Yuva Summit 2013

January 30^th, 2013 marked the Deshpande Foundation’s 3^rd annual Yuva Summit, where hundreds of students and educators gathered to commemorate the LEADers on their projects and their accomplishments.  The Yuva Summit is one of the opening events for the Deshpande Foundation’s annual Development Dialogue, an international conference that features some of India’s greatest pioneers in entrepreneurship and development

While 60 inspirational projects were showcased at the event, 5 LEADers were presented the “Best Leader” award for carrying out projects that exemplified innovation and led to significant impact.  The best LEADers were selected by Mr. Ratan Tata, Mr. Narayan Murthy, Mrs. Sudha Murthy, and Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar.  Mr. Tata presented each student with his or her award. 

Recipients of the "Best Leader" Award:

Gulshan Banu (Govt First Grade College, Sirsi)

Hutgar, a village near Sirsi, had a poor drainage system. Gulshan addressed the problem by contacting the government and demanded a solution.   Initially, the public was not supportive and even criticized her efforts.  Gulshan, however, did not give up.  Instead, she took initiative and approached every villager and Gram Panchayat member herself.   As a result of her perseverance, the local Panchayat finally agreed to fund the construction of a drainage facility for Hutgar.  Gulshan’s project, costing Rs. 1,40,000, was completed in just one month.  Over 300 villagers now make use of the drainage facility.  Gulshan’s accomplishments have also extended beyond her project and Hutgar, as her work has inspired two other students to join the LEAD program.

Prasad (Shri Kasgateshwar Degree College, Talikoti)

Prasad began his project with intention of teaching the women of Hunasagi, Bijapur , how to read and write.   After starting his project, Prasad soon realized that he could help these women even more beyond literacy.  Prasad conducted 20 training sessions and taught the women about how to access banking facilities and  apply for loans.  He additionally provided the women with self-employment training.  Prasad’s project made an immense impact; 34 women were able to get loans from banks to start their own sustainable businesses in areas such as animal husbandry, tailoring, and handicraft.  

Santosh Kaveri (Samiti BBA College, Belgaum)

In the village of Shedbalin, Belgaum, farmers used any extra money they had to pay laborers to help them peel and clean the carrots that they harvested.  After six months of designing, Santosh invented a machine to help with this process.  With the machine, carrot preparation only requires the help of one or two people and requires a limited use of electricity and no water.  Moreover, Santosh’s machine allows 100 kg of carrots to be harvested, cleaned, and peeled in only 15 minutes.  Eight farmers now use this machine and have spared the costs of employing six laborers.   

Anuradha Bandari (Govt First Grade College, Sirsi)

There was a water problem in Anuradha’s village of Bommanalli, near Sirsi.  Anuradha assembled her villagers and encouraged them to take initiative themselves.  She helped the villagers, as well as members of the Gram Panchayat, approach the government and demand water tanks.  Within a month, the government sanctioned Rs. 2 lakh for the construction of four water tanks.  The government even agreed to fund the construction of streetlights for the entire Birumbe village.  Through the completion of her project, Anuradha not only inspired her local community, but she also inspired her peers; four other students at her college were motivated by Anuradha’s hard work and started taking initiatives and solving problems in their own respective communities.

Shreedevi R. Paschapur (BLDE BBA College, Jamkhandi)

The village of Sidhapur, in Jamkhandi, possessed no proper bus facilities.  Because of this, school buses did not stop at the village, and students would be forced to walk 9 to 10 kms per day.  Many students were missing their first two classes, and some students were not attending their classes at all.  Shreedevi brought this issue to the attention of her college principal and the local authorities.  One month later, permission was granted to allocate a bus stop in Sidhapur.  250 students now regularly attend their classes.

Best Performing College: Gogte Institute of Technology, Belgaum: 

Special recognition should be given to GIT and its commitment to the LEAD program.  GIT has given full support for the LEAD program, both on an off campus, and has maintained high participation in all LEAD related activities. LEAD has been allotted a designated area on campus and has been placed on GIT’s “Prestigious Partners” list. A strong senior and junior faculty has been created specifically for the LEAD program.  GIT has spent 50000 Rs in cash to support the LEADers participating in LEAD Prayana has sponsored 10000 Rs worth in merchandise.   Most recently, GIT sent some of its architecture students to help decorate the Deshpande Foundation for the Yuva Summit, even though the architecture students are not part of the LEAD Program. 

