About us
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.
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

Chaitanya Nadkarny
Chairman, STARS Forum

B.R. Venkatesh
Vice Chairperson, STARS Forum

Narender Paul
Trustee STARS Forum

Ranajeet Shanbhag
Trustee, STARS Forum

Sudha Kothari
Trustee, STARS Forum
Advisory Board Committee

Dr. Sudhir Prabhu
Founder Member, STARS Forum

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

Dr. Yogesh Kulkarni
Executive Director - VIgyan Ashram

Rita Sengupta
Former Chairperson - Udyogini

Ashish Chavan
Co-ordinator, Gram Vikas Tantra Niketan

Amir Sultan
Skills & Competency Development expert

Sanjay Chittora
Program Manager STEP Academy, Aajeevika Bureau Trust

Dr. Rajashree joshi
Program Director, BAIF Development Research Foundation

Kedareshwar Chaudhary
Secretary & CEO, Darbar Sahitya Sangh ( DSS )

Ashok Kalbag
Advisory committee Vigyan Ashram
Our Team

Bhakti Talwelkar
Programme Manager

Ms. Komal Raut-Kadam
IBT Program Manager

Mr. Sharad Jadhav
Technical Project Coordinator

Mr. Prashant Dubey
Program Coordinator

Mr. Naval Kishor
Field Officer

Ms. Archana Shinde
Education Program Coordinator

Mr. Harshit shukla
Field Officer