Aastha - A Brief History
The antecedents
Aastha was created as a Public Education Trust in 1995. All the trustees of Aastha were institutional or professional members of another great institution - ISISD. After almost two decades of intense involvement with ISISD, these members felt the need for a creative departure, a need to synthesize the learning's from ISISD with others concerns they held in Education and in Organization Development.
The founder trustee of ISISD was late Prof Pulin Garg, who was remarkable for his ability to touch innumerable human beings and make a major impact in their lives. Pulin was an intellectual, a scholar, a person who had searched far and wide to understand various processes of human growth and evolution, a person with fantastic sensitivity and caring about humanness - his own kind of Zen Master, an ordinary, down to earth, crazy person and much more, all rolled into one.
He was a great teacher. His teaching transcended the usual structures and objectives of learning and training that our education has led us to accept as the norm. Many people were part of ISISD, bringing in their vibrancy and commitment to create a unique pioneering institution in India evolving a new school of process work and thought. ISISD brought in new approaches to Personal growth and Human Resources Development largely in the corporate sector with some spill overs in the social sector. It was also a rich space for fostering of new professionals in the field of Human Process Facilitation.
Aastha was created to continue this tradition in its own way, to foster the enrichment and growth of human beings and of developing facilitators who wish to go beyond - and be profound teachers.
Aastha-Milestones:
| 1996 | Programmers for corporate and educators on Personal growth and Role enrichment |
| 1997 | National Conference on Holistic Education at Bangalore, programmes on Personal Growth, Learning Adventure etc |
| 1998 | National Conference on Indian Knowledge Systems in Education |
| First summer institutions including programmes for Professional Development as facilitators in human processes, Personal growth and other programmes. At Yelagiri Resort, Tamil Nadu | |
| First Winter Event | |
| Annual summer Events including PDP (professional Development Programme) or internship programme for facilitators in human processes, programmes on Role and Identity and Learning Adventure | |
| 2002 / 2003 | Winter programme for Corporates -1) Managing Transitions in self and organizations 2) Explorations in Role and Identity in Organizations |
| 2002 / 2003 | Institution Building Programme for interns (participants of professional Development programme) |
| 2002 | 'Aham Brahmasmi' - metalab for interns and others |