Ravi

Ghate
From Zero… For Zeros…
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 Social Worker
 Social Entrepreneur
 Grassroot Innovator
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Brief Profile
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Now SMSONE is amongst FORBES – India Magazines HOT 5 Start-ups in India !!!

As an innovator…

‘Local SMS Community Newsletter for Self Employment Promotion’ which is

innovated by Mr Ravi Ghate is amongst ‘TOP 15 Mobile Social Innovations in the
World’ recognized by CISCO, MICROSOFT, NOKIA, SUN & others. He has developed a
model through which 350 unemployed youths (10-12th failed - school college dropouts)
are serving local citizens with SMS based local, important & relevant content & earning at
an average of Rs. 4,000 - 8,000/month as Community Leader/Mobile Reporter.

This idea weaves every household through the thread of SMS and develops oneness &
affection in the society. This micro-media gives platform & amplifies communities’ voice
as it’s a ‘Digital Inclusion-Peoples Participatory Model’.

Considering current mobile penetration of 48 %, this idea has a potential of providing

more than 3,00,000 self-employment opportunities in the country as it provide work
for one unemployed youth per 1000 families/mobile users.

This model is currently active for more than 3 years in the state of Maharashtra & just
launched in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra & Kerala.

President of UNESCO’s- Interstate Council for Information & Communication,

Ambassador Mr. Walter Fust (also DG-Global Humanitarian Forum) has invited the
innovator to Geneva to present this ‘Micro-Media Model’ so that it can be replicated in 40
developing countries.

Stanford University- School of Education CEO- Dr Paul Kim recently visited the
model and will be taking this model to the African Countries & to South America with
the help of local national universities.

Self-employment ideas in waiting…

• CoBiz (Co-operative Business by Youths).

• Local Watchdogs cum Data Miners.
• Business Opportunity Exchange.

Awards…

• National Youth Award 2005-06 at the hands of former President of India HE

Dr A P J Abdul Kalam for best Youth Social Worker for spreading ‘Computer
Literacy in Maharashtra’. Amongst top 25 in India

• Manthan Award 2007 for best Innovative Idea & eContent in India 2007. Amongst
top 30 in India
….continued…
 • Clinton Global Initiatives & Microsoft’s ‘Youth Employment Summit’ Fund
Award 2008 for Best ICT Business Plan in India worth $ 2000. Amongst top 5 in
India.

• NASSCOM Foundation’s Social Innovation Honors 2009 for best social

innovation. First in ‘for Profit’ category.

Recognitions & Case Studies…

• One amongst 10 Social Entrepreneurship selected by Social Impact

International, California for social entrepreneurship mentoring.
• IIM, Kolkata, honored with invitation to speak before Indian & Japanese
participants on BoP. The lecture got ‘Once More’.
• IIM, Ahmedabad has published & IIT-Mumbai has completed case study on
project.
• Oxford University Student Ms Jessica Kennedy wrote case study on Rural
Entrepreneurship efforts.
• Special Articles published in international magazines like ICT4D & My Mobile.
Press coverage in all major news papers in India including Hindustan Times
(Sunday Special), Indian Express, Times of India, DNA, ENADU (Sunday
Special) & all Marathi dailies. Interviewed on Doordarshan twice, ETV-Marathi
twice, IBN-Lokmat Channel etc.

Delegated in…

• ICONECS 2007 by DEF & American India Foundation at IICC, New Delhi.

• mGovernance-2007 by World Bank - Society for Promotion of eGov at The Grand,

New Delhi.
• ICTD 2007 by Microsoft Research India at The Grand Ashoka, Bengalore.

• Commonwealth Connecting Rural Communities-2008 Conference at Le Meridian,

Cochin.
• Baramati Initiative- ICT 4 Rural Connectivity- 2008 at & by VIIT, Baramati,
Pune.
• N2Y4 by CISCO, Silicon Valley, California – June 2009 by TechSoup
Global,USA.

Publisher of … 2 CDs on ‘1001 Business Opportunities’ & ‘Career Guidance’.

Speaks on …. Social Entrepreneurship, ICT4D, Mobile Governance, Social Innovation,

Youths.

Believes in…. Gandhian philosophy & in bringing transformation by connecting masses

-affectionately.

Qualification … 12th pass, 2nd year diploma failed.

Date of Birth … January 18th, 1972

Specific details …
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Office: A-211, Parmar Trade Centre, Sadhu Vaswani Chowk, Pune Station, Pune – 411001 Tel: +91 20 2605 20
20 Helpline: +91 97300 15000
Residence: ‘Dnyanchintamani’, 250/1/9, Sharada Park, at the end of D P Road, Baner, Pune – 411007 Tel: +91
20 2729 75 87
Kindly search Google, ORKUT, YOUTUBE, LinkedIN or any search engine with Ravi Ghate/SMSONE,Pune
keywords. Visit www.smsone.in Media Corner
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ravighate@gmail.com www.smsone.in +91 98225 22 333
Pune
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