“Empowering Rural Futures: Engineering Education as a Catalyst for Sustainable Village Republics"
Accessibility
The lecture organised by RCI Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, IITPKD will be conducted in English with Indian Sign Language (ISL) interpretation. If the interpreter is not spotlighted along with the speaker, you may please pin the interpreter's tab for a seamless experience. If anyone requires assistance in accessing the lecture without barriers, in addition to the sign language, please get in touch with Dr Sudarshan R Kottai at sudarshan@iitpkd.ac.in by 1 August, 2024.
Abstract
In this talk, I will explore the transformative power of engineering education in achieving rural development and sustainability, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of self-sufficient village republics. Drawing from my personal experiences, I will highlight the critical role that higher education institutions play in bridging the gap between technological advancements and their practical application in rural settings.
This interactive talk is designed to engage participants in an active dialogue, encouraging them to consider practical applications within their local contexts. This engagement aims not only to inspire but also to catalyse actionable insights among educators and students across India, propelling forward the mission of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan in transforming rural landscapes through targeted educational initiatives.
The session will further delve into effective strategies for addressing issues like gender disparity, fostering inclusion, and ensuring diversity within engineering education. These elements are vital for creating resilient educational ecosystems that can support comprehensive rural transformation.
Bionote
Dr Nikita Hari is the Head of Teaching and Design Support Group at the Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford (https://eng.ox.ac.uk/people/nikita-hari/). A multi-award-winning interdisciplinary Engineer with more than a decade of integrated global career record spanning industry, start-ups and higher education. Nikita holds a doctorate in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cambridge and was a Faculty for Future Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Oxford. A TEDx speaker and Co-founder of two Edtech companies, Nikita is a champion for STEM and serves as a strategic advisor, influencing policy and systems across governments, startups, and universities. Holding key roles such as CTO/Director/Co-founder and as the innovation and enterprise lead of UK's first industry-based university, her career journey is defined by leading transformative initiatives in engineering and education.A passionate advocate for Engineering, Nikita’s vision is to engage, educate and inspire the next wave of changemakers, innovators, and leaders to engineer a better and sustainable future.
Nikita has won many accolades and awards- from been listed in Asia - Pacific Who's Who list for meritorious contribution to society through education by exemplary leadership, the prestigious Forbes 30 under 30 Achievers finalist in Europe in the Science category to the ‘Inspirational Women in Engineering Award and Academic Excellence Award’ by various organizations in India. Churchill college recognized her by featuring a cover story on her on International women’s day in Science. Read more at : https://www.chu.cam.ac.uk/news/2016/feb/14/daring-dream-nikita-hari
Nikita was listed in ’Engineers Making a Difference’ Book by Imperial College London and Gatsby Foundation, 2023 and figured in the ‘Top 50 Women in Engineering in UK Under 35’- WES & UNESCO, 2017 among many others. She also won many academic excellence awards and scholarships like Cambridge Trust Scholarship, BFWIG foundation grant and was awarded Gold Medals for being the University Rank Holder and outstanding academic merit for both her Masters and Bachelor’s Degree in Technology.
