Dr. Mariazeena Johnson : a revolutionary educationist with great vision

Dr. Mariazeena Johnson was christened as Anbu Nila by Dr. MGR at the time of her birth. Born to the politician turned philanthropist Colonel Dr. Jeppiaar, she follows her father’s footsteps in embracing a holistic approach to education • With the whole-hearted support of her husband, Dr. Johnson, she also spearheads the foundation which aims at helping the under-privileged • She has gained a doctorate from the University of Madras for her research on Recent Developments in Women Entrepreneurship

A multifaceted personality,she is a revolutionary educationist with great vision of redefining the way of entire education system works on creating effective curriculum. Her exceptional organization skills and commitment towards effective functioning of the University has taken it to newer heights. Under her leadership, the dynamic institution has grown by leaps and bounds from college to life changing university, from small edifices to super structures . The pioneer in the world of education has set a trend by implementing 5 hrs of Professional education + 2 hrs of practical training in Sathyabama University (Employability skills+ life skills) .The university has received various outstanding awards including the Econs - Excellence in Education, The Times Groups - Edupreneurs Award for exemplary commitment and impactful positive contribution to education in Tamil Nadu, S. Chand Group - Indian Education Awards, Council of Architecture – Excellence in Architectural Thesis, Indian Red Cross Society – Award of Excellence for donating maximum number of blood units and Assocham National Education Excellence Awards - Best Engineering College in South India .

She is a charismatic speaker whose extraordinary public speaking skills, sense of humour and the rich knowledge about the subject of talk made a mark of worth listening to .A great humanitarian and a social reformer who is easily approachable and ready to extend her hands to help people who desire. Her contribution in taking higher education to the under-privileged students is a commendable one. An Iconic feminist who spreads the women empowerment and motivates women to go for greater heights through lot of Women Empowerment programs .A Thought-provoking and students’ friendly person who believes in the younger generation’s capacity and keen on inspiring them and provide all support to develop them as a great assets to the country and to the society.

She has made the university an inclusive one by offering arts & engineering courses to differently abled students. The applications for the University are also available in Braille. She introduced the MY SATURDAY SCHOOL initiative, a fun loving educational program for school students. She enables education for  500+ first generation engineers every year under Anbu Scholarship Scheme. As an eco warrior, she allocated a land for agriculture within the campus. Every year, she provides free education for around 500 less privileged and deserving students and 500 students who excel in sports. She Launched 15 student development clubs in the university to emphasize practical education. She has Established Child Care Centre facility for the University staff members .She has  made a landmark with FEMFEST, a cultural event for women, hosted every year in a true measure of celebration, validation and recognition of womanhood across the country

She also initiated the “WOW” (Will On Wheels) project in association with Arjuna Awardee Ms. Deepa Malik that was undertaken by a crew of students to promote ‘ability beyond disability’ which was the longest Pan India drive by a paraplegic woman and was recorded in the Limca Book of Records • Guinness Book of Record was granted for the Longest Painting measured 2,235m which was created by the students from the Department of Architecture in Chennai, India on11th January 2003 that was done under her motivation • With her support, the department of Architecture organized a workshop on the theme “BIZARRCH” as part of South Zonal NASA Convention “Apologue 2013” and created the largest bizarre arts-cape using recyclable materials covering an area of 9757.44 sq ft and 11 ft height, using 650 kg of cartons, 264 kg of newspaper, 181 kg of waste papers, 819 kg of wooden waste and 2088 pet bottles collected from the University premises and entered into the Limca Book of Records in 2013 • Sathyabama University feels proud to have the World’s Largest Solar Steam Cooking System in the campus which was an initiative of our director Dr. Mariazeena Johnson. We have 110 concentrator dishes with an area of 1100 m2 (World’s largest installation in terms of the number of dishes and square metres of the reflecting concentrator dishes) Eminent Records Contribution

