Scientists, Activists, Writers, Teachers there is something to learn from everybody. Talks help us interact with accomplished people, know their ideas and make our work more effective.

Date: Oct 6 - 8, 2009 (Tuesday - Thursday)
Venue: 203 Sackett and 370 Willard
Time: 6:00 pm
Admission: Free

One of our long term partners from India, Vellore Srinivasan is visiting State College. Srinivasan's work integrates reforestation, solid-liquid waste management, livelihood generation and cattle rescue. He visited us last year and gave a spectacular talk, and we are lucky to have him again this year. He will give a series of three talks ...

Dharmendra Kumar from Bihar: ... Dharmendraji coordinated activities like libraries, samta (Women issues), primary education and science awareness activities. He also led a dozen movements like WSF, ISF and ASF against globalization and human exploitation. He coordinated a project supported by the Ministry of Human Resource Development called Jeevanshala. He and his team developed an alternative pedagogy. Dharmendraji himself studied in very poor conditions. In fact, he studied after he had left college. He saw a computer for the first time while doing social work. He studied about society and the world during his work. He has a qualification of B.A. and diploma in pharmacy. But his education is non-formal. ...

M. Damodharan from Tamilnadu: ... Damu, as he is affectionately called by everyone at AID, is a self-made first generation graduate from a poor dalit landless family in a remote village in Villupuram. He is a major source of inspiration for volunteers and children alike. He has played a key role in developing the reading program of AID India. A terrific organizer, he has also been responsible for developing a strong field base for the organization across the state. AID INDIA was awarded the Pratham 2006 Achievement Award for the reading program developed jointly by Damodharan and Chandra. Damodharan is also the author of a number of children’s books and educational kits. ...

Mr. Srinivasan's work involves integration of reforestation, solid waste management and livelihood generation in the southern Indian city of Vellore. His approach to solid waste management has been applied by the municipal corporation throughout Vellore District. Further, his model has been identified as a template for zero waste management by the Indian Government and many other cities across India have adopted it. United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-HABITAT) has identified Mr. Srinivasan's approach as 'Good Practice'. He is supported by UNICEF, Government of India, AID and a number of other non-profit organizations. Srinivasan has designed an innovative and scalable solution to managing solid waste and has generated more than a thousand jobs, mostly for poor women, who form self-help groups.

Ms. Nafisa Barot has been championing the efforts of local communities to achieve self-reliance in natural resources in the Bhal region of Gujarat. She is the founder trustee of Utthan, an organization dedicated to the upliftment and empowerment of impoverished local communities, especially women.

An electrical engineer-turned- social activist, Micheal has been living in Juna Mozda, a tribal village in Gujarat, India for the last 14 years. An enthusiast in the field of alternative technology and renewable energy, Michael has been working with the tribes for a sustainable lifestyle, on alternative technology.

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.

In the first half of the talk Michael described the life that he and Swati lead in Mozda. In the second he discussed how PSS has been trying to study and create awareness on the impacts of industrial pollution.

Dr.Datye leads a group of people who investigate approaches to alternative energy, rural technology, watershed management and sustainable agriculture.

Since his return to India in 1997, AID Fellow Balaji has been playing an active role in All India People Science Network's 100 Blocks plan, that targets 10000 villages.

AID Fellow Aravinda has been working in India full time since 1998 with people movements like Narmada and NAPM. She also provides in-depth reports on AID projects in India

Dr.Rao is a renowned activist with more than 30 years of experience. The Bhagvatula Charitable Trust (BCT) that he founded has initiated socio-economic development in more than 40 villages in Andhra Pradesh.

Widely known as MPP, he has been a leading member of the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) for more than 30 years now. KSSP is the pioneering People's Science Movement (PSM) in India and has inspired the network of PSMs which includes TNSF, Ekalavya, AP Jana Vigyan Vedika, Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samithi.