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
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.