About us

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Welcome to STARS Forum

Our Motto is to bring all like minded NGO’s on one platform to share ideas, experiences and concerns and explore the possibilities to evolve a supportive network within and across state boundaries, for the larger common purpose of imparting vocational and marketable skills training to those who need it most.

Our Mission

Our Mission is to serve as a collaborative body for mutual support of those engaged in vocational skills training, facilitate advance in this field and promote innovative approaches to reach larger needy population.

Our Goals

  • Serve as a resource for mutual benefit of individuals and NGOs working in the field of vocational knowledge transfer.
  • Provide a platform for dialogue, share ideas, outcomes and best practices.
  • Facilitate networking within the rural skills and livelihoods sector.
  • Promote connectivity to relevant information.
  • Encourage and support younger workers to emerge as future leaders.
  • Advocacy on curriculum, minimum standards, certification and accreditation of training programs with the Government as necessary.

INCEPTION & HISTORY

STARS (“Skills Training for Advancement in Rural Societies”) Forum was established in 2010 with the objective of constituting a common platform for NGOs and individuals working in the area of knowledge-transfer of relevant marketable/vocational skills in rural and tribal populations and also among the urban poor anywhere in India, for mutual support and to advance this field by providing a forum to dialog, problem solve, and facilitate sharing and evolution of best practices & innovative approaches so as to reach as many needy people as possible through practical, relevant and cost effective ways. Started as an informal group, the activities of the Forum witnessed sustained participation from NGOs, indicating that the platform was not only sustaining but also growing. The STARS Forum was registered as a public trust in 2014 in order to give further impetus to its mission.

Board Of Trustees

Ashok Kalbag

Ashok Kalbag

Chairperson, STARS Forum

B.R. Venkatesh

B.R. Venkatesh

Vice Chairperson, STARS Forum

Chaitanya Nadkarny

Chaitanya Nadkarny

Treasurer, STARS Forum

Narender Paul

Narender Paul

Trustee STARS Forum

Ranajeet Shanbhag

Ranajeet Shanbhag

Trustee, STARS Forum

Advisory Board Committee

Dr. Sudhir Prabhu

Dr. Sudhir Prabhu

Founder Member, STARS Forum

Dr. Kshama Metre

Dr. Kshama Metre

National Director - Chinmaya Org. for Rural Dev (CORD)

Dr. Yogesh Kulkarni

Dr. Yogesh Kulkarni

Executive Director - VIgyan Ashram

Rita Sengupta

Rita Sengupta

Former Chairperson - Udyogini

Ashish Chavan

Ashish Chavan

Co-ordinator, Gram Vikas Tantra Niketan

Our Team

Bhakti Talwelkar

Bhakti Talwelkar

Programme Manager

Ms. Komal Raut-Kadam

Ms. Komal Raut-Kadam

IBT Program Manager

Ms. Karishma Gaikwad

Ms. Karishma Gaikwad

Accountant

Mr. Sharad Jadhav

Mr. Sharad Jadhav

Technical Project Coordinator

Mr. Prashant Dubey

Mr. Prashant Dubey

Program Coordinator

Mr. Naval Kishor

Mr. Naval Kishor

Field Officer

Ms. Archana Shinde

Ms. Archana Shinde

Education Program Coordinator

Mr. Harshit shukla

Mr. Harshit shukla

Field Officer