Livelihoods
Cultivating an ecological consciousness
Shunya, a permaculture farm that started over a decade ago, in Himachal’s Bir village embodies the vision of regenerative farming. Transitioning through many hands, it is now being cared for by farmer Jeewika Bhat and her initiative ‘Seeds and Deeds’, which aims to take it a step further.
From despair to dignity: Sonadei’s story of hope
Sonadei Nag’s journey from abandonment to empowerment showcases the transformative power of women’s collectives. Through SHG support, agriculture, and entrepreneurship, she overcame societal barriers to secure a future for her children, inspiring her entire community to thrive.
The rise and rise of the rural consumer
What do you get when you combine rising disposable income, stronger purchasing power, internet connectivity and lifestyle aspirations? A hungry consumer. In this case, the rural Indian consumer who’s ushering in the next wave of growth.
Chhapra’s Radio Mayur is a lifeline for the community
Abhishek Arun, founder and presenter of Radio Mayur, is empowering people in Chhapra through the radio in a digital era. His efforts are bearing fruit with about 200,000 people engaging with his station daily.
He’s saving Tripura’s puppetry tradition, no strings attached!
Prabhitangshu Das, who heads the Tripura Puppet Theatre Group, is at the forefront of preserving the craft in his state. From making children smarter to creating social change, there’s much to be gained from puppetry, he believes.
Rural women in Maharashtra get a taste of emancipation
Farm Didi, led by a mission to uplift women in rural Maharashtra, promises more than just delicious products. It leverages women’s expertise in food production to create high-quality, preservative-free products.
Tripura’s “suitcase water purifier” is going places
Saving lives and plastic – a Tripura professor’s clever innovation is bringing safe drinking water to those stranded by disaster. The portable “suitcase water purifier” converts turbid flood water into mineral-rich drinking water.
Nutty Village ensures Unnao’s farmers don’t get peanuts for groundnuts
Aman Kumar, a TISS graduate, returned to Unnao in Uttar Pradesh to create Nutty Village, a social enterprise focused on empowering smallholder farmers by transforming locally grown groundnuts into value-added products like peanut butter and energy bars.
Fearless stuntmen of Kannauj carry family legacy of daring feats
Satyam and his father Raghuvir Bharti from Uttar Pradesh perform daring stunts such as inserting needles and pouring molten wax on their skin, walking on sharp glass, and balancing on fire — death-defying acts rooted in their family legacy.
Bihar’s Jeevika programme helps rural women rise from despair to dignity
In rural Bihar, the Jeevika programme, led by the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society and supported by the World Bank, is empowering women from marginalised communities by providing financial support and livelihood opportunities.
Meet Sukhpal Kaur, the bee queen of Punjab
Faced with her husband’s debilitating accident, Sukhpal Kaur transformed their small honey business from 50 to 550 hive boxes, creating a sustainable livelihood for her family and becoming a leading figure in beekeeping.
A blooming business journey against the odds
Karishma Choyal, a young entrepreneur from rural Madhya Pradesh, transformed adversity into opportunity when she built a thriving flower business during the pandemic.
Bobbing along: How a simple machine can uplift artisans
The simple yet revolutionary hank to bobbin machine can transform the ancient art of weaving, enhancing incomes and preserving tradition while ushering artisans into a more prosperous future.
Air-cooled pushcarts to keep vegetables fresh for long
For vegetable hawkers who suffer losses due to deterioration in the quality of fruits and vegetables during summer, air-cooled pushcarts offer a simple cooling innovation to keep their produce fresh for longer periods.
Punjab farmer transforms trash into treasure
Gurmeet Singh from Burj Rathi village transforms discarded waste, especially old rubber slippers, into intricate works of art and toys, showing how garbage can be reimagined as a resource.
Rider cycles his way to reviving sustainable farming in Bihar
Rakesh Rider, a 48-year-old cyclist and agroecologist, is promoting sustainable farming through his initiatives Studio Saag and Bagmati Vidyapeeth, wherein he teaches students about natural farming, seed preservation and reducing agriculture costs.
Gandhian-era Bageshwari charkha gets a makeover after 90 years
The traditional foot-operated Bageshwari charkha, which has had the same design for nine decades, has got a technological revamp now, helping shepherds in the Himalayan region produce fine quality wool at a faster pace.
A village where farms and forests belong to everyone
The lands at Mendha Lekha village in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district are collectively owned, with the profits shared among all. This settlement of around 500 Gond tribe members tells a powerful tale of cooperation and shared prosperity.
Water revolution – Natural fibre tanks provide a low-cost storage solution
Innovative water tanks made from coconut, banana and flax fibre can transform water storage issues in drought-prone villages. The solution, developed by Jalvardhini, an NGO, and RuTAG IIT-Bombay, uses materials that are easily available and environmentally sustainable.
Cold storage units running on pico hydropower help farmers earn more
With limited transportation and no cold storage facilities, farmers in Himalayan states sell their produce at the local market for a low price. Cold storage units powered by pico hydropower offer a cost-effective solution.