Vigyan Ashram (VA)
Diploma in Basic Rural Technology (DBRT)
IBT Coordinator
Vocational Courses
Annual Update for 2013-2014
Budget Proposal 2014-2015
Mission
• Revolutionize the education system with
following goals
• Suitable to 90% of our population, who at
present often opts to remain out of
school.
• Work activity should be the base for
education.
• Learning should be by “Learning While
Doing”
• Use of the modern technology as a social
equalizer improving quality of education
especially in rural area.
School  Society
Objectives
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Integration of education with development
Stimulating intellect through physical activities
Broadening the horizon of student experience
Reversing rural to urban migration
Giving multi skill base for specialization
Developing entrepreneurship
History
• Center of Indian Institute of Education (IIE), Pune
• Founded in 1983 by scientist turned educationalist Dr. S. S. Kalbag
• Aimed to find problems in formal education
• Modern version of old Gurukul system
• Several programs for training youth in rural and urban areas
• In-house programs for school dropouts
• Teaching and learning takes place in Marathi, Hindi and English.
• Developed innovative technologies and successful commercialization
Location
Pabal – 70 km from Pune, Maharashtra
IBT program is now implemented in 130
schools across 5 states (Maharashtra,
Karnataka, Goa, Andhra Pradesh and
Chattisgarh
Asha Support Details
DBRT (Diploma in Basic Rural Technology), 1-year residential diploma program is
main laboratory of education for VA. IBT program is its replication in schools.
Asha mainly supports core staff salary and other expenses (Utilities, internet,
Electricity, Water, Maintainance, Communication, Travel) at Pabal campus.
Other organizations like Lend-a-hand-India, Suzlon etc support the IBT replication
efforts.
• DBRT
•
•
•
•
DBRT instructor staff salary (6 Instructors)
Admin staff salary (1 Accounts person)
Kitchen staff salary (4 people)
Utilities (e.g. electricity, water, internet)
• DBRT\IBT coordinator salary
• Yogesh Kenge is working as a principal of DBRT program as well as IBT coordinator.
Support by other organizations
• DBRT and short term courses – E-Boss, Tech Mahindra Foundation
• Students are charged with
• Tuition fees – Rs.8,000 (per year)
• Hostel and food expenses – Rs. 12,000 (per year)
• Some organizations pay for students' fees/education loan
• IBT schools
• Under plan 100 – supported by Lend-a-Hand India
• Other IBT schools - supported by various organizations like HKF
• INDUSA (Kishan & Kiran Bhatia)
• Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India supports
development of rural technology on a project by project basis
• Infrastructure development – supported by M/S Praj Foundation, Govt. of
Maharashtra, E-Boss, Mr. Mahesh Wahaval, Suzlon Foundation
2012-2013 Fund Utilization
Approved
Rs. 7,76,000
DBRT Salary
Rs. 8,02,083
Utilities and other expenses
Rs. 1,10,775.25
Total
Rs. 9,12,858.25
*Excess expenses will be met through community service income and
fees.
Asha Fund History
2013-2014
Rs. 7,76,000
2012-2013
Rs. 7,34,000
2011-2012
Rs. 7,72,000
Funds Requested
Fiscal year July 2013 – June 2014
Fiscal year July 2014 – June 2015
Salaries
Rs. 11,91,307.50
Rs. 14,31,499.44
Utilities and other
expenses
Rs. 1,89,860
Rs. 2,08,846.00
Tuition Fees
-Rs.3,60,000 (Rs.8,000 * 45 students)
-Rs.3,87,000 (Rs.8,600 * 45 students)
Proposed
Rs. 10,21,167
Rs. 10,44,499.44
Approved
Rs. 7,76,000
TBD
Budget 2013-2014
A. Salary of DBRT staff
Actual Salary 201213(Per month)
Qualification
10% increase in salary over last
Proposed salary ** Annual salary
year is considered.
