LEAD Valedictory 2016 - Belagavi

Dignitaries visiting the project showcase

On 23rd April, Belagavi's LEAD Valedictory 2016 was hosted at KLES Belagavi. The event included guest speakers, a project showcase of 36 of the year's top projects, student story sharing, and 8 awards presented to deserving students. Over 100 students and faculty attended the event. 

During this event, Mr. Naveen Jha (CEO, Deshpande Foundation), Dr. S. V. Divekar (Dean of Infrastructure, GIT College), and Mr. Yuvaraj Patil (Lead Ambassador, VSMIT Nippani and Gram Panchyat Vice President, Nitawade, Kolaphur District) presided over the celebration. 

Special guests with newly designated Master LEADers
and LEAD Ambassadors

LEAD Valedictory is also the time to start thinking about the year to come. 19 LEADers were promoted to Master LEADer in order to start their journey in promoting LEAD throughout their colleges and helping to unleash the leadership potential in those student around them. Four students were promoted to LEAD Ambassador, the next step in the LEAD levels and a great achievement. 

Deshpande Foundation CEO Mr. Naveen Jha present token
of recognition to unrecognized woman Ms. Chougala

As the theme of the event was "Recognizing the Unrecognized", LEAD also recognized a woman in the community whose valuable work goes unseen. Special guest Ms. Madhavi Chougala, a cleaning lady at Maratha Mandal Engineering College. This act is a continuation of the successful International Women's Day project taken on by LEADers across the country.

One of the major components of the Valedictory is providing recognition and congratulations to the top LEAD students of the year from the respective area. Below are the winners of the 8 awards presented at the Belagavi Valedictory 2016.

Best Initiative Social Project - Divya Hiremath 

Best Fundraiser: Vedanth M, GIT Belgaum

Most Active Prayanee:  Vaishnavi Hatrote, KLECET Belgaum 

Best Awareness Project: Suyash V, JCE Belgaum

Most Initiatives Taken: Chetan Kulkarni

Most Active Volunteer: Arpan Sathapathy and Manish Noola

Best Creative Team:  KLECT Belgaum

Best Initiative in Education: GIT Belgaum

LEAD student sharing their leadership story and experiences

LEAD Valedictory Davangere - 2016

On 2^nd April LEAD Davangere marked a momentous day by celebrating LEAD Valedictory in collaboration with A.V. Kamalamma College for women, Davangere. There were around 400+ students including faculties who attended the event and brought more glory to the event. 

LEADers with Guests at Stage

Students listening to motivational speech by guest

The guests of honor were Dr. G.N. Mallikarjunappa (Executive Director, SJM Vidyapeeth, Davangere), Prof. Shivaprakash (Principal, A.V. Kamalamma College for Women, Davangere), Dr. Manjunath, (Principal, Jain Institute of Technology, Davangere), Shri. Ajay Suman Shukla (Functional Head, LEAD, Deshpande Foundation, Hubballi) and a special guest Mrs. Mamatha who was awarded during the LEAD International women’s day for her special contribution to her service presided over the events. The event was highlighted by an inspirational presidential talk held by Prof. Shivaprakash (Principal, A.V. Kamalamma College for Women, Davangere) and a motivational talk by Mr. Ajay Suman Shukla (Functional Head, LEAD).

LEAD student explaining about her project to the guests

Many LEAD students were awarded with Best LEADer and Best Project awards. Bhuvaneshwari and Chandrika from DRM Science College were awarded for their initiatives taken in different fields. Individual project awards went to Tasmiya from Jain institute for recognizing the unrecognized women, Abhishek from Department of Journalism received Best activities volunteer and creative LEADer and several other LEADers for their different projects that have made an impact.

There around 8 LEADers Shyam from SJMIT College, Chitradurga, Latha and Amulya from BIET College, Davangere, Netravathi, Bhuvaneshwari and Chandrika from DRM Science College, Davangere, Tasmiya from Jain Institute of Technology, Mamatha from Department of Social Work Davangere University are promoted as Master LEADers. Akhilesh from Saraswati Law College, Chitradurga promoted as LEAD Ambassador.

Students receiving award

Mrs. Mamatha (Special Guest) receiving award from the guest

Overall the day has completed with lot of joyous moments and students bought back lot of information and knowledge along with them.

