Mission & Goals

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 populations

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.

Working Committee

Dr. Yogesh Kulkarni
Dr. Yogesh KulkarniChairperson
Ashok Kalbag
Ashok KalbagVice Chairperson
Chaitanya Nadkarny
Chaitanya NadkarnyTreasurer
B.R. Venkatesh
B.R. VenkateshTrustee
Narender Paul
Narender Paul Trustee
Dr. Sudhir Prabhu
Dr. Sudhir PrabhuFounder Member, STARS Forum
Rita Sengupta
Rita SenguptaFormer Chairperson - Udyogini
Dr. Kshama Metre
Dr. Kshama MetreNational Director - Chinmaya Org. for Rural Dev (CORD)
Dr. Reghu Rama Das
Dr. Reghu Rama DasJoint Director - Mitraniketan
Ashish Chavan
Ashish ChavanCo-ordinator, Gram Vikas Tantra Niketan
Bhakti Talwelkar
Bhakti TalwelkarProgramme Manager - STARS Forum

Board of Trustees

  • DR.YOGESH KULKARNI, Chairperson Vigyan Ashram, Chairperson STARS Forum
  • ASHOK KALBAG, Vice Chairperson STARS Forum
  • CHAITANYA NADKARNY, Management consultant
  • B. R. VENKATESH, Entrepreneurship Promoter/Trainer and Mentor
  • NARENDER PAUL, Chief Operating Officer, CORD