Inspired by the Gandhian principles around the concept of the village as a self-reliant unit, Roy founded the Barefoot College in 1972 in Tilonia, Rajasthan, to provide benefits to the poorest of the poor by offering practical skills and knowledge through a learning-by-doing approach to education and training. Today, the college is training illiterate and semi-literate, poor, rural women from 64 countries to become Barefoot solar engineers. These dynamic women solar engineers have been successful in electrifying over 20,000 homes in rural villages in 64 countries.

About the speaker:

In 2010, Bunker Roy was selected by TIME magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world for his outstanding efforts in redefining the way the world thinks about fighting poverty. He has received several accolades including the Schwab Foundation Award for Outstanding Entrepreneurs in 2003 and the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship in 2005. Roy has spoken about the Barefoot approach at several conferences worldwide including TED Global 2011.

This event was in association with Godrej Good & Green.