Madhya Pradesh
MP artisans ‘wax’ eloquent through batik
Armed with a GI tag and inclusion under the ‘One District One Product’ initiative of the state government, the batik products of Bhairavgarh in Madhya Pradesh are headed towards better times