I am an Electrical Engineer. I worked for many years at Bell Labs in NJ. We moved to Massachusetts in 1998 and I was in start-ups. Currently I am a VP of Technology at Qualcomm. Like many of my generation, I feel fortunate to have worked on technologies that underlie the Internet and Cellular Communications which have transformed lives around the globe.

 

 

The Ekal movement started in the mid-eighties and the goal is to provide basic primary education to children in rural and tribal areas of India where there is no other access to education. We have a system of single room schools where kids from ages 6 through 14 learn reading, writing and arithmetic. We currently have nearly 54,000 schools and over 1.5 million students. Beyond just the numbers, we have deeply impacted the lives of countless children and through them many communities that have been historically impoverished. We have over half a million passionate volunteers and with their help we are able to keep costs down - for a dollar a day we can run a whole school.

 

3. When did you learn about the Ekal movement and why did you decide to get involved? 

 

For some years I have been attending Ekal's fund raisers.  Ekal's concept of running a whole school for $365 a year is eye opening. This is not merely a concept - this modest amount transforms permanently the lives of about 30 children and indirectly that of the whole community. I think there is no better investment in the future of India than Ekal and I became an enthusiastic donor.

 

When Ranjani Saigal became the Executive Director of Ekal USA, she drew me into the organization. She has brought in tremendous energy and is truly an inspirational figure. I come from a family of teachers and working for the cause of education is irresistible. Couple that with education for the poorest in society, and it is doubly irresistible. I am thankful to Ekal because they have really given me an opportunity to contribute to this immense cause. Ekal's volunteer group in New England is very dedicated and fun to work with.

 

 

The core mission of providing basic education remains challenging. We still need to reach thousands of villages and millions of children. In addition the schools can be centers around which holistic development can be fostered. We provide health and hygiene education and we also provide composting and other training techniques so that the villagers can earn a livelihood. 

 

 

Digital technologies will fundamentally transform education everywhere. We have pilot programs in Ekal to train teachers as well teach kids with tablets and computers. This will extend our reach, help us scale and will also improve quality of education. The technology platforms can also be used to teach vocational skills and health care. Really the sky is the limit, the kids can learn, play games, see the world, author their own videos and tell their stories.

 

 

I implore everyone to get involved. Please check out our website (www.ekal.org). Call us. Volunteer. Talks to your kids about it. Talk to your friends and neighbors about it. Come to our events. Donate. We all have noble impulses to do something for the neediest in India. Ekal provides a ready platform to realize all these impulses. That is what happened to me. Trust me, you will be just as enriched working on this cause as the kids getting the education.

Ekal promotes a culture of Philanthropy that is unrivaled. I chose the word Philanthropy deliberately – it literally means love of humanity.

Here is a favorite quote of mine from the towering figure in India’s recent history, Swami Vivekananda – “Every act of charity, every thought of sympathy, every action of help, every good deed, is taking so much of self-importance away from our little selves. Selflessness leads to purification and puts you on the path to spiritual enlightenment. Here we find that Jnâna, Bhakti, and Karma yoga — all come to one point.”