El Contibution
EPF Contibution
Total Annual Salary
Yogesh Kenge
Msc( DBRT co-ordinator )
12000.00
1200.00
13200.00
158400.00
12000.00
12672.00
183072.00
Laxamn Jadhav
10120.00
1012.00
11132.00
133584.00
10120.00
10686.72
154390.72
Milind Ovol
DBRT (Workshop)
Diploma
Agriculture(Agri/AH)
10000.00
1000.00
11000.00
132000.00
10000.00
10560.00
152560.00
Anita Pansare
B.Tech (Food Technology)
8000.00
800.00
8800.00
105600.00
8000.00
0.00
113600.00
Vishal Jagatap
BA ,DBRT ( Electrical)
10120.00
1012.00
11132.00
133584.00
10120.00
10686.72
154390.72
Pradnya Shindekar
Diploma (Electronics)
8000.00
800.00
8800.00
105600.00
8000.00
8448.00
122048.00
Anita Jangam
M.Com(Accounts)
6000.00
600.00
6600.00
79200.00
6000.00
6336.00
91536.00
Alaka Jadhav
Kitchen
4420.00
442.00
4862.00
58344.00
4420.00
0.00
62764.00
Kausabai Deshmukh
Kitchen
4420.00
442.00
4862.00
58344.00
4420.00
0.00
62764.00
Rukmini Lokande
Kitchen
4420.00
442.00
4862.00
58344.00
4420.00
0.00
62764.00
Savita Bhandalkar
Kitchen
4420.00
442.00
4862.00
58344.00
4420.00
0.00
62764.00
81920.00
8192.00
90112.00
1081344.00
81920.00
59389.44
1222653.44
Total
TOTAL BUDGET : DBRT
program 2013-14
B. Other expenses
Utilities
34485.00
Internet Charges
13915.00
Electricity
43560.00
Water
21780.00
Other expenses
30250.00
maintainance of machines/ wear and tear
24200.00
Communication
4356.00
Travel
36300.00
Total
208846.00
Table (A)
Table (B)
Total
Salary of DBRT staff
Other expenses
1222653.44
208846.00
1431499.44
Process Checks
Item
Status
Approved budget
(proposed: Rs. 10,45,000)
Approval type
Recurring
Amount(s) disbursed last fiscal year
Rs. 7,76,000
Amount utilized by the project last fiscal year
Rs. 9,12,858.25 (Rest coming from other donations)
Last Site visit
November 2014
Current primary steward
Jyoti Gawade
Current secondary stewards
Aparna Geet
Deepali Bhagvat
Status of the web page
Updated till Jan 2014
Status of the Yahoo databases
Updated till Jan 2014
Updates - Highlights
• Do-it-yourself (DIY) lab in Pune
• Village level Entrepreneurs (VLE) program started partnering with Bottom of the Pyramid Energy
& Environment Pvt Ltd (BOPEEI) in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh states from the $100,000
grant from World bank. 300 village youth to be trained in LED and solar installation. 2
coordinators with 10 field officers. 100 demo centers in schools. An impact assessment team of
World Bank representative visited Kathewada (MP) to document case study of the project.
• VLE Awareness camps in following villages of Chattisgarh : Kumharas, Badejarka,Muchnar, Paunar
(abujmad), Vahanpur, Koragali, Nakulnar, Budpaddar etc. Most of the villages are very interior and
only accessible after 3‐4kms by walk. 7 solar villages (100% population) are using BOPEEI solar
lamp.
• 37 students out of 40 residential DBRT students graduated in June 2013 and got placed. 14 IBT
instructors completing DBRT(distance ed ) over 3 years. 6 students continuing higher education
(BA - distance ed). This batch has earned Rs.1,21,735/‐ by way of community services.
• 2013-14 batch started in July with 42 students (1 girl) from 8 different states as Assam, Arunachal
Pradesh, Meghalaya, Andra Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar and Maharashtra. 28 students getting
scholarship from other donors and VA scholarship funds
• IBT program expansion in other parts of India. 130+ schools in 5 states. 207 IBT instructors
completed training this year.
Updates - Highlights
• Total of 47 students completed various short term courses.
• Skill on Wheel (SOW) research project to develop a low cost methods to take skills training to very poor
community without infrastructure. Funded from $2000 individual donation.
