touching lives -...

Touching LivesTouching Lives

The Journey so far

Where women are honored, divinity blossoms there

Mahatma Gandhi had once said "If non-violence should be the path chosen by the society, then the future of the world is in women's hands.”

At Utkarsh, we firmly believe in Gandhiji's philosophy and cherish to tread on his path. The steps have to be taken carefully as in today's world women issues have become sensitive in nature. They are standing at the crossroads of a traditional past and a modern world. We want to help them bridge this gap.

The old India lives in its villages while the progressive India lives in its cities. Indian people are living in two different eras at the same time. This makes it difficult to adopt the same yardstick for development of each area of even the same state. At some places women are revered as Devis (Goddesses) and at other times as devils. On one end of the spectrum they are high flying executives, astronauts and ministers, and at the other end, they are marginalized and some of them are still slaves in our society. The disparity in the society is still there. Though mountains have been moved to bring women out of the veil into the foreground a lot needs to be done. To fill this divide in the society, Utkarsh Healthcare Foundation India was found in the year 1998; for the betterment of women, children, youth and deprived in the society.

The main goal of Utkarsh is to educate and make underprivileged women, children, youth and needy aware about themselves and their surroundings. This is achieved by getting intellectuals, proactive citizens and the affected people to brainstorm together and come up with practical solutions. The foundation further sees that these solutions don't just remain on paper but are put to action.

Areas of operation (Gujarat State)

Projects Handled in the past

• Ahmedabad• Gandhinagar• Surendranagar• Rajkot

• School Adolescent Education Program - Ministry of Health, Government of Gujarat

• YPPTHA-NACO-UNDP Project

• Entrepreneurship Development in Food Processing & Preservation for women - Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India

• Career Guidance Fairs - Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India

• Coordinating body for preparing a White Paper on Water for a UNICEF project in Gujarat

List of AwardeesWomen’s Excellence Awards, 2016

She has her formal education, upto PhD, from M.S. University, India, Tokyo University, Japan and North Carolina State University- USA.

Dr. Mehta is an Indian citizen working with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as Senior advisor and heads the foundation’s agriculture programs in South Asia. The Gates Foundation is one of the world’s largest development organisation working on areas spanning health, agriculture and education.

Dr. Mehta has worked with the CGIAR (International Agriculture), as head of Asia of the International Livestock Research Institute, with IFPRI and USAID. Trained as an agriculture biotechnologist, she is well known for her work in translating scinetific reserch into large scale development programs, scaling and policy interventions in over 17 countries.

Dr. Mehta is on board of several organisations, including IAEH-Canada, ICRA- Netherlands.

Dr. Mehta has two books and over 48 publications to her credit. She has given talks and addresses in over 90 international conferences in 53 countries. She has been a recepient of several national and international recognisations, including the recent national award on ‘Agriculture Leadership’ from Agriculture Today magazine.

Dr. Purvi Mehta BhattAgriculture and Biotechnologist

Pooja Gor, born and brought up in Ahmedabad, left the hometown at a tender age of 17yrs and settled in the city of dreams Mumbai, when she got a role in Balaji Telefilms’ Kitani Mohabbat Hai for NDTV Imagine channel.

She became a household name after portraying a strong character called ‘Pratigya’ in one of the most successful shows on indian tv, called 'Mann ki Awaaz. Pratigya’ on STAR PLUS. For which she has won several awards. Best actress in a lead role, Best nayaa sadasya, Best Beti, Best Bahu, Best Maa and Best jodi were the awards she received from star parivaar awards.

Global TV & Cine awards also awarded her with best actress in a lead role. She also did a youth show called ‘V The Serial’ for channel V.

She also featured in a few episodic shows such as 'Yeh hai aashique' for Bindaas channel, 'Ek thi Naayika' for Life OK channel, and Played Ekta Kapoor in the Inspirational show celebrating women's achievements called 'Mujhe Pankh De Do'. Later she hosted 'Saavdhan India' for Life OK, for which she was awarded with one of the most prestigious awards 'Bharat Gaurav Puraskaar' in 2014.

Her latest project was a medical drama called 'Ek Nayee Ummeed...Roshni' on Life OK channel where she shared the screen with veterans like Amol Palekar, Raghuveer Yadav, and Divya seth.

Pooja GorActor

PhD : “Target Parameter Retrieval Using SAR Polarimetry”, (2012), Parul Patel, PhD Thesis, Nirma University of Science and Technology, http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/17867 Ahmedabad .

