ICICI Bank Read to Lead with 100,000 Children

India (SANEPR.com) July 8, 2008 -- ICICI Bank has announced a new initiative, 'Read to Lead', to facilitate access to formal elementary education for 100,000 disadvantaged children. This new project aims to bridge gaps in the access to formal schooling for these children. This initiative will be in partnership with voluntary organisations (CSOs/NGOs) identified by ICICI Bank and ICICI Foundation. The plan is to provide financial support to these organisations so that they may be able to educate 100,000 children in the year 2008-2009.

The initiative is geared towards assisting schools in the process of imparting education, enrolment or re-enrolment of children into schools. It will support partner CSOs / NGOs to design and implement programs to mobilize communities, strengthen schools and to enable children to enter formal education.

The identified CSOs / NGOs in the first phase are MV Foundation, Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences and Project Givelife - Shriram Social Welfare Trust.

Mr. V. Vaidyanathan, Executive Director, ICICI Bank Ltd., said, “India’s growth will continue to throw up opportunities across all sectors and income segments. However without education, the opportunity to participate in this growth could just pass by the millions of disadvantaged, less skilled countrymen. There is an urgent and immediate need to bring children, who cannot access formal learning due their circumstances and background into mainstream education system. We believe that with this initiative, ICICI Bank would be able to make a significant difference in the lives of 100,000 children, their families and their generations to come. We are also sure that these children would become better citizens tomorrow, and be catalysts in making this great nation even better.”

'Read to Lead' aims to make the under privileged children of our country self reliant and self dependent. It is a movement to strengthen the future of our nation. For education today means a better life tomorrow....

For more details and FAQ's, please visit www.icicibank.com


About ICICI Bank:

ICICI Bank (NYSE:IBN) is India's second largest bank with over 50 years presence in financial services and with assets of over USD 67 billion as on December 31, 2006. The Bank offers a wide range of banking products and financial services to corporate and retail customers through a variety of delivery channels and through its specialized subsidiaries in the areas of investment banking, life and non-life insurance, private equity and asset management. ICICI Bank is a leading player in the retail banking market and services its large customer base through a network of over 780 branches and extension counters, 3300 ATMs, call centers and internet banking (www.icicibank.com) to ensure that customers have access to its services at all times.


ICICI Bank: Charudatta Deshpande
Head – Corporate Communications,
Tel: 022-26538208
Fax: 022 –26531116
E-mail: charudatta.deshpande@icicibank.com