With her SCHOOL ADOPTION initiative in association with World Vision’s “Support My School” project, the University has adopted 5 panchayat schools • She is a patron of around 30 renowned foundations & trusts • Educates rural fisherwomen on technology pertaining to their livelihood for an alternative income generation through seaweed cultivation and solar lamp making • As a great philanthropist she serves the society in large from needy children to destitute women • Currently working on a thematic convergence project titled “Women Empowerment Bureau for the district Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu” sanctioned by the National Mission for Empowerment of Women(NMEW) under the Ministry of Women and Child Development and National Resource Centre for Women •

Introduced the “Inspiring Icon Awards” to honor women whose pioneering work include scientific breakthroughs, life-saving discoveries, invention of new technologies, creation of organizations, and the promotion of women empowerment at FEMFEST .She has Sponsored books to set up inclusive library for the visually challenged students for the 50th year of RYA BOOK BANK. She initiated EARN WHILE YOU LEARN program for school dropouts. She introduced vocational courses for RURAL UPLIFTMENT •She extends support to children of war widows .She sponsors daily meals for 7 orphanages. She supported various social causes like the Eco Rally, Earth Hour, Pinkathon and many more. Sathyabama University won the overall maximum number of participants trophy at Pinkathon – A Breast Cancer Awareness Run consecutively for the 2 nd year in 2015.

S.R. Trust, Meenakshi Mission Hospital, Madurai • Saranya's children home, KSCCW, Bangalore • World Vision India, Chennai • Help a Child of India, Chennai • Minds and Souls, Kolkata • Poovanam, Chennai • Christian Missions Charitable Trust, Chennai • Summanahalli Society, Bangalore • Support my School NDTV with World Vision • The Banyan, Chennai • Little Hearts, Chennai • Lawrence Charitable Trust, Chennai • Agaram Foundation, Chennai • Adyar Cancer Institute, Chennai • Indian Vision Foundation, Delhi • Tamilnadu Blind Association, Chennai • Little Sisters of the Poor, Chennai • Annai Fathima Child Welfare Centre, Chennai • S.D. Louis New Life Home, Chennai • New Life Vision Home, Chennai • ECI Magilchi Illam, Chennai • Smile Foundation, Delhi • Swiss Emmaus India, Delhi • NAAM Foundation, Chennai • Ability Foundation, Chennai Research Thrust aresome of the organizations she supports .

She has organized several research activities including Skill Development Program for Unemployed Women with Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) , Self Help Groups in association with TNCDW, NABARD, EDI , Technology Business Incubator in association with Department Science and Technology (DST) , Students Enrichment Program with Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) and Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) , Risk and Disaster management in association with BHAVINI, Entrepreneurship Awareness Program in association with Canara Bank, India Bank, EDI, Training Program in association with Postal department, Government of India

She is an active member participant in various programs ,Education - Towards India 2020 at the National Seminar on Politics, Democracy and Governance • Addictions: Drugs, Alcohol, Digital at Radiant Wellness Conclave, Panel Speaker • IEEE WIE Leadership Summit - Need To Push Global Leadership For Women In The Field Of Education • Quality Sustenance and Development In School Education” at the National Level seminar at M.O.P. Vaishnava College for Women • March for Change – Can Women Have it All at JFW Women’s Summit • Rising Phoenix – Re-Imagining Education at Tedx Mambalam • Family Next – New Gen Entrepreneurs/Edupreneurs – Their challenges and Opportunities at Tiecon • Invasion towards Innovation at IIT Madras • In the making of Innovative Engineers at RAIF • Green Technologies for Automotive sectors at CII • Panel Member at Spark - the Annual Rotract Conference

 She has received several notable Awards such as Times of India - "EDUPRENEURS" Award for exemplary commitment and impactful positive contribution to Education in Tamil Nadu, JFW Women Achiever Award 2014 for Excellence in Education.

JFW Women Achiever Award 2014 for Excellence in Education , Indra Gandhi Seva Rathna Puraskar, “Bharat Jyoti Award” for Meritorious Services, Outstanding Performance and Remarkable Role, Lions Club International - Life Time Achievers Award for the exemplary services rendered to the cause of the Differently- Abled People , Certificate of Excellence Award for Education • RITZ Women of Merit Award , Raindropss Saadhanai Pengal Award for Social Initiatives & Women Empowerment  and is a Lifetime member of Ficci Ladies Organisation.

