Mumbai with a performance. As always, she captivated the audience — but what they didn’t see was the journey before the applause. While the city slept, Rashmi woke at 2:00 AM, did her makeup and was out on the road by 4:00 AM. Fresh from surgery, none of it showed when she stepped onto that stage. When the audience clapped, Rashmi couldn’t hear a single sound. Yet in some inexplicable way, she felt every vibration of their admiration. It makes you pause. How quickly we label artists with disabilities as dependent, while overlooking the resilience, discipline, and quiet sacrifices behind their effortless performance. Later, Sharon, the Head of Experiences who curated this moment, shared something that stayed with us:

“I prefer quality over quantity. Ten companies ticking a CSR box don’t move me. But two who truly believe in inclusion — they change lives. Titan is one of them.”

Tata Motors: When hiring one batch, led to another and then another

When Tata Motors welcomed their first group of 23+ individuals with hearing impairments at the Jamshedpur plant, there were initial doubts. Could they keep up with the pace? Would efficiency be impacted? But the moment these individuals stepped onto the shopfloor, perceptions shifted. They proved to be sharp, focused, and consistently delivered on every task. Encouraged by their outstanding performance, Tata Motors recently onboarded a second batch, bringing the total to 35+ disability hires in Jamshedpur. With plans underway for more job drives, the company is gearing up to cross 50+ hires, and this is just the beginning of a historic hire.

A big shoutout to these Tata Group companies for holding Inclusion so closely to their purpose.

Atypical Advantage is India’s largest livelihood platform for Persons with Disabilities(PWD). Whether it is a singer looking for a show, a visual artist looking to sell their paintings, or job seekers with disabilities looking for career opportunities, it bridges the supply & demand side inefficiencies so that Persons with Disabilities can earn a dignified income. We have a large pool of 30,000+ talents with disabilities and have worked with 400+ corporates within a short span of 4 years. We were also featured on Shark Tank Season 2 and were declared the winner of the prestigious National Startup Award for Social Impact, and the National Award for Best Organization empowering persons with disabilities in 2024, conferred by the Union Government. For more information, visit our website here.