Vijayapur LEAD Valedictory 2016

On 19th March, LEAD Vijayapur celebrated its Valedictory in collaboration with BLDEA’s Shri B.M Patil Institute of Nursing Sciences, Vijayapur.

The event was attended by more than 450 LEADers, students, 50+ faculties and media who witnessed this celebratory and informative event. The students from different locations of Vijayapur including Bagalkot, Talikote and Jamakhandi were been part of the event.

The guests of honour Dr. B.G. Mulimani (Vice Chancellor, BLDE University, Vijayapur), Mr. Naveen Jha (CEO, Deshpande Foundation, Hubli), Mr. Rajesh Darbar (President, Darbar Institutes, Vijayapur), Mr. Girish G. Badragond (grassroot innovator from Vijayapur), Mr. Shalmon Chopade (Principal, BLDEA's B.M. Patil Institute of Nursing Sciences, Vijayapur) and a special guest Mrs. Goura Bai presided over the evening's events.

Many LEAD students were awarded with Best LEADer and Best Project awards. Accolades were also presented for Best Supporting Faculty and Best Supporting College.

Kumar, Rukmini, Suprit, Noor and Santosh were awarded for their initiatives taken in different fields. Individual project awards went to Ramesh for Child Bank, Supriya for Kitchen Gardening, Suprit for Digital Literacy for Rural Mass, Bismilla for Tailoring Class for Women, and several other LEADers for their different projects that have made an impact.

Dr. Kubakaddi was awarded Best Supporting Faculty, Darbar College won Best Supporting College, S.C. Nandimath Law College Bagalkot won Best Performing College, and ASP & BLDEA Polytechnic College as Best Team Award.

Overall, the night was a joyous celebration of the accomplishments of the LEADers in Vijayapur, full of stories and positivity. 

LEADers explaining their projects to a guest of honour during Project Showcase

A Best LEADer award winner being recognized

LEADers appreciating special guest Mrs. Goura Bai, a local unrecognized woman

International Womens Day 2016: "Recognizing the Unrecognized"

Women work without a break for their families, society, and friends all through the year. So, on IWD 2016, LEAD conducted their 3rd annual "Recognizing the Unrecognized", where women in our society who are rarely recognized but are responsible for important work were recognized for their contributions, such as cleaning railway stations, bus stands, picking household trash, selling vegetables etc. LEAD and LEADers believe that, without these women, our communities would come to a standstill.

LEADers from each location of LEAD voluntarily took up the initiative to identify and appreciate these women on the occasion of International Women’s Day. After identifying these unrecognized women in their communities, the LEADers made personal visits to their homes and workplaces to thank them for their contributions and presented a certificate of gratitude they personally signed.

In total, 347 students recognized 30,245 women in honour of International Women’s Day, thanking them for their contributions to society that otherwise go unnoticed. AMAZING work by our LEADers!

Students noted that this project helped them improve their communication skills and confidence, as each LEADer approached and spoke to hundreds of women from all different professions, backgrounds, statuses, and levels of education. 

LEADers from Hubballi Sandbox recognizing local security women

LEADer from Ek Soch Sandbox (Varanasi) and LEAD Functional Head Ajay Suman Shukla
recognizing a working mother

LEADers from Kakatiya Sandbox (Nizamabad) recognizing a local shopkeeper

Eureka Science Exhibition Brings Hands-On Learning to 500 School Students

Shivanand Pati, a student of KLECET, Belgau, has been very active in LEAD over the past two years.  Through his involvements with LEAD, Shivanand came to know about the work of Agastya International Foundation, which runs the largest hands-on science program in the world.  With the intention to promote the work of Agastya and to help government school children enjoy fun, hands-on science learning, Shivanand organized Eureka Science Exhibition at his college.  After getting permission and support from his college, Shivanand conducted a survey of government schools in Belgaum and met with the school Headmasters.  He then approached the Agastya Foundation in Hubli and convinced them to bring their mobile science lab vans to Belgaum.

Eureka Science Exhibition attracted more than 500 school students, who got the unique opportunity to learn scientific concepts through models and hands-on learning.  In addition, the success of Shivanand's project inspired 10 of his peers to join LEAD.

Shivanand's project was showcased during Yuva Summit 2014. 

