Chandi Prasad Bhatt, a 1992 winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for community Leadership, is from a small village inChamoli District, Uttarkhand. Chandi Prasad Bhatt became one of the few villagers to complete the high school diploma. He became interested in the non-violence movement of Gandhi and joined Vinoba Bhave's (Bhoodan, or Gift of Land, movement) Bhatt-ji is best known as the father of Chipko Andolan known as "Hug the Trees movement" in the west. Chipko is one of the few environmental struggles that has a large number of village women participating in, and indeed leading, the movement. His concern for the environment was initiated when he participated in rescue operations after landslides and flooding on the Alaknanda River. He analyzed the mishaps and concluded, with his colleagues of Dasholi Society for Village Self Rule (DGSM), that these damages were linked to previous deforestation in Uttarkhand. His struggle to save the environment and access to forest produce by the tribal people included reforms of the existing forest policy; planting appropriate trees by villagers, often with the participation of the forestry department; seedling nurseries managed by villagers; and Environment Conservation Camps in most of the villages of Uttarkhand He also works on the issues concerning big irrigation and hydroelectric projects in the sensitive region of the Himalayas. "Forest dwellers cannot be prohibited by law from satisfying their basic needs from the forests… unless we find a framework in which forests and people can live together, one or the other will be destroyed" he said at a UN conference in Kenya

 

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Dr. Madhukar Deshpande, Pushpa Deshpande Inspired by television coverage on a mobile science unit on ABC, Pushpa Deshpande determined to take practical science teaching to students in rural Maharastra. With the vision of creating an opportunity to develop scientific temperament among school children, Vidnyanvahini [ Mobile Science Lab] stated five years ago. They have been able to reach out to hundren and fifty village schools in Pune district.Dr.Deshpande was teaching in University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for more than 25 years. Pushpa Deshpande, masters in mathematics from Pune and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee taught at Milwaukee Technical high school for 15 years. They both were active members of India Development Service, a not-for -profit organization based in Chicago for more than a decade. They both took an early retirement to institute Vidnyanvahini Trust in Pune. Pushpa Deshpande has been a recipient of a Rajiv Gandhi award and a Sevasadan award in recognition of her service to the cause of education in rural Maharashtra. 

 

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Dr. Ravi Chopra is the founder of People's Science Institute, Uttar Pradesh. After completing his doctorate in Material Science from Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey, he moved to India and plunged into the task of nation building. Under his leadership, a team of young scientists and social workers have come together and experimented with innovative strategies to address the issues of environmental degradation, droughts and other disasters. They have successfully integrated traditional practices and scientific technology to develop a unique watershed approach as an alternative to big dams. Dr. Chopra firmly believes in harnessing peoples' initiative and participation for sustainable development. He is actively involved in Nayi Azadi Andolan, which is based on the principle of 'from Self Transformation to Global Transformation.' 

 

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Dr. Subba Rao As young school boy, Dr. Rao joined India's freedom struggle through the Quit India Movement. Inspired by Gandhi's non - violence principles, he has dedicated his life to inspiring youth to constructively participate indevelopment. He believes in creating platforms that cut across political and religious barriers to promote National Integration. He believes in youth participation because they have no vested interest like politicians. He organizes youth camps all over India and has been facilitating youth camps in the United States for the past 25 years. Dr. Rao, often referred to as 'the dacoit man', organized a historical event in 1972 where 189 dacoits surrendered to Jaya Prakash Narayan in Dr.Rao's Mahatma Gandhi Seva ashram, Chambal. Since then Dr. Rao has become involved in the rehabilitation of dacoits and their families after they have served their terms in government custody. Dr. Rao says "it is not the lure of money that takes dacoits to Chambal but it is their reaction to the exploitation in the Society". Rao's rehabilitation is so successful that former rebels work with him to inspire other dacoits to surrender in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Dr. Rao is known for his linguistic abilities. He knows almost all the Indian languages and has leveraged his linguistic ability in the multi regional Youth camps. He assisted President Mr. Kamraj in translations for four years. Dr. Rao is a "Lifetime worker" worker of the Gandhi Peace Foundation and has represented India in many International Youth Conferences. 

 

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Shyamala Hiremath, a native of Iowa, works with villagers of Dharwad District, Karnataka. She gave up her work in the Illinois State Unit of Aging to accept an honorarium of $100 at India Development Service International, to work with villagers in India. She had previously worked in Africa as a Peace Corp volunteer. She moved to India in 1979 with her husband, Mr. S.R. Hiremath, and their two toddlers. With the philosophy of empowering women through participation, IDS has reached 100 villages in Dharwad district. They (approach village needs with an innovative and integrated approach that emphasize the use of local resources. With her colleagues she has been able to develop dry farming, self-help groups, address animal and human health, wasteland development, and watershed development The main achievement of Shyamala Hiremath, as she expresses it, is the fact that women who were once hesitant to say their own names, today dialogue, argue, and discuss with officials and district bankers. She has created a space for the villagers to voice their concerns, and has become an integral part of the village community in her adopted homeland Inspiration I think that every one of us has something to offer to others. Volunteering with ICA has been a cathartic experience for me. It helps bring balance to our hectic lifestyle. As Brooker Washington puts it "A sure way to lift oneself up is by helping to lift someone else.".