My Story: Yuvaraj Patil

My Story: Yuvaraj Patil, VSMIT Nipani

There was one day which turned my life towards achievement. Our sir at college came and informed us to join one programme. We all went it to the presentation... it was the LEAD program. I got impressed by listening about LEAD and by watching the project videos. I saw the LEAD slogan: "complaints start with they... solutions starts with I". This slogan pushed me to achieve something. It is made me to look for problem around me that I could solve. 

By keeping the slogan in mind I went home and started thinking over it. Since my home is in rural area, I found lots of problems. In my home itself there was smoke problem from the traditional chula. I wanted to reduce my mother's effort by solving this problems. I start to think over it and I got a solution that is I made a smokeless chula .

Yuvaraj with his smokeless chula installed in a home

Traditional chula produces more smoke and that has an effect on the health of the chef and also on the food. I found a solution to reduce the smoke, in and developed one smokeless chula which works on traditional fuel only but produces less smoke. I have fitted one small part which blows oxygen to fuel and causes complete combustion of the fuel therefore smoke gets reduces. The blower works on a mobile charger and battery so it is economic for rural people.

By seeing this project my mother was so much happy that she showed this project to all her group of women friends. Since the cost of this project is low and it is very effective, they have demanded for this project as well.

On 1st January 2015 was very lucky and very important for me. I received a call from LEAD Deshpande Foundation, they wanted to see my project. I went and I showed my project and came back to home. The next morning only I saw my news in various news papers as a “FIGHT AGAINST THE POLLUTION”. I felt very much happy and my parents were also proud of me.

I was selected for LEAD Prayana 2015 and my project was selected for showcasing in Yuva Summit 2015. I enjoyed and also I learn lot in Prayana and at Yuva Summit. I exhibited my project in front of the role models, and in award ceremony I sat on a chair in crowd. There was one announcement from Ajay sir, functional head of LEAD, that was "the Best LEADer award goes to Yuvaraj Patil". I was surprised because I could not have thought that I will get this award. I accepted my Best LEADer award on stage from Nobel Prize Winner Kailash Satyarthi-ji .

Accepting the Best LEADer award at Yuva Summit 2016

I went back to my village but I did not stop my work. I started thinking over more problems, because I found lot of problems around me. And I started to solve the problems through LEAD projects. I completed more than 20 projects.

Conducting one of many projects: reducing daytime home electricity usage with waste bottles

While doing these projects the villagers were observing me. They thought that I would be a good leader... they changed their perspective about me since I was always very quiet. One day the ex-Panchayat member came to my home and he suggested to me to stand for election. I was shocked for a few seconds, but I thought that this is a very good chance to do something for my village and so I said yes.

Yuvaraj after his Gram Panchayat ceremony

Because of all my work in my LEAD projects the people elected me as a Gram Panchayat Vice-Chairman without any opposite competitor. If LEAD is not with me then I could not be a leader as a Gram Panchayat Chairman. 

At last I want to tell you all my friends that LEAD is a bridge from normal student to successful leader. One of the most important things I learned from LEAD is that converting an idea into reality with great effort is the moment of success. No matter if the idea is small or bigger, converting it into reality is the main thing I learned in LEAD.

Yuvaraj sharing his My Story on stage at Yuva Summit 2016

LEAD Chikodi Valedictory 2016

LEAD Chikodi marked a momentous day as LEAD 8 came to a close and the year's accomplishments were celebrated with the theme of "Recognizing the Unrecognized". On 15th April 2016, LEAD Chikodi celebrated its Valedictory in collaboration with VSMIT Nipani.

The guests of honour, Mr. B A Pujari (Principal KLE’s C B Kore Polytechnic College Chikodi), Mr. Abhinandan K (LEAD Team Deshpande Foundation, Hubballi), and Dr. U S Hampanavar (Principal, VSMIT, Nipani) presided over the event.





The event was attended by more than 150 LEADers, students, and faculty who witnessed this celebratory and informative event. The students from the different locations of Chikodi, Nipani, Raibag, and Nidsoshi took part in the event.

Many LEAD students were awarded with Best LEADer and Best Project awards. Asma, Saleem, Darshan, Archana & Deepak were awarded for their initiatives taken in different fields. Several other LEADers were also celebrated for their projects that have made an impact.

Sandesh J from Raibag Polytechnic College was awarded Best LEADer for his work with LEAD over the last 2 years. Sandesh grew from a shy student to a leader, and has done projects in many different fields. You can read his My Story by clicking here.

Accolades were also presented for Best Supporting Faculty and Best Supporting College. Mr. Rakesh G. was awarded Best Supporting Faculty, VSMIT Nipani & C B Kore Polytechnic won Best Supporting College, and Smt. A A Patil’s Women’s College won Best Team Award. You can read about the Toilets for All project, conducted by the team from winning college Smt. A A Patil's Women College, by clicking here.


Valedictory is also the mark to start preparing for the coming year. Three LEADers were promoted to LEAD Ambassador, the highest LEADer level and a great accomplishment, and 8 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 students around them.

Generating Electricity through Driving with LEADer Darshan Belagavi

LEADer Darshan Belagavi from VSMIT Nipani knew all about the energy crisis. "In this modern age, more and more energy is required for daily consumption in all walks of life. Sources and quantum of fossil energy are dwindling day by day and getting exhausted at very fast rate. ... There is crying need for production of energy from non conventional sources at the earliest availability."

Instead of just being concerned about this, this LEADer took initiative to come up with a product that could help to address this issue. 

By installing a small wind turbine in strategic locations on the exterior of fast-moving vehicles that travel long distances, Darshan can convert the wind energy within the turbines from mechanical energy to electrical energy that can be immediately used or stored in a battery. 

When asked what his biggest challenge was, Darshan was honest: "from beginning to end, this project was a challenge". This project involved Darshan having to learn many new skills, including skills he can continue to use throughout his college, career, and life.

So far, Darshan has raised over 3 times the funding he received from LEAD, and has implemented his wind turbine device on 10 buses. Using only 1 dynamo, Darshan managed to produce up to 95 volts. He eventually hopes to mount up to 20 dynamos at a time to create more electricity and a bigger impact.