• INDUSAPTI continued OER generation and testing, working on the VA blog, OER website and DST portfolio
website. INDUSA CARES introduced new computer courses.
• AAKASH Tablets – IIT,Pawai has given us 200 Aakash tablets which were distributed to IBT School children.
• INDUSA CARE (Computer application for rural Education) continued providing training and services in
accounting, hardware assembly and computer maintainance to nearby villages and schools.
• Many volunteers from various institutes / organizations as Engineers without border (EWB-UK), SPJIMRMumbai, Dr.BSKKV Agriculture B.Tech College, Fab-lab (MIT – USA), Bachpan Banao (CG) and individual
volunteers contributed in Vigyan ashram’s program during last year.
• Maharashtra State Livelihood Innovation Mission Forum (MSRLIM) award
• Shri.Ga.Ma.Samajik Krushilta Purskar – 2014 award
• Liz is a NPR news reporter from seattle visited VA in July. She will publish a brief writeup on their website
soon and plans to include VA in a radio feature about philanthropy by Indians in Seattle Area
Updates - DBRT
• Cleanliness Drive by DBRT students in Pabal Village
• Ganapati Festival performance earned Rs 16000
• EWB conducted waste management training in Pabal high school,
installed garbage bin and plans to make a composting pit in market.
• DBRT students atteded one day training on hydroponics green fodder
cultivation and polythene bag silage making. Students will adopt these 2
techniques as a part of their DBRT project.
• DBRT students built a ferro-cement wall in cow shed as their practical
work.
• DBRT students put up stall of various food products at Mind-tree
exhibition, Hinjawadi Pune
Updates - DBRT
• DBRT students visited Kisan Exhibition held at Moshi
• DBRT students participated in Science Exhibition at GMRT‐Khodad
• 16 students from Anand Niketan,Nasik completed (IBS Introduction to
Basic Skills) training.
• 23 DBRT students went on cycle trek , covered distance of 265 kms in
three days. Visited Goat Institute @ Narayangaon, Ojhar sugar factory
and nearby scenic places.
• Information cum Training session was conducted on microfinance and
loan for business.
Updates - IBT
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Proposal to introduce IBT program at VI‐VIII is submitted to SCERT
Open Education Resources (OER) testing at Pokhari & Shinavane High School
Conducted survey of all 73 IBT alumni. We are planning opportunity guidance program
Dantewada District administration has decided to introduce IBT in 17 schools.
IBT Training in Chattisgarh.Total 65 instructors from 17 schools participated in the program.
Testing of Open Education resources (OER) was done in Shivkar IBT school. Students constructed geodesic d
ome structure for their Tiffin shed.
Mr.Nazrul of Azim premji foundation visited IBT schools and presented IBT program in Nai Talim conference
Dhamari school Engineering dept made community service work for villagers worth Rs. 1,20,700 and made
profit of Rs. 30000
Funding for many Plan100 schools is stopped and become irregular from last 2 years. Funding from Suzlon f
oundation has stopped completely. Schools are trying their best to run the program from fees and own reso
urces. 30 schools need additional support to keep the momentum of the program.
IBT school Principal meeting was held at JPNC on 4th Jan. Total 76 persons including principals of 46 schools
and sponsoring partners attended the meeting.
Updates - IBT
• A committee to revise IBT (v1) syllabus as per the National Vocational Qualification Framework (NVEQF) is
formed by Directorate of Vocational Education & Training (DVET). Yogesh created the first draft.
• Yogesh visited khodad on 22nd Oct and met Dr.Govind Swaroop. They wanted to start rural science center in
khodad in line with IBT program.
• Pawan is operating from Dantewada and launched IBT program in all 17 porta cabin schools of the district.
• Instructor Eligibility test was conducted for schools in Pench region on 18th Dec. It is found that Out of 16
instructors, 6 are poorly trained, 4 are very well qualified.
• 3600 annual review of IBT schools in Pench & Tadoba area involving Funding partner (HKF), villagers, parents,
Govt officials, VA and other NGOs working in the forest areas.
• IBT Exhibition and workshop in Kolhapur.