"Behas" Debate Competition Connects Local Youth to Local Problems

 LEADer Vikas Jain of KLEIT, Hubli had the idea to connect the youth of Hubli/Dharwad together to discuss some of the biggest problems facing society. He organized a debate competition, called "Behas" which invited students from 12 schools throughout Hubli and Dharwad to participate.  Participants were given the task to prepare power point presentations on real problems that they found in their respective Hubli/Dharwad communities.  The participants with the best power point presentations moved on to the next round, the group discussion.  The final round of the competition consisted of a one-on-one debate between two students.

Behas was a good way to give local school students exposure to new activities and to serious social problems.  But school students were not the only people who gained exposure during this project; LEAD college students will be taking up projects that provide solutions to the problems presented by the school students in the competition.

Vikas' project was showcased during Yuva Summit 2014.

 

 

Davangere LEADer Conducts Employment Card Mela; Helps 200 People Apply

Today's job market is tough, and there are many young people without jobs.  Employment cards issued by the government provide limited financial assistance to young people who are unemployed, but these cards can only be acquired if people take action to apply for it.  LEADer Prasanna from Davangere wanted to assist young people in applying for employment cards.  To accomplish this, he organized Employment Card Mela at Davangere University.  After getting permission from the university to host the event, Prasanna publicized his upcoming event through the mass distribution of pamphlets and flyers.  With support from Mr. Ram Chandra Rao (District Employment Officer), Prasanna helped more than 200 people apply for employment cards.

Prasanna's project was showcased at Yuva Summit 2014. 

Recap: LEAD Prayana 2014

From January 7th to January 21st, 114 college students from throughout the country traveled across Karnataka, interacting with reputable way.  As the LEAD Prayana tagline suggests, students became inspired in order to unleash their leadership potential through exposure to individuals and institutions that have innovated and implemented solutions to major challenges.  Through this leadership journey on wheels, the LEAD Program aims to instill in youth the need to bring about change through effective leadership.  

Throughout the 14-day journey, the Prayana students traveled 1,800 kms to interact with 12 role models throughout 9 locations. Each day was packed with excitement, enjoyment and learning to ensure that Prayana students kept their energy high.

Day 1: Belgaum
The 120 students kicked off their journey at VTU in Belgaum.  After the students completed the registration process, they spent the day learning about VTU and its impressive efforts. The day ended with the kick off ceremony, which included Guests of Honor and Dr. H Maheshappa (Vice Chancellor, VTU), Dr. Raj Melville (Executive Director, Deshpande Foundation) and Mr. Naveen Jha (CEO, Deshpande Foundation).  The Guests of Honor addressed the students and wished them luck on their leadership journeys ahead.

Dr. H Maheshappa (Vice Chancellor, VTU)

2014 LEAD Prayana Group

Day 2: Sagar
After a flag off from VTU in the morning, the students made their way to Sagar.  They got to know their travel companions along the way through various bonding activities.  After arriving in Sagar, the group went on an exposure visit to Charaka.  An evening session with Charaka and DESI founder, Prasanna, helped the students learn how they can cope with the mistakes in their lives.  The got a taste of rural lifestyle during their night stay in Heggodu village.

Prayana Flag Off from VTU

Session with Prasanna (Founder, Charaka and Desi)

Manipal University Site Visit

Day 3: Manipal
The students spent the day at Manipal University.  They begin their Manipal experience with an interactive session with Manipal University Pro-Vice Chancellor, Dr. Vinod Bhat.  After the session, the students were given the opportunity to tour beautiful and futuristic Manipal campus.

Mr. Sasi Sekar (Founder and CEO, nanoPix)

Day 4: Manipal
Students got to see nanoPix Cashew Sorting Machine first-hand.  While cashew sorting can be a lengthy process because of the need for visual inspection, the nanoPix Cashew Sorting Machine relies on its ImageIn Technology to more quickly and efficiently inspect the cashew nuts.  The students then engaged in a session with nanoPix, Sasi Sekar (Founder and CEO, nanoPix).  He inspired the students with his advice about identifying passion and channeling it to become an entrepreneur. 

The students left Manipal and traveled towards Dharmasthala.  On the way, the students participated in sharing and more bonding activities.

