Shri Vivek Sawant is the Chief Mentor of Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited (MKCL). Established by the Government of Maharashtra in 2001, MKCL was formed to bridge the digital divide experienced by the common people. Shri Sawant served as the Managing Director of MKCL from its inception for 18 consecutive years until the end of 2019.

Through MKCL, Shri Sawant launched a statewide campaign to promote computer literacy. He established a robust network of over 5,000 authorized learning centers and more than 75,000 computers, creating a unique social business opportunity for 5,000 computer training entrepreneurs and a team of 25,000 computer trainers. These centers offer the government recognized computer literacy course- MS-CIT, which has been successfully completed by over 20 million (2 crore) learners in the last 23 years.

Shri Sawant's innovative approach enabled the course to be implemented without government funding, relying on local participation and e-learning systems. This allowed the program to reach from metropolitan areas right up to remote tribal settlements. There are no comparable examples worldwide of such large-scale, high-quality, and low-cost IT education programs. Shri Sawant achieved this by blending educational, technological, and business innovations with a vision of community partnership and social responsibility.

Recognizing the success of this model, several state governments—including Rajasthan, Odisha, Haryana, Bihar, and Kerala—invited Shri Sawant to replicate similar statewide computer literacy and employability training programs. His work has also been extended internationally, including in countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The online courses developed under his guidance have gained acceptance of learners in 180 countries.

Before MKCL, Shri Sawant contributed 12 years (1988–2000) to advanced computing research and development at C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing), a central government R&D organization. He played a crucial role in creating India's first indigenous supercomputer, "Param," following the U.S. embargo on India for access to supercomputing technology. This success instilled immense confidence in Indian youth. Shri Sawant also founded the Advanced Computing Training School (ACTS) at C-DAC, expanded it nationwide, and trained 25,000 advanced computing engineers in the 1990s, many of whom now hold leadership positions in IT industry in India and abroad.

Before his tenure at C-DAC, Shri Sawant taught physics, electronics, and computer science at Ferguson College, Pune (1979–1987). His student development oriented approach and subject mastery earned him a reputation as a beloved professor, and his students fondly remember his guidance even today.

Born in Mumbai, Shri Sawant completed his schooling and college education in Nashik and pursued postgraduate studies at Pune University.

Shri Sawant has been a member of several expert committees of the central and state governments and universities. In 2000, he served on the Prime Minister's IT Task Force and was a co-author of the "Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana" launched that year. He is also a member or chairman of Boards of Directors, Advisors, or Trustees of numerous educational and social organizations. He is an honorary fellow of the Maharashtra Academy of Sciences.

Shri Sawant has received numerous prestigious awards for his significant contributions in fields of education, skill development, employability enhancement, IT research, innovation, entrepreneurship, social responsibility, management, and leadership. His accolades include the "Gyan Surya" Award, Rajiv Gandhi "Sanganak Sarathi" Award, Doordarshan's "Sahyadri Shikshan Ratna" Award, "IT Icon" Award, "Education to Home" Award, "Pune's Pride" Award, "Swami Rama Humanitarian Award", Dr. Narendra Dabholkar Memorial Award, Yashwantrao Chavan National Award, Alandi Devasthan's "Samadhi Sanjeevan Puraskar", Kusumagraj Pratishthan's "Godavari Gaurav Puraskar", "Sane Guruji Lifetime Achievement Award" Maharashtra Corporate Excellence Award, S.L. Kirloskar "Business Leadership Award", VASVIK Award for research and development, Rotary International's Lifetime Achievement Award, Computer Society of India’s Honarary Fellowship Award, among others.

Shri Sawant credits his family, teachers, colleagues, and thousands of students for all his awards and achievements.

Shri Sawant has focused on spreading computer literacy, e-learning, e-governance, and e-empowerment across all strata of society. His work spans scientific early childhood education, constructivist school education, knowledge-based societal development, digital technology for preserving the Marathi language, AI-powered skill development for green careers and digital careers and entrepreneurship and socially useful and productive work-based Higher Education based on Mahatma Gandhi's Nai Talim.

He has delivered hundreds of lectures, written articles, and given interviews to raise awareness about these topics. Shri Sawant has also produced popular TV serials and programs on experimental schools, constructivist education for grades 1–8, youth personality development, and sustainable farming.

Shri Sawant's approach combines experience, deep knowledge, and innovative thinking to help others with zeal. His creativity is evident in his ability to propose novel ideas and methodologies in education, development, governance, and empowerment (EDGE). His passion lies in bringing these innovations to life, especially in areas that seem unattainable to many.