Adding another feather to her cap, she has been recognized as the most influential women in education sector by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, among the 100 women achievers this year. She has been honored by the President of India Mr.Pranab Mukerjee as a special guest at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan.

Ms Krithiga Ravichandran : mind is filled with revolutionary thoughts with regard to art forms

Name                         : Krithiga. R

Place                           : Pondicherry

Mobile Number         : +91 8220202062

Website                       : www.krithiga.com

Designation                : Assistant Professor of Computer Science

Name of the Field      : Art and Culture (Bharathnatyam)

Qualification              : M.Sc (Computer Science), M.Phil (Dance), (Ph.D Computer Science)           

                                      Pursuing.,

ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE FIELD

·         First Class in Master of Fine Arts (M. F. A in Bharathnatyam 2010-2012) from the Kalai Kaveri College of Fine Arts, Thiruchirapalli (Bharathidasan University).

·         M.Phil in Dance from Tamil University, Tanjore.

·         UGC-NET Qualified in Dance during the year 2012.

·         SET Qualified in Computer Science during the year 2012.

·         “STATE BEST CHILD AWARD” from the Government of Puducherry in the year 2004.

·         Recipient of scholarship from Central Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT), New Delhi during the period 2004 - 2007.

·         Title “KALAI ILA NANMANI” from Sri Kokilambigai Thirukameshwarar Temple, Puducherry in the year 2005.

·         Recipient of Young Artist Scholarship from Central Ministry of Culture, New Delhi.

·         Selected under Tamil Nadu Iyal, Isai and Nataka Mandram’s Talent promotion scheme and performed at various Sabhas in Chennai, Madurai, Tanjore and Erode

·         Title “NRITYA JYOTI” from Naveen Kalakar, Bhuvaneshwar, Orissa in the year 2013.

·         Jury for the Kerala ‘Vasantha Utsav’ Bharathnatyam competition organized by the Kerala Child Welfare Society in association with the Govt. of Kerala at Trivandrum, Kerala in the year 2013.

·         Jury for the State Level Bharathnatyam competition, organized by the Education Department, Pondicherry for the occasion of Children’s Day Celebration in the year 2014.

·         Title “ILAIGNAR KALAI SIGARAM” by ‘Kuzhathaigal Kalai Ilakkiya Valarchi Kazhagam’, Pondicherry in the year 2013.

·         B-Grade artiste of Doordharshan – 2014.

·         Won prizes in many National Level Competitions.

·         “YOUNG TALENTED AWARD”, from South Zone Cultural Centre, Ministry of Culture in the year 2014.

·         “Indian Youth Delegation”, China in the year 2011, organized by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.

·         Represented the cultural team for the “6^th Indo-Vietnam Friendship Festival”, Vietnam in the year 2013 organized by the All India Peace & Solidarity Organization.

DANCE PERFORMANCES IN INDIA

·         Performance at National Bal Bhavan, New Delhi in the year 2002.

·         Performance at Pune, Maharashtra organized by CCRT in association with Akhil Bharatiya Sanskrutik Sangh, New Delhi in the year 2007.

·         Performed at Thirupathi, for “BRAHMA URCHAVAM” during the year 2008.

·         Performed in National Youth Festival at Bhuvaneshwar, Orissa, 2010.

·         Performance in Dantan Grameen Mela, Dantan, West Bengal in the year 2010, organized by South Asian Fraternity.

·         Performed at Thiruvaarur, Thiruvaiyaaru and Thirunallaru Natyanjali Festivals many times.

·         Performed along with thousand dancers at the Cultural Festival to Mark the Tanjore Big Temple's Millennium Celebrations on 22^nd September, 2010.

·         Performance at “Lok Rang” festival, Jaipur, Rajasthan in the year 2011, organized by the Art & Culture Department of Pondicherry in association with Jaipur Art & Culture Department.

·         Performance in the National Youth Festival, 2011 at Udaipur, Rajasthan.

·         Performance in the National Youth Festival – 2012 at Mangalore, Karnataka.

