AID Jeevansaathi, Balaji Sampath awarded the Ashoka-Lemelson Fellowship for Innovative Social Entr.

PORTLAND, Ore., Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ — Seven social entrepreneurs throughout Asia are being recognized today as the first recipients of the Ashoka-Lemelson Fellowship. The $4 million Fellowship program will build a critical mass of 100 inventor-entrepreneurs over the next three years, catalyzing their growth and impact by providing them with financial support, professional guidance and access to a global network spanning over 60 countries.

“We are enthusiastic about providing support to these visionaries and enabling them to take their work to the next level of broader, deeper social impact,” said Julia Novy-Hildesley, Executive Director of The Lemelson Foundation.

The Fellows supported by the Ashoka-Lemelson partnership were chosen according to the long-established search-and-selection methodology and five criteria for the Ashoka Fellowship: a systems-changing new idea; creativity; entrepreneurial quality; social impact of the idea; and ethical fiber of the applicant.

The induction ceremony being held today at Infosys headquarters in Bangalore — the capital city of Karnataka in India — marks Ashoka’s 25 years of dedication to social entrepreneurship.

The seven Fellows selected by Ashoka and Lemelson — the first of many who will be inducted this year — are leading professionals from India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka who have devised innovative business models across a host of sectors:

Vineet Rai (India) and his organization — Aavishkaar — provide venture capital financing and management support to socially-conscious and environmentally-friendly ventures with limited access to capital.

Madan Mohan Rao (India), founder of Rural Telecom Foundation, has modified a nearly-extinct technology — the party line system — to provide connectivity to villagers living in rural areas unable to attract mobile phone service providers.

Abhishek Ray (India), architect and head of Disability Research and Design Group, is drawing on the emerging field of Universal Design to create affordable, barrier-free environments that are highly-functional for all people — regardless of age, ability or situation.

Balaji Sampath (India) is revolutionizing the way science is taught in India through low-cost materials promoting hands-on learning and creative dissemination techniques.

Tri Mumpuni (Indonesia) is tackling challenges of rural electrification and economic development by creating community-owned, micro-hydropower (MHP) systems throughout Indonesia. Her company, IBEKA, develops the new technologies.

Onno Purbo (Indonesia) and his Computer Network Research Group are helping to build Indonesia into a knowledge-based society by bringing low-cost Wi-Fi Internet access to communities and schools throughout the country.

Lalith Seneviratne (Sri Lanka) and his team are solving the technological barriers to bringing sustainable electricity to rural Sri Lanka, and building the components that allow community members to maintain and finance small- scale biomass generation.

About Ashoka

Ashoka is the global association of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs — men and women with system — changing solutions for the world’s most urgent social problems. Since its founding in 1980, Ashoka has provided start-up financing, professional support services, and connection to a global peer network to more than 1700 leading social entrepreneurs in over 60 countries. For more information, please visit: http://www.ashoka.org .

About The Lemelson Foundation

The Lemelson Foundation uses its resources to inspire, encourage and recognize inventors, innovators and entrepreneurs, with a growing emphasis on those who harness invention for sustainable development where the needs are greatest. The Lemelson Foundation has committed more than $110 million in support of its mission in the U.S. and developing countries. For more information, please visit: http://www.lemelson.org .

Contact: Carrie Barnes of Bluedot Communications, +1-503-789-2264, carrie@gobluedot.com.