Ramesh Shah, one of the founding members of Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation USA, was recently honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the organization.
This recognition marks a historic moment as Shah becomes the first and only volunteer to receive the accolade in Ekal's history.
The award celebrates his lifetime of dedicated service to the foundation's mission of transforming rural and tribal communities in India through education and empowerment initiatives.
Shah, who came to the United States in the 1970s and settled in Houston in 1976, co-founded Ekal USA in 1999. Over the past two decades, the non-profit has grown exponentially, operating over 85,000 schools across rural India.
Its unique one-teacher, one-school model provides education, health awareness, and economic empowerment to underserved areas. Shah's leadership was instrumental in connecting the Indian diaspora to the mission, enabling holistic village development across India, the organization said in a statement.
Ekal's programs extend beyond education, encompassing health initiatives, women’s skill development, digital literacy, and sustainable farming practices. Shah’s passion for rural development has taken him and his wife
Kokila to remote villages across India, allowing them to witness the impact of their efforts firsthand.
“Urban as well as rural, they are both part of one Bharat,” Shah said. "Think about your own village back in India, and what you would do to see it progress."
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