Tejaram

Tejaram is the Co-ordinator of Manthan. He worked as a night school teacher for SWRC (Bare-foot College) Tilonia while he was studying at the University for his B.A. during the early 1980s. After this, he worked on accounts and education in the field centre of SWRC in his vil-lage, Nallu. He then worked at the education section in Tilonia where he initiated and success-fully ran an exhibition of science in everyday life in a mobile van; visiting different villages and explaining to children as well as adults about the scientific explanations of items and processes that we encounter in everyday life. After this, he worked as the Education Co-ordinator fol-lowed by a term as the Development Co-ordinator at SWRC Management Group. He also con-tested the election for Panchayat (village level elected government) in his village. From 1998 he has been working at Manthan. He is also a member of the core group of SWRC, a member of the advisory body for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (an educational scheme by Government) at the block level and a member of the District Co-ordination Coordination Committee.

Ramcharan

He had studied at a night school. He then worked for some time as a driver. Ramcharan then worked on constituting and supporting Self Help Groups (SHGs) to empower women through savings. He also experience of working towards increasing awareness and understanding of two important recent laws in India - RTI (Right to Information) and NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) among villagers. Ramcharan has also been working on social au-dits. Right now he has the responsibility of all the rainwater harvesting projects of Manthan.

Gordhan

He studied at a night school upto primary level (5th standard) and continued his studies at a government school after that upto the 8th standard. Now Gordhan is the accountant at Man-than.

Madan Lal

Madan Lal holds a B.A. in Political Science. He is a dalit (member of a lower caste). For several years he worked as teacher in his village. He has also mobilised people in his village on issues such as building rainwater harvesting structures. He is still teaching at the school in his village and he is currently managing all the education projects at Manthan.

Seema

Seema is a widow and a dalit; and is educated upto the 8th standard. She has been working with pregnant women to ensure safe delivery and good health of mother and child. As a part of this she has been involved in training midwives in the village, providing constant support to midwives for immunisation, regular health check-ups of pregnant, and sensitising community members including men and the Panchayat about their responsibility towards safe childbirth. Seema is working on the ‘Reproductive and Child Health Rights’ project, in which one of her key responsibilities is the training of adolescent girls.

Kailash

Kailash holds an MA degree and is working mainly on the ‘Reproductive and Child Health Rights’ project. His responsibilities include increasing the awareness of adolescent boys about sexual health and general health issues through meetings, games, activities and competitions. He also works with the youth groups for organising essay, quiz and volleyball competitions.

Keshav

He has studied up to the 8th standard. Keshav is working on health issues in his own village which includes working with the village panchayat, encouraging immunisation, working with adolescent groups, men’s groups and women’s groups on health issues.

Om Prakash

Om is physically disabled and a dalit. He completed his primary education at a night school. After completing primary school he undertook vocational training for water testing and for run-ning a telephone booth. Now he is learning to use the computer. He grinds the wheat for Man-than’s kitchen and takes care of Manthan’s cattle.

Parmaram

Parmaram is also a dalit and he also got his primary education at a night school. After school, he undertook training in carpentry, followed by a training in water testing and a training as barefoot solar engineer. He assembles, installs and repairs solar lanterns and fixed solar units for villagers who need them. He has also been operating the solar-powered revere osmosis plant at Manthan campus.

Kamla Devi

After completing primary education at a night school, Kamla Devi became a housewife. Apart from using her homemaking skills to manage the office, she is carrying out farming at Manthan campus. She works with women’s groups and on women’s issues which includes advising them and helping them.

Sonu

Sonu is from an upper caste in which traditionally girls and women have not been allowed to go out of the house to work. She has completed 10th standard and continuing further educa-tion while managing the baalwadi (crèche) programme at Manthan.

Naru

Naru is from the shepherd community. He has studied upto the 8th standard. He is working on education projects, baalwadis and drives the Manthan vehicle.

Dharmichand

He studied upto the 8th standard after which he worked as teacher at the night school in his village. Dharmichand also belongs to the shepherd community and has particularly consider-able knowledge about goats. H/e is working on livelihood issues in his village, particularly pro-viding guidance and help to farmers about goat rearing.

Jai Narayan

Jai Narayan is the newest member of Manthan team. He is also from the shepherd community and has also studied at a night school. He is currently participating in different projects and learning about them while also cooks the meals at Manthan kitchen.