Dr. Yogesh Ramesh Kulkarni. Executive Director- Vigyan Ashram
Address: Vigyan Ashram, At Post. Pabal Dist. Pune
412403,
e-mail: vapabal@gmail.com , www.vigyanashram.com
Age: 37
years
Education:
Bachelors of
Mechanical Engineering (B.E), Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (PGDBA -1996), MA (Distance Education), Ph.D (Educational communication)
Certificate course in
computers, Certificate course in German language from MAx
Muller Bhavan
Profile:
Since college days, I am involved in various educational activities such
as literacy movement and educating slum children.
After Engineering and management education, I worked for a multinational
company for 3 years and then decided to join ‘Vigyan Ashram’ to pursue my passion
for education.
A) Vigyan
Ashram (www.vigyanashram.com) is a
center of ‘Indian Institute Of Education, Pune’.
It has developed a unique program - ‘Rural
Development through Education System (RDES), which integrates ‘Education’ and
‘Rural Development’. The program is implemented in formal schools as well as in non-formal centers. Since
2003, I am heading this unique initiative, which turned many dropouts’ students
into entrepreneurs and inventors.
I have conceptualized
and headed replication of ‘RDES’
program in 72 schools in 17 districts
of Maharashtra and Karnataka states
of India involving more than 6000 students.
B) I am
actively involved in movement to use of technology in education. I worked as
team leader to develop various educational content in regional languages. Developed
many educational CD ROMs in Indian regional languages.
C) I also
worked as a project leader to use of ICT for educating nomadic tribes. This
project won UNESCO award in the ‘non formal education’ category in 2008.
D) I was
also worked on the concept of rural internet kiosk and internet based services
for villagers. I am founder director of a
company M/S Agrocom Pvt
Ltd. (www.agrocom.co.in ) which provides
agricultural solution to the farmers.
E) Vigyan ashram hosts the first fab
lab in collaboration with MIT (
F) Received ‘Development marketplace award, 2007’ for
$20,000 to develop ‘Human power based lighting solution’ for nomadic tribes.
G) Received ‘Youth to Youth innovation award 2007’ for
$10,000 from World bank for establishing ‘Rural
entrepreneurs network’.
H) Received First prize of £100,000 in Evolve development
idea competition constituted by M/S GKN
Sinter Metal Ltd.UK in 2009.
Others:
i) Represented Vigyan Ashram in many International and National level seminars on “IT in education” and “Education for Development” topics.
ii)
Attended
International conference on education and appropriate technologies in
Success of
students going through RDES program is continuously increasing my faith in the
RDES philosophy. I am working for universalisation of the concept of ‘RDES’ in
schools especially in rural and remote areas of
Address:
Vigyan ashram, At.Post. Pabal, Tal : Shirur, Dist Pune 412403 ,
Ph :91-02138-292326 91-020-25424580
e-mail : vapabal@gmail.com
website : www.vigyanashram.com