Anjali Sardeshmukh

Improve Slum Life (Ahmedabad, Gujarat)

With a degree in marine science from University of Florida, a propensity for languages, and a passion for issues of global justice, Anjali Sardeshmukh devoted her 2002-2003 fellowship year to improving living conditions for the women in Ramapir No Tekro, one of the largest slum areas in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Anjali organized health education classes for adolescent girls and explored various income-generation and savings programs for the women affiliated with Manav Sadhna, a NGO based in Ahmedabad, Gujurat. She also drafted a comprehensive proposal for an ashram-style community center in the Ramapir No Tekro. Post-fellowship Anjali spent several months traveling throughout India meeting others concerned with women's issues. She returned home to Florida with renewed vigor and grounding in how to work for social change. "I came to understand how people are affected by things I theorized about before, I could not have anticipated the extent to which the experience would inspire, motivate, encourage and move me."

anjali@indicorps.net

Aparna Wilder

Help Create Indicorps (Travel Intensive)

With astonishing self-motivation and an incredible desire to reconnect to her Indian roots through service, Aparna Wilder came to the 2002-2003 Indicorps fellowship year having designed her own project, working with female beedi workers. Aparna's project did not turn out as anticipated, but she was undeterred in her enthusiasm to learn about herself and about India through service. For several months, Aparna concentrated on micro-credit financing with RASTA (Rural Agency for Social and Technological Advancement), a Kerala-based NGO. During the remainder of her time, Aparna visited and evaluated the work of dozens of NGOs in Southern India. Based on her experiences, Aparna helped design and create an online system of sharing NGO experiences through NGOpinions.org. The fellowship year helped Aparna reconnect with Ind ia and provided her with a fresh outlook. "The year was difficult but it was good. I now realize just how much I can do - earlier, I did not think in that manner. I have seen myself become a lot more interested in everything, and along the way, I have become a lot more patient with myself."

aparna@indicorps.net

Bindi Gandhi

Improve Slum Life (Ahmedabad, Gujarat)

In addition to having the distinct privilege of sharing the Mahatma's last name, Bindi Gandhi had the opportunity to be touched by his spirit of service du ring the 2002-2003 fellowship year. Bindi's project was headquartered at the Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, where she partnered with local NGO, Manav Sadhna. Bindi's main focus was to help Manav Sadhna build an ashram-style community center in Ramapir No Tekro, a nearby slum. Notable accomplishments from her fellowship year include a comprehensive proposal for the ashram-style community center in the Tekro, and tracking systems for Manav Sadhna's non-formal school and health clinic. Although initially apprehensive about leaving her home, family, and job at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, Bindi's fellowship year in India allowed her to redefine who she was and what home meant. Bindi has learned that neither service nor identity are static concepts - they constantly change as time passes and as people walk in and out of our lives. Bindi is now "at home" at the Gandhi Ashram, with the social sector, and with the people of Ramapir No Tekro. Bindi returned to her former position at the Centers for Disease Control and intends to start a family. Now when you meet Bindi, there is no hesitation in her desire to return to India. She will tell you that Indicorps' concept of "Service for your Soul" has changed her life forever. "Quote"

bindi@indicorps.net

Kabir Kumar

Help Create Indicorps (Travel Intensive)

Prior to traveling to India for Indicorps, Kabir had visited India 23 times in his 23 years - mostly to visit family near his hometown, Agra, Uttar Pradesh. Kabir, a native of Southern California, came to Indicorps with significant experience in conflict resolution through his work at Seeds of Peace, a summer camp for kids from international communities who have been affected by communal and political violence. He completed his B.A. in economics and politics and his M.A in International Development from Brandeis University. During his Indicorps fellowship, Kabir traveled all around India learning about and experiencing immense amounts of community-based work already underway. Kabir designed a qualitative evaluation system of community-based NGOs in India. He also helped identify and create Indicorps fellowship projects for the upcoming years. Kabir stayed on the Indicorps team as a staff member to continue to help build Indicorps' infrastructure. As a result of his educational and professional training, Kabir is a natural at building bridges between social service organizations. His confidence in himself and in India's potential resonated in his service work throughout the fellowship year. "I know I am a part of India and I know that India will always be a part of my life."

kabir@indicorps.net

Krishnan Unnikrishnan

Drama with Street Kids (Mumbai, Maharashtra)