• District administration of Dantewada sanctioned Rs. 150,000 for each of the 17 schools to purchase tools for
IBT program.
• Unicef sanctioned proposal for training and technical support for IBT program in Bijapur district.
• Group of Bachapan Banao fellows are working in different porta cabin schools completing their fellowship
period in April.
Updates - IBT
• IBT stall in Rangeela Bal Mahotsav at Dantewada visited by Chief Minister of Chattisgarh Mr.Raman Singh
and his ministers, District collector.
• IBT Gurukul school,Develapar (Nimtola) exhibited IBT project in Tribal Education conference
• Ranjeet and Kailash visited Lokmangal Seva Trust ,Belgaum (Karnataka) who wish to implement IBT with
help of Vigyan ashram.
• Visit of RMSA team – Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyaan (RMSA) team visited VA to understand VA
philosophy and IBT. Education Dept is working on making IBT program a core subject as per
NSQF(National Skill Qualification Framework) and this meeting was important in that respect. Yogesh
visited Lucknow on 21st July at the invitation of RMSA, UP to present IBT program
• Yogesh visited Director (vocational) of CBSE board to discuss IBT program in CBSE school.
• Ranajeet Shanbhag visited Hyderabad on invitation to start IBT program in newly formed Telangana
state.
• Yogesh met trustees of Swadesh Foundation to discuss possibility of introducing IBT in schools in konkan.
• Yogesh visited Munni Seva Ashram @ Baroda interested in IBT.
• Mr.Rajendra Pawar, Chairman of Baramati Agro Development Trust visited VA to explore possibility of
starting IBT program in their schools
Updates – DST
• 47 students took short term vocational courses
Electric appliances
1
Welding and Fabrication (3 month)
3
Welder cum fabricator (1 year)
14
Accounting
18
Computer(Basic & Networking)
4
Poultry
4
Goat Farming
3
Updates - DST
Particular
Introduction/ features/ Principles
Domestic Solar Egg Incubator



Temperature / Humidity control systems are modified to digital controls.
Business model prepared for domestic egg incubator model.
4 Units were sold (2 to educational institutes & 2 to farmers) by M/s.Future innovatiove systems.
Aquaponics


Trial on feasibility of aquaponics is in progress.
Trials on aquaponics with various polyhouse farming crops as cucumber, tomato, spinach are
completed.
Tomato & Cucumber trials showed significant difference in yield output of crops.
Experiment results are published on www.vigyanashram.wordpress.com


Ambient temperature dryer (De- 
humidifier)


Dryer based of dehumidification principle developed for fruit pulp, vegetables, herbal products etc
drying with field testing on mango pulp.
Mango pulp dried to form candy roll, a marketable processed product.
Commercial marketable model designed with 3000 lit volume capacity on order with its operational
manuals.

Various new food recipes are developed as that of - Linseed fortified chikki, Spirulina fortified chikki,
Drying technology for Natural fruit pulp, Pomegranate drying, ready mixes etc..
Food processing recipes
Updates - DST
• New poultry shed with proper raring environment (temp / light/ hu
midity), feeding / drinking water facility etc has resulted in improved
FCR (feed conversion ratio) with more profit / bird.
• Dantewada, Chattisgarh for 34 students.
• A dry fruit roll cutting machine is manufactured and delivered against
order to a business in Indore.
• Aquaponics trial of Tomato plants
• Training on advance farming techniques for local farmers and help
with needed testing\analysis
Updates - DST
• Working on making a rice huller. First prototype of newly designed, hand
operated machine was fabricated and lab tested for its efficiency.
• Conducted a workshop to develop new project ideas from the scrap
received at JPNC
• A science project competition - students from six school participated in the
project
• Sprinkler irrigation system is installed on new fodder plot.
• A project to monitor and reduce water evaporation using waste products
like PET bottles and Thermocol ball.
• A half day workshop was conducted for selected 20 farmers on Advanced
mobile technology based agricultural applications with demonstration of
Mpest and other android apps on AKAASH tablets.