Yuva Summit 2012 Awarded Leaders

Nagmani from Kittel Science College, Dharwad

Nagmani receives award from Mr. Narayana Murthy

Kiran Vidhyasagar 

When Nagmani saw a few children begging out in the street, she couldn’t stop herself from talking to them. She went to their house and enquired with their parents on why they don’t send them to school. Seeing their financial condition she decided to teach them, for four months she taught them and then she was able to convince their parents on the importance of education. Out of 30 now 25 children who were begging earlier are now going to school.

Umesh Mayannvar from B.K. College, Chikodi

Clean the canal

Dr. Eddy Campbell awards Umesh

The canal which supplied water to a 100+ acre land near Hirekudi, Chikodi was blocked due to the ignorance of the people, thus the young LEAder took initiative to discuss this problem with the gram Panchyat people as well farmers and convinced them to get it cleaned. He also spoke to a JCB owner to help him out. Within a week the entire village got to work and the problem was solved. Because of this initiative 1000’s of people are benefitting, the canal now brings water to 100+ farmersh.  “Where there is a will there is a way”

Mrs. Kimberly awards Vijay

Vijay Mane from Gogte Commere College, Belaum

Construction of Water Tank 

Vijay from Gogte College of commerce identified that people near laxmi temple in Manewadi- Ingali village faced the scarcity of drinking water. He identified that this problem needs to be solved. He took initiative and Spoke with the Panchyat and the Villagers and raised Rs 21000/- in cash and constructed the water tank which was inaugurated by the village people. And which is now benefitting more than 1000 people.

Vinay receives award from Mrs. Jayshree Deshpande

Vinay Patil from Jain College of Engineering, Belgaum

LED lamps out of waste Bottles 

Vinay decided to use his technical skills in solving the problem faced by the underprivileged kids near navge and santibastwad in Belgaum. His observation in seeing the frequent Power cuts in Belgaum made him design 50 low cost effective table lamps which have now illuminated the minds of the young school going children. The LED rechargeable lamps cost Rs 23 each.

Kunal Sambranekar from Angadi Institute of Technology and Management, Belgaum

Water Purification 

The water we drink every day, is it fit for drinking? This young LEADer from Belgaum took initiative of testing water for its purity. He conducted the test in 23 villages across Belgaum district. Out of the samples tested, 90% of it failed to achieve the desired result. The contained harmful bacteria which caused disease like cholera and diarrhea. The press media has covered this issue and the local Government bodies, Panchyat are working on getting clean n drinkable water to the people in these 23 villages. This project is set to benefit 2, 00,000 people in the 23 villages.

Shruti Hegde from MES Commerce College, Sirsi

Save Beggars 

Shruti receives award from Mr. Deshpande

When Shruti saw a beggar women distressed, she went to her and had a conversation. It didn’t stop with the conversation. She found that her husband was disabled and she had to beg for a living and that they lived on the street. Shruti now was determined to solve her problem, there were challenges which she had to face but there was no reason for her to step back. She went to the Tashildar’s and discussed about this problem, she found that there was some scheme by the government for the beggars. Under the same Shruti managed to get a house constructed worth Rs 10000/- and also managed to get her employment through which she is going to have a regular income.

Naveen Jha awards Mallikarjun

Mallikarjun from MSW Department, Davangere University, Davangere

Construction of Toilets

 Hygiene being a major concern in villages Mallikarjun identified that villagers were ignorant about using the toilets. He wanted to educate villagers on the importance of having toilets constructed. This was challenging task. Thus Mallikarjun was able to convince the youth about his idea and they set out on a mission, thousands of people including the villagers, the swamiji joined hands together for this noble cause. In a span of 3 months 698 toilets were constructed with the help of local government bodies, the taluk Panchayat and the gram Panchayat.

Viresh receives best leader award from Dr. Gururaj "Desh" Deshpande

Veeresh from Rural Engineering College, Hulkoti

Sensitization of Historical monument

Veeresh has done three projects; college parking, issue of PAN card, sensitization about historical temple at Unkal. Through his PAN card project he collected enough amounts to support eight LEAD projects of his college. Based on his performance in LEAD he has been promoted as Master Leader and coordinator of LEAD REC Cell. He is coordinating 50 students in his college and is mentoring all the projects. His Temple project has got media coverage lot of media coverage by which the historical monument has come into light.