EC Members and Key Management Staff involved in day-to-day program management
Vasanthi Devi, President
Well known Educationist and Academician. Former Vice-Chancellor of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University. Former Chairperson of the Tamilnadu State Women's Commission. Former State Planning Commission Member. Member of the National Curriculum Framework. Member of several Govt and NGO Committees on Education and Human Rights.
Balaji Sampath, Secretary & CEO
B. Tech in Electronics from IIT Madras. PhD in Electronics from Univ. of Maryland, College Park. As a graduate student, mobilized 500 volunteers and started 25 chapters of Association for India’s Development in the USA. Returned to India and started working fulltime on social issues in 1997. Founded AID INDIA. Worked with Center for Ecology and Rural Development and the People’s Science Movement on health and education programs. National Organizer of the People’s Health Assembly Campaign in 2000. Received several awards for AID INDIA’s work in reading and science education - Ashoka Fellowship, Lemelson Innovator’s Award, Rotary Distinguished Service Award. Demonstrate weekly science program for children on TV since Aug 2006. Author of several books and videos on education, science popularization and health. Read More...
Chandra Anil, Treasurer, Director, Eureka SuperKidz
B. Tech in Instrumentation from BITS Pilani. Worked as Hardware Engineer in Wipro, HCL Technologies and SCM Microsystems. Volunteered in AID INDIA’s Education programs when she was working in SCM Microsystems. Quit her job in 2002 to start working fulltime on education programs. She developed the reading program and the reading kit which are being used in schools across the state today. She built up close collaboration between AID INDIA and Pratham on the reading program. Founder Trustee of the Pratham Tamilnadu Education Trust. Consultant to the SSA and UNICEF for the Reading and Math Program. Well known resource person and trainer on primary education for Vidyarambam, Makkal Palli Iyakkam and other NGOs. Author of a large number of children’s books, board games and learning aids. AID INDIA was awarded the Pratham 2006 Achievement Award for the reading program developed by Chandra and Damodharan.
Ravishankar A, Jt. Secretary, Math Content Research Head,
B. Tech in Electronics from IIT Madras. MS & PhD in Electronics from Carnegie Mellon University, USA. Worked as Advisory Engineer in IBM, Austin. Volunteered with AID in Pittsburgh and started AID Chapter in Austin. Returned to India in 2003 as Faculty at IIT Madras so that he could volunteer with AID INDIA in its education programs. In 2006, he became adjunct faculty at IIT Madras so that he could devote full time to AID INDIA’s education programs. Ravishankar was instrumental in developing the science demo class program and the Ariviyal Anandam programs which are being implemented in schools across the state. Ravishankar, along with Gomathi, developed the Eureka Science Lab-in-a-Box, for which AID INDIA received the MIT Indus Technovator’s Award 2005. Ravishankar has also been instrumental in helping several foundations – like Satyam and Byrraju Foundations - adopt the science experiments program in other states. He is a member of the Tamilnadu State Secondary Education Curriculum Revision Committee and is also a key resource person of the Tamilnadu Science Forum. He is the author of many popular science and math books.
Damodharan M, Director, Eureka SuperKidz
B.Sc. Botany and MA, M.Phil in Anthropology from Madras University. Has been part of AID INDIA fulltime since 2000. A self-made first generation graduate from a poor dalit landless family in a remote village in Villupuram, Damodharan is a major source of inspiration for a lot of volunteers and children. He has played a key role in developing the reading program along with Chandra. A terrific organizer, he has also been responsible for developing a strong field base for the organization across the state. He has been the major driving force behind the wide spread implementation of the reading program. He has also been instrumental in initiating and developing the pre-primary program. A team builder by nature, he is much sought after for solving inter-personal problems. He has also been a state coordinator of the Makkal Palli Iyakkam program and is a well known resource person who has trained many NGO workers on primary education activities. 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.
Smitha Kalyani, Fund Raising
B. Tech in Computer Science from BITS Pilani. As a student, started AID
Chapter in Pilani in 1997. Worked as Software Engineer in HCL and Wipro. Quit
her software job and joined AID INDIA fulltime in 2004. Started AID INDIA
initiatives in Krishnagiri district and built up a strong execution team in the district.
Has worked with the District Collector and UNICEF to initiate a district wide
Science and Reading program and Pre-primary programs. Has been involved in
developing ideas on the Pre-primary program and will be instrumental in expanding
the pre-primary initiative across the state. Smitha has also been instrumental in
raising funds for the organization and played a major role in coordinating relief
efforts during the 2004 Tsunami.
Shyam, Project Manager
MBA from IIM Ahmedabad and BE in Electrical Engg from SVCE, Chennai.