Updates – INDUSAPTI & INDUSA CAREs
• Dairy , silage, lathe machine, carpentary, water testing OERS given for verification
• A website for Nai Talim conference on OER is uploaded on www.naitalim.in
• Nai Talim OER Development workshop at Ahmedabad. 70 people from different
states. 13 OER drafts were created.
• We have received 200 ‘Aakash’ Tablets from IIT, Powai. Distributed 120 tablets to
IBT students in Pabal high school. These students underwent training on use of
Tablets at ashram. OERs, Powerpoints and CDs developed on IBT/DBRT course are
loaded on the tablets. 44 selected apps related to biology, maths, chemistry,
English, Hindi, and geometry are also loaded on the tablets.
• Launched practical course in accounting as part of INDUSA CAREs for 16 students
from Pabal village who will provide accounting services to self-help groups under
“Learning while Doing” technique.
Other Updates
• Received replacement parts for laser cutter from MIT. Had issues with customs. Working on
getting exception.
• EWB volunteer Olivia and Sam completed their 3 months volunteering tenure
• Team from Cummins and Aquafilter India visited VA to take feedback on trial water filter set
given to us and to demonstrate new community filter model.
• Visit to Anandwan (Varora) to study waste plastic recycling project.
• Development of permaculture garden at DIY lab Pune
• Winter camps in DIY lab benefitting 51 students
• VA got Multipurpose cultivator that does soil preparation, weeding, hoeing, spraying,
shredding etc.) from Chudekar Industries. To be used to test the concept of ‘Agri service
provider’ – repository of equipment for a village where farmers can rent the equipment.
• 35 Students from different schools are attending regularly weekly training workshops
(Saturday and Sunday) in fab lab for completing different science projects.
• Composting of garden waste in DIY lab.
Other Updates
• Yogesh attended meeting at NIOS Head office, New Delhi on 12th March to develop
content for launching ‘Rural Technology’ course through virtual open school (VOS). VA
submited proposal to prepare content and it was accepted.
• VA is getting some of the projects done by graduate and post graduate students of
various colleges.
• Submitted proposal on “Technology Incubation cum Entrepreneur Development Centre”
to Praj Foundation.
• Domes built by VA in 1992 in Latur earthquake were painted by school children
volunteers with the help of VA people.
• Azim Premji University (APU) will be doing impact study of VA program i.e DBRT and IBT.
• Some of the VA staff attended 2nd DM Convening on ‘Monitoring and evaluation’ at
Delhi to discuss measuring intermediate outcome and impact of the VLE project.
• In Fab lab, 3 students from Pabal village are working on project on ‘Traffic control
system’ and 1 from Pargaon are working on grass cutter. They are preparing this
project for INSPIRE Award competition.
Other Updates
• Pradnya completed all her assignment for Fab Academy and is the first person from
Vigyan Ashram to complete Fab Academy.
• Technology Incubation cum Entrepreneurship Development centre (TIED)’ project
supported by Praj foundation started. A fellowship will be provided to youth having
potential to become entrepreneur including stipend for 6 month, facility to do a trial
run of enterprise on VA campus with mentoring and hand‐holding support.
• VA Alimni Anil Gade is with VA and has contributed in development & commercial
manufacturing of Egg incubator, dryer, Anjir slicer etc. His contribution is recognized
for ‘Yuva Udyojak Puraskar 2014’.
• On 30th July, open house exhibition was organized. All of VA’s work: projects done
and major achievements during last year were shown. More than 2000 visitors
including Panchayat members, our alumni, villagers, farmers group, SHGs, our
funding partners, NGOs, students from 13 schools visited the exhibition.
• Mr.Chris Pocock and Mr.Navaz Karim from EWB‐UK joined VA on 11th July. They will
be working on ‘Design Thinking’ project for next 3 month.
Updates – Conferences, Workshops
• Fab9 : International conference for Digital fabrication at Yokohama, Japan. Sponsored by
MIT and Fab foundation. Presented paper on egg incubator.