She looks after the research activities being carried out at Space Applications Centre and sponsored research being carried out at various universities, and at Space Technology Cells located at various IITs, IISC, Banglore and University of Pune. She is recognized as a Ph D Guide at Nirma University, Ahmedabad and Institute School of Mines, Dhanbad.

Masters from M S University, Baroda, she joined Space Applications Centre, ISRO in the year 1988. Since then she was involved in microwave remote sensing activities. She has carried out a number of investigative studies on target interaction using multiparametric microwave data from ground-based to space borne sensors like European Remote Sensing Satellites, ERS-1 and ERS-2; NASA’s Shuttle Imaging Radar, SIR-B and SIR-C/X-SAR; Germany’s Intera-SAR and DLR-ESAR; Japan’s JERS-1 mission; and Canada’s RADARSAT-1 SAR and RADARSAT-2 SAR and RISAT-1 mission. As Project Manager – Calibration RISAT-1, she contributed in calibration of the RISAT-1, India’s first satellite Synthetic Aperture Radar mission, She was the Principal Investigator of the European Space Agency’s SMOS Cal/Val announcement of Opportunity (A.O.) project. She also has been the Principal Investigator of the Canadian Space Agency’s RADARSAT-2 A.O. project on soil moisture surface

Dr. Parul Patel

roughness and vegetation parameter retrieval. Her major contribution is towards retrieving quantitative target parameter using the state of the art technique of SAR Polarimetry.

She has more than 100 research publications on studies exploring microwave remote sensing applications and Calibration of microwave sensors to her credit in reputed peer reviewed journals like IEEE Transactions on Geosciences and Remote Sensing, International Journal of Remote Sensing, Current Science, Geocarto International, International Journal of Geoinformatics, Asian Journal of Geoinformatics, International Journal of Advanced Remote Sensing and GIS, etc.

Her research papers have been cited 534 times in reputed journals like IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Remote Sensing of Environment, Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing, Current Science, Journal of Applied Remote Sensing etc.

In addition to her scientific contributions, she also carries out a number of scientific activities for societal benefit. e.g. scientific advisor to Shreyas foundation; wherein apart from taking active interest in the scientific activities carried out by the school. She also provides guidance in issues related to Vikram Vigyan Kendra. Her focus is in nurturing scientific inquisitiveness of the young minds. She was the Secretary to the Indian Society of Remote Sensing, Ahmedabad Chapter from 2010 to 2014. She is involved in organization of various outreach activities like popular lectures, workshops for college students, debate, science project competitions, bringing out news letters covering space science and technology related information and many more such activities.

She has published 53 International papers to her credit, 48 National papers and she has written 36 Scientific and technical reports besides editing three books.

Scientist



Diploma in Painting from CN College of Fine ArtsA. M. (Art Master), Fresco Painting, Vanasthali, (Rajasthan)

Worked as Fellow Artist at Kanoria Centre for Arts, Ahmedabad

Awards & Honors2008 - “Rashtriya Kala Sadhika Samman” by

Kalashruti, Indore 1999 - Gujarat State Lalit Kala Akademi (Painting)1991 - Gujarat State Lalit Kala Akademi (Painting)

Fellowship2013 - 2014 - SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP in

Painting (Visual Art) from Lalit Kala Academy, Govt. Of Gujarat

ExhibitionSolo Show2013 - “Interacting Forms” Third Eye Art Gallery,

Varanasi, Sponsored by Guj. Lalit Kala Academy

2013 - Preview Show, Ravishankar Rawal Art Gallery, Ahmedabad

2002 - Contemporary Art gallery, Ahmedabad1992 - Ravishankar Rawal Art Gallery, Ahmedabad1979 - Contemporary Art gallery, Ahmedabad1976 - Contemporary Art gallery, Ahmedabad

Sharda PatelPainter

Two/Three Person Show2015 - “Space3” The Gallery, Amdavad ni Gufa,

Ahmedabad 2013 - “Space3” The Gallery, Amdavad ni Gufa,

Ahmedabad2011 - “Space3” The Gallery, Amdavad ni Gufa,

Ahmedabad2008 - Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, Sponsored by

Gujarat State Lalit Kala Academy2003 - Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai2002 - Rotary Art Gallery, Surat1999 - Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi1998 - Contemporary Art Gallery, Ahmedabad1986 - Ravishankar Rawal Art Gallery, Ahmedabad

She has done more than 50 Group shows with renowned artists and at prestigious galleries of the world. She has selected and participated in numerous shows. She has held several camps and workshops.