Worked as an investment banker for Barclays Capital in Singapore, before quitting
his job to work in the field of social development. Joined AID INDIA in 2009. His
background in financial management and planning has helped shape AID INDIA’s
policies. His observations and inputs add fresh perspective to our approach. Shyam
manages the SuperKidz program in several blocks and also look into state level
planning and impact evaluations.
Gomathi S, Director - Finance
B.Sc, M.Sc in Physics from Madras University, M.Phil in Physics from
Bharatidasan University. A well known resource person in science education.
Working as the Science Program Coordinator in AID INDIA from 2003. Has been
instrumental in the development and expansion of the Ariviyal Anandam science
program. Gomathi, along with Ravishankar, developed the Eureka Science Lab-ina-
Box, for which AID INDIA received the MIT Indus Technovator’s Award 2005.
She has also authored and translated several popular science books and her lecdems
and trainings are very popular with schools and colleges.
Radha, Director - Eureka Research Group
B.E, BITS Pilani, Masters in Engineering from San Jose State Univ. Was working
as Senior Software Engineer in Cypress Semiconductors, before joining AID
INDIA in 2009. Has contributed significantly to content development across
programs, especially Primary math. Has been instrumental in conceptualizing and
designing workbooks which are very popular with children.
Jayaram Venkatesan, Math Content Team
MS from Univ of Cincinatti. Quit his corporate career as Vice-President, to join
AID INDIA in 2008 and has been coordinating the Math content development
and implementation efforts. Apart from this, he is also interested in promotion of
livelihood enhancement for poor and marginal farmers.
Samundeeswari V, Project Manager - Vellore District
B. Com from AAA College, Vellore and Diploma in Nutrition and Health
Education from IGNOU University. Has been the Vellore district coordinator
for Muthucharam Savings Group Network. Has been the district coordinator for
the Action Research Community Health Project. She joined AID INDIA in 2003
and is one of the core members of the organization who has been responsible for
building it up. Samundeswari is a terrific organizer – she has been instrumental in
starting off AID INDIA’s field programs in many new locations – Tiruvanamalai
District, Kanchipuram District, Krishnagiri District, Sivagangai District and
Vellore District! She has the unique ability of going to a completely new place,
staying there for 5-6 months and building up a very strong and committed team of
volunteers and fulltimers who can carry the work forward without her!
Bharathi G, Logistics Manager - Eureka SuperKidz
B.Com and Diploma in Computer Applications. Her diligence in ensuring basic
accounts processes are followed by everyone has ensured that AID INDIA has been
able to operate smoothly for so many years. Whenever a system requires a follow
up person, Bharathi is involved in the loop! Bharathi has been a major force in
running internal audits and administrative functions of AID INDIA, ever since she
joined in 2003. She now handles Logistics for SuperKidz group.
Parvathy PN, English Content Head
B. Com Anna Adarsh, Masters in Social Work, Madras School of Social Work.
Awarded Young Professional Fellowship by CAPART (Ministry of Rural
Development). Worked with District Rural Development Agency (Govt) Erode and
CIRHEP - an NGO doing watershed development. She has also been a volunteer
with Youth challenge Australia. Parvathy is also the Founder and Managing
Trustee of Aspire Foundation, an NGO working for education in Nilakottai
block. Parvathy is very committed to the cause of education and particularly to
improving the learning of English in government schools, as she feels this will
drive up children’s confidence levels. She joined AID INDIA in 2006 and has been
involved in conducting education surveys and in developing an action research
program for English learning.
Prabha B, Health Team
B.Sc Home Science from Madras University, Masters in Social Work from Madras
School of Social Work, Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management
from Pondicherry University. From 2000 to 2002 worked as Project Officer in the
Tamilnadu Primary school Improvement Campaign (TANPIC) – a SIDA funded
network of 50 NGOs. Worked as the Education Services Officer in N-Logue
Communications. Joined AID INDIA in 2002. Has been the key driving force
behind the Library Project – initiated and helped scale it up to 2000 libraries. Has
been instrumental in helping build our NGO network. She also is very good at
liasioning with the Government. She currently leads the health initiative.
Padmini Srinivasan, Eureka SuperKidz Planning & Reports
Bachelors in Pharmacy, Masters in Psychology and PG Diploma in Human Rights.
Padmini worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 2.5 years and then 4 years in the
banking industry – both as a trainer. She then moved into the non-profit sector in
2007. Initially she worked with Anusuya Foundation and then joined AID INDIA
in 2009. Initially she joined as a trainer and played a key role in training our field
teams in English teaching. Soon after, she moved into project planning and donor
reporting function and today handles this role for the Eureka SuperKidz team.
Gayathri M, Books Development
B.Sc. Chemistry, Bharatidasan University, Advanced Diploma in Software, STC
Technologies, Masters in Computer Applications Madras University. Worked
as Field Investigator in National Center for Agricultural Economics and Policy
Research and as an Administrator at the Indian Society for Extension Education.
