The latest rural news, most touching stories and insights from villages – where nearly two-thirds of India lives. Find out about rural start-ups and livelihood trends, impact of rapid development on the environment, advances in health and nutrition, innovative approaches in learning and literacy, and much more.
Rural News
Livelihoods
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).
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.
Environment
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.
UP environmentalist walks the talk to save river, trees
Sundaram Tiwari from Uttar Pradesh’s Pratapgarh district has worked to restore the Sai river by planting about 2 lakh trees, inspiring lakhs of people by walking thousands of kilometres across the country.
She’s a lifeline for Meghalaya’s endangered western hoolock gibbons
Betsida Marak, an educator in her late 30s, works to save the western hoolock gibbons, a primate that is found in the north eastern states of India. Her efforts, including teaching wildlife conservation to kids through stories rooted in Garo folklore, are making a difference.
Health & Well Being
The discipline behind tree-pose record breaker’s success
Mayank Bhatt’s unwavering determination, the challenges he faced during his practice, and the disciplined life at his gurukul have been instrumental in supporting him in achieving a record-breaking feat.
‘Padman of Kolhan’ goes the extra mile for menstrual health
Tarun Kumar has earned the epithet ‘Padman of Kolhan’ thanks to his initiative of distributing sanitary napkins to young girls in schools and spreading awareness about menstrual health and child marriage in Jharkhand.
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.
Education
Seed-ing math skills with ancient board games
Who needs hi-tech or even flashcards when rocks, seeds and animals can help teach kids math? Yes, this National Mathematics Day we’re talking old-fashioned board games - still embraced by rural India - that sharpen brains and are fun to play.
Education comes to a community ridiculed as rat-eaters
A school for Musahar girls in Patna, the state capital of Bihar, is challenging the caste system that looked down upon people who “ate rats”. As they get an education, they are slowly rewriting their future.
A saviour school for Assam’s displaced Bengali Muslim children
Musabirul Hoque, a social activist who represents Assam’s displaced Bengali Muslims, sets up a school for children of the community, giving them a fresh chance at life. Village Square does a recce.
Gender
Bihar’s all-women Musahar musicians beat drums of change
Founded in 2013, Sargam Mahila Band from the Musahar community makes a bold statement against caste discrimination and stereotypes, earning remuneration, recognition and respect.
A lifeline for destitute women in rural West Bengal
Life for the residents of Ananda Kendra, a shelter for women who have been trafficked, abused or abandoned, in Bengal, was a living nightmare till before they sought refuge here. They tell Village Square how the shelter saved them.
Lado Panchayat — How Haryana’s rural women are rewriting rules of patriarchy
Haryana’s Lado Panchayat, born out of a movement in 2012, provides a platform for women to voice their concerns, challenge patriarchal norms and fight for gender equality and empowerment.
Governance
Dalits’ pursuit of dignity and rights
While there have been significant changes to Dalit lives – more work needs to be done, especially in rural India, to ensure they’re given equal opportunities to thrive, says JNU assistant professor.
Mandla makeover – How MP’s cyber crime hub became a literacy model
When 4,500 volunteers set out to transform Mandla in 2020, it was notorious for its low literacy rates and cyber fraud. It then became the first district in Madhya Pradesh to achieve 100 percent functional literacy.
Simple tech to solve water distribution woes
An innovative shaft-based technology promises to transform water distribution, ensuring every household gets its fair share regardless of supply timing.
COVID-19 Impact
Boom in Kashmir’s bloom business
Stuck at home in the pandemic, many Kashmiris became avid gardeners and are now turning their passion into a business by transforming their backyard patches into plant nurseries.
Uninhibited menstruation talk on “Hello Saathi” helpline
Want to have an uninhibited talk about menstruation? Try the “Hello Saathi” helpline, a game-changing scheme from the menstrual health group Uninhibited helping 150,000 people in less than two years, as two of its practitioners report.
Rural theatre acts out vaccine hesitancy
Setting the stage to bust myths around vaccine hesitancy, tribal dance and theatre productions manage to convert the unvaccinated in Rajasthan, proving the power of tailor-made messaging.