Event at IISc on 18th Aug 2007: Interactive Session on Education and Development in India: Then, Now and After

Students Council, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore - 560 012

Interactive Session on Education and Development in India: Then, Now and After

Marking the Sixty Years of Indian Independence

Even as India is approaching towards the sixtieth year of its independence from the British, there exist enormous challenges for policy and decision makers, administrators and academicians to devise appropriate mechanisms for ensuring delivery of basic infrastructure and access to services for a vast majority of the country's population. While the statistics would reveal that majority, almost 72% still live in rural areas, the fate of urban population hasn't been any better. Most urban areas are also subject to the inevitable urbanisation with huge migrant population coming to cities in search of livelihood. Subsequently, the quality of life of the deprived either in urban or rural areas has been questioned with poor standards of access to basic amenities and infrastructure leading to unhygienic and unsustainable consumption of resources. In the course of achieving higher economic growth rate, it appears there was loss of focus on delivery of efficient services in education and healthcare, besides tackling poverty and minimising threat to environment. It is in this light, the Student Council of IISc presents an Interactive Session on Education and Development in India with Dr. B. R. Parameswara Rao and Dr. H. Sudarshan.

Date: Saturday, 18th August 2007

Venue: Choksi Hall, Indian Institute of Science

Time: 10:00 AM - 12 Noon

About the Speakers:

Dr. B. V. Parameswara Rao

Dr. B. V. Parameswara Rao, after obtaining his Ph.D., from Penn-State in 1967, returned to his native village Dimili in Andhra Pradesh, India. Ever since, he and his family are devoted to rural development work. Dr. Parameswara Rao is among the foremost social entrepreneurs in India today who has spent over 30 years working in the villages of Andhra Pradesh in India. He has spent this time initiating and facilitating socio-economic development in about 40 villages through an organization that he founded called the Bhagvatula Charitable Trust (BCT). His work with the villagers has earned him recognition as the Week magazine's "Man of the Year" in 1988. In his own words, "The objectives with which I had come to Dimili were

1. To discern for myself whether India continues to have the genius of yore or whether that genius is no more

2. If India still has that genius whether it could be revived

3. Whether I could play any role in that rejuvenation if any were possible

4. Incidentally repay Dimili to the extent possible, the debt of our six brothers who were educated because of it."

His efforts have been amply rewarded. His work grew into the NGO Bhagvatula Charitable Trust that works in 40 villages directly and influences work in hundreds of villages -- for example at one point in time it was running 700 Non Formal Centers until it trained local NGOs there to run them themselves. Vast acres of waste lands on the rocky hill slopes are now prospering into lush green farmlands. A model for holistic development, BCT is well known for work in reclaiming wasted land, setting income generating activities by village initiatives, women's empowerment, and education.

A very modest person, Parameswara Rao is not eager to claim responsibility to things he/BCT initiated -- for example the anti-arrack movement in AP portrayed in the film "When Women Unite" was triggered by a story in the literacy textboks about a village where women stop their husbands from drinking. What the film does not mention is that the story is a true one from Marripalem, one of the BCT villages.

Parameswara Rao has been in several national level committees and has tried his hand at coordination with several NGOs. He has definite views on interaction with the govt etc. based on his successes and failures. He was actively involved in a national campaign to make elementary education a constitutional right for all Indians. Dr. Rao has also travelled to several countries visiting development efforts and providing expertise as consultant to international projects. He has also inspired the formation of India Literacy Project and Rejuvenate India Movement.

Press: New model of education needed for rural India. The Hindu – Business Line, dated Saturday 27 August 2005. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/08/27/stories/2005082702571900.htm

http://www.ashanet.org/madison/events/prao99.html


Dr. H. SUDARSHAN

A medical doctor by qualification Dr. Sudarshan has dedicated his life to social development in India. He started his career in 1975, with the Ramkrishna Mission Health Projects. During this period, he worked in the Himalayas (Uttar Pradesh), Belur Math (West Bengal) and Ponnampet(Uttar Pradesh). In 1980, he established the Vivekanada Girijan Kalyana Kendra (VGKK). The organization works with Soliga tribals in the B.R. Hills of Karnataka. The objective of VGKK is to empower the tribal people to realize their dream of a self-realiant, united and progressive community. VGKK has been successfully carrying out several programs in the tribal area in education, health, community organization, revitalization of traditional medicines, bio-diversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, rehabilitation of displaced tribals, low cost housing, social forestry, tribal cooperatives and promotion of appropriate technology.

He also started the Karuna Trust in Yelandur, for rural health and development.
Together with India Literacy Project, Karuna Trust has created the first integarted model of education in the state providing access to anganwadis and schools to all children from the age group 0-14. As acknowledged by the Block Education Officer, the Yelandur block has only 105 children out-of-school.

He has been awarded the Padmashree in 2000, the International Distinguished Physician award given by the Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in 1995 and the Right Livelihood Award in 1994. Dr. H. Sudarshan has held important positions in various state and national organizations. To name a few: a member of the Executive Committee of the National Literacy Mission, the chairperson of the Karnataka Task Force on Health and Family Welfare and a member of the Karnataka Task Force on Education.

Dr. Sudarshan's work has been acknowledged by none other than the former president Dr. A P J Kalam, who also visited the area in Oct 2006. The following, an excerpt from Dr. Kalam's address at the residential tribal school of Kalinga Institute of School Sciences at Bhubaneswar on 29th Nov 2006, speaks for itself. "Recently, I visited BR Hills in and I found substantial new developments has taken place in this area. I can see a "New Tribal Hospital", roads and education environment and above all the earning capacity of the tribal citizens have been increased with the technology resource centre as a base. Previously, they were selling honey at Rs. 6 kg. whereas now they are selling at Rs. 60 per kg. There are solar lamps, health insurance, quality schools available in the rural complex. Dr. H. Sudarshan, is an inspiring architect of this societal transformation."

Press:

http://www.rightlivelihood.org/sudarshan.html

http://www.india-movement.org/NGOs/dr_sudharshan_bio.php