Initiative empowers rural women through coaching, entrepreneurship and financial independence
Solan, October 9
Shoolini University has won the 2026 International Coaching Federation (ICF) Coaching Impact Award for Distinguished Coaching Catalyst in the Social Impact category for Project Pragati, its initiative to empower rural women through coaching, entrepreneurship and financial independence. The global award recognised the University’s efforts to help women build confidence, make informed decisions and develop locally rooted micro-enterprises.
Project Pragati brought together professional coaches, student mentors and 27 rural women, known as Sakhis, to help them explore livelihood opportunities and work towards greater economic independence. The initiative reflects how coaching, when extended beyond traditional settings, can support individual growth and create opportunities for social change.
The programme followed a collaborative three-part model. Saarthis were professional ICF coaches who provided individual coaching; Sahyogis were students and mentors who offered guidance and enterprise support; and Sakhis were the rural women whose aspirations and entrepreneurial journeys formed the heart of the programme.
This award recognises the work of Shoolini University’s Centre for Leadership Coaching (CLC), led by Prof. Payal Khanna, under the leadership of Vice-Chancellor Prof. Atul Khosla. Since 2021, the Centre’s coaching ecosystem has reached more than 1,400 students through 369 coaches across 22 countries, while extending coaching to underserved communities.
Prof. Atul Khosla, Vice-Chancellor, Shoolini University, said the award was a proud moment for the University and reflected its commitment to making education meaningful beyond the classroom.
“Project Pragati is our mission to empower women in the communities around us. We have always believed that universities must go beyond teaching and create opportunities for people to recognise their potential and shape their futures. This award shows what can be achieved when education, coaching and community engagement come together to bring about meaningful change,” he said.
Prof. Payal Khanna, Head of the Centre for Leadership Coaching, said,
“I receive this recognition with deep gratitude, but also with a strong sense of collective ownership. The finalist recognition initially carried my name; the final award carries the name of Shoolini University – Project Pragati. That evolution is deeply meaningful because this work was never mine alone. It belongs to the 27 women who chose to believe that something more was possible, to the coaches and mentors who walked alongside them, and to the institution that gave the vision a home,” she said.
The 2026 ICF Coaching Impact Awards recognised contributions across four categories: Coaches, Coaching Education, Organisations and Social Impact. In the Social Impact category, Shoolini University – Project Pragati received the Distinguished Coaching Catalyst award, while Argentina-based Fundación Multipolar’s Coaching en Zapatillas received the Emerging Coaching Catalyst recognition. The award celebrations took place in Lisbon, Portugal, in October 2026.
