‘Development through Education and Education through development’ is a mission of Vigyan Ashram(VA). VA believes it is necessary to use technology to increase pace of our rural development. VA also believes technology is needed to increase efficiency and effectiveness of everything we do. To spread the available technology to masses, we need to educate them. Such technology based services can only be made accessible to villagers through small enterprises. Small enterprises will give boost to local economy which in turn helps in real development of villages.
Vigyan Ashram is founded by Dr.S.S.Kalbag in 1983 as laboratory of his philosophy of ‘Rural Development through Education (RDES)’. VA is situated in village Pabal, approx.70kms from Pune. The programs developed are adopted by various NGOs, educational institute within the country and outside. VA is directly implementing its program in Maharashtra (92 villages), Chattisgarh (7 villages ). It is providing support to NGOs in Karnataka, Goa, Assam, Jharkhand. It is estimated that every year more than 7000 students benefiting from the basic technology program of VA.
Vision
We would like to see India prosper and be a pathfinder to the rest of the world. This will happen only when everyone can reach his or her own full potential. Hence raise the lowest.
Our stress is therefore on the education of the rural people. We believe intelligence is developed and not inherited. Activity based thinking is the source of intelligence.
Good education has to be based on diverse experiences and for this, real life is the best educator.
In our society, we need to develop courage to act on our convictions and be willing to pay the price.
We feel like an inventor. Our invention is the educational system that integrates education and development, one that is close to the real everyday life and which costs so little to implement.
Our vision is that one day we will see this invention spread all over India in all the schools.
Our vision is that every village will have the equipment and the skills that are the basis of all modern industry. Our industry, our invention will achieve this at a very low cost.
Our vision is that youth coming out of this system, in villages all over, will be handymen, who are at home with a variety of skills and can concretise their ideas. They are inventors at their level.
Our vision is that a majority of the rural section will thus get access to most modern techniques and this will spur development from the grass-roots and ultimately, propel India into the new age.
Our vision is that India will, one day, be at the forefront of a new civilisation.
Mission
Our mission is use absence of development in the community as an opportunity to train rural youth by 'Learning while doing' method. Youth are involved in the development work in their community. Technology is introduced to tackle these development issues and which gives rise to innovation at local level.
Our focus areas are on
1) Development of Technology
2) Technical training to rural youth, SHG and farmers by Work Centric Education method in formal and non-formal way.
3) Promoting technology based enterprises.
We are located at Pabal, approx 70Km from Pune (Maharashtra.
WE are implementing this program in in states like Maharashtra,Karnataka,Chattisgarh,Madhya Pradesh,Goa with our partners.