ASHA: Only A Genius Can Keep India Poor (28th April)

[Subramanya Sastry <sastry@cs.wisc.edu>]

   * What awaits a person wishing to dedicate one's life to working
      in Indian villages?
   * What if such a person has just got a Ph.D. from the U.S. and
      wants to become a village school teacher?
   * What wisdom can he learn from the people in remote villages?
      If indeed such wisdom exists, why is India poor?
   * Does the fact that hundreds of millions of Indians are poor
      really mean that India is poor?

     If you find these questions interesting, please attend:

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               ONLY A GENIUS CAN KEEP INDIA POOR
                           - Dr. Parameswara Rao

         One of the most renowned social workers in India
        Founder of Bhagavatula Charitable Trust (BCT), AP
       Bringing 30 years of experience from India villages      

                  TALK followed by DISCUSSION
          
                 Wednesday, 28th April, 6:30 pm
                       206, Ingraham Hall

              Organized by the Center for South Asia
                       and Asha-Madison
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Dr. Parameswara Rao shares his unique experiences, thoughts, ideas for
future action while inviting participation from everyone.  He is among
the foremost social entrepreneurs in India today. He has spearheaded the
activities of the Bhagavatula Charitable Trust (BCT) in rural Andhra Pradesh,
a state in south-eastern India. 

His efforts have been amply rewarded.  Bhagvatula Charitable Trust works
in 39 villages directly and influences work in hundreds of villages.
For example, at one point in time, it was running 700 Non Formal Centers
until it trained local NGOs there to run them themselves.  Vast acres of
wasted badlands on the rocky hill slopes are now prospering into lush
green farmlands.  A model for holistic development, BCT is well known for
work in recaliming wasted land, setting income generating activities by
village initiatives, women's empowerment, and education. 

A very modest person, Parameswar Rao is not eager to claim responsibility
to things he/BCT initiated -- for example the anti-arrack movement in AP
portrayed in the film "When Women Unite" was triggered by a story in the
literacy textboks about a village where women stop their husbands from
drinking.  What the film does not mention is that the story is a true one
from Marripalem, one of the BCT villages. 

Parameswar Rao has been in several national level committes including the
Naitonal Literacy Mission and has tried his hand at coordination with
several NGOs.