Madhav Chavan gets 'Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship'

Chavan-led Pratham aims to ensure that every child is in school and learning well. It works across urban and rural India, mobilising volunteers to execute low-cost solutions to maximize government efforts.

The main goal of the Skoll Foundation, set up in 1999, is to pursue the vision of a sustainable world of peace and prosperity. Each year the Skoll Foundation chooses a select group of social entrepreneurs and their organizations working around the world in the areas of tolerance and human rights, health, environmental sustainability, peace and security, and economic and social equity.

In conjunction with this award, Pratham will receive a three-year USD 1,235,000 grant from the Skoll Foundation to create an institution dedicated to identification, training, and nurturing of leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs who will not only continue to run Pratham programs around the country but who will also independently build new ideas and strengthen efforts in the area of education in the country.

"Madhav Chavan is transforming India's approach to children's literacy and education," said Sally Osberg, President and CEO of the Skoll Foundation.