A 2002 graduate from Harvard University with a B.A. in Biochemistry and Modern Technology, Krishnan Unnikrishnan combined his tremendous dramatic talent with the energy and spunk of his 10-year old actors during his 2002-2003 fellowship year. Krishnan poured his enthusiasm and creativity into creating and directing a musical, "Operation Khazana," with Akanksha, a Mumbai-based NGO that works with underprivileged children. Krishnan successfully auditioned over 1400 children for stage roles, and involved kids in everything from set design to production. The goal of the sold-out and phenomenally successful musical was to provide an outlet for the energy and creativity of these children, to increase their self-confidence, and to share their tremendous talent with the public. Krishnan channeled the energy of the stage production into weekly drama clubs that helped the children reflect on their experiences and build on their ingenuity. Akanksha plans to continue the tradition started by "Operation Khazana" with yearly m usicals that highlight the talent of children and build unparalleled levels of confidence and leadership. Post fellowship Krishnan remained in India to explore other possibilities in drama, dance, and film.

krishnan@indicorps.net

Radhika Singh

A Women’s Handicraft Cooperative / Rural Design School (Ludiya, Kachchh)

During the 2003-2003 fellowship year, Indicorps fellow Radhika Singh teamed up with a group of local woman artisans to explore the historical richness of Kachcchi embroidery and design. Radhika's project involved the identification of artists and business-savvy villagers who could help launch a rural design school - to enable local artisans to become self-sustainable by eventually designing and marketing their products themselves. When asked as to what initially brought her to India, this Wesleyan graduate, who dabbled in yoga, meditation and philosophy at an early age, says it was her desire to "reconnect." Through the medium of traditional handicrafts in Gandhi nu Goan, Radhika has [re-]connected to the genuineness of life in rural India. Radhika's experiences in India are flavored with a "realness," that will continue to inspire her to create, to connect, and to live with the magical awareness that is characteristic of India's villages.

radhika@indicorps.net

Rish Sanghvi

Broaden Product Markets (Ahmedabad, Gujarat)

Rish Sanghvi's sunny and calm California attitude belied the intensity of his experience in reconnecting to India during the 2002-2003 fellowship year. Rish, born and raised in Pune, India, migrated to the United States with his family when he was 17 years old. After obtaining a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and working as a consultant for four year, Rish took a year off to give back to India. During his year in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Rish partnered with local NGO Manav Sadhna to find new markets for handicrafts made by underprivileged children and women. Rish fostered strategic partnerships with other NGOs, improved the production infrastructure of the handicraft program, established export mechanisms increased income generation for the community and took steps to brand Manav Sadhna by improving their publicity materials and establishing a web presence. Throughout the year Rish found inspiration from the dedication, selfless service, and great work that surrounded him. Post fellowship Rish returned to the U nited States for business school and to explore possibilities that lie beyond.

rish@indicorps.net

Sanjay Bhatt

Tribal Education (New Delhi, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, other states)

Despite being born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Sanjay Bhatt understood the Indian Railway Train Guide better than any local Indian traveler by the end of his 2002-2003 fellowship. Sanjay logged hundreds of hours on the train as he traveled to remote areas, documenting and third-party evaluating the Ekal Vidyalaya literacy movement in tribal India. Ekal Vidyalaya is a Delhi-based NGO working to bring primary education to rural and tribal India. Sanjay Bhatt trained Ekal Vidyalaya's staff to use simple technology as a means to document the progress of tribal schools and to provide comprehensive details about its operations to financial supporters around the world. Sanjay's photographs and video documentaries have become the cornerstone of literacy awareness campaigns domestically and abroad. Sanjay also played a key role in transforming the organization's website into an interactive dynamic medium for the Ekal Vidyalaya people's education movement to connect its supporters with its field work. Sanjay is currently in the United States attending medical s chool, where his interests lie in international medicine and cardiology. Sanjay and his brother Ajay plan to start a program encouraging medical students to experience India.

sanjay@indicorps.net

Shezeen Suleman

Agriculture and Watershed Development (Ludiya, Kachchh)

Indicorps fellow Shezeen Suleman was the first one in her family to step foot in India in 200 years. Her 2003-2003 fellowship experience enabled her to reconnect with her cultural roots and give practical meaning to the theories and concepts she learned in the environmental sciences and international development courses she t ook at the University of Toronto. Shezeen organized and managed a watershed development initiative for five villages in Ludiya, Kachchh a semi-arid region of Gujarat. In one year's time, Shezeen helped deepen the local percolation pond and supervised construction of four drinking water wells, numerous silt traps and check dams to facilitate access to drinking water while reducing dependability on government benefits. "This year has been a personal journey of sorts. I have learned about my strengths and weaknesses and have been able to come to terms with them. This year has been full of challenges, but it is in these challenges that I have learned about myself."

shazeen@indicorps.net