Yash Chopra Foundation expands Scholarship Program to 11 scholars, with first-ever students pursuing Robotics, AI & technology-led courses

The Yash Chopra Foundation (YCF), the philanthropic arm of Yash Raj Films, continues to take forward the vision of legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra by giving back to the industry that has given abundant love to YRF for over 50 years.

Through the YCF Scholarship Program, the Foundation supports the children of registered Hindi film industry and FWICE union members in pursuing higher education by providing financial assistance of up to ₹5 lakhs per student. While the program has traditionally supported students pursuing media, film and creative disciplines, this year marks an important expansion, with the scholarship extending to a wider range of professional and technical courses including Robotics & Artificial Intelligence, Engineering, IT, Management, Law and Medical studies. Notably, this is the first year that students pursuing Robotics and technology-led courses have been selected under the program, reflecting the evolving landscape of the film and creative industries and the growing role of technology in shaping its future.

This year, 11 talented students have been selected after a merit- and need-based screening process from over 300 registered applicants. These scholars will receive the financial assistance towards their course fees for the 2026–27 academic year:

1. Aryan Singh - B.Tech in CSE (AI & ML), Thakur Shyamnarayan College of Engineering
2. Asma Choudhary - PG in M.Com (Banking and Finance), NM College
3. Jaid Kalim - B.Tech in Electronics and Computer Science, Fr. Conceicao Rodrigues College of Engineering, Bandra
4. Jay Siddeshwar Jangam - UG in Mass Communication & Journalism, CVM University, Gujarat
5. Nidhi Subhashchandra Yadav - B.Sc. in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Systems, Thakur College
6. Pranjal Pramod Kapure - B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Bhilai
7. Prathamesh Pradip Karanjolkar - MCA, TIMSCDR - Thakur Institute of Management Studies, Career Development & Research
8. Rudra Mangesh Damle - UG in B.Com (Financial Markets), Pillai College of Arts, Commerce & Science, New Panvel
9. Sachin Vishwakarma - B.Tech, K. J. Somaiya Institute of Technology, Mumbai
10. Uzma Sarfaraz Khan - PG in M.Sc. (IT), Vivek College of Commerce
11. Valencia Rojiyar Madhura - B.Tech in Computer Science & Engineering (Cyber Security), NMIMS College of Engineering

Akshaye Widhani, CEO Yash Raj Films, shared, “The Hindi film industry has always been built on the contribution of people working across every level of the ecosystem, and the YCF Scholarship Program is our way of extending that support to the next generation of their families. What is particularly meaningful this year is seeing that support evolve with the aspirations of the students themselves. From media and management to Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, engineering and medicine, the 11 scholars represent a much wider spectrum of possibilities than when we first started this program. As the industry changes, it is important that the opportunities we create for its families evolve with it too. We are happy to play a small part in helping these students access the education and careers they aspire to.”

Through this initiative, YCF continues to support the children of the industry's behind-the-scenes workforce, the technicians, light men, spot boys and other daily wage workers who are an integral part of Hindi cinema by helping turn their academic aspirations into opportunities for a brighter future.