New Delhi, Jun 23 (IANS): On the occasion of International Women in Engineering Day, Rolls-Royce announced the launch of the fourth edition of its Unnati Scholarship Programme for Women Engineering Students, in association with Buddy4Study and Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) India.

With a focus on bridging the gender gap and raising female representation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), this programme aims to provide financial support to meritorious students from economically underprivileged backgrounds.

The scholarship is open to all women students enrolled in undergraduate engineering degree programmes at any AICTE-recognised institution in India and fulfilling the criteria of the scholarship.

Speaking about the initiative, Kishore Jayaraman, President, India and South Asia, Rolls-Royce, said: "Rolls-Royce is committed to promoting STEM education in India, with particular focus on enabling the participation of women and girls in these areas. We believe that these efforts will not only help increase the STEM talent pipeline in India, but also harness the potential of women to create sustainable solutions for the future. We hope that our Unnati Scholarship Programme will help support and inspire the next generation of engineers, scientists and innovators."

The scholarship programme will start receiving applications from July 5.

Rolls-Royce's Unnati initiatives include a range of programmes that reach out to thousands of female students in middle and high school, as well as scholarships for STEM undergraduate studies that benefit hundreds of young women.

So far, Rolls-Royce's community outreach programmes have touched the lives of over 100,000 people in India from diverse backgrounds, inspiring and teaching them about Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics concepts and careers.