The perils of microfinance in rural Rajasthan

Delving into the on-ground realities of microfinance and assessing its repercussions on the tribal communities in Kotra and Jhadol regions of Rajasthan was a segment of our field placement, which was a part of our curriculum at the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA). This gave us a field placement opportunity and hands-on experience at… Continue reading The perils of microfinance in rural Rajasthan

Joining forces to transform a Gujarat village

Dang district of Gujarat has remained at the bottom of development profiles for decades. This has been due to several reasons, including the hostile topography with steep hills, intense rainfall (2,000 mm) on denuded hill slopes, poorly motivated tribal communities and a general paucity of infrastructure.   Mahalpada is a village of 175 houses that lies… Continue reading Joining forces to transform a Gujarat village

Guardians of the hoolock gibbons of Hollongapar

Amid the rustling leaves and echoing calls, Dandeshwar Bhuiya stands beneath the towering hollong trees, one hand raised in a signal to halt. A soulful howl, “hook hook hook-ooo,” rises in a crescendo, piercing the forest’s silence. Bhuiya, a 45-year-old tourist guide, points to the top branches, indicating the charismatic wild animal hoolock gibbon behind… Continue reading Guardians of the hoolock gibbons of Hollongapar

Community revives Meghal river, ensures water security

Meghal is a small river that rises in Sasan hills in Junagadh district of Gujarat and flows into the Arabian Sea. Like the rest of the Saurashtra region, Meghal’s 54 riparian villages in Mendarda and Mangrol tehsils of the district suffered the agonies of devastating droughts for three consecutive years in the mid-eighties.  The years… Continue reading Community revives Meghal river, ensures water security

Delivering smart solutions for sustainable food security

Sustainable agriculture in India: Women farmers in Odisha harvesting paddy. Women farmers form a significant portion of the workforce in agriculture in India but hardly get any monetary benefits from it. (Photo by Anshuman Mohanty) Toiling hard in a flooded field with a bullock cart. Despite the availability of tractors many farmers who have small-scale… Continue reading Delivering smart solutions for sustainable food security

This Manipur designer’s creations echo tribal roots

As an indigenous designer, ‘identity’ is a key concept that designer Easternlight Zimik uses to describe his works. Having spent years in Delhi and Mumbai and after working with reputed designers such as Gaurav Gupta and Manish Arora, Zimik moved back home in Manipur earlier this year to start his lifestyle brand called East to… Continue reading This Manipur designer’s creations echo tribal roots

Tackling sickle cell anaemia in Jharkhand’s tribal communities

There is a high prevalence of sickle cell anaemia among the tribal communities of Jharkhand. However, awareness about the hereditary disease remains inadequate. This, coupled with lack of access to healthcare, leads to low levels of treatment.  The District Health Society (DHS), which is responsible for health and family welfare, of Khunti district is taking… Continue reading Tackling sickle cell anaemia in Jharkhand’s tribal communities

Up-close with electoral politics

As India awaits the world’s largest democratic exercise, the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, the political atmosphere in the country is charged up. The electorate has in its hands the opportunity to shape the outlook of Indian democracy for the years to come. As an active stakeholder in democracy, Indian School of Democracy (ISD) has… Continue reading Up-close with electoral politics

It takes a village to raise a child

In village Bhari Panechan in Punjab, government school children from all over the state gather to participate in the annual Bal Mela. Introduced in 2010, this ‘Bal Mela’ (children’s fair) has been celebrated in various districts of Punjab every year since. More than 17 such events have been organised in which over 1500 students have… Continue reading It takes a village to raise a child

Erratic rainfall clouds butterfly migration in Tamil Nadu

On the southern edge of the Indian subcontinent, where the Western Ghats meet the Eastern Ghats in Tamil Nadu, a delicate phenomenon unfolds twice every year — butterfly migration. Beyond the known migrations of birds and fishes, this lesser-known journey of butterflies weaves a captivating narrative. Of the 250 migratory butterfly species worldwide, around 60… Continue reading Erratic rainfall clouds butterfly migration in Tamil Nadu

