GREAT Foundation Information

Viney Kirpal, MA. PH.D from Pune University, has worked in Elphinstone College, Mumbai (1971-72) and in IIT Bombay (1974-97)to teach English and Communication Skills to some very bright students. She was Head of the Dept. of Humanities and Social Sciences from 1992-95. She has written/edited 11 books and over 95 research articles. She has travelled widely to make seminar presentations, guided research students and served on the panels of IGNOU, UGC, ICCSR. At IIT Bombay, and as Faculty Advisor SC/ST students, she realized how hard it is to come from a poor school and survive in a meritocratic educational set up. That’s when she decided to do something for less privileged children in Government schools and build their foundation in these difficult subjects. In 2002, along with her brother, GKK Singh also an IIT B graduate, she set up Global Research Education and Training(GREAT) Foundation to provide quality education in Science, Maths and English, the three subjects in which most students fail in the Board exams and to empower teachers through training in interactive teaching methods. She has trained over 7500 teachers across the country. Today the focus of GREAT Foundation is to set up ‘Science is Fun’ Labs, provide models and science kits to teachers to teach science in a hands-on way so that they enjoy as they learn science. The NGO, supported by 21 CSR partners, is working with 47 schools in Maharashtra, Delhi- NCR, Karnataka with over 27,000 children and will be taking up another 20 schools and 10,000 children in the next two months. She has also worked as a soft skills consultant, trainer and coach through her own outfit, Global Institute of Integrated Training (GIIT) between 1998 and 2015 and trained over 19,000 corporate executives. But now she gives all her time to her NGO. Kirpal’s ultimate dream is to see that at least 10- 20 % of less privileged children become scientists and technologists from every school in the years to come.