Rural India is home of the original gig-economy worker. Enterprising villagers hop from tilling fields to tending shops, to door-to-door selling each day. Read the latest trends in micro-enterprises, rural start-ups and the shifting livelihoods of India’s villagers.
Livelihoods
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.