Author: Village Square
Must-see rural festivals in January
From lively harvest festivals to dance, the countryside is buzzing with vibrant celebrations in January. Here are 5 such rural festivals you won’t want to miss.
TARAgram Yatra 2024: ‘Investing in the Local & Green’
The three-day TARAgram Yatra 2024, hosted by Development Alternatives (DA), took participants on an immersive tour of Bundelkhand, giving them an insight into rural India and its developmental programmes.
IIT alumni create Mobile Subjee Cooler to cut post-harvest losses
The Mobile Subjee Cooler is an efficient, eco-friendly and affordable solution to reduce post-harvest losses. The innovation, incubated by RuTAG at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, is empowering the farming community.
A chocolaty Christmas, rooted in India
Looking for some sweet treats for your loved ones during Christmas? Look no further because here are some of the finest farm-to-bar chocolates from India. About time Swiss and Belgian chocolates took a break.
Jharkhand’s star millionaire farmers, up in the sky
Farming can be profitable and make farmers millionaires! To celebrate their “star” farmers, Transform Rural India (TRI) organised a Millionaire Farmers Breakfast at Mumbai’s favourite farm-to-table restaurant, Project Hum to celebrate Kisan Diwas (December 23).
Economically empowered women can drive India’s growth
A latest edition of State of India’s Livelihoods (SOIL) Report, the flagship Report by ACCESS Development Services, highlights the potential of 'women-led development' and advocates the need to enable women to become active contributors to the economy.
IIT helps innovate an efficient puffed rice machine
The compact, eco-friendly machine produces 50 kg of puffed rice per hour, taking out the drudgery from the process. The innovation has been incubated by RuTAG at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, empowering rural communities.
Majestic mountain escapes beyond the Indian Himalayas
December 11 is International Mountain Day, and we’re giving you the lowdown on mountain destinations outside Himalayan country. So if you’re heading for the hills anytime soon, check out these high-altitude spots in the lesser-known ranges of India.
IIT Delhi makes traditional pottery kiln efficient and eco friendly
Pottery kilns are notorious polluters. But the introduction of the rat-trap wall brick masonry technique is drastically reducing fuel consumption and resulting in incremental savings to boot.
IIT helps tech behind cold-pressed oil be light-weight, affordable
Cold-pressed oil is in high demand for its health benefits. Now a technology developed by D-IV Enterprises, incubated by RuTAG at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, enables rural people to extract oil at a fraction of the cost.
This innovation has mechanised weaving for rural weavers
The advent of the 6-spindle Pirn Winding Machine is a boon for weavers who would find it difficult to transport bulky machines for weaving into remote hilly areas where the trade is often practiced. Here’s more on the invention.
Dreams of Forest Fringe Bodo kids
On the fringe of the Nameri National Park and Reserve Forest, an initiative is helping develop the education and dreams of Bodo tribal children. A self-sustaining model of school management, the initiative by Assam Investment Advisory Society (AIAS) with the Upendra Nath Brahma ME School provides high quality and holistic education to its children. On Children' s day photographer Vicky Roy shares the story of these children in their native Bodo Language.
Nature at the heart of Bihar’s vibrant Chhath Puja
As many across the country participate in the sacred rituals of Chhath Puja today, Village Square presents the visual story of the festival.
Nari Adhikari Kendras a boon for women’s rights
The women’s support organisations, or Nari Adhikari Kendras, are doing stupendous work at the grassroots level in Madhya Pradesh’s Petlawad, in district Jhabua. Village Square does a recce.
Countryside celebrations to attend this November
From Tokhu Emong in Nagaland and Thiksey Gustor in Leh to Kalai Thiru Vizhaa in Tamil Nadu and Pushkar camel fair in Rajasthan, here are five rural festivals all travel enthusiasts should pen into their calendars this month.
A digital platform to connect rural buyers and sellers
Marketmirchi.com, a multilingual web-portal developed by IIT Bombay and Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG), is transforming business in the agricultural sector by bringing together over 30,000 entrepreneurs, FPOs and self-help groups to buy and sell products.
When a healthy panchayat means a healthy village
In the Angara block of the Ranchi district of Jharkhand, the success of the ‘Healthy Panchayat’ initiative by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Transform Rural India (TRI) is evident, particularly for vulnerable women.
Buy these Diwali goodies to light up lives of rural artisans
It’s India’s season of joy, so why should the less privileged be left behind? Village Square curates five cottage-industry initiatives from where you can buy products this Deepavali to give business to those from marginalised backgrounds.
Substitute for clay to ‘fortify’ Karnataka’s Bidri art
Did you know that the famous Bidri products were traditionally made with clay from a 15th century fort? Now scientists at IIT-Madras have come up with a chemical alternative to help artisans sustain the craft while preserving the monument.
Mechanised device brings ‘shear’ benefits to shepherds
A cost-effective, durable and indigenous mechanised shearing device reduces sheep farmers’ drudgery in shearing the fleece, helping them produce better quality wool and earn more.