Collections WithGujarat State Lalit Kala Akademi, Gandhinagar Amdavad Art Society, AhmedabdMoti Bharwani, DubaiBabubhai Sakariya, SuratAhmedabad Municipal Corporation Gopal Patil, Dushyant Dave, New DelhiTony Sirohi, Thane Wolfgong Koelher, SwitzerlandSanjay Mutha, USAVinod Arora, AhmedabadKishor Wala, RajkotAnayas Art Foundation, AhmedabadAnd Various Private Collections in India and Abroad


Aditi Desai has pursued a theatre career from childhood under the guidance of eminent theatre person and her father Jashwant Thaker. At present she is associated as a director of Jashwant Thaker Memorial foundation.

She has worked as a freelance media person, consultant, filmmaker and a theatre trainer. Her key area of interest is, theatre work, video film making, development of popular educational material, trainings - gender and theatre, developing media and campaign strategies.

She has made 21 video documentaries, Docu-drama, video-spots, video programmes for teacher’s training on various social and environment issues.

Her documentary on her father and eminent theater person,-Jashwant Thaker –Rangbhoomi Na kalakar has won award.

She has directed 18 plays (three act, one act, and children’s plays) including Kasturba, Akoopar, Agni kanya.

She has also worked extensively in Regional Television, films and Radio, and classical plays, in both Gujarati and Hindi Films.

Aditi DesaiActress & Director

years, she was a pioneer to start street theatre performances on women's issues in Ahmedabad. Slowly she developed street theater workshops and started training programmes in rural areas with non-literate people, tribal, women, on various developmental issues.

From1997 to 1999 she received the Mac-Arthur Fellowship to prepare two tribal troupes to work on the issue of women's health in partnership with local N.G.O’ s of Gujarat using their local forms and combining them with Augesto Boal's techniques from the Theatre of the Oppressed. Both troupes are active in their respective areas.

She developed herself from an actress to activism, training, direction, video film making, script writing.

She has worked extensively in mass media-Television and Radio, feature films, documentary films in last 22 years.

She has won awards for her theatre work and documentary film.

Acting and direction remains her first love.


Career Highlights

• Created history in Indian swimming by breaking Olympian Shikha Tandon’s senior record. Grabbed 4 gold medals with 3 India Best Performances in 50, 100, 200 meters back stroke in Hyderabad 2013 at age 13.

• “OVERALL BEST SWIMMER” title won 7 times in National Championship including 3 in the senior championships in 2013 to 2015 at age 13 and age 15 respectively .

• Fastest Back-Stroker in India across all age groups.

• First Indian Female swimmer to win gold medal in Asian age group championship - Bangkok - 2015 at Age of 15

• Won 75 State, 61 National Medals, 11 international medals

• First ever Indian Swimmer to Create 37 Nationals and 36 State Records at Age of 15

Awards :

1) Quality Mark women award 2015.

2) Daughter of Gujarat 2016.

3) Swayamsiddha women wing 2015-2016.

4) Nari Shakti Award 2014.

5) Sardar Patel Award (junior) 2012-2014.

6) Sardar Patel Award (senior) 2013-2014.

7) Eklavya Award (junior) 2014-15.

8) Dhwaitya Girnar Tejaswini Award 2014.

Maana PatelSports (Swimming)

• Received the Bharat Scouts & Guides Governor’s Award in 1990.

• Received the Bharat Scouts & Guides Governor’s Award in 1991.

• Represented Gujarat State at National Level Athletics Championships for 17 times.

• Was Adjudged Best Athlete of Gujarat University for five Consecutive years.

• Established New High Jump Record in Gujarat University A Zone meet.

• Was adjudged “SWORD OF HONOUR” in 2001.

• Gujarat Police Board Exam and was appointed as Direct Police Sub Inspectors.

• GPSC Exam and was appointed as Mamlatdar in 2005.

• GPSC Exam and was appointed DSP in 2011.

• Gave Guard of Honour to Hon. Chinese President Mr. PING during his visit to Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

• Presently posted as ACP, Mahila Cell, Crime Branch, Ahmedabad.

Pannaben MomayaACP, Women’s Cell


Born at Balasinor, a medium sized village in Kaira District, Gujarat. M.A. (English Literature) M.A. (Geography) 1982 Gold Medal in Gujarat Board“Bhushan” degree in Sanskrit from Ahmedabad Centre.

A chance meeting with Sudha Murty (Infosys Fame) changed my life completely in the year 1999. She motivated me to translate some of her articles from English to Gujarati. I carried out this work with total dedication without any financial expectation. My main motto was to expose common Gujarati reader to good contemporary English writings. Later on all these articles were published as ‘Man Ni Vaat’ in 2001.

