Four Decades of Distance Education in India

Chambi Puranik was a Professor of Political Science and served as Dean (Academic) from 1999 to 2005 in Karnataka State Open University, Mysore. Presently he is a member of Distance Education Council of India. He has been responsible for bringing total transformation in the erstwhile ICC and CEE of University of Mysore into a full fledged Open and Distance Learning institution. He has participated in several national and international conferences and presented papers on various topics in open learning. He has travelled widely and visited several universities in Canada, USA, France, Japan, Brazil, Hong Kong, China and Dubai. Presently he is serving as Academic Advisor to Maharaja Institute of Higher Education (MMIHE), Mysore.

Santosh Panda is Professor of Distance Education and Director, Staff Training and Research Institute of Distance Education (STRIDE); and Head, Inter-University Consortium for Technology-Enabled Flexible Education and Development (IUC-TEFED), Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Dr Panda has previously served as Director, Research and Policy Division, Association of Indian Universities (AIU) (1994-1997). He was a Visiting Professor in 2004 and in 2005 at the Manchester Metropolitan University, UK and in 2004 at the University of London, UK: and in 2003 was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA. As founding head of IUCTEFED, he has been responsible for initiating policy formulation and system-wide implementation of new educational media and technology focusing particularly on interactive multimedia, online and blended learning, and faculty development toward effective transition from traditional distance learning to blended and online learning. Dr. Panda has published 16 books, 32 book chapters, and 48 articles and research papers nationally and internationally; and is Founder Editor of a referred international journals Staff and Educational Development International; co-Editor of internationally referred Indian Journal of Open Learning; Editorial Board Member of Canadian 'Journal of Distance Education', 'International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning and professional Development', 'Malaysian Online Journal of Instructional Technology', American 'International Journal of Instructional Media'. He has consulted and conducted programmes for UNESCO-IICBA and UNESCO-China; World Bank and Global Distance Learning Network; British Council; Commonwealth of Learning; UNDP; Ford Foundation; IDRC; Governments of Lesotho, Nepal and Nigeria; and for capacity building of Indian government bureaucrats on distance training sponsored by the UNDP and the Government of India.

Suresh Garg is a Professor of Physics and currently Pro-Vice Chancellor, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi. He taught Physics in Hindu College, University of appointed Director, School of Sciences in the University. He has been Commonwealth distance Science Expert at the University of the South Pacific, Fiji from 1996 to 1998. He is member of several national and international professional bodies like CASTME-Asia, and ICTP-India. He is serving on academic, research and management boards of several universities in the country. He has co-authored two books in Physics, edited three books on distance education, and published several research papers in national and international journals of repute. He is the chief Editor of Indian Journal of Open Learning published by IGNOU; and since 2005, he is on the Editorial Board of the AAOU journal. He was an Editor of the Global e-Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Education from 2001-2004, and Guest Editor of Staff and Educational Development International. He has travelled abroad widely to countries like China, South Lorea, South Africa, UK, France, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Australia, Thailand, Mauritius and spoken on various topics. IGNOU has broadened its international networking particularly in Africa, SAARC national and Middle East with his efforts and guidance at the International Cell. He was the academic content coordinator (Honorary) of South Asia Foundation, Which is engaged in the spread of peace, cooperation, understanding through education and sustainable development among the people of South Asia. He was team leader of UNDP-DOPT project for capacity building of India Bureaucrats through distance learning.

V. Venkaiah is Professor of Management and Executive Director, Prof. G. Ram Reddy Research Academy of Distance Education, (GRADE), Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad. He was the Rector of the University from University, Hyderabad. He was the Rector of the University from January 1999 to December 2001, and held other positions including Director (Academic), Director (Student Services), Dean, Faculty of Commerce and Head, Department of Business Administration. He has been a Member of the Executive Council, Finance Committee and Several other Committees of the University. Prof. Venkaiah has researched and written extensively in areas of Open Distance Learning and Management. He has authored/edited 10 books and published over 50 research papers in reputed international and national journals. He has visited several foreign universities and presented papers in international conferences, seminars and workshops. Prof. Venkaiah was awarded the Association of Asian Open Universities Visiting Fellowship by the Open University of Hong Kong in 1999. He has been honoured with many awards, including the Best Teacher award, by the Government of Andhra Pradesh in 1995.