From tribal roots to a fashion icon: Redefining beauty standards

Defying conventions, Anjel Mareena Tirkey, a dusky 25-year-old tribal girl from Namkum in Ranchi district, Jharkhand, makes a mark in the fashion world, redefining the meaning of beauty. Here’s her story – in her own words.  I grew up in the quiet town of Namkum, where the rhythm of daily life resonates with the traditions… Continue reading From tribal roots to a fashion icon: Redefining beauty standards

Explore the village ways with this Uttarakhand venture

The term atithi devo bhava or the guest is god is taken very seriously by the residents of these five villages in Binsar, Uttarakhand. They are a part of Village Ways, a rural tourism initiative that helps the local villagers earn a livelihood by hosting guests in community-run homes. “Before the programme began, most of… Continue reading Explore the village ways with this Uttarakhand venture

She uses the virtual platform to uplift artisans

Employed with the online shopping website Snapdeal as a college student, today Meenakshi Dubey, a self-professed middle-class girl, heads a Rs 12-crore net-profit venture. Dubey is among the five winners of the Union government’s Prajjwala Challenge, a distinction she earned for Yespoho, an e-commerce portal that sells merchandise produced by rural craftspeople.  “I never imagined… Continue reading She uses the virtual platform to uplift artisans

Indian rivers in peril, and their saviours

Rivers, a primary source of freshwater, play a huge role in sustaining lives on the planet. From providing water and hydropower to holding immense cultural significance, they enrich our lives in countless ways. However, the rising levels of pollution and global warming are putting the rivers at risk with a plethora of challenges, including contamination… Continue reading Indian rivers in peril, and their saviours

Handloom and hues of success in Maheshwar

With 4.3 million people working in the handloom industry in India, the sector remains one of the biggest employers in the country. The Handloom School, an initiative of Women Weave, an organisation based at Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh, works towards promoting and strengthening this rich traditional source of livelihood for a large section of the… Continue reading Handloom and hues of success in Maheshwar

Odisha’s guardian angel for the homeless

People often encounter faces aimlessly wandering the streets — not driven by wanderlust, but due to dire circumstances or mental challenges. Many turn a blind eye towards those homeless people rather than offering a helping hand.  However, Bipin Bihari Panda from Sambalpur in Odisha keeps an eye out for these forgotten souls. He has dedicated… Continue reading Odisha’s guardian angel for the homeless

Assam villagers ward off elephants with draw of lots

An unconventional form of community engagement is quietly reshaping the conservation landscape in Assam’s Manas National Park, where elephants roam and forests whisper tales of ancient wisdom. It’s not through protests or petitions but via an unexpected avenue: a yearly lottery. This isn’t your typical raffle. Residents of more than 160 villages, home to farmers,… Continue reading Assam villagers ward off elephants with draw of lots

This Bihar village brings stones to life

As the shrill sounds of a machine cutting through dense stone rent the air, a worker takes a scientific instrument to measure the depth, hollowness and other facets of the rock required to carve a statue. This is a run-of-the-mill scene at Pattharkatti, a village in Bihar that falls within the state’s poverty-stricken Gaya district. … Continue reading This Bihar village brings stones to life

Meet the woman who walks many a mile to deliver mail

Alaka Mahato (58) faced many struggles when she lost her husband. Becoming a peon at Begunkodar post office – a position her late husband had held – helped her rebuild her life and deliver mail to nearby villages. Here is her story, narrated in her own words. I landed my first job at an ICDS… Continue reading Meet the woman who walks many a mile to deliver mail

Boat ambulance brings solace to isolated villagers in Odisha

For decades, they have grappled with commuting across the mass of water that forms the Kolab reservoir. With only a narrow pathway along an ageing railway bridge or a daunting 100km journey via Nandapur to reach the district headquarters, medical emergencies were harrowing odysseys for the over 20,000 residents of 138 villages in Koraput district… Continue reading Boat ambulance brings solace to isolated villagers in Odisha

From acid attacks to STEM, these NGOs are working on issues concerning women and girls across India

From poor focus on their education and lack of gynaecological health facilities to gender crimes such as domestic violence and acid attacks, women and girls in India face multiple challenges in every walk of life. Here are a few non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working for women and tackling their issues while empowering rural women: Towards gender… Continue reading From acid attacks to STEM, these NGOs are working on issues concerning women and girls across India

Empowering rural women, one sustainable pad at a time

She had been a housewife for over 15 years when Aruna Dara came upon the idea of crafting biodegradable sanitary pads from substances like banana fibre, rose petals and even lavender. It was after a friend began writing a paper on menstrual hygiene and related challenges in India.  “While reading my friend’s paper I realised… Continue reading Empowering rural women, one sustainable pad at a time

Bihar women weave a new future with sikki grass

Munni Devi was married at an early age like most rural women. Seeing her mother-in-law, she picked up the Sikki grass craft. As she began working magic with sikki, she realised that it could help her financially. With the demands of the new age and her children’s education, Munni Devi persuaded her in-laws to allow… Continue reading Bihar women weave a new future with sikki grass

How these rural women shatter stereotypes

Women’s empowerment is no longer a term confined to classrooms or elite urban settings. From education and sports to leadership and community empowerment, women in Indian villages are making a mark in various fields too. On March 8, as the world celebrates the achievements and contributions of women across the globe in the form of… Continue reading How these rural women shatter stereotypes

From child bride to award winner, Rajasthan farmer breaks barriers

Sagar Kunwar of Pali district in Rajasthan has come a long way from working as a typical woman farmer to rising as the chairperson of a producer company. She recounts her journey – in her own words.   Married off as a 16-year-old, my life was confined to my home and hearth, taking care of my… Continue reading From child bride to award winner, Rajasthan farmer breaks barriers

Manipur’s Naga entrepreneur champions indigenous farming practices

Driven by a passion for the Tangkhul Naga cuisine and the farmers who sustain it, Zeinorin Angkang, a 32-year-old confectioner from Ukhrul in Manipur, became a dedicated activist for indigenous food systems. Here’s her story in her own words. I’m a big foodie, and when I lived in the cities, what I missed most about… Continue reading Manipur’s Naga entrepreneur champions indigenous farming practices

Mobile medical units going a long way in Jharkhand

A spinal cord injury had left Budhan Singh Kayam, a 63-year-old resident of Nugri village in Jharkhand’s Goilkera block, confined to his bed for the past one year. He couldn’t work to support his family. Financial constraints forced him to discontinue treatment at Chaibasa Sadar Hospital. He felt that the door to better health was… Continue reading Mobile medical units going a long way in Jharkhand

MGNREGA — How more rural women can join the workforce

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), the wage employment programme introduced to promote social protection and livelihood security in rural India, has increased women’s participation in the rural workforce.  The scheme, started in 2006 under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), ensures gender equity and women’s empowerment through community-based organisations… Continue reading MGNREGA — How more rural women can join the workforce

From toil to triumph

Sumitra Kujur, a homemaker from Jharkhand, worked hard for years with her husband, raising two children and hoping for a better future. However, they realised their modest income couldn’t provide quality education for their kids, despite their hard efforts. Determined to change her family’s fate, Kujur embarked on a journey to seek additional income, a… Continue reading From toil to triumph

How bamboo farming is transforming lives in Tripura

Sivaji Ray, a humble farmer with less than a hectare of land to his name in Brahmakunda village of West Tripura district in Tripura, can claim big achievements. He embarked on a journey 18 years ago, moving from timber cultivation to bamboo farming, showing how adaptation in the face of change can transform life. In… Continue reading How bamboo farming is transforming lives in Tripura