Pacific Northwest College of Art Online Magazine Portland, OR

Multimedia — Oct 31, 2011

MFA Lecture: Harish Hande

The MFA in Collaborative Design presents Harish Hande, whose company, SELCO India, empowers poor, rural India with cost-efficient, clean energy.

Dispelling the myth that poor in developing countries cannot afford the best technology is Harish Hande, recent recipient of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award—often considered “The Asian Nobel Prize.”

Hande and his company, SELCO India, are using a decentralized approach to spread solar solutions to provide cost-efficient, clean energy that improves the quality of life and livelihood among the poor in India—where nearly half of all households do not have electricity.

Mr. Hande, who is also a 2007 Ashden Award and 2005 TechAward winner, will speak about SELCO’s efforts to put solar power technology in the hands of the poor, through their social enterprise that brings customized, affordable, and sustainable electricity to India’s vast rural populace, encouraging the poor to become asset creators.

Sponsored by The Lemelson Foundation, Illahee and Mercy Corps Action Center.