Amit Mehta, CEO, Maa Foundation, Gujarat, manages a charitable organization funded by the Bilakhia family. The mission of Maa Foundation is to induce educational reforms in society that are scalable at a national level. The visible results delivered by Maa Foundation, a professionally managed organization, are traceable to the focused efforts of Mr Mehta. A tough but humane manager.

Mr Mehta, a chemical engineer, hung up his corporate boots after 14 years of professional success, to accept the leadership mantle at Maa Foundation. His passion to contribute to society has enabled Maa Foundation to serve thousands of children, parents and teachers over the past 5 years.

Mr Mehta leads a team of 350 young, energetic and highly zealous individuals, from diverse educational backgrounds. He runs Maa Foundation as a company, with the synergy of a NGO, and with total professionalism. The pilot projects adopted by Maa Foundation have been in Valsad, Bhavnagar and Amreli in Gujarat.

One of his earliest projects was in rural India, where children drop out from schools owing to the poor quality of education. Unfortunately, they do not realize the importance of education. This issue gave birth to Project Ken, which involves deploying intensely trained, educated unemployed local youth as full-time para-teachers in the rural government schools of Valsad district. Currently, 267 educational officers are working in 300 rural schools, impacting the lives of approximately 60,000 students enrolled up to standard 7.

In addition, a unique Project Vikas focuses on grooming numerous rural arts graduates with essential hard and soft skills to increase their employability. Further, but more basic, Project Parvarish offers children career counseling, in order to give them a sense of direction in life. Mr Mehta. Committed to education, training and development.

A left brain thinker, with strong right brain emotions, Mr Mehta has leveraged the advantages of technology by developing Samarthan, a free portal which provides educational information to the academic community. Maa Foundation has also designed special software to help the management of schools, as well as to track the performance of students. He clearly has scalability of education on his agenda.

Prof Y K Bhushan, Vice Chancellor of ICFAI University, Meghalaya, and Chairman of Universities launched by ICFAI, is an extraordinary institution builder. Historically, he is credited with having built the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai, from ground zero. He headed NMIMS for 18 years transforming it into an institution of significance in India.

Prof Bhushan is an outstanding facilitator, trainer, coach, counselor and recognizer. These are a rare combination of professional qualities; for transformation of organizations and individuals.

By nature, Prof Bhushan is gentle but firm. As a strategist he is a visionary, and as an operator a missionary. His values are principle-driven and he keeps his promises.

Prof Bhushan’s inputs to the professions of commerce and management are noteworthy. He has been the President of Association of Indian Management Schools; President of the Association of Management Development Institutions in South Asia; and President of the Indian Society for Training & Development. His contribution to management education has earned him several honors and accolades.

As an author, Prof Bhushan has abundantly contributed to management and accounts. His book titled ‘Fundamentals of Business Organization and Management’ is a classic, which has a place on every professional bookshelf. His written communication is, perhaps, his greatest differentiator.

Beroz Vacha is the Founder Member and Honrary Director of Helen Keller Institute for the Deaf and Deafblind. Established in 1977, this institute has pioneered the education of the Deafblind in India and South East Asia.

Ms Vacha has pursued the improbable, and has achieved the impossible – to facilitate the undaunting spirit of the deaf and deafblind into productive vocations.

The core of Ms Vacha's strategy is to make every member of her organization computer proficient. The challenge has entailed building special facilities for computer, Braille and language education at the institute. These computer proficient members are productively channelized for executing printing orders, in large print and Braille, for brochures, calendars, ballot papers, and greeting cards; as well as educational materials for science, geography and anatomy. A Herculean endeavour.

A tireless Ms Vacha has now negotiated with the National Institute of Open Studies to admit four deafblind students for an examination equivalent to the S.S.C. These students will appear for their exams on computers with power-Braille, and therefore not require human assistance. She aims to propel them to Junior College.

Ms Vacha. A luminary. An extraordinary human. She is driven by: Give to every other human being every right that you claim for yourself.

Dr (Mrs) Y G Parthasarathy, Dean and Director, Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan Group of Schools, Chennai, is a crusader for quality in education. Tradition and technology are in perfect harmony in her schools. Her mission: Indianize children.

At an early age, Dr Parthasarathy, sparked with nationalistic fervour and a passion for Indian cultural heritage, launched Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan in 1958 under a thatched roof with 13 children. The school now has three branches and 7,000 students.

Dr Parthasarathy has degrees in mathematics, journalism, education and history. Her Ph.D. is on the teachings of Ramanuja. She is always open to new ideas. This has made her schools introduce many pedagogic innovations that have benefited the students.

Dr Parthasarathy's schools inculcate in students a respect for Indian cultural heritage. The Bharat Kalachar, started as the Cultural Wing of Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan Schools, invites some of the best dancers and musicians of the country for the benefit of students. Bharat Kalachar has offered Cultural Scholarships to over 500 students.

Dr Parthasarathy asserts that there are three essential qualities for nation building: AIR – Accountability, Integrity and Responsibility. She is recognized in society as a unique blend of the traditional and modern; as well as inspiration and innovation.

We congratulate Dr (Mrs) Y G Parthasarathy, Qimpro Gold Standard 2007.