Gayathri comes from a very poor hand-loom weavers family in a small village near
Thanjavur. A strong willed person, she moved to Delhi on her own, worked and
educated herself. A quick learner, she has managed operations and information
systems of AID INDIA. She has been a Research Associate with ASER Center for
3 years. She now works on Books development.
Srinivasan M, Partnerships
Diploma in Electronics and Communications from the Central Polytechnic
Chennai, Web Design Certificate from Loyola College. Srinivasan got involved
with the Literacy campaign when he was still a student. He was part of the
coordination team for the state wide Arivoli Literacy Campaigns in early 1990s.
He was primarily involved in mobilizing communities to participate in the mass
literacy efforts. He started a local newspaper in Mylapore “Mailai Seythigal”. He
then worked for 2 years in an eco friendly Leather Technology project in CERD
at Pondicherry – helping set up village enterprises. Then he joined the Tamilnadu
Science Forum and worked as the Editor of Thulir – A well known monthly
children’s science magazine – for 8 years. In partnership with a few friends, he
started a book design and publishing company called Fineline. Srinivasan has been
an active volunteer of AID INDIA since 2002. He joined AID INDIA fulltime
in 2006, coordinating libraries across the state partnering with several NGOs on
libraries and other programs.
Lokesh J, Eureka Books
Bachelor of Business Administration, Madras University. Doing MBA
(correspondence) at Anna University. Family poverty pushed Lokesh into working
at the age of 15. He had already worked in a stationary shop, as a delivery boy
and as an office boy in several companies before joining AID INDIA at the age of
19 as a field coordinator in 2003. Even as he was working in AID INDIA, he restarted
his education and joined BBA in Madras University. Within a few months,
he suggested the idea of starting a marketing center for our books and for village
products. AID INDIA gave him a small capital in 2004 to start off the marketing
unit – Eureka Books. By sheer will and persistence, in 3 years, Lokesh has built
up Eureka Books, into a large marketing network with 9 branches and an annual
turnover of over Rs. 5 Million! The growing unit – with over 20 people working
fulltime (many double his age) - is managed independently by him.
Gowri, Scholarship Program
B.Sc. Physics and MBA from Shrimathi Indira Gandhi College. She worked as the
Team Lead in Placement Place, as Process Associate in MAFOI Consulting and as
HR Executive in CDFI. She also freelanced with the Tamilnadu Foundation. Gowri
has joined AID INDIA recently (June 2007) and has been playing an important role
in handling our HR requirements apart from looking at our Children’s Scholarship
program.
Anbazhagi TK, Project Manager - Kanchipuram District
Certificate in Food and Child Nutrition, Tirupattur College. Currently doing her
MA (correspondence) in Sociology. Anbazhagi comes from an extremely poor
landless family in a remote village in Vellore district. She joined the literacy
campaign in her village as a volunteer. Looking at her commitment, she was
appointed as the cluster and then block coordinator for the literacy program. She
then worked for 3 years as the Block Heath Coordinator for an Action Research
Community Health Project in 30 villages. Anbazhagi joined AID INDIA in 2005
as the district coordinator for Kanchipuram and has been a very effective organizer.
She brings a very strong sense of community participation in all aspects of her
work. She is also a very hard worker who puts in a lot of thought into every step
she takes. She has the capacity to take along a lot of different people which is very
useful in scaling up an effort.
Murugesh M, Project Manager - Thiruvannamalai District
MA Tamil, Annamalai University. Volunteer with the Tamilnadu Progressive
Writers Association. Worked with children’s support centers with the Tamilnadu
Science Forum. Worked with the World Bank project Puthuvazhvu. Well known
Poet and Writer. Joined AID INDIA in 2005. A extremely well networked
motivator, Murugesh has been able to draw in a large number of volunteers and
fulltimers into AID INDIA’s reading programs. He also maintains very good
contacts with the district education department and ensures that we get very good
support at all levels. His interest in writing for children as well as building up
libraries is a major support for the organization.
Raja Pandian, Project Manager - Trichy District
Doing BA through correspondence. Joined AID INDIA in 2005 as a young teenager
just out of school. Played a very important role in developing content for Tamil
reading skill. Was involved in training and monitoring of Govt school teachers
for the Padippum Inikkum reading program. He stepped into a leadership role of
building a strong base in Trichy district and coordinating several field programs
there. Liasoned with the Government education officials and the Collector on
several programs. He is now one of the most valuable and youngest leaders of the
organization.
Kumar MA, Accounts Officer
Retired as Senior Bank Manager at the Canara Bank. Head of Regional Bank Staff
Training College – Specialist ISO Process Training. Founded and Managed an
Interior Decoration Company for 4 years. Joined AID INDIA in 2006 as Accounts
Officer to oversee financial management. |
