rural development
She chose harsh farm life over a 6-figure American paycheck
Bhavani Akkina went from a high-flying corporate career in IT in the US to teaching sustainable living principles to farmers, children, police personnel and others at her native Chinatadepalli village in Andhra Pradesh. She tells Village Square about how and why she made the switch.
Why natural farming stops Maha villagers migrating
Thanks to natural farming, the people of Kumbharwadi are embracing agriculture as a vocation, eschewing the tendency to migrate to cities for income.
Union Budget 2025: Agriculture key to development
Village Square breaks down the policies announced as a part of the Union Budget 2025 that are likely to impact rural India the most.
Leaving a corporate job to take the road less travelled
Bismaya Mahapatra gave up his corporate career to work for marginalised communities in rural India. He changed his consultancy firm ‘Harsha’ to ‘Harsha Trust' in 2002 to work in a sustained manner with the poor rather than in a project mode. To set up the corpus for the trust, he donated Rs 10 lakh, his profits earned from his firm. The office initially operated out of his garage.
Cock a doodle do – how women are changing the pecking order in Banjhi Kusum
Livestock farming was once a dreaded livelihood idea in the small village of Banjhi Kusum. But when a handful of women were armed with the necessary skills and resources, they did not chicken out. Instead, they turned livestock farming into a sustainable enterprise.
A Santhal tribal’s journey from struggle to success
The success story of Biswanath Majhi, a Santhal from Mayurbhanj, is not merely a personal triumph but a powerful testament to the transformative potential of grassroots initiatives.
My development journey from Barwani to Delhi
A childhood trip to village Barwani first introduced Sneha Mahapatra to harsh rural realities. Going back there as a 27-year-old reaffirmed her belief that her life’s vocation lay in empowering marginalised communities.
Babeijoda: A portrait of an ideal village
In Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, village Babeijoda has become a symbol of rural progress and community living, exemplified by its close-knit Santal community, which is keeping its traditions alive while moving forward despite challenges.
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.
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.
Facing bias: My MBA journey and beyond
India’s diverse population is a blessing for the country. But the flipside can be discrimination, something Himadri Das, an executive with PRADAN in Udaipur, faced firsthand during her MBA days. Here she recounts her experience.
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.
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 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.
Dalit woman leads fellow caste villagers to land ownership in Punjab
Charanjit Kaur and other Dalit families from Gharachon village in Sangrur district won the right to bid for reserved panchayat land, despite systemic caste barriers and police action.
‘Technology has become indispensable for rural development’
In an interview with Swapnil Agarwal, CEO and co-founder of Dhwani Rural Information Systems, we discuss the transformative impact of technology, AI and dashboards on the development sector.
Rajanigandha perfumes Odisha’s cyclone-wrecked Ralaba
Ralaba’s rajanigandha fields are a source of livelihood and a testament to a community’s ability to reinvent itself after a natural calamity.
Community transforms education in rural MP
Community-driven education initiatives spearheaded by Transform Rural India show a way and bring hope to remote rural locations in the country.
Out of India into Africa – sharing youth engagement strategies
From Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh to Mombasa, TRI’s amazing youth leaders shared their best practices and success stories of building livelihood opportunities in rural India at the GOYN 2023 Global Convening in Kenya.
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