This IIT-ian has dedicated his life to rural folk
An article on Dr. Ravi Chopra, the IITian who decided to dedicate his life to better the lives of rural folk.
Some people take the more difficult, the more strenuous, the less-travelled path. . . and yet come out winners. And there is nothing that is better than the sweet of taste of success thus achieved.
In this series on IIT-ians, who have chosen the tougher, non-conventional path, we talk to Dr Ravi Chopra.
Dr Chopra, along with a group of IIT-educated professionals, founded the People’s Science Institute in 1988. Though PSI’s activities are spread all over India, the focus is on the central-western Himalayan region, the mountain states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, and the poverty-ridden districts of western Orissa. PSI’s headquarters is in Dehra Dun in Uttarakhand.
Dr Chopra is an alumnus of IIT Bombay. Although he went to the United States for his doctoral research work, he chose to come back to India after he earned his PhD to work for the rural Indian folk.
He spoke about his work and life’s passion at the Pan-IIT 2008 conference held in Chennai from December 19 to December 21.