Good opportunity to learn new tools for digital fabrication and its importance in coming future
• Meeting at Centre of Social Media Innovations for Communities (COSMIC) at NUS Singapore as a
partner (feedback and field testing) in the MPest project, a mobile app that
provides intelligent pest solutions to help farmers to collectively share and receive knowledge regarding pest
conditions in agricultural fields.
• Talk on ‘21st century education’ at Kamale Guruji vyakhyanmala for school teachers organised by Solapur Jil
ha Samajseva Mandal
• Talk on ‘Opportunities in rural areas’ in National Seminar on social inclusion organised by Dr.Munje MBA inst
itute at Nasik
• Technology Resource Group (TRG) meeting on ‘Learning hubs’ for Odisha Girl Incentive Program in New
Delhi
• Presented paper on Vigyan Ashram’s educational philosophy and program at ‘Tech for Seva’ conference at P
une.
• First conference of Development MarketPlace award winning organizations at Ranchi.
• World Bank also organized training on “Management & working strategies”.
Updates – Conferences, Workshops
• Dome construction training in college of Architecture, Balewadi
• Yogesh participated meeting on developing framework for monitoring and evaluation of ‘Value
Education’ program conducted by Bhartiya Jain Sangathan in Beed District.
• Yogesh gave lecture on ‘Education for Third Industrial Revolution’ at Parivartan Vyakhyanmala at
Baramati.
• Stall in AgroOne agricultural Exhibition in Pune displayed Egg incubator and different food products.
• Skill training for advancement of rural societies (STARs forum) conference at Pune. Total 112 attendees
representing 90 organizations from 6 states participated. New areas for livelihood generation, rural
marketing opportunities, content for skilled training, work based education etc were discussed in the
conference.
• Yogesh gave a talk on ‘Education for 21st century’ at Dantewada.
• Yogesh participated in panel discussion at MCCIA in ‘Summit on skill development’ on 4th March. The
conference was organized by Yuva Parivartan.
• Yogesh attended meeting regarding introducing vocational education in school under Rashtriya
Madhyamik Shiksha Abiyan (RMSA) at Mantralaya.
• Mr.Yagyavalk Bhatt of Himalayan Environment Studies and Conservation Organization (HESCO), a DST
core support organisation visited VA to study technologies and educational program.
Updates – Conferences, Workshops
• Ranjeet attended Climate change knowledge Network‐ for Indian Agriculture (CCKN‐IA)
workshop on 14th March @ BAIF.
• Yogesh gave a talk on ‘Education for third Industrial revolution’ on 28th March in a
lecture series organized by ‘Samajawadi Adhyapak Sabha’ at Sane Guruji Smarak, Pune.
• Yogesh gave presentation before STED proposal evaluation committee of DST at New
Delhi on 3rd April.
• Yogesh attended mentor meet at S.P Jain Management Institute, Mumbai on 12th April.
• Yogesh submitted online application form of SERO (Scientific & Industrial research
organization) for IIE, Pune.
• Rahul attended workshop on ‘Public Trust act and compliances’
• Mr. Riichiro Takahashi of M/S Toshiba India Pvt Ltd. Visited VA on 18th June.
• Yogesh and Pradnya attended Fab10 conference @ Barcelona. Yogesh was invited as a
speaker in a panel discussion on Fab Education. He also took part in different discussion
on FabEd (Fab lab in education) and Fab Asia Network. Pradnya learned about 3D printer
and shopbot machine.
Updates – Awards and Recognitions
• Vigyan ashram and BoPEEI Pvt.Ltd. received Word bank sponsored International
Development market place award- 2013 and $100,000 grant for replicating
renewable energy technologies in tribal belt of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh
state.
• Vigyan Ashram received ‘Maharashtra State Rural Livelihood Innovation Forum
(MSRLIF)’ award for communicating technologies to rural population through IBT
schools. Award consists of amount of Rs.2 lacs and trophy.
• Yogesh was felicitated by Rotary Club of Pune Central on 19th Oct for contribution
in the area of vocational education.
• Manus Pratishthan,Pune awarded ShriGaMa Vidhayak Krutishilata Purskar 2014
to Vigyan Ashram.
