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Mumbai, Apr 21 (UNI) Consumer goods giant Procter and Gamble, in association with NGO Child Rights and You (CRY) has launched 'Shiksha 2007', an initiative in the field of child education.

The launch was announced here yesterday in the presence of Bollywood actors Tabu, Soha Ali Khan, Dia Mirza and the face of Shiksha'07, Renuka Shahane.

This is the third consecutive year of the initiative. This year the launch was particularly special as it witnessed internationally acclaimed artist Jatin Das, creating a live artwork, reflecting the essence of 'Shiksha'.

Children associated with CRY partnered the project by adding colours to the painting giving expression to their hopes, dreams and childhood unbound by the shackles of circumstance.

Project Shiksha is a national consumer programme, which allows consumers to participate in a national effort to support the education of underprivileged children in the country by simple brand choices. Every time a consumer buys a P&G product during the next three months, starting April, he/she will make a definitive contribution towards enabling a child's right to education.

Pledging her full support to the project, actress and National Award winner Tabu said ''Shiksha, education, is one of the most critical factors deciding the choices that life offers to a child.'' Former Miss Asia Pacific Dia Mirza said, ''I believe Education plays a fundamental role in shaping a citizen and leads the country to greater heights. In that sense, education can be the foundation for an India we seek today where every child explores his or her full potential and has the right to do so. I urge people across India to participate in Shiksha and make a tangible difference to the lives of the little ones.'' Terming the project as the one that will make a lot of difference in the area of child education, Soha Ali Khan said ''Children comprise 42 per cent of the Indian population. In a decade, they will be leading the nation. We as a nation simply cannot afford to be callous about this. I believe Project Shiksha deserves the support of every single citizen as it has the potential to play a significant role ensuring that children can access their fundamental right to education.'' Jatin Das said ''I am very happy to be here and create awareness for Project Shiksha that will empower consumers to lead social change in the country.'' ''I endorse project Shiksha because I firmly believe that you need to involve everybody when you want to make a difference of this nature and scale,'' the face of Shiksha, Renuka Shahane said.

Sumeet Vohra, Marketing Head, Procter and Gamble India said, ''As the economy grows at 8-10 per cent, we need to ensure that we lay down a strong foundation for this growth to continue and also to make it more inclusive. In that context, education becomes a fundamental issue that needs to be addressed. P&G globally is committed to the cause of development of children in need via its corporate cause P&G Live, Learn, Thrive and Shiksha is our response to the situation in India.

Launching the third year of the project, Ingrid Srinath, CEO, Child Rights and You said ''The financial support P&G, its media partners and consumers provide to CRY's work is invaluable.

Even more critical, however, is the awareness of child rights that Shiksha helps create and the avenues it provides for each of us to bring about irrevocable change. India will only achieve her true potential, when we make child rights our topmost national priority.

Irrespective of sales, P&G has committed a minimum of Rs one crore to Shiksha. The project is a part of P&G's global philanthropy program P&G Live, Learn and Thrive that focuses on the development of children in need, has, till date, contributed Rs 2.69 crore to support the education of 33052 children in 435 communities.

Projects under the unique initiative work in collaboration with the State Education Departments to have a re-look at existing education policies; create awareness to build more schools with better infrastructure, and more basic amenities like water, electricity, health; enrolling more children into formal schools and promotion of retention in schools; and ensuring all-round development of children.

UNI