Avtar Human Capital Trust Hosts the 3rd Edition of the Male Allyship Synergy Summit in Chennai
Avtar Human Capital Trust (AHCT), the non-profit arm of Avtar, India’s leading workplace culture consulting firm, hosted the third edition of the Male Allyship Synergy Summit (MASS) at the Tidel Park Auditorium. The summit brought together more than 400 school students, college youth, educators, corporate representatives, and institutional partners to strengthen conversations around male allyship and responsible citizenship.
MASS is an initiative of MITR (Men Impacting Trust & Respect) – a flagship programme of Avtar Human Capital Trust that works with adolescent boys to build awareness, empathy, and accountability in advancing gender equality. The summit is part of AHCT’s sustained efforts to engage boys and young men early, enabling them to become allies who actively contribute to creating safe, respectful and inclusive spaces in society.
Delivering the inaugural keynote address, Dr Saundarya Rajesh, Managing Director of Avtar & Managing Trustee of AHCT, said, “Through MITR and MASS, we work with boys and young men to help them see respect and inclusion as personal responsibilities and not abstract ideas. Because when boys grow up standing for fairness and dignity, they become men who strengthen families, workplaces, and communities. And this shift is essential to the India we want to build by 2047 – For nearly half our population to truly thrive, the other half must step forward and contribute actively & consciously.”
A Male Allyship Pledge was administered early in the programme, reinforcing collective responsibility and commitment among participants to uphold values of respect, fairness, and equity in their interactions at school, college, workplaces, and communities.
The Chief Guest for the summit, Dr. Sam Paul, Chairman & Managing Director, Paulson’s Beauty & Fashion Pvt. Ltd., addressed the gathering on the critical role men play in shaping equitable ecosystems. He said, “Equity does not begin in boardrooms; it begins at dining tables and in classrooms. And it grows when boys and men move from being bystanders to being active partners in creating spaces where women and girls can thrive.”
Dr. G. Vanitha, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime Against Women and Children Unit, Greater Chennai Police, graced the event as Guest of Honour and emphasized the need for collective effort to advance gender equality.
One of the highlights of the event was a rally that began at the Tidel Park Auditorium, led by Dr Saundarya Rajesh and accompanied by other dignitaries at the event. Students marched with placards carrying powerful messages such as “Disrespect is not a joke – call it out”, “Stand with girls” and “Gender equality starts at school”, sending a clear call for respect, safety and equality.
Another key segment of the summit was the active participation of school and college students. Certificates were presented to participating institutions, and prizes were awarded to winners of student contests that showcased thoughtful performances on gender equality and social responsibility. Creative activities such as elocutions, poster-making, and college skits encouraged students to reflect on gender norms and civic values, while interactive sessions on CPR, cyber safety, substance abuse, and volunteering broadened the focus to responsible citizenship.
Mr Eswar Balasubramanian, Senior Vice President, AHCT, outlined the intent of the summit and Mr Umasanker Kandaswamy, COO of Avtar and Trustee – AHCT, concluded the event by emphasising the importance of consistent engagement in shaping attitudes and behaviours.
The event was supported by Striim, returning as Vision Partner for the second consecutive year, along with Harman as the Gold Sponsor, Flex as the Transport Partner and Sweet Karam Koffee as the Refreshments Partner.
About Avtar:
Avtar Career Creators, founded in 2000 by Dr Saundarya Rajesh, is one of India’s leading workplace culture consulting firms, supporting hundreds of companies in creating diverse and supportive workplaces. Avtar is also the country’s largest provider of second career opportunities for women.
An ISO 20700 certified firm, Avtar’s biggest research projects are its annual benchmarking studies – the Best Companies for Women in India (BCWI) and the Most Inclusive Companies Index (MICI). Done in partnership with Seramount, BCWI and MICI, India’s largest workplace inclusion benchmarking studies, which have paved the way for the employment of more women and other underrepresented groups. Avtar also promotes inclusive hiring through MyAvtar, India’s first job portal for underrepresented professionals.
A snapshot of Avtar’s work in the last 25 years:
• Provided advisory services in inclusive practices to 800+ organisations
• Conducted 5000+ workshops and training programs in companies of different sizes, spanning industries and locations
• Facilitated the re-entry of 1,00,000 second-career women into the workforce through MyAvtar.com
• Engaged with 200,000+ women through career enablement programs
• Offered unique skilling programs such as DigiPivot (a prestigious course in digital marketing, conducted in partnership with Google, HUL, and ISB) to hundreds of women.
• Provided career intentionality training, employment guidance, and access to industry leaders every year to 10,000+ girls from underprivileged backgrounds through Project Puthri, an initiative of the Avtar Human Capital Trust (AHCT).
• Impacted 4000+ schoolboys through MITR (Men Impacting Trust and Respect), an initiative by AHCT that mentors boys to be advocates for women.
For its transformational impact in the realm of DEI, Avtar Group was listed in the prestigious Steward Leadership 25 Listing by Straits Times & INSEAD in Singapore in 2022. In 2025, Avtar won the Times Business Awards and was recognised as the ‘Leading Women’s Employment Organisation’.