• Maharashtra tourism development corporation (MTDC) included Vigyan ashram
in its social tourism destination. They are organizing tour of people interested in
development work once a month.
Updates - Infrastructure
• New kitchen building construction work was started in June. Work started with demolishing of old kitchen
and office.
• Flooring for dairy farm shed, shed for azolla nursery, fabrication of handle to lift workshop gate, brooder for
poultry – 3 nos, railing in farm shed
• Safety Day : Carried out safety audit of all workplaces and took corrective actions. All loose connections, bro
ken pins etc were fixed. Students discussed possible danger in each section and common mistake they make
which can be dangerous.
• DBRT students completed workshop shed construction for D-I-Y lab in Pune.
• Students constructed temporary shed for cooking due to shifting of kitchen.
• DBRT students erected a dome at Balewadi stadium for kite festival.
• DBRT students constructed a shelter for visitors (Dream House) from material salvaged from old structure
that was being demolished.
• Fodder chopping yard shed is rebuild with new roof structure. Fodder chopping yard flooring and side wall
construction (ferro-cement) is completed by DBRT students.
• Polyhouse UV protection film was damaged due to heavy cyclonic wind in VA. Repairs costed Rs. 10700.
• Dry fodder storage yard damaged due to fire outbreak. Loss of about Rs. 20000.
Site Visit Report
Srihari from Asha Pune did a site visit on June 22nd 2014 and November 2nd 2014.
• The construction of the new Kitchen/Meditation Room/Office is in progress. The Slab work is all
done. Since there are issues using the makeshift kitchen VA wants to get the Kitchen walls done
as early as possible. The slab work is done by external contractor who is an alumnus of VA and
remaining work by the students.
• Students were attending lectures, doing practical work in the various departments.
Workshop students were building up a shelf for the books
Electrical students doing some work on circuit breakers
Agri students working on Ajola fodder cultivation
Poultry students tending to chicks and Goats
Home and Health students doing some Lassi using Almonds, Elachi and Curd. Few students making some Khoya
for making some Pheda.
There was one girl student in the Electical department but I could not talk to her.
Site Visit Report
• This time students have a colour jacket as uniform: - Electrical – Brown, Workshop – Blue, Agri –
Red and Food – Sky Blue. Wearing the uniform on Monday is compulsory.
• Account of few students I spoke with this time:Bishnu is from Nepal and has been in VA for the last 3 months doing practicals in Ajola area
Joy Singh just joined a month back, is from Assam doing practicals in Ajola area. Along with Joy there were few
more from Assam.
Dutta who is from nearby Chakan have been in VA for the last 3 months. He was showing me around. He has
finished his Food lab work and now in Agri department
This time there were two students (Raj Kumar and Murugesan) from TN who have joined VA. They have joined
after getting to know about it through Ranjith’s friends in TN. Both of them know only a smattering of English
and Hindi and no Marathi but they still get by. Learning new things, making new friends and to do something in
life.
Most of the students I met have completed their 12th.
Vigyan Ashram Resources
• Main portal:
www.vigyanashram.com
• Continuous updates:
www.vigyanashram.wordpress.com
https://www.facebook.com/vigyan.ashram.pabal/
• Monthly status report and all annual reports
http://www.vigyanashram.com/Inner/InnerPages/Report.aspx
• Documentary
http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=tYARqEp0Nbg
• OER portal: www.learningwhiledoing.in
• DST portal: www.dsttara.org
DBRT Batch 2013-2014
2013-2014 batch has students from 8 different states ‐ Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Jharkhand,
Andra Pradesh, Bihar, Kerala and Maharashtra
DBRT Batch 2013-2014
Student providing highest amount of community services (Rs. 14000)
Team working on the Best project of the year (Dream House)
Best student of the year
Akash Tablets Distribution
VLE training
DBRT students constructing poultry shed
Bijapur VLE trainees
100% Solar lights village in Kharkalli
Kitchen Construction
IBT Instructor Training
Andhra Pradesh DIG visit
RMSA Visit
CM Chattisgarh Visit
Staff At VA
Students on Campus
Article in a local Newspaper
And NIOS Ad
Dome construction in Shivkar School