·         Performance at Rasiga Ranjana Sabha, Trichy, Tamil Nadu in the year 2012.

·         Performance at Hamsadhvani Sabha, Chennai in the year 2012.

·         Performance at Raja Muthaiaah Mandram, Madurai, Tamil Nadu in the year 2012.

·         Performance at Kavithalayam , Erode, Tamil Nadu in the year 2012.

·         Performance at Adhi Keshava Perumal Koil, Mylapore, Chennai organized by Malar Cultural Academy.

·         Performance at Karur Natyanjali in the year 2012.

·         Performance for World Dance Day – 2013 at Bangalore, organized by Sai Arts International.

·         International Theatre Festival – 2013, organized by South Zone Cultural Centre, in association with Puducherry Art & Culture Department and Drama Department of Pondicherry University.

·         Nandikar- International Theatre Festival – 2013, Kolkatta.

·         Performed at 59^th Art and Nrithya Festival at Sri Krishna Gana Sabha in the year 2014.

·         Performed at Chidambaram Natyanjali Dance Festival – 2015.

·         Performed at Indianostrum Theatre, Pondicherry, for the World Dance Day celebration in the year 2015.

BRIEF OF WORK DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY

·         Krithiga Ravichandran is a young Bharathnatyam artiste from Pondicherry, whose mind is filled with revolutionary thoughts with regard to art forms.

·         Right from her schooling to Ph.D and the commencement of dancing classes, this young prodigy was brought up and trained by Govt. Institutions and now is a Govt. servant.

·         She initiated her training in the field of dance at the age of 5.

·         Besides playing the role of Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Rajiv Gandhi Government Arts and Science College, Puducherry and educating the rural students, she also imparts the art and cultural values of India to the society.

·         She claims that dance is a birth right of all the human beings.

·         Her primary motto is to educate and impart the society with the cultural values of India to preserve the art form afresh and anew.

·         Owning so much of interest and passion towards Bharathnatyam, she has been performing in many prestigious platforms that includes more than 500 stage shows to keep the art form alive.

·         To popularize Bharathnatyam at a global level and let the people inside and outside India realize the traditional and cultural values of Bharathnatyam, she has been volunteering to conduct Dance Demonstrations and workshops.

·         She has been conducting many workshops in the Auroville International City since 2012, for the foreign people, through which they were educated about the Indian dance forms.

·         She has been conducting Lec-Dem’s for foreigners of Tamil School of Pondicherry Institute of Linguistic and Culture (PILC), Govt. of Puducherry since 2013.

·         Besides having founded a trust namely “Veer Foundation of Arts and Culture”, for the development and growth of arts and culture, she also join hands to support other NGO’s such as Mughil Educational Trust, Amma Samuga Seva Maiyam etc., by offering them fund-raising programmes and free stage performances, recognizing their services to the society.

·         Pondicherry, being a city that is highly populated with French people and other tourists, utilizing this as an opportunity to create awareness about the art form, she has been associating with Chetak Travels, Pondicherry, to deliver lecture cum demonstrations and performances for the travelers and guests from abroad.

·         She has offered free dance classes for the students of the Special School of Blind, Deaf and Mutes, Government of Puducherry.

·         She teaches the techniques and nuances of Bharathnatyam through her dancing classes and also offers free dance classes.

·         She has contributed to the Documentary movies of Poets such as Kudandai. Pa. Sundaresanar and Thiruvalluvar in which she has danced to their lyrics.

·         She has been contributing to many literary works.

·         Though she was involved in many projects, she has recently taken up a challenging task of choreographing the celebrated text “Thirukkural”, for the entire 1330 couplets, which no artists have ever attempted or thought of before. Besides, audio rendering for the same has also been completed by her. It is also going to be a world record attempt. Through this attempt, she wishes to take the message of the text to every individual and create awareness on the morality, ethics and principles of life, as she always believes that art makes one a complete human being.

·         Her vision is to make the art form reach the people irrespective of caste, creed, religion and nationality. She is an inspiration and a role model for people of all age groups.

