DBS Bank India has committed ₹10 crore to support the expansion of MITTI Café across India, strengthening employment, vocational training and livelihood opportunities for persons with disabilities. The partnership was marked by the inauguration of a new MITTI Café at 1 MG Mall, Bengaluru, by the Hon'ble Governor of Karnataka, Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot.

The three-year partnership between DBS Bank India and MITTI Café will support the establishment of nine cafés across India, creating employment opportunities for more than 100 persons with disabilities, providing vocational training to approximately 470 individuals, and supporting around 300 people in accessing employment opportunities.

The new café at 1 MG Mall offers customers a mainstream café experience while creating opportunities for persons with disabilities to participate in day-to-day hospitality and customer-facing operations.

Speaking at the inauguration, Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, Governor of Karnataka, highlighted the importance of creating opportunities that promote dignity, independence and economic empowerment for persons with disabilities.

"MITTI Café shows us that inclusion is not only a social responsibility; it can also be a successful and sustainable economic model. Give people an opportunity, and their abilities will find their own way forward," he said.

Gaurav Rajput, Head of Group Marketing & Communications, DBS Bank India, said the partnership reflects the bank's commitment to creating impact beyond banking by supporting purpose-driven organisations.

"By expanding access to livelihoods for persons with disabilities, we aim to support greater economic participation and contribute to more inclusive communities," he said.

Alina Alam, Founder & CEO, MITTI Café, said the Bengaluru opening was particularly meaningful as the organisation's journey began in Karnataka.

"This café represents much more than employment; it represents dignity, independence and the power of opportunity," she said.

MITTI Café is a not-for-profit organisation focused on creating livelihood opportunities for persons with disabilities and individuals from vulnerable communities. Its cafés operate across public institutions, transport hubs, commercial locations, universities, hospitals and corporate campuses.

The organisation has served more than 22 million meals and beverages and created over 6,500 livelihood opportunities. Its network includes prominent locations such as Rashtrapati Bhavan, Rashtrapati Nilayam, the Supreme Court of India, airports and educational institutions.

The initiative follows an inclusive employment model that integrates persons with disabilities into mainstream commercial environments. Through customer-facing roles, employees gain workplace experience, professional skills and opportunities to build sustainable livelihoods.

The partnership also aligns with the broader social impact efforts of DBS Foundation, which supports initiatives aimed at improving the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable communities through financial inclusion, essential needs and purpose-driven solutions.

With the new café at 1 MG Mall and the planned expansion across India, DBS Bank India and MITTI Café aim to create more accessible pathways to employment while demonstrating how inclusive business models can contribute to sustainable social impact.