Sanjit "Bunker" Roy (born 30 June 1945) is an Indian social activist and educator who founded the

Barefoot College Barefoot College, previously known as the Social Work and Research Centre ("SWRC") is a voluntary organisation working in the fields of education, skill development, health, drinking water, women empowerment and electrification through solar po ...

. He was selected as one of

Time 100 ''Time'' 100 is a list of the top 100 most influential people, assembled by the American news magazine ''Time''. First published in 1999 as the result of a debate among American academics, politicians, and journalists, the list is now a highly ...

's 100 most influential personalities in 2010 for his work in educating illiterate and semi-literate rural Indians.Mortenson, Greg. (29 April 2010
Sanjit 'Bunker' Roy The 2010 TIME 100
''TIME''. Retrieved on 2 June 2012. Roy was awarded the

Padma Shri The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...

Giani Zail Singh Giani Zail Singh (, born Jarnail Singh; 5 May 1916 – 25 December 1994) was an Indian politician from Punjab who served as the president of India from 1982 to 1987 and chief minister of Punjab. He was the first Sikh to become president. B ...

in 1986.

Early life

He attended

The Doon School The Doon School (informally Doon School or Doon) is a Selective school, selective all-boys Private school, private boarding school in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India, which was established in 1935. It was envisioned by Satish Ranjan Das, a lawyer ...

from 1956 to 1962, and St. Stephen's College, Delhi from 1962 to 1967. He was the Indian national squash champion in 1965 and also represented India in three world squash championships.

Barefoot College

Bunker is a founder of what is now called

. After conducting a survey of water supplies in 100 drought-prone areas, Roy established the Social Work and Research Centre in 1972. Its mission soon changed from a focus on water and irrigation to empowerment and sustainability. The programs focused on siting water pumps near villages and training the local population to maintain them without dependence on outside mechanics, providing training as paramedics for local medical treatment, and on solar power to decrease dependence and time spent on kerosene lighting. He was recognized in 2010 in Time for the programs of the college which have trained more than 3 million people in skills including solar engineers such as the Solar Mamas, teachers, midwives, weavers, architects, and doctors. He was married to ex-IAS

Aruna Roy Aruna Roy (née Jayaram, born 26 may 1946) is an Indian social activist, professor, union organiser and retired IAS officer. She was the president of the National Federation of Indian Women and founder of the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan. ...

in 1970.

Other work

Roy was appointed by

Rajiv Gandhi Rajiv Gandhi (20 August 1944 – 21 May 1991) was an Indian statesman and pilot who served as the prime minister of India from 1984 to 1989. He took office after the Assassination of Indira Gandhi, assassination of his mother, then–prime ...

to the government's Planning Commission. He recommended that legislation be created that would apply a "code of conduct" for

non-governmental organizations A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...

. He also proposed that a national council be created that would recommend "legitimate" organizations to the government and monitor their activities. Both of these recommendations were "fiercely" opposed as mechanisms that could be used to promote patronage of favored groups and quell organizations that were not supportive of a particular government or party. In 1983, he was the plaintiff in ''Roy v State of Rajasthan'' in which the Supreme Court struck down an emergency policy which had allowed women famine relief workers to be paid less than male workers. Roy has spoken at the TED conference, about how the Barefoot College "helps rural communities becomes self-sufficient."

Awards and recognition

* 1985: "

Jamnalal Bajaj Award Jamnalal Bajaj Award is an Indian award, for promoting Gandhian values, community service and social development. Established in 1978, by the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation of Bajaj Group, it is given annually in four categories, and usually pres ...

" for Application of Science and Technology for Rural Development. * 2003: Won The 2003 " St Andrews Prize for the Environment" * 2003: One of 20 people to be selected as "Social Entrepreneurs of the Year" by

Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship is a Swiss not-for-profit organization founded in 1998 that provides platforms at regional, national, and global levels to promote social entrepreneurship.Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs ...

* 2009: Received a "Robert Hill Award" for his contribution to promotion of photo-voltaics (solar energy)

References

External links

Profile
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Roy, Bunker 1945 births Living people Businesspeople from West Bengal Scholars from Rajasthan The Doon School alumni Indian social entrepreneurs Recipients of the Padma Shri in social work 20th-century Indian businesspeople 20th-century Indian educators Scholars from West Bengal People from Asansol Indian male squash players