At present I am working on translation of various English books. I am also a Freelance writer, Columnist for well known news papers Gujarat Samachar and Sandesh. My works are regularly published in many magazines such as Jankalyan, Hulchal of calcutta, Dakshin Darshan and Manav.

I have translated Honourable President, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s popular lecture series “Nobility in Leadership” for Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA) and used in various Gujarati medium schools across Gujarat for imparting value education among students. These articles are produced in V.C.D. form.

Sonal ModiLitterateur

“E Yadagaar Saanj” - This is my original work of short stories in Gujarati. This book is published and very well received, running into four editions.

I have translated many popular books from English to Gujarati covering varied subjects from Inspirational stories, Children stories, Woman entrepreneurial, Management subjects etc. The list of books published is attached separately as per Annexure - A.

Most of my books are Gujarati best sellers having multiple editions. Man-ni-vaat has sold more than 1,00,000 copies and is in its 16th edition. Some of my translations have outsold their original English books.

As a Director with Civil Engineering Consultancy firm.

I am involved with several prestigious NGO’s for social work.

Awards2005: “Sakhi Stree Shakti Award” for my contribution to Gujarati Literature by ‘Sakhi’. 2006: On womens’ day, was felicitated by then Hon. C. M. Sh. Narendra Modi.2010: Jamnagar Chamber of Commerce & Industry for outstanding performance in literature and business.2011: Amity School of Business & Management for contribution to the Society.


Since last 15 years working with Hollywood industry and organized and managed more than 250 shows Across Gujarat, Dubai and USA.

Working in the field of event, exhibition and promotion. She is expert on events like, Award Show, Launch, Film Promotion, Press conference, Fashion shows, Garba, Wedding and Corporate event.

Chairperson - Gujarat Chamber of Commerce Industry Business Women Wing (She is Youngest Chairperson in 30 years of history of GCCI)

Recently organized first time in Gujarat Vibrant Gujarat Business Women National Conclave in month of December and invited 4000 women from across Gujarat.

Vice President: Vibrant Women Industrial Networking Association (Gujarat’s first women GIDC park project which we are doing directly with our Hon. CM Anandiben Patel)

Founder member: (1) Narendra Modi Fan Club (2) International Creative Art Society Honored with Gauravvanta Gujarati Award to more than 200 prominent Gujarati personalities from all over the world in various sector like business, Bollywood, art, social and emerging leader .

Grishma TrivediBusiness WomanDirector - Ga41 Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

Life member: Textile Association (Ahmedabad unit) organized international textile conference and many programmed for association.

Trust member: Navjivan Charitable trust (under this banner doing social activity and worked for differently abled children)

My attention and ability to organize all aspects of a function has resulted in more than hundred of successful events .

Achievements:

• Jan 2016 honored with Quality Mark Women Award

• Jan 2016 honored on World daughter day by Hon. Finance Minister Saurabhbhai Patel.

• Dec 2015 honored with Bhartiya Pravashi Ratna Award

• Jan 14, Awarded by Vibrant Women Achievers award.

• Nari Shakti ko Salam-Dugan Award on international women day at Gandhinagar on march-14.

• Honored by GCCI- BWW for vibrant Gujarat global trade show managed of BWW pavilion and entire entertainment show of Gujarat government in vibrant global trade show-2013.

• Honored by Ahmadabad Municipal Corporation in may- 2005 for mega city programmed organized and managed.

• Honored by Friends of Gujarat, Edition, USA for Global Gujarati Conference-sep 2013 marketed and entertainment show organized.

Founder and Head of Vicharta Samuday Samarthan Manch (VSSM) for the welfare of the most downtrodden Nomadic and De-Notified tribes in 2010, which works on several social, economic, education, livelihood, human rights, Housing etc. related issues.

Area of Work

• Societal Recognition of Nomadic and De-notified Tribes (NT-DNT) and facilitating them in availing various Citizenry Rights.

• Find right alternates to their traditional occupations that they had to forgo due to technological advancements. And thereby, saving them from getting engage into any illegal or socially unacceptable activities for their livelihood.

• To help settle down these communities and secure a permanent house – an address of their own.

• To help NT-DNT Communities’ children and the future generations to get access to education, livelihood and socio-economic stability.

Professional Journey

• Undertook a research program involving intensive fieldwork with sugarcane cutters of south Gujarat on ‘Migration and Migrant workers’ for a month as a part of the fellowship in 2004.

• Joined Golden Corridor Yatra organized by a NGO ‘Pravah’ for 15 days to study the environment damage caused by Industrial Development.

