PRATHAM is one of the leading non-government organizations working to improve the state of children's education in India and other regional countries. Dr. Chavan is a pioneer in the field of education and has won several awards for his work including the WISE Prize which has been likened to a "Nobel prize for education".

Dr. Chavan is currently working on transforming learning through technology. Under his guidance PRATHAM recently launched the PraDigi project. Dr. Chavan will discuss his mission, children's education and use of technology. More details on Pratham and Dr. Chavan below.

Madhav Chavan founder and Chairman of PRATHAM visits Portland: May 17

Dr. Madhav Chavan has been working in the field of literacy for over three decades. He is the co-founder of Pratham that reaches over 6 million children in India and seeks to bring together business, civil society and the government to tackle the problem of illiteracy and improve primary education. It has a presence in nearly every state and its centers are operational in six other countries. It engages with students through direct teaching-learning interventions and through programs being conducted in association with the government. High intensity learning camps bring students in schools up to the learning level appropriate to their age in math and language.

Pratham's motto is 'Every child in school and learning well'. "The emphasis on part of the governments was on the first part and not on learning," Chavan says. But now "as the government of India has modified the Right to Education rules to include measurement of learning outcomes," he sees it as a major victory.

Pratham was also among the first NGOs to focus on providing documented research on the state of the problem in education. It brings out a comprehensive state-of-the-sector report called the Annual Status of Education Report or ASER that is the authoritative guide to the changes, achievements, and problems in the sector. The reports have helped put forward their views and solutions with greater conviction. It has shown that "the reality that more than 50 per cent children in Class V cannot read or do simple arithmetic but this can be corrected in just a few weeks," says Chavan.

Getting the government to listen and mold its programs accordingly has been a big achievement. "You could say that we are seen as major contributors to shifting to a focus on learning outcomes, not only in India but globally," he adds.