·         Her area of attention and focus includes training trans-gender people, differently abled, needy people, people in the below poverty line and tribes. She also promises to give them a global platform wherein they could explore, learn, improve and master the art form.

ANNEXURE

1.      The Hindu Article – http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/133-hours/article5406163.ece

2.      Zoom Pondy Article - http://www.zoompondy.com/articles/pondicherrys-krithiga-aims-to-dance-for-133-hours-for-thirukkural-to-enter-into-the-guinness-world-records/

3.      Auroville Art Service - http://aurovilleartservice.org/a-divine-offering-of-indian-classical-dance/

4.      Pondicherry Events - http://pondicherryevents.com/event/d3dd/natya-vizha-by-krithiga-ravichandran-gandhi-thidal.html

5.      Suryan FM Interview - https://soundcloud.com/krithiga-ravichandran/krithiga-ravichandran-suryan-fm-interview

Ms. Sonia Mackwani young award-winning Social Entrepreneur

Sonia Mackwani  is a young award-winning Social Entrepreneur, an Author, a Psychic Healer, a Therapist, Trainer/ Mentor, Script-writer and an upcoming film-maker.

She is the Founder- Director of Touching Lives, a Mumbai based NGO working for the education, empowerment and enlightenment of children – with the vision to have every child become an ‘Independent Learner’.

A TEDx Speaker, her books, meditation CDs, free online programs and trainings help to raise funds for supporting education and mental health of children at Touching Lives and also building capacity in every mentor to become a conscious leader.

Accolades and Recognition

·        WON #100 Women Achievers of India by Ministry of Women & Child Development 2015 in category of ‘Education’ and will be felicitated at a lunch gathering with President of India.

·        Awarded the World Women Leadership Award at the World Women Leadership Congress 2015

·        Emerged among the TOP 5 Mercedes Benz A Class Achievers 2014

·        National Level Screenwriter Award by MAAC & Shamiana Short-Film Club for her socially inclined script – ‘The Play’ 2015

·        Noble Laureate Award – Karmaveer Puraskaar by iCongo - CNBC Young Turk Transformer - Social Entrepreneur Category 2011

·        Gaurav Puraskaar 2011

·        Aga Khan Youth Award for Excellence in Leadership 2007

·        Aga Khan Social Role Model Award 2009

About Touching Lives

Sonia was only 21 when she started ‘Touching Lives’ in 2003. She was then, simultaneously pursuing her education in Psychology from Mithibai College and then further her Masters in Clinical Psychology from University of Mumbai. Sonia also did her Masters in Clinical Hypnotherapy. 

She started Touching Lives with the foundational value in her heart that – ‘It is completely our need to serve than saying, we serve the needy.’ And this value stays strong in the ethics of the organization even today.  

Sonia wrote two books then, to support Touching Lives financially and to register it under The Bombay Public Trust Act in 2006. She conducted tuitions & workshops on Psychology, Meditation & other spiritual concepts to raise funds and at the same time continue her inner journey of evolution. She was also a Trustee of Atmaviswas Vidyalaya – a residential mental rehabilitation centre in Valsad, Gujarat training the care-takers and supporting the inmates.

Nature & Work of Touching Lives

With her ideology of seeing every human as a supreme potential to contribute in this universe, she developed Meta-Quantum Learning Model that focuses on supporting every child to become a ‘whole’ human – that is, providing them and their families with therapeutic interventions towards learning and education and become a successful individual socially, economically, mentally, physically, spiritually & aesthetically. 

VISION is to have every child become an ‘INDEPENDENT L(E)ARNER”

MISSION is to set up quality resource centres (generally termed as Learning Centre & Community Centre) that allow children to recover, discover and do what they realize for themselves and for the world.

EDUCATION, EMPOWERMENT & ENLIGHTENMENT, is our GOAL.

BRIEF BACKGROUND

Touching Lives is a non-profit organization dedicated to Education, Empowerment and Enlightenment of children living in the slums of Mumbai. The organization runs independent learning centres. The committed children, aged 5 - 21, gain supplementary education through several learning programs. There is a cycle of 7 learning programs; starting from Community Beginners to Beginners Program, Preschool, Afterschool, Transit, Dream Project, Pay-It-forward Program. This allows the children to become independent and successful professionals in their chosen area. They could even be the future generation of leaders at your organization.

Touching Lives also supports other NGOs and schools both in rural and urban areas through teacher training and mentoring programs.

In 2015, we supported 250 children and over a period of next 5 years, we intend to support number of communities, children & their parents.

Her Books and Publications

·        Sonia has written two children’s books -Tales from Indian Mythology - Mahabharata (4 Volumes) and Tales from Indian Mythology - Ramayana (2 Volumes). They were published in 2006 by Magna Publications and were selected for the Frankfurt Book Fair during that year.

·        Everyone Can Heal, her debut non-fiction book of guided healing processes, released world-wide in 2014 digitally and paperback in 2005 by Leadstart Publishing. The book was graciously launched and unveiled in the presence of renowned Indian Playback Singer – Rekha Bhardwaj ji.

She currently has couple of fiction books on her desk.

·        Links   http://www.amazon.com/Everyone-Heal-Guided-Healing-Processes/dp/938111563X/ref=sr_1_2_twi_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1421918416&sr=8-2&keywords=Everyone+Can+Heal

·        Link,  http://www.amazon.in/Mahabharata-1-Sonia-Mackwani/dp/8178093367/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1446739506&sr=1-3

Her Edu-Media Initiatives

Power Minutes (Five Minutes’ Guided Meditation) with Times Music

An audio-visual album for effective meditation – conceptualised by Sonia and recorded in her voice, released March’2015.

·        Link, http://www.amazon.in/Power-Minutes-5-Minute-Meditations/dp/B00UXEV7JQ/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1446739577&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=power+minutes+sonia+mackwani

Social Awareness Films

Sonia’s script was selected and adapted into a short-film amongst 450 scripts from all over India in a National Scriptwriting Competition by MAAC & Shamiana Short-films for its socially inclined concept. The film was termed as one of the most expensive short-films in Indian Cinema. The short -film ABC, wins the Special Jury Award @ the 4th Delhi Shorts International Film festival '15.

·        Trailer Link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci7-Diz0Jrw&feature=youtu.be

*more links attached in another word file – Media Links_Sonia Mackwani

Her Therapeutic World (as a Psychic Healer & Trainer/Mentor)

Her practice involves training people and facilitating their journey towards highest consciousness through Counselling, Reiki, Master-Reconnection which is a healing process founded by her, Family Constellation and other intuitive ancient healing and wisdom modalities including ‘Birthing Into Being’ which is about conscious birthing, healing birth traumas and helping an adult too, to break-free from old limiting patterns. This helps to develop a strong relationship and foundation for a whole, successful and conscious human being.

Press and Media

Stories of her inspiring journey have been featured in various print and electronic media including Times of India, Dainik Bhaskar, Afternoon Dispatch, Savvy Magazine, Seventeen Magazine, Meri Saheli, CNBC News Channel, Etv, Chitralekha and many more.

   *attached Media Links_Sonia Mackwani

Other Project and Collaborations

Sonia is currently working as a screenplay, story assistant & producer in an international film with an acclaimed Brazilian film-maker Marcos Negrao for his global film project called Child of Nature. The film also captures stories of children of Touching Lives representing India as a space of wisdom in the field.

Her director’s assistantship with a Sundance Award winning Bollywood film director Sarthak Dasgupta is in the pipeline.

She is on the move of making her own debut short-film on social awareness, inspiration and contribution and which will go under production in 2016.

Her Studies Now:

Besides her writing, she is intending to pursue learning film-making, singing for more creative expressions for contributing towards humanity and raising funds through that.

Her Vision & Plans

To build schools & therapeutic- learning centres where children, parents and communities come together to develop a child who is mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, aesthetically, economically, socially successful and who becomes a conscious contribution on this planet.

Please connect Sonia Mackwani at sonia.touchinglives@gmail.com and +91 9167032331

www.touchonelife.org

www.soniamackwani.com