NRI sets up centre for Social Entrepreneurship

NRI sets up centre for Social Entrepreneurship
The Hindu - Staff Correspondent

His trust will open seven Indian Institutes of Public Health

A NEW CHAPTER: Gururaj Deshpande, chairman of Sycamore Networks, U.S., unveiling a plaque during the bhoomi puja of Deshpande Centre for Social Entrepreneurship in Hubli on Saturday.

HUBLI: The bhoomi puja for the “Deshpande Centre for Social Entrepreneurship” said to be the first of its kind in the country was done here on Saturday.

The centre, which is the brainchild of Gururaj Deshpande, chairman of Sycamore Networks, U.S.; aims at creating a common platform for exchanging and improving the best ideas and methodologies adopted among various non-governmental organisations and those from abroad.

The centre is being promoted by Mr. Deshpande and his wife Jayashri Deshpande, who are trustees of Deshpande Foundation. Its building will come up on the campus of BVB College of Engineering and Technology, Hubli.

A formal function was held here on Saturday to mark the occasion in which apart from the couple, S.C. Deshpande, chairman of K.L.E. Society Prabhakra Kore, Commissioner of Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation P. Manivannan, and principal of the college Ashok Shettar were present.

Mr. Gururaj Deshpande explained the objectives behind establishing the centre. Initially, the around 50 non-governmental organisations had been selected by the centre already and they would be intermingling with “change agents”, including dedicated students from abroad and those who have successfully implemented their ideas to bring about changes in the field of their work, he said.

Dr. Deshpande said the foundation would be funding the activities of the centre but would rope in other agencies and foundation. He said all the programmes implemented by the NGOs would require technology support, where the services of the engineering institute like BVBCET would be utilised. The projects would be in the field of education, agriculture, water, and micro finance.

Mr. Deshpande said that with the assistance of the Centre, and Bill Gates Foundation seven Indian Institutes of Public Health (IIPH) would be set up. About Rs. 200 crore had been mobilised for the purpose, he said.

He said the first IIPH would be in Hyderabad.