REFLECTIONS OF ORIENTATION

          “Dream is not that we see in sleep, dream is the thing which does not allow us to sleep” – Dr.A.P.J Abdul Kalam.

This quotation is an eye opening statement which applies to the people those who are ambitious and passionate to work for the society. Deshpande Foundation is really adding values to the lives of fellows, by providing insight about the realities of the society and preparing them to work for the under privileged group of the society.

After pre training orientation for Cohort II has started on 19^th January 2009.Mr Naveen Jha, The Director of DCSE has addressed the fellows. In his inaugural speech he mainly focused on objectives, rules & regulations and rewarding criteria of fellows of DFP Cohort II. The lunch with the LEAD staff has an important milestone to introduce ourselves to the staff and Leaders. And the projects of these leaders are really shows their social concern. 

After that all fellows went to sub jail, Hubli as a part of Community activity. There we performed two skits one on correction of prisoners and another on HIV/AIDS awareness and cultural activities. All inmates, Superintendent and felt happy to our concern and requested to perform such type of activities again and again. Really it helps to reform the prisoners.

We also visited worlds biggest kitchen Akshaya Patra which is feeding 1,85,000 rural students. Their main concern is to provide mid-day meal to government school children. The vision of this organization is to establish hunger free situation among school children.

DESHPANDE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM-AN OVERVIEW

“JANANI JANMABHUMISCHYA SWARGADAPI GARIYAPI”

(Mother and Mother land are greater than Heaven)

      This Sanskrit saying replicates to one gentlemen, who is staying somewhere in the part of this world, earning from his own skills and serving his motherland through philanthropy.  He didn’t forget is motherland that to his born and brought up place.  He is none other than Mr. Gururaj Deshpande, locally born and globally personality.

Mr. Gururaj Deshpande previously worked under someone and later by his talents and creative ideas he has become a leading entrepreneur.  He stated Sycamore Networks ltd, along with his wife Jaishree within a short span of the time they succeeded in their business in USA, which is considered as the mother of entrepreneurs.  Desh and Jaishree stated thinking towards establishing a philanthropic organization to work in the areas of innovation, entrepreneurship and international development in India and USA. 

      This ambition came true in 1996 in the form of Deshpande Foundation.  Through its grant making, the Deshpande Foundation is helping launch innovative companies. Helping NGO’s develop an international presence ad launched partnership with some of the most remarkable change agents in the world today.

      Deshpande Foundation believes in ‘Karma’ philosophy and wants to train up the leaders to become the entrepreneurs and in the long run they become the change agents of the society with this broad vision in 2007 stated an innovative and unique program called “Deshpande Fellowship Program”.  This program intends to prepare the youth to come up with the innovative ideas to transform the society and can able to lead the experts.  With the vision of changing the co-relation between the age factor and entrepreneurship, cohort-II has launched on January 19, 2009.

      The whole six months training program includes participatory learning through class room as well as field based activities.  This program enhances skills and techniques in the areas of communication, leadership, fundraising, program planning and management, collaborative efforts to achieve drastic change in the social sphere of people through modern corporate outlook.

      Fellows are selected on the basis of their academic performance, experience and they have to undergo a unique selection procedure.  During their fellowship they will be provided stipend, staying facilities.

      Cohort-I fellows were competed their course, are well placed in various organizations and working on their own projects.  By this can say that this is a unique program to prepare the processionals to undertake develop meted activities through their innovative ideas and skill. So that underprivileged can be brought to the main stream of the society and can enjoy the amenities in their social, economical, health, educational and cultural traits of life.

THANKS

I am feeling great here. I thank you all for your support.

Deshpande Foundation

Mission & Vision
The Deshpande Foundation is the family Foundation of Gururaj (“Desh”) and Jaishree Deshpande, of Andover, MA. Founded in 1996, the Deshpande Foundation is one of the leading philanthropic Foundations in Massachusetts and India in the areas of innovation, entrepreneurship and international development. Through its grantmaking, the Deshpande Foundation has helped launch innovative companies, helped NGOs develop an international presence and launched partnerships with some of the most remarkable change agents in the world today.
Innovation: The Deshpande Foundation develops partnerships with innovative leaders with a new idea, product or service that can potentially benefit millions of people and change entire industries. Whether it is ground-breaking research on the next generation of technologies or a more cost-effective idea for international development, the Deshpande Foundation believes that innovation lies at the heart of our ability to grow, succeed and make lasting impact on the world.
Entrepreneurship: Based on 30 years of experience as technology entrepreneurs in the United States, Canada and India, the Trustees of the Deshpande Foundation have come to believe in the powerful role that the entrepreneur can play to change and improve society. In the long term, a region will continue to thrive as long as it has a vibrant base of budding entrepreneurs, and the Foundation strives to create such an environment in the places it operates.
Growth: The Deshpande Foundation focuses time, energy and resources on helping the best ideas, researchers, entrepreneurs and organizations to scale up their activities to rapidly increase their reach. It is critical that successful ideas and leaders gain the infrastructure and support they need to achieve their long term vision of change.