Pune, Aug 06: Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Lighthouse Communities Foundation (LCF) celebrated the 10th anniversary of the landmark Lighthouse program, marking a decade of enabling underserved youth to build thriving careers and transform their families and communities through a unique public-private partnership.
Held at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch, Pune, the event brought together leaders from government, industry, philanthropy, and civil society, along with skilling and employer partners, 500+ young people, board members and community leaders. The celebration recognized the collective efforts of partners who have helped enable impact for more than 50,000 young people in Pune, with over 25,000 youth successfully placed in jobs or self employment over the past decade.
The program was launched in 2016 as a first-of-its-kind partnership where the capital expenditure and facilities are backed by PMC, while the private sector supports operational costs (manpower and training). This model enables underserved youth to discover their aspirations, build confidence and skills, access choice-based training, and pursue meaningful careers with sustained support.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Parashuram Wadekar, Deputy Mayor, Pune Municipal Corporation, said, "The future of India's workforce will depend not only on the skills we impart but also on the confidence, adaptability and aspirations we nurture in our young people. Every youth is full of potential and it is our collective responsibility to nurture their aspirations”.
Shri Shrinath Bhimale, Chairman, Standing Committee, Pune Municipal Corporation, added, “We all need to continue to build the Public Private Partnerships that create opportunities which are scalable, sustainable and centred on youth empowerment and community transformation. Such models are critical to building a developed city.”
The event was graced by Smt. Asha Raut - Deputy Commissioner (Social Development Department, (PMC), Shri Shrinath Bhimale – Chairman, Standing Committee (PMC), Shri Omprakash Divate – Additional Municipal Commissioner (Special) (PMC), Shri Prajit Nair, IAS – Additional Municipal Commissioner (Estate) (PMC), along with corporators and senior officials from Pune Municipal Corporation. Smt Anupama Pawar graced the occasion from Ministry of SEEID.
Dr. Ganesh Natarajan, Co-founder and Chairman, said: "The Lighthouse journey has reaffirmed an important truth—lasting social change is never created by a single organization. It is built through the collective action of government, industry, philanthropy and communities. The Pune Municipal Corporation has shown the way to the country —- 14 Lighthouses in 15 wards across the city that every single youth can be part of, build aspirations and access quality livelihood opportunities. PMC has also demonstrated that when public systems and civil society come together with a shared purpose, local innovations can scale into sustainable models with national relevance. The next decade is about deepening these partnerships and ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to build not just a livelihood, but a thriving career and life."
At the gathering, Ruchi Mathur, Co-founder and Vice Chair, and Amruta Bahulekar, CEO, Lighthouse Communities Foundation, Rajnish Kumar - Former Chairperson - State Bank of India, Vandana Chavan - Former Member of Rajya Sabha, among other industry and civil society leaders reflected on the evolution of the Lighthouse model.
They emphasized that while employment remains an important milestone, long-term prosperity is built by helping young people discover their aspirations, exercise informed choice, continuously build capabilities and thrive over the course of their careers. The discussions also highlighted the importance of sustained investments by governments, corporates and philanthropic institutions in outcomes that go beyond placement numbers—strengthening workforce participation, entrepreneurship, career progression and responsible citizenship among young people.
As part of the celebration, Lighthouse honored Lighthouse Alumni whose personal and professional journeys exemplify resilience, informed career choices and growth. Government partners, 15+ donor organizations, advisory members, and more than 10 ecosystem collaborators were also recognized for their contributions to building opportunities for Pune’s youth over the past decade.
From its first centre in Aundh in 2016, the Lighthouse Program has today expanded to 51 centres across 17 cities in seven states, supporting more than 90,000 young people, with close to 50,000 youth placed in employment or self-employment. The programme continues to demonstrate how community-based partnerships can create pathways to economic mobility while strengthening families and communities.
Looking ahead, Lighthouse Communities Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to expanding the model through deeper partnerships with governments, industry and philanthropy, with the goal of enabling one million young people to build thriving careers and lives by 2030.
