NOTE: Due to flight delays, Balaji could not make it in time to Madison to give the lecture at the scheduled time. He did however make an informal presentation and had a discussion with several Asha-Madison volunteers.

Dr Balaji Sampath holds a doctorate in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland and is a full-time social worker in India. He is an AID fellow and a co-ordinator of the Tamil Nadu Science Forum. He is currently visiting AID and Asha chapters all over the US to raise support for an ambitious rural development plan that is being launched all over India by the TNSF. Asha-Madison is hosting him this weekend and invites you to attend the talk and contribute to a lively discussion. We hope to have a full report of his visit online soon after the event. The e-mail announcement of the talk is provided below and here is the flyer we are using to publicize the event (in PDF format).

Lack of education, ill-health, poor sanitation, women's oppression and many such problems are associated with poverty. But what is the cause for poverty? Why is it that a feudal culture often has poorer people? Why and how does inequality go hand in hand with poverty? Understanding poverty means understanding these connections.

Does such an understanding lead us towards solutions? What solutions? How to organise a mass movement for social change? This discussion will attempt to look at the above questions.

Dr. Balaji Sampath will also be talking about an integrated development plan currently being embarked upon by the TNSF. This effort attempts to bring about social change in several thousand villages across India and targets a population of 20-30 million people. The idea is to develop a number of programmes in each block (1 block = about 80 villages) in the areas of literacy, health care, income generation, and women's empowerment. The goal of these programmes would be to develop and build strong and skilled volunteer teams in the villages, blocks and districts. These teams will mobilize, sensitize, organize and work with the local people on various issues for social change.

This will be followed by a potluck lunch and more detailed discussions at 533, South Shore drive. Directions will be given after the talk ( contact Kamal at gursahan@cae.wisc.edu for directions)

About the Speaker: Dr. Balaji Sampath graduated with a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park, where he was an active member of the Association for India's development (AID) and was instrumental in starting AID chapters in many cities throughout the US. He returned to India in 1997 immediately after receiving his doctorate and has taken up social work as his full-time career. He is supported by a fellowship from AID. He is a state-level coordinator of the Tamil Nadu Science Forum and recently has been appointed as the state convener of Tamil Nadu for the National Health campaign.

This event is FREE and all are WELCOME to attend.

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