MSD (known as Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA in the United States and Canada (NYSE: MRK)) in India today announced the awarding of scholarships to 50 students under its corporate social responsibility initiative ‘Scholarship for Daughters’ program, a merit-based initiative aimed at supporting young women from underserved communities to pursue a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree at select accredited pharmacy colleges across India. Following a competitive selection process, which included aptitude assessments and personal interviews, a cohort of 50 eligible young scholars have been selected for the program this year.

Building on its inaugural year, MSD India, in partnership with Smile Foundation launched the second year of the program to empower young girls to pursue pharmacy education. Designed as a holistic initiative, the program provides comprehensive financial assistance, including course fee support for the entire four-year undergraduate course. Scholars also receive essential academic resources such as laptops, along with soft-skills training, mentorship, career counselling and interview preparation to help ensure they are better prepared to transition from academia to the professional world.

Commenting on the initiative, Brecht Vanneste, Managing Director, MSD India said, “At MSD India, diversity and inclusion are not just aspiration, they are fundamental to who we are, what we value, and how we operate. The ‘Scholarship for Daughters’ program brings this commitment to life by expanding access to education, and opportunity. As we enter the second year of the initiative and welcome an even larger cohort of talented young scholars, we are inspired by their ambition and resilience. By investing in the next generation of women leaders, we aim to support a positive impact not only for these scholars, but also for the communities and they future they will help shape.”

Santanu Mishra, Co-founder & Executive Trustee, Smile Foundation, added, “Sustainable empowerment of girl children requires consistent support and an ecosystem that nurtures their aspirations. The continued progress of the Scholarship for Daughters’ program reinforces our shared vision of enabling daughters from underserved communities to pursue professional education and emerge as confident, skilled leaders of tomorrow. This journey is not just about education; it is about transforming lives and communities.”

Reducing barriers to education for girls is pivotal step towards building an equal workplace and a more equitable society at large. The scholars from this program can be strong role models inspiring the next generation of girls.

About MSD

At MSD, known as Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA in the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than 30 years, we have brought hope to humanity through the development of important medicines and vaccines. We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world – and today, we are at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. We foster a diverse and inclusive global workforce and operate responsibly every day to enable a safe, sustainable and healthy future for all people and communities. 

About Smile Foundation:

Smile Foundation is an Indian development organization directly benefiting over 2.5 million children and their families every year through impactful welfare projects on education, healthcare, skilling, and women empowerment spread across 27 states. Smile Foundation aligns its initiatives closely with numerous governmental missions, complementing the vision of Nation Building in the process.