100% campus placement: CSR initiative turns 25 tribal women in Wayanad into Ayur Nurses

Breaking systemic marginalization, 25 tribal women from below poverty line (BPL) families in Wayanad graduated as certified Ayur Nurses on Friday. The entire graduating batch secured formal job placements from reputed Ayurvedic and AYUSH hospitals in Bengaluru, a few weeks before completing their final exams.

These women underwent six months of intensive training at the Ayurvedic Nursing Training Institute in Meenangadi in Wayanad district of Kerala; This facility has been fully funded by the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) wing of ZEISS India, the Bengalauru-based Indian subsidiary of Carl Zeiss, the 178-year-old German optical technology and instruments specialist. The execution on the ground was led by Bharat Shodh, a non-governmental organisation.

“Empowering communities has always been at the heart of our purpose and this initiative reflects this commitment,” said Dhaval Radia, chief financial officer, ZEISS India.

The graduating batch was selected after a rigorous screening of over 100 applicants from 13 different tribal villages in Wayanad. The comprehensive curriculum included three months of theoretical classroom instruction followed by three months of clinical practice in Ayurvedic Panchakarma therapies and hands-on hospital internships. Trainees also completed specific modules covering personal hygiene, professional grooming, etiquette, public speaking and language proficiency in English, Hindi and Kannada.

Swami Padmaprakasha Jnanathapaswi, president of Bharat Shodh, said the initiative effectively bridges the gap between traditional knowledge and the growing demand for alternative health practices, including geriatric and postnatal care, in southern cities like Bengaluru.

Multiple ayurvedic hospitals and wellness clinics in Bengaluru, Chennai and Wayanad were in the campus recruitment cycle and ensured that all 25 interns were employed before graduation.

Aswathy Narayanan, 21, who graduated as an Ayur Nurse, said, “In my village, most girls get married after class 10, but I continued to struggle and managed to complete 12th standard. Even though I dreamed of a good education and job, I thought this was the end of the road.”

He said the training changed his life. “This program gave me more than traditional healthcare knowledge; it gave me a new life, a voice and a bold personality. I also learned how to manage conversations in English, Hindi and Kannada,” she said.

To further facilitate employment opportunities, the partnership between ZEISS India and Bharat Shodh is currently developing ‘Ayur Nurses’, a mobile application designed to seamlessly connect certified graduates with verified, reputable ayurvedic healthcare providers across the country.