Dharmasthala Site Visit

Day 5: Dharmasthala
The students started their day with an exposure visit to SIRI.  Next, the students performed street skits to create awareness about cleanliness inside and outside the Dharmasthala temple.  Students commented that this activity taught them teamwork and communication skills. The day ended with a role model session with Dr. Veerendra Heggade (Dharmadhikari, Dharmasthala).  Dr. Heggade addressed the students regarding religion.

Dharmasthala Site Visit

Session with Dr. Veerendra Heggade

 
Day 6: Sullia
An exposure visit to a suspension bridge was beautiful and exhilarating.  A role model session with Mr. Girish Bharadwaj, the bridge builder behind these suspension bridges, helped the students understand the necessity of improving connectivity between rural communities and urban cities.

Session with Mr. B. Girish Bharadwaj

Day 7: Mysore
The students spent the day at Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM). They visited the hospital, radio station, and different schools run by SVYM.  Students enjoyed learning about SVYM, its history, and its success.

Site Visit to SVYM

Day 8: Mysore and Dodballapur

Site Visit to Infosys

Students were given a sneak peek into the future at Infosys.   Students were awe struck by the cleanliness and efficiency that they saw.  After a brief orientation about Infosys and its history, the students were divided into groups and given the challenge to come up with their own company and business plans to be created from a Rs. 50 lakh investment.  The group then made its way to Dodballapur, near Bangalore.  They had dinner and spent the night at the organic farm of Dr. Narayan Reddy (Organic farmer).

Site Visit to Infosys

Session with Dr. Narayan Reddy

 
Day 9: Dodballapur and Bangalore
The students started their day bright and early with an interactive session with Dr. Narayan Reddy.  He spoke to the students about the importance of living a life full of simplicity and self-satisfaction.  After the session with Dr. Reddy, the students enjoyed exploring his farm.  The group then left the farm and made its way to Bangalore for a session with Mr. Ramji Raghavan (Founder, Agastya International Foundation).

Session with Mr. Ramji Raghavan

Prayanis Enjoying in Kuppam

Day 10 and 11: Kuppam
The students were lucky enough to spend two days enjoying at Agastya International Foundation in Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh. At Agastya, students gained excitement for learning through many hands-on activities. From constructing a model of a dear out of waste products, to trying out hands-on science projects, to exploring the surrounding nature on early morning nature walks, students were constantly engaged in learning and building upon their teamwork and creative abilities.

Community Activities in Kuppam

  
Day 12: Chitradurga and Hubli
The morning started off with a morning session with Dr. Sri Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, present head of the Math in Chitradurga.  He told the students about his role in the Math and spoke to them about the importance of maintaining concentration and focus in life.  After the session, the students made their way towards Hubli to help with Yuva Summit preparations.

Session with Dr. Sri Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru

Session with Mr. T.V. Mohandas Pai

Day 13: Hubli
Day 13 marked the first day of Yuva Summit, an annual national conference on promoting leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation within youth.  The Prayana students spent the morning visiting the LEAD project displays and attending the LEAD Alumni and LEAD Talk sessions.  In the afternoon they had sessions with Mr. Raju Reddy (Executive Vice President for Global Services, Hitachi Consulting), Mr. Srikanth Bolla (Founder, Aashadeep Pvt Ltd), Mr. Phanindra Sama (Co-founder and CEO, redbus.in), Dr. Gururaj Deshpande (Chairman, Sparta Group LLC), and  Mr. T.V. Mohandas Pai (Chairman, Manipal Global Education).

 

Session with Dr. Gururaj Deshpande and Mrs. Jaishree Deshpande

  

Session with Phanindra Sama

Session with Mr. Srikanth Bolla

 Day 14: Hubli

Community activity in Hubli

The students spent the day engaged in community activities.  They were divided into groups and set out to the streets of Hubli to perform skits to create awareness for social issues.  The students’ skits drew crowds of hundreds of people who came to watch. 

Community activity in Hubli

Day 15: Hubli
The students learned about the social impacted created by NGOs with visits to Akshaya Patra and Kalkeri Sangeeth Vidyalaya. The students enjoyed a full kitchen tour, as well as an interactive learning session where they were able to ask in detail about Akshaya Patra’s method, outreach, and successes.Upon their arrival to KSV, the students toured the grounds and observed some of the children during their music and acting classes