A tailor-made solution for women to stop brewing alcohol

Sheela Devi was just 15 when her family got her married. She had completed her schooling the previous year. She had also learned the basics of stitching at Ursuline Convent School at Dorma village in Khunti administrative block of Jharkhand. “My husband and I were asked to leave his family home and live elsewhere. We… Continue reading A tailor-made solution for women to stop brewing alcohol

Homestays open doors to Kashmir’s final frontier Keran

The two worlds collide in one here, and no one and nothing – except the leisurely sun above and the fast-flowing Kishanganga below – enjoy unrestricted access to both sides of this heavily militarised alpine woods between India and Pakistan.  For decades, Keran village in Kupwara district of northern Kashmir was an impenetrable tranquil expanse… Continue reading Homestays open doors to Kashmir’s final frontier Keran

Maharashtra’s fiery Bhiwapuri chilli faces extinction

For spice connoisseurs, the Varhadi Laal Mirchicha Thecha is a treasure. It delivers a pungent heat, diffusing a single word to nail the commotion on the palate: “Dosed”, like the 2002 hit song by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. If enthusiasts for fiery foods haven’t savoured this piquant red chutney exclusively made with Bhiwapuri chilli,… Continue reading Maharashtra’s fiery Bhiwapuri chilli faces extinction

What it’s like to travel in an all-woman train

The Kolkata Suburban Railway, launched in 1952, is a vital rail network in India, catering to lakhs of people, connecting urban and rural areas for work, education, healthcare and leisure. These trains are particularly crucial for the mobility and economic progress of rural women who, with 30 percent employment in West Bengal, surpass the national… Continue reading What it’s like to travel in an all-woman train

Manipuri film ‘Andro Dreams’ dribbles past gender stereotype

Sports films are generally sentimental, but evacuated of real sentiments, and tend to follow the clichéd template – familiar tales of the heroic underdog player, hard-charging coach or team of misfits that somehow becomes a winner. However, Manipuri filmmaker Meena Longjam’s film “Andro Dreams” brings freshness to this genre. The movie transcends the football field… Continue reading Manipuri film ‘Andro Dreams’ dribbles past gender stereotype

Kashmir stares at a saffron sunset

Under the winter sun’s waning warmth, the purple hue of saffron fields in Pampore of Jammu and Kashmir reflect a contrasting picture of anticipation and anxiety. Pampore is the primary hub for saffron cultivation in the region. As autumn concludes, families engage in a race against time to harvest the crocus flowers, which bloom for… Continue reading Kashmir stares at a saffron sunset

The elderly are leading climate action in Thar

Older people are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change in perennially water-scarce areas like the Thar Desert in the State of Rajasthan. GRAVIS (Gramin Vikas Vigyan Samiti), has been working with Help Age International to revive traditional rainwater harvesting in Thar desert, where the older generation take charge of the initiative. It focuses… Continue reading The elderly are leading climate action in Thar

Why Odisha wants a GI tag for Koraput coffee

The eastern state of Odisha holds two gastronomic gems close to its heart – the internationally acclaimed syrupy sweet rasagola and the quietly esteemed coffee grown in Koraput, the state’s southernmost district.  But much like the ball-shaped dumplings of curdled milk, Koraput coffee’s endeavour to carve its niche with individual recognition by securing the geographical… Continue reading Why Odisha wants a GI tag for Koraput coffee

Cultivating liquid gold in Uttarakhand’s tea odyssey

A cup of milky, sweet kadak chai is the beverage of choice for the vast majority in Uttarakhand. For those who can read the tea leaves, there’s also a revolution brewing on the hillslopes of Nainital district in this Himalayan state, infusing the undulating landscape with hues of green and promise. At the heart of… Continue reading Cultivating liquid gold in Uttarakhand’s tea odyssey

Rajanigandha perfumes Odisha’s cyclone-wrecked Ralaba

This is a fragrant saga of reinvention, the ability to bloom amidst adversity. The success story in Odisha’s Ralaba village unfolded in the aftermath of the Super Cyclone that struck India’s eastern coast in 1999. It threw a knockout punch on Ralaba, a village located 17 km from the beach town of Gopalpur in Ganjam… Continue reading Rajanigandha perfumes Odisha’s cyclone-wrecked Ralaba