Balaji Sampath is a central figure in AID. He has made several vital contributions in planning and executing large-scale campaigns in health, literacy and improving quality of education in India. His work has culminated in the Hundred Block Plan (HBP) � a multi-pronged rural intervention and development program across India - which he pioneered with Dr. Sundarraman of the All-India People's Science Network (AIPSN). HBP is currently the largest development program undertaken by AID at this time. A graduate of IIT-Chennai where he had stood All India No. 4 in the Joint Entrance Examination, he entered University of Maryland, College Park�s Electrical Engineering program in 1994. At the same time Balaji became a volunteer for AID-College park when AID was still a local organization. Over the next few years, along with other volunteers, he built AID into a large nation-wide organization with chapters in several cities/universities. After obtaining his Ph.D. in 1997, he spurned lucrative offers from companies here and decided to go back to India as a full-time AID volunteer � a first for AID. Having spent the next few years learning about the dynamics of rural India and NGOs that work there firsthand, he decided to start working with TNSF in their health and literacy programs. Between 1997 and 1999, he worked with TNSF in their Arogiya Iyakkam health program as well as assisting them in their community education, literacy and computer training programs. He also helped them organize village libraries, savings groups and information centers. In 2001, at the end of the model program period, he helped analyze the impact of Arogiya Iyakkam in local communities and proved the success of this type of intervention. Based on the results, the UN judged this program one of the top ten programs in the world. By 1999, he was coordinating several parts of these programs across states building volunteer base and motivating and training local workers. He also helped get part of the program funded by UNICEF. His efforts culminated in his joining the People�s Health Assembly (PHA) where he became a national coordinator. He was instrumental in developing training and publicity materials, organize sessions and plan logistics for the National Health Assembly in Calcutta in 2000. In 2000 and 2001, along with Dr. Sundarraman, he helped conceive the HBP, which heavily borrows ideas from PSMs� experiences. Thanks to his persistent efforts, the HBP is now a reality with large-scale AID participation. Alongside, he almost single-handedly started the AID-Chennai chapter and mentored the new volunteers by organizing joint programs with the TNSF. In 2002 and 2003, he worked on Makkal Palli Iyakkam � a community intervention program to improve the quality of primary and science education in rural India that was based on input from Dr. Ramanujam of the TNSF. He has also several science publications that aim at improving children's understanding of basic science concepts besides developing tools and methods to aid in teaching these. He has been an AID Jeevansaathi since 1998. | ||||||||||||
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