Monday June 14th, 6 p.m.
104 Thomas Building
Refreshments : Pizza and Soda
Interested in finding out about a growing movement within India
to bring equitable development to the rural masses? Bring your
friends and join us for an evening for a discussion with Balaji
on his experiences in working for social causes in India.
A graduate of IIT-Madras, Balaji completed is Ph.D. from the
University of Maryland in 1997 and returned to India to work
full-time for social causes. He is also one of the pioneers of
the Hundred Block Plan (HBP) that is partially funded by
AID-State College. Balaji is an inspirational speaker and it
will be a great experience to hear him.
Share your views with us and learn about volunteering
opportunities with AID State College. Meet our team that has
been successfully carrying out fundraising activities at PSU and
get involved.
www.aidindia.org
www.clubs.psu.edu/aid
For more information,
Contact:
Piyush (thakre_piyush@yahoo.com)
Arun (aroon156@yahoo.com)
Varun (vsingh@psu.edu)
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Balaji Sampath is a central figure both within Association for
India's Development (AID), and in India where he works with the
All India People's Science Movements (AIPSN) in general, and
Tamil Nadu Science Forum (TNSF) in particular. He has made
several vital
contributions in planning and executing mass movements &
campaigns in health, literacy, and improving quality of
education in Indian schools. His work in this regard has
culminated in the Hundred Block Plan (HBP) - a multi-pronged
rural intervention and development program across India - which
he pioneered with Dr. Sundarraman of
the AIPSN. The HBP is currently the largest development program
undertaken by AID at this time.
Balaji joined AID as a volunteer for AID-College park when AID
was still a local organization. Over the next few years, along
with other volunteers, he built AID into a large nation-wide
organization with chapters in several cities/universities. He
was also
instrumental in developing the vision statement for AID and
getting it registered as a non-profit organization. Since his
return to India in 1997, he almost single-handedly started the
AID-Chennai chapter and mentored the new volunteers by
organizing joint programs with the TNSF.
Balaji initially started working with TNSF in their model health
program called Arogiya Iyakkam as well as in assisting them in
their community education, literacy and computer training
programs. He also helped them organize village libraries,
savings groups and
information centers. In 2001, at the end of the model program
period, he helped analyze the impact of Arogiya Iyakkam in local
communities and proved the success of this type of intervention.
Based on the results, the UN judged this program one of the top
ten
programs in the world. His efforts culminated in his joining the
People's Health Assembly (PHA) where he became a national
coordinator. In 2002 and 2003, he started the Makkal Palli
Iyakkam - a community intervention program to improve the
quality of primary and science education in rural India that was
based on inputs from Dr. Ramanujam of the TNSF.
In recognition of his efforts, AID decided to make him their
first Jeevansaathi (lifetime associate). He is currently touring
the US with his wife Kalpana Karunakaran.
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