Kartikeya Sarabhai | |
|---|---|
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| Born | Kartikeya Vikram Sarabhai 27 November 1947 Ahmedabad, Bombay State, India |
| Known for | Pioneering efforts in environmental education |
| Title | Founder and director, CEE Chairman of Ambalal Sarabhai Enterprises |
| Parents |
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| Family | see Sarabhai family |
| Awards | Padma Shri (2012) |
Kartikeya Vikram Sarabhai (born 27 November 1947) is an environmental educator. [1] He was awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, in 2012.
Kartikeya Sarabhai was born in Sarabhai family of Ahmedabad, is the grandson of industrialist Ambalal Sarabhai. His father, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, is widely regarded as the father of India's space programme. Both his mother, Mrinalini Sarabhai, and his sister, Mallika Sarabhai, are Bharatanatyam dancers and social activists.
Sarabhai was educated at Cambridge, UK, where he acquired a Tripos in Natural Sciences. He then went on to do post-graduate work in development communication at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the USA. He took over as Chairman of Ambalal Sarabhai Enterprises Ltd in 1995, a pharmaceutical company set up by his grandfather Ambalal Sarabhai. At the time the company was financially stressed with a large workforce and major Court issues. Kartikeya Sarabhai developed a plan to restructure the company and put it back on a growth path. Through monetizing intellectual property and selling some of its land he managed to clear outstanding dues, reduced the large workforce, got one of its company out of BIFR and also cleared the company's name with the Banks. He got in new technologies in the pharmaceutical and electronics divisions. With patience and perseverance he not only got ASE out of debts but also got independent units working efficiently taking the business ahead. His main concern was to clear all issues and strengthen ASE. Today the company is on a growth path and the formation of two new joint ventures namely Vovantis and Cosara have brought in exciting new technologies for the future.
Sarabhai is the founder and director of the Centre for Environment Education headquartered in Ahmedabad, with offices across India. He is closely involved in the activities of the Nehru Foundation for Development, [2] of VIKSAT [3] and of Ahmedabad's Vikram Sarabhai Community Science Centre. He is also a trustee of the Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust, and of the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL).
He has served on many committees set up by the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Ministry of Human Resource Development of the Government of India, primarily focusing on the greening of India's formal education system, and initiatives for biodiversity education. He is a member of the Earth Charter International Council and was part of the delegations which represented India at the Earth Summit (1992) in Rio and the Earth Summit 2002 in Johannesburg. He was instrumental in initiating the South and Southeast Asia Network for Environmental Education (SASEANEE). [4] He is currently vice-chairman of the Indian National Commission for the International Union Conservation of Nature (IUCN). He also led the first international conference on the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development in Ahmedabad in 2005, and he is a member of the UNESCO Reference Group for DESD and the International Steering Committee for the end of the Decade Conference. He is a member of the advisory committee of the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) and the Chair of the Earth Charter International (ECI) Council.
Sarabhai was the co-chair of the Global Citizenship Working Group of the Learning Metrics Task Force 2.0 convened by the Centre for Universal Education at Brookings Institution to examine how global citizenship education is measured and make recommendations for new ways of assessing learning. He was the chair-holder of the UNESCO Chair on Education for Sustainable Development and the Human Habitat. He is the editor of the Journal of Education for Sustainable Development , published by SAGE, and has written and spoken extensively on environment, education, and sustainable development-related subjects in national and international fora.
Kartikeya Sarabhai received the Tree of Learning Award (1998) from the IUCN in appreciation of his contributions to the field of environmental education and communication. The Indian Institute of Human Rights has presented him with the World Human Rights Promotion Award (2005). In 2012 he was conferred the Padma Shri award for his work in Environmental Education by the President of India. [5] In 2013, he was given the Olive Green Crusader award by IAA (International Advertising Association) for his contribution in the field of environmental education and education for sustainable development. The Science Aur Kainat Society of India honored Sarabhai with the Sir C.V. Raman Memorial Award in the field of science and technology popularization and innovation in May 2014. Recipient of 2016 International Brandwein Medal by Brandwein Institute and the IUCN-CEC in recognition of his lifetime work for inspiring new generations, to experience, embrace and love nature first hand. [6] Appointed as the International Wetskill Ambassador by Wetskills Foundation, Netherlands during the Finals of Wetskills-India 2017 at Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2017. [7] He has also received the prestigious Gujarat Ratna Sanman in 2023. [8]
Sarabhai is the editor-in-chief of the Journal on Education for Sustainable Development (JESD) [9] He has recently written a book 'Observing Nature in an Urban Forest' [10] A visually engaging publication in which Kartikeya V. Sarabhai shared his observations and photographs of nature and the rich birdlife in the verdant urban estate created by his grandfather Ambalal Sarabhai more than a hundred years ago.
Mallika Sarabhai is an activist and Indian classical dancer and actress from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Daughter of a classical dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai and space scientist Vikram Sarabhai, Mallika is an accomplished Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dancer and performer who has specialized in using the arts for social change and transformation.
Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, is an Indian business school, located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. As one of India's premier Indian Institutes of Management, the school has been accorded the status of an Institute of National Importance by the Ministry of Human Resources, Government of India in 2017. It is widely regarded as the leading business school in India and one of the most prestigious business schools in the world.
Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai was an Indian physicist and astronomer who initiated space research and helped to develop nuclear power in India. Often regarded as the "Father of Indian space program", Sarabhai was honored with Padma Bhushan in 1966 and the Padma Vibhushan (posthumously) in 1972.
Udupi Ramachandra Rao was an Indian space scientist and former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation. He was also the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Physical Research Laboratory at Ahmedabad and Nehru Planetarium at Bengaluru and chancellor of the Indian Institute for Space Science and Technology (IIST) at Thiruvananthapuram. He is known as "The Satellite Man of India". He pioneered India's first satellite launch Aryabhata in 1975.
The Centre for Environment Education (CEE) in India was established in August 1984 as a Centre of Excellence supported by the Ministry of Environment and Forests. The organisation works towards developing programmes and materials to increase awareness about the environment and sustainable development. The head office is located in Ahmedabad. The centre has 41 offices across India including regional cells in Bangalore (South), Guwahati, Lucknow (North), Ahmedabad (West) and Pune (Central); state offices in Delhi, Hyderabad, Raipur, Goa, Coimbatore; and several field offices. It has international offices in Australia and Sri Lanka.
Kasturbhai Lalbhai was an Indian industrialist and philanthropist. He co-founded Arvind Mills along with his brothers and several other institutes. He was a co-founder of the Ahmadabad Education Society which later founded Ahmedabad University and the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad. Lalbhai served as the chairman of the historic and influential Anandji Kalyanji Trust, that manages Shatrunjaya and several other Jain pilgrimage centers, for 50 years.
The Sarabhai family is a prominent Indian family active in several fields. The patriarch, Ambalal Sarabhai, was a leading industrialist. While he created significant wealth, his children interested themselves in a wide variety of other endeavours, and the family is better known for those activities, rather than for their industrial enterprise. The family's business activities continue through Ambalal Sarabhai Enterprises.
Ambalal Sarabhai was an Indian industrialist, philanthropist, institution builder, and supporter of Mahatma Gandhi. He was the chairman and promoter of Calico Mills and the founder of The Sarabhai Group of Companies. He also was a participant in Indian independence movement.
CEPT University, formerly the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology, is an academic institution located near University Area in Ahmedabad, India offering undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes in areas of natural and developed environment of human society and related disciplines.
Mrinalini Vikram Sarabhai was an Indian classical dancer, choreographer and instructor. She was the founder and director of the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, an institute for imparting training in dance, drama, music and puppetry, in the city of Ahmedabad. She received Padma Bhushan in 1992 and Padma Shri in 1965. She also received many other citations in recognition of her contribution to art.
Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre, commonly known as VASCSC, was established in the 1960s by the eminent space scientist, Vikram Sarabhai in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. The centre works towards popularising science and mathematics education among students, teachers and the public. Its mandate is to stimulate interest, encourage and expose the principles of science and scientific method and also to improve and find innovative methods of science education. It is located opposite Gujarat University. VASCSC is open to all members of the community.
Sheth Chimanlal Nagindas Vidyalaya is a school and the Sheth Chimanlal Nagindas Vidyavihar is a group of educational institutes located within a campus in the Ambawadi area of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. It is one of the oldest educational institutions in Gujarat established in 1912.
Pramod Kale is an Indian engineer who has worked for the Indian Space Research Organisation in various leadership roles.
George Joseph is an Indian space scientist, best known for his contributions to the development of remote sensing technology in India, especially in the field of Earth observation sensors. He is a former chairman of the Lunar Mission Study Task Force of the Indian Space Research Organization and an elected fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India, Indian Academy of Sciences and Indian National Academy of Engineering. The Government of India awarded him the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award, in 1999.
Nehru Foundation for Development (NFD) is a charitable trust dedicated to rural development and environment awareness. It was founded by Vikram Sarabhai in 1965. The foundation is dedicated to promoting basic environmental education and thinking on current problems of development at individual and the societal level.
Indumati Chimanlal Sheth was an Indian independence activist, politician, social worker and educationist from Gujarat. Born in Ahmedabad and influenced by Mahatma Gandhi, she participated in the independence movement and later served as a deputy education minister of the Bombay State and education minister of Gujarat. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 1970 for her social work.
Nilamber Pant is an Indian space scientist, a former member of the Space Commission of India and a pioneer of satellite based communication and broadcasting in India. He served at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre and the ISRO Satellite Centre before becoming the vice chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest Indian civilian honour of Padma Shri in 1984.
Gautam Sarabhai was an industrialist and businessman from the Sarabhai family of Ahmedabad.
Gira Sarabhai was an Indian architect, designer, and a design pedagogue. She was born into the Sarabhai family and was the youngest of eight siblings. She is known for contributing to several industrial and educational projects in Gujarat. She was the representative of the Sarabhai Foundation, a public charitable trust. Gira, along with her brother Gautam Sarabhai were crucial in establishing and designing the academic curricula of National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad.