# Harish Hande

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Indian social entrepreneur

Harish Hande ‌ Hande at the World Economic Forum India Economic Summit in 2011 Born Handattu, Udupi Taluk, Udupi District, Karnataka Alma mater IIT Kharagpur University of Massachusetts Lowell Occupation Social entrepreneur Awards Ramon Magsaysay Award 2011

**Harish Hande** (born Handerto Harish Hande) is an Indian [social entrepreneur](/source/Social_entrepreneur), who co-founded [SELCO](/source/SELCO) [India](/source/India) in 1995.[1]

He was awarded with the [Ramon Magsaysay Award](/source/Ramon_Magsaysay_Award) for 2011 for "his pragmatic efforts to put solar power technology in the hands of the poor, through his social enterprise [SELCO India](/source/SELCO_India)".[2]

## Early life

He was born in Handattu, [Udupi District](/source/Udupi_District), [Karnataka](/source/Karnataka), and raised in [Rourkela](/source/Rourkela), [Orissa, India](/source/Orissa%2C_India).[3]

After completing his basic schooling in [Orissa](/source/Odisha) in [Ispat English Medium School](/source/Ispat_English_Medium_School), he went to [IIT Kharagpur](/source/IIT_Kharagpur) for his [undergraduate](/source/Undergraduate_education) studies in [energy engineering](/source/Energy_engineering) and graduated in 1990.[4][5]

He then went to the [United States](/source/United_States) to do his [master's degree](/source/Master's_degree) and later PhD in energy engineering at the [University of Massachusetts Lowell](/source/University_of_Massachusetts_Lowell).[5][6]

## Career

[Hande](/source/Hande) co-founded [SELCO INDIA](/source/SELCO_India) (in 1995), a [social enterprise](/source/Social_enterprise), to eradicate poverty by promoting [sustainable technologies](/source/Sustainable_technologies) in rural India.

[SELCO](/source/SELCO_India) India is a [social enterprise](/source/Social_enterprise) that provides [sustainable energy](/source/Sustainable_energy) services to the poor in India.[7] Hande left the active management of [SELCO India](/source/SELCO_India) in 2014 and became the [CEO](/source/CEO) of [SELCO Foundation](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SELCO_Foundation&action=edit&redlink=1).[8]

## Awards and recognitions

[SELCO India](/source/SELCO_India) under the leadership of [Hande](/source/Hande) has won the [Ashden Award](/source/Ashden_Award) for [Sustainable Energy](/source/Sustainable_energy) 2005 and Accenture Economic Development Award for 2005.[9]

In 2007, [SELCO INDIA](/source/SELCO_India) again won the [Ashden Award](/source/Ashden_Award), this time for "[Outstanding Achievement](/source/Outstanding_Achievement_Medal)" in energy sector.[10] The award was presented by [Al Gore](/source/Al_Gore), former vice president of the [United States of America](/source/United_States_of_America).

[Hande](/source/Hande) was named the [Social Entrepreneur](/source/Social_entrepreneurship) of the Year 2007 by the [Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship](/source/Schwab_Foundation_for_Social_Entrepreneurship)[5][11] and the [Nand & Jeet Khemka Foundation](https://web.archive.org/web/20071121114708/http://www.khemkafoundation.org/).

In 2008, Hande was chosen by [Business Today](/source/Business_Today_(India)) as one of the "21 young leaders for India’s 21st century".[5] Later, in June 2008, [India Today](/source/India_Today) named him one of the 50 pioneers of change in India.[12] He was elected an [Ashoka Fellow](https://www.ashoka.org/en-US/fellow/harish-hande) in 2008.

In 2011 he was awarded the [Magsaysay Award](/source/Ramon_Magsaysay_Award) for "*his passionate and pragmatic efforts to put solar power technology in the hands of the poor, through a social enterprise that brings customized, affordable, and sustainable electricity to India’s vast rural populace, encouraging the poor to become asset creators.”*.[13][14]

Hande was also awarded the [Karnataka](/source/Karnataka) [Rajyotsava Prashasti](/source/Rajyotsava_Prashasti) in 2011 by the Government of [Karnataka](/source/Karnataka).[15][16]

In 2013 the trustees of [University of Massachusetts](/source/University_of_Massachusetts) awarded him the [Doctorate of Humane Letters](/source/Doctorate_of_Humane_Letters).[16][17]

In 2014 [IIT Kharagpur](/source/IIT_Kharagpur) conferred upon him the distinguished alumnus award.[18]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Solar crusader - Harish Hande- Business News"](https://www.businesstoday.in/magazine/special/solar-crusader--harish-hande/story/1183.html). *www.businesstoday.in*. 23 December 2007. Retrieved 5 April 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Bangalorean gets Ramon Magsaysay Award"](http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Bangalore/article2300127.ece). *[The Hindu](/source/The_Hindu)*. 28 July 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Asia-Pacific; India. ["Harish Hande of SELCO India: Shedding Light on India's Underserved Markets"](https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/harish-hande-of-selco-india-shedding-light-on-indias-underserved-markets/). *Knowledge@Wharton*. Retrieved 20 July 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["A toast to IIT Kharagpur"](http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/books/article2885945.ece). *The Hindu Business Line*. Retrieved 2 January 2016.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_5-3) Bhattacharya, Saumya (13 January 2008). "Solar Crusader". *Business Today*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Social Entrepreneur: Harish Hande (Part 1)"](http://www.sramanamitra.com/2007/05/10/social-entrepreneur-harish-hande-part-1/). *One Million by One Million*. 10 May 2007. Retrieved 2 January 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Nileema Mishra, Harish Hande win Magsaysay award"](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Nileema-Mishra-Harish-Hande-win-Magsaysay-award/articleshow/9385363.cms). *[The Times of India](/source/The_Times_of_India)*. 27 July 2011. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130820050345/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-27/india/29820340_1_ramon-magsaysay-magsaysay-award-solar-lights) from the original on 20 August 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["IIT Jodhpur"](https://alumni.iitj.ac.in/f/Saturday-Webinar-Dr-Harish-Hande-Co-Founder-of-SELCO-India-August-8-5pm-5659?source=view). *alumni.iitj.ac.in*. Retrieved 20 July 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["The Tech Awards Laureates 2005"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110721012043/http://www.techawards.org/laureates/stories/index.php?id=104). Archived from [the original](http://www.techawards.org/laureates/stories/index.php?id=104) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["International winners 2007"](https://web.archive.org/web/20071230062003/http://www.ashdenawards.org/finalists_2007). *Ashden Awards, sustainable and renewable energy in the UK and developing world*. Archived from [the original](http://www.ashdenawards.org/finalists_2007) on 30 December 2007. Retrieved 2 January 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Harish Hande | Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship"](http://www.schwabfound.org/content/harish-hande). *www.schwabfound.org*. Retrieved 2 January 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Let there be light"](http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&issueid=60&task=view&id=10476&Itemid=1). India Today. 26 June 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Hande, Harish • The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation • Honoring greatness of spirit and transformative leadership in Asia"](https://www.rmaward.asia/awardees/hande-harish/). *www.rmaward.asia*. Retrieved 20 July 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Two Indians among winners of Magsaysay Award 2011 - Rediff.com India News"](http://www.rediff.com/news/report/two-indians-among-winners-of-magsaysay-award-2011/20110727.htm). *www.rediff.com*. Retrieved 2 January 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Karnataka: Harish Hande among 50 state awardees"](https://web.archive.org/web/20111104021016/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/karnataka-harish-hande-among-50-state-awardees/197777-60-115.html). *IBNLive*. Archived from [the original](http://ibnlive.in.com/news/karnataka-harish-hande-among-50-state-awardees/197777-60-115.html) on 4 November 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2016.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-cleanenergysolutions.org_16-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-cleanenergysolutions.org_16-1) ["Clean Energy Solutions Center | Harish Hande"](https://cleanenergysolutions.org/people/harish-hande). *cleanenergysolutions.org*. Retrieved 20 July 2021.[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** [*Doctor of Humane Letters Award - Harish Hande - UMass Lowell 2013 Graduate Commencement (2:41)*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG0CAXhGXl0), retrieved 2 January 2016

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["Alumni | Alumnus Award"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210419184519/http://alumni.iitkgp.ac.in/Alumniweb/Alumaward). *alumni.iitkgp.ac.in*. Archived from [the original](http://alumni.iitkgp.ac.in/Alumniweb/Alumaward) on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Harish Hande](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Harish_Hande).

v t e Ramon Magsaysay Award winners of India Amitabha Chowdhury Anshu Gupta Aruna Roy Arun Shourie Arvind Kejriwal Baba Amte Banoo Jehangir Coyaji Bezwada Wilson Bharat Vatwani B. G. Verghese Chandi Prasad Bhatt C. D. Deshmukh Dara Nusserwanji Khurody Deep Joshi Ela Bhatt Gour Kishore Ghosh Harish Hande Jockin Arputham James Michael Lyngdoh Jayaprakash Narayan Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay Kiran Bedi Kulandei Francis K. V. Subbanna Lakshmi Chand Jain Laxminarayan Ramdas Mabelle Arole Mahasweta Devi Mahesh Chandra Mehta Manibhai Desai Mandakini Amte Mother Teresa M. S. Subbulakshmi M. S. Swaminathan Nileema Mishra Palagummi Sainath Pandurang Shastri Athavale Prakash Amte P. K. Sethi Rajendra Singh Ravi Shankar Ravish Kumar R. K. Laxman Rajanikant Arole Sanjiv Chaturvedi Satyajit Ray Sombhu Mitra Sandeep Pandey Shantha Sinha Sonam Wangchuk T. M. Krishna T. N. Seshan Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel V. Shanta Verghese Kurien Vinoba Bhave List of Ramon Magsaysay Award winners

v t e Ramon Magsaysay Award recipients Government Service (1958–2008) Cambodia Ek Sonn Chan China Yuan Longping India C.D. Deshmukh J. M. Lyngdoh Indonesia Raden Kodijat Ali Sadikin Japan Morihiko Hiramatsu Hiroshi Kuroki Yukiharu Miki Laos Keo Viphakone Malaysia Mohamed Suffian Mohamed Hashim B. C. Shekhar Pakistan Akhtar Hameed Khan Ibn Abdur Rehman Philippines Jose Vasquez Aguilar Francisca Reyes-Aquino Hilario Davide Jr. Grace Padaca Jesse Robredo Jovito R. Salonga Miriam Defensor Santiago Haydee Yorac Singapore Goh Keng Swee Thailand Anand Panyarachun Chamlong Srimuang Jon Ungphakorn Phon Sangsingkeo Prawase Wasi Puey Ungpakorn Taiwan Shih-chu Hsu Li Kwoh-ting Jiang Menglin Public Service (1958–2008) Burma Tee Tee Luce Ceylon Mary H. Rutnam China Gao Yaojie Jiang Yanyong Liang Congjie Wu Qing India Baba Amte Banoo Jehangir Coyaji Manibhai Desai Jayaprakash Narayan V. Shanta Indonesia H.B. Jassin Teten Masduki Pakistan Ruth Pfau Philippines Pedro Orata Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD MRI) South Korea Kim Sun-tae Park Won-soon Spain based in Philippines Joaquin Villalonga Thailand Fua Hariphitak Mechai Viravaidya Nilawan Pintong Phra Parnchand Prateep Ungsongtham Hata Sirindhorn Sithiporn Kridakara Sophon Suphapong Therdchai Jivacate Thongbai Thongpao Community Leadership (1958–2008) Bangladesh Tahrunessa Abdullah Fazle Hasan Abed Muhammad Yunus Zafrullah Chowdhury Mohammed Yeasin Angela Gomes Burma Cynthia Maung India Mandakini Amte & Prakash Amte Mabelle Arole & Rajanikant Arole Pandurang Shastri Athavale Chandi Prasad Bhatt Ela Bhatt Vinoba Bhave Aruna Roy Shantha Sinha Rajendra Singh Japan Ichikawa Fusae Laos Sombath Somphone Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman Nepal Mahabir Pun Philippines Eva Maamo Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation Antonio Meloto Thailand Aree Valyasevi Krasae Chanawongse Prayong Ronnarong Tibet 14th Dalai Lama Journalism, Literature, and the Creative Communication Arts (1958–2008) Bangladesh Matiur Rahman Abdullah Abu Sayeed Burma Edward Michael Law-Yone Ceylon or Sri Lanka Wannakuwatta Amaradeva Tarzie Vittachi India Mahasweta Devi Palagummi Sainath Amitabha Chowdhury Indonesia Atmakusumah Astraatmadja Mochtar Lubis Japan Akira Kurosawa Yasuji Hanamori Michiko Ishimure Akio Ishii Nepal Bharat Koirala Philippines Zacarias Sarian F. Sionil José Lino Brocka Radio Veritas James Reuter Bienvenido Lumbera Nick Joaquin Raul Locsin Eugenia Duran Apostol Sheila Coronel Thailand Prayoon Chanyavongs Great Britain based in Philippines Robert McCulloch Dick Peace and International Understanding (1958–2008) China Tang Xiyang India Mother Teresa Jockin Arputham Laxminarayan Ramdas Indonesia Ahmad Syafi'i Maarif Japan Ikuo Hirayama Tetsu Nakamura Saburo Okita Seiei Toyama Nepal Sanduk Ruit Pakistan Ibn Abdur Rehman Philippines Operation Brotherhood Summer Institute of Linguistics William Masterson Harold Ray Watson International Institute of Rural Reconstruction Press Foundation of Asia Asian Institute of Management Corazon Aquino South Korea Pomnyun Sunim Thailand Asian Institute of Technology The Royal Project United States based in Thailand Genevieve Caulfield Emergent Leadership (2001–) Burma Ka Hsaw Wa China Chen Guangcheng Cambodia Oung Chanthol India Sanjiv Chaturvedi Arvind Kejriwal Nileema Mishra Sandeep Pandey Indonesia Ambrosius Ruwindrijarto Dita Indah Sari Philippines Benjamin Abadiano South Korea Yoon Hye-ran Sri Lanka Ananda Galappatti Timor-Leste Aniceto Guterres Lopes United States based in Hong Kong Chung To Uncategorized (2009–) Bangladesh Syeda Rizwana Hasan A.H.M. Noman Khan Cambodia Yang Saing Koma Koul Panha China Fu Qiping Huo Daishan Ma Jun Pan Yue Yu Xiaogang India Kulandei Francis Harish Hande Deep Joshi Indonesia Hasanain Juaini Tri Mumpuni Japan Tadatoshi Akiba Philippines Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation, Inc. (AIDFI) Christopher Bernido Maria Victoria Carpio-Bernido Romulo Davide Antonio Oposa Jr. Taiwan Chen Shu-chu Thailand Krisana Kraisintu

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Harish Hande](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harish_Hande) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harish_Hande?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.