Mittal Patel Social Worker

•

• Participated in ‘Dariya Kinara Samvad Yatra’ (A Yatra conducted through the coastal areas of Gujarat to create harmony)

• Carried out an intensive multifarious ground research on the social and economic condition of NT – DNT Communities during 2008 to 2010.

• Scholarship on the ‘Social and Economic Study of Migrant Workers’ by ‘Charkha’-Development Communication Network.

In numbers, the VSSM’s efforts are:

• Alleviated 90 families from the clutches of flesh trade from Vadia village –where the daughters are forced into this flesh business.

• Became instrumental for the marriage of 22 girls who were clutched in the flesh trade

Awards & Recognitions

• “Kutch Mitra” award in BCJP for her excellent performance.

• Champaben Gondhiya Award by Young Men Gandhian Association Rajkot in 2008.

• Real Hero Award by CNN - IBN and Reliance Foundation in March- 2012.

• ‘Seva Jyoti Award’ From Jyotiben Dhulesiya Foundation in June -2012.

• Ashoka fellow by Ashoka Innovators for the Public in 2013.

• ‘Girnar Seva Siromani Purshkar – 2013’ by Doordarshan regional Gujarati Channel DD Girnar.

• Gangabahen Patel Samajseva Sanmaan by Women organization named ‘Stri Mandal Santacruz’ in August 2009.

• Invited for a TED Talks in 2013. TED is global community, welcoming people from various discipline and culture who seek deeper understanding of the world.

• Felicitated by State Bank of India for the outstanding work in the social sector in year 2013.

Program Coordinator with ‘Janpath’ from 2006 to 2008.


About Utkarsh Foundation

Chairman

Managing Trustee

Advisor & Mentor

Chief Advisors

Trustees

• Shri Himanshu C. Vyas

• Ms. Kusum Kaul Vyas

• Dr. Sam Pitroda

• Dr. R. K. Patel (U.N. Mehta Institute of Cardiology & Research Centre)• Shri Chimanlal Vyas• Shri B.K. Kaul

• Ms. Ushma Dave• Ms. Gauriben Chavda

Health and Medical Body

Outside India

General Health Advisory Body

Education / Literacy

• Dr. R. K. Patel – Chairman• Dr. Kalpesh Shah – Physician• Dr. Hemang Vasavda – Neurologist• Dr. Jagdish Dave – Ophthalmologist• Dr. Dipak Dave – Orthopedic• Dr. Indeevar Shah – Physician

• Dr. Amit Desai – USA – Dentist• Dr. Prerna Thakur – London – Surgeon

• Mr. Rupesh Raval (Ayurvedic)

• Shri Muktak Kapadia– Chairman• Ms. Shweta Khandwala

Member

Youth Affairs Committee

• Dr. Manish Doshi• Sonal Dave

• Shri Rajnikant Suthar• Ms. Veena Kachroo

1/A, Punita Park, Bhudarpura Road, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad-380006, Gujarat, IndiaTele Fax: +91 - 79 - 26404071, 26442064, 66621064Mobile: +91 9824285902E-mail: [email protected]

Registration no.: E/11977/AHMEDABAD

For Women•

by training them in skills like handicrafts (making and selling), bakery, jewelry design, tailoring, computers etc.

• Literacy - To make them learn how to read and write

• Awareness - About health, hygiene and female infanticide

• Health and Telemedicine camps

• Women rights and Gender equality

Skill Development - Encouraging the spirit of entrepreneurship

Current Activities

For Youth•

• Literacy - reading and writing workshops/programs

• Leadership camps - to boost confidence

• Developing communication skills of the youth

Health camps

• Community work - to make them proactive citizens

• Awareness camps - about HIV AIDS, polio, drug de-addication, education, environment, female infanticide

Vocational training - computers, jewelry design, tailoring, plumbing

•

For Children•

children, providing them with food, toys and books

• Health - organizing health camps, regular checkups

• Education (school drop-outs and poor) - encouraging them to study and rejoin the schools

• Nutritious food - by providing wholesome meals

• Entertainment - by organizing drawing, dance and drama competition

• Creating talent pool in slum areas - identifying talented children, encouraging them and putting them through the right channel

Care & Support for HIV/AIDS - spending time with

www.utkarshfoundationindia.org

Cheque to be made in favour of Utkarsh Healthcare Foundation lndiaAll donations are tax deductible U/S 80G of the income tax act, 1961.80G of the I.T.Act:DIT(E)/80G(5)/303/2007-08

touching lives -...

Documents