UpdateBot at 16:18, 30 October 2021

2021-10-30T16:18:38Z

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2019}}
{{short description|Indian educator and activist}}
{{Infobox academic
| honorific_prefix = 
| name = Anil Sadgopal
| honorific_suffix =
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| birth_date = 
| birth_place =
| death_date = 
| death_place =
| death_cause =
| region =
| nationality = Indian
| citizenship =
| residence =
| other_names =
| occupation =
| period =
| known_for = Hoshangabad Science Teaching Programme; RTE advocacy
| home_town =
| title =
| boards = 
| spouse =
| children =
| parents =
| relatives =
| awards = [[Jamnalal Bajaj Award]]; Homi Bhabha Award in Science Education
| website =
| education =
| alma_mater = [[Indian Agricultural Research Institute]]; [[California Institute of Technology|Caltech]]
| thesis_title =
| thesis_url =
| thesis_year =
| doctoral_advisor =
| influences = 
| discipline = Educationist
| workplaces = [[Tata Institute of Fundamental Research]] Kishore Bharati [[University of Delhi]]
| doctoral_students = 
| notable_students = 
| main_interests = School science education; universal access to elementary education
| notable_works =
| notable_ideas =
| influenced = 
| signature =
| footnotes =
}}

'''Anil Sadgopal''' is an Indian educationist and activist, known for the Hoshangabad Science Teaching Programme and for advocacy related to the [[Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009|Right to Education (RTE) Act]]. He is a recipient of several awards and honours, including the [[Jamnalal Bajaj Award]] for 'Application of Science and Technology for Rural Development'.<ref name="bajajawards">{{cite web |title=Dr Anil Sadgopal |url=http://www.jamnalalbajajawards.org/awards/archives/1980/science-and-technology/anil-sadgopal |website=Jamnalal Bajaj Awards |accessdate=24 November 2018}}</ref> He was instrumental in setting up [[Eklavya foundation]] in 1982. For over a decade, he was Professor of Education at [[Delhi University]], and headed its Department of Education during 1998-2001. Since 2004-2005, he has been campaigning for changes in the RTE Act, which he believes is flawed.

== Early life ==
Anil Sadgopal's father taught chemical technology at [[Banaras Hindu University]] while his mother was a homemaker. He studied in [[Birla Vidya Mandir]], [[Nainital]], and [[St. Stephen's College, Delhi|St. Stephen's College]], [[Delhi]].<ref name="livemint">{{cite web |last1=Singh |first1=Pallavi |title=Freedom to Study - Anil Sadgopal |url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/8pR1bqeZQYUl3wMlQ3jbYI/Freedom-to-study--Anil-Sadgopal.html |website=livemint.com |accessdate=24 November 2018}}</ref> His early experiences in school helped to shape his later views on the mother tongue as the medium of instruction. He obtained his Master's degree in plant physiology from the [[Indian Agricultural Research Institute]], [[New Delhi]].<ref name="bajajfullbio">{{cite web |title=Dr. Anil Sadgopal |url=http://www.jamnalalbajajawards.org/Media/pdf/JBA_1980_Bio_Anil_Sadgopal.pdf |website=Jamnalal Bajaj Awards |accessdate=3 December 2018}}</ref> In 1961 he went to the [[California Institute of Technology]] for doctoral studies in biochemistry and molecular biology.

== Career ==

After completing his Ph.D., Sadgopal returned to India in 1968. He held the post of Fellow at [[Tata Institute of Fundamental Research]] (TIFR), Bombay, during 1968-1971.<ref name="tifralumni">{{cite web |title=ABOUT ANIL SADGOPAL |url=http://www.tifr.res.in/~alumin/anil.doc |website=TIFR alumni |publisher=TIFR |accessdate=24 November 2018}}</ref> Continuing his biological studies, he set up a tissue culture laboratory in TIFR; however, his vocation lay elsewhere. During this period, he says, “I began visiting villages in remote areas of the country to understand them better. Those were life-changing years."<ref name="livemint" />

=== Kishore Bharati and the inception of HSTP ===

In 1971, Sadgopal resigned from TIFR and set up Kishore Bharati, an [[Non-governmental organization|NGO]] with its headquarters at Palia Pipariya, a village in [[Hoshangabad district]] of [[Madhya Pradesh]]. The organisation set out to work in the areas of health and agriculture, as well as education.<ref name="alagappa">{{cite book |last1=Alagappa |first1=Muthaiah |title=Civil Society and Political Change in Asia: Expanding and Contracting Democratic Space |date=2004 |publisher=Stanford University Press |isbn=0-8047-5097-1 |page=198 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fqNsVB0hJRYC&q=sadgopal |accessdate=21 May 2019}}</ref> For example, it promoted low-cost irrigation techniques and worked to spread awareness of animal husbandry. It was recognised by [[United Nations Environment Programme|UNEP]] for its environmentally-sound practices.<ref name="unepdirectory">{{cite book |last1=Maxwell |first1=Robert |title=Directory of Institutions and Individuals Active in Environmentally-Sound and Appropriate Technologies |date=1979 |publisher=Pergamon Press for UNEP |isbn=0080256589 |page=46 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VKOjBQAAQBAJ&q=farming+techniques+kishore+bharati&pg=PA46 |accessdate=1 December 2018}}</ref>

Sadgopal's work in school education began in 1972, with the Hoshangabad Science Teaching Programme (HSTP). This was a project which aimed to improve the teaching of science in grades 6-8 of government schools in Hoshangabad district. Initially it ran as a pilot project in 16 rural schools, and was jointly managed by Kishore Bharati and another NGO called Friends' Rural Centre. Because of his academic background, Sadgopal was able to rope in scientists from TIFR and other institutions of higher education and research - particularly [[University of Delhi|Delhi University]] - as members of the core resource group of HSTP. In 1978 the Government of Madhya Pradesh adopted the programme officially and extended it to all middle schools (grades 6-8) of Hoshangabad district. <ref name="eklavya">{{cite web |title=Important Milestones |url=https://www.eklavya.in/past-work-top/programmes-past-top/hstp/513-important-milestones |website=eklavya.in |accessdate=31 January 2020}}</ref>

=== Bhopal ===

In the early 1980s, Sadgopal played a major role in efforts to establish an institute dedicated to innovation in education. These culminated in the setting up of [[Eklavya foundation|Eklavya]] in 1982. With this, the intervention that had begun with HSTP entered a new phase, and Sadgopal ceased to be involved in the day-to-day running of HSTP. Following the [[Bhopal disaster|Bhopal gas leak tragedy]] in December 1984, he moved on to a different level of activism, working to secure justice for the gas leak victims. He set up a body called Zahreeli Gas Kand Sangharsh Morcha (Poisonous Gas Affair Struggle Front), which sought to draw attention to the plight of victims by organising conferences, rallies etc.<ref name="datelinebhopal">{{cite book |last1=Chishti |first1=Anees |title=Dateline Bhopal: A Newsman's Diary of the Gas Disaster |date=1986 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |location=New Delhi |page=101 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xGAJ9fNozXoC&q=sadgopal&pg=PA101 |accessdate=9 December 2018}}</ref>

When the [[Acharya Ramamurti]] Committee was constituted in 1990 to review the [[National Policy on Education|National Education Policy of 1980]], Anil Sadgopal was nominated as one of the members. However, he resigned from the committee in protest against what he perceived as the government's "backtracking on the goal of universalisation of elementary education".<ref name="frontlinevasanthasurya">{{cite news |last1=Surya |first1=Vasantha |title=A vision for India's schools |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/static/html/fl1716/17160700.htm |accessdate=13 December 2018 |work=Frontline |issue=Volume 17 - Issue 16 |date=5–18 August 2000}}</ref>

=== Delhi ===

Sadgopal moved to Delhi in 1992. During this period he researched and wrote a book on assassinated trade unionist [[Shankar Guha Niyogi]]. In 1994, he joined the [[University of Delhi]] as Professor of Education.<ref name="durgabaideshmukh">{{cite web |title=ANIL SADGOPAL (2004) |url=https://sites.google.com/site/csdddml/anil-sadgopal-2004 |website=The Durgabai Deshmukh Memorial Lectures |accessdate=24 November 2018}}</ref> During 1998-2001, he was Head, Department of Education.<ref name="cieheads">{{cite web |title=At the Helm |url=http://cie.du.ac.in/ |website=Department of Education, University of Delhi |accessdate=25 November 2018}}</ref> He was also Senior Fellow at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (2001-2006).<ref name="hbcseaward">{{cite web |title=Homi Bhabha Award in Science Education - 2018 Award Function and Public Talk |url=http://www.hbcse.tifr.res.in/awards/homi-bhabha-award-in-science-education/hba-2018 |publisher=Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education |accessdate=2 October 2020}}</ref>

From the 1980s, Sadgopal has been increasingly involved in the people's science movement in India. During 1993-2002, he was the National Convener of Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha, an all India people’s science network.<ref name="durgabaideshmukh" />

=== The RTE act ===
In 2004, Sadgopal was inducted as a member of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), the highest advisory body <ref name="pib">{{cite web |title=Ministry of Human Resource Development: Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) reconstituted |url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelcontent.aspx?relid=2297 |website=pib.nic.in |publisher=Government of India |accessdate=3 December 2018}}</ref><ref name="goiarchive">{{cite web |title=Education: General Overview |url=https://archive.india.gov.in/sectors/education/index.php?id=2 |website=archive.india.gov.in |publisher=Government of India |accessdate=29 November 2018}}</ref> to the Government in matters related to education. During 2004-2005 he was a member of three CABE committees, including the committee which was to draft the RTE Bill.<ref name="tifralumni" /> In July 2005, when the draft was presented at a full meeting of CABE, Sadgopal circulated a note, alleging that the draft prepared by the committee had been changed in a major way, diluting the provisions of the proposed act.<ref name="the hinducabe">{{cite news |title=No consensus on Free and Compulsory Education Bill |url=https://www.thehindu.com/2005/07/16/stories/2005071609490300.htm |accessdate=9 December 2018 |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=16 July 2005}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The Government dismissed it as his personal view, and he resigned from the committee. The bill was passed by the [[Parliament of India]] in 2009, and the Act came into force from 1 April 2010. Subsequently, Sadgopal has been involved in a campaign to modify the RTE Act and bring in a common school system. He was one of the founders of the All India Forum for Right to Education, set up in 2009, and is a member of its presidium.<ref name="aifrtepresidium">{{cite web |title=Members of the AIFRTE Presidium |url=http://aifrte.in/node/66 |accessdate=1 December 2018}}</ref>

== Awards and honours ==

* '''2018:''' Conferred "the Homi Bhabha Award" in Science and Education by the [[Tata Institute of Fundamental Research]]<ref name="thehindu2">{{cite news|last1=Joshi|first1=Yukti|title=Prof. Anil Sadgopal wins TIFR award|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/prof-anil-sadgopal-wins-tifr-award/article27944328.ece|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=15 June 2019}}</ref>
* [[Jamnalal Bajaj Award]], 1980 <ref name="bajajawards" />
* Vikram Sarabhai Memorial Lecture, 1981
* Rathindra Puraskar, 1984 <ref name="tifralumni" />
* Durgabai Deshmukh Memorial Lecture, 2004 <ref name="durgabaideshmukh" />

== Books authored by Anil Sadgopal ==
* ''Sangharsh aur Nirman'' (in Hindi, ''Struggle and Construction''), by Anil Sadgopal and Shyam Bahadur 'Namra', Rajkamal Prakashan, New Delhi, 1993. {{ISBN|81-267-0996-0}}.
* ''Political Economy of Education in the Age of Globalisation: De-mystifying the Knowledge Agenda'', by Anil Sadgopal, Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha, 2003.
* ''Shiksha mein Badlav ka Sawal'' (in Hindi, ''The Question of Change in Education''), by Anil Sadgopal, Granth Shilpi, 2000. {{ISBN|817917056X}}.

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt9DeTy4qA8 Prof Anil Sadgopal on The role of the transformative teacher and notion of knowledge]

{{Jamnalal Bajaj Award winners}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sadgopal, Anil}}

[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian educational theorists]]
[[Category:California Institute of Technology alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian educators]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

Anil Sadgopal - Revision history

UpdateBot at 16:18, 30 October 2021