Marico Limited has announced significant progress in its flagship CSR programme, Nihar Shanti Pathshala Funwala (NSPF), which has successfully strengthened foundational early childhood education across 100 Anganwadi centres in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh. The initiative, developed in partnership with Sesame Workshop India, has benefited over 1,700 children in this NITI Aayog aspirational district, which faces challenges with comparatively low early childhood education levels.

Programme Scope and Impact

The comprehensive initiative focuses on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) through a holistic approach that encompasses multiple stakeholders in the early childhood education ecosystem. The programme has successfully enrolled and trained key participants across the district.

Strategic Approach and Methodology

The programme adopts a multi-layered strategy aligned with the National Education Policy 2020 and National Curriculum Framework 2022. Key interventions include structured training for Anganwadi workers and helpers, deployment of innovative teaching-learning materials through the Chalo! Sesame Street App, and the use of Pico projectors across clusters to enable engaging video-based learning in low-connectivity environments.

Amit Bhasin, Chief Legal Officer & Group Counsel and Secretary, CSR Committee, Marico Limited, emphasized the programme's foundation-building approach: "At Marico, we strongly believe that strong foundations in the early years are critical to shaping lifelong learning outcomes. Through Nihar Shanti Pathshala Funwala, our focus has been on building an ecosystem that empowers the people and spaces that are central to a thriving childhood."

Community Engagement and Innovation

The initiative places significant emphasis on community participation through positive parenting sessions and Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) melas. As part of the programme, Marico and Sesame Workshop India hosted 'Early Foundations, Bright Futures', a multi-stakeholder convening that brought together senior officials from ICDS and SCERT to encourage open dialogue, cross-sectoral learning, and shared ownership of ECCE priorities.

The programme utilizes play-based pedagogy and deploys low-connectivity digital tools to ensure accessibility in underserved areas. This approach is designed to build school-ready FLN skills while promoting inclusive teaching, deepening community engagement, and fostering classroom equity.

Broader Impact and Scalability

The Nihar Shanti Pathshala Funwala programme represents Marico's long-standing commitment to education and has demonstrated significant impact across multiple states. The initiative has positively affected over 12 lakh students and 62,500 active teachers across government schools in Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan.

This community-centric approach in Bahraich is designed to be scalable beyond the current district and aims to transform Anganwadis into vibrant hubs for holistic child development. The programme's success in reaching 100 Anganwadi centres demonstrates Marico's commitment to creating lasting impact in underserved communities through systematic, government-aligned interventions that support early childhood education infrastructure.

Marico Limited has allotted 17,077 equity shares under its Employee Stock Option Plan 2016 (ESOP 2016) to eligible employees on February 24, 2026. The Securities Committee of the Board of Directors approved the allotment through a resolution passed on the same date, following the exercise of stock options by eligible grantees.

Share Capital Enhancement

The allotment resulted in an increase in the company's paid-up share capital, as detailed below:

Allotment Details Across Multiple Tranches

The 17,077 equity shares were issued across four separate tranches under the ESOP 2016 scheme:

Regulatory Compliance and Share Characteristics

The allotment was conducted in compliance with Regulation 10(c) of the SEBI (Share Based Employee Benefits and Sweat Equity) Regulations, 2021. The company clarified that this allotment is not material in nature. All newly issued equity shares carry the same rights and privileges as existing shares, ranking pari-passu with the company's current equity shares.

Administrative Details

The shares were issued in dematerialized form under ISIN number INE196A01026. No lock-in period applies to these shares, and no listing fees are payable for this allotment. The company has informed both BSE Limited and National Stock Exchange of India Limited about this development, where Marico's shares are listed.

Company Secretary and Compliance Officer Vinay M A signed the regulatory filings, confirming the completion of all necessary procedures for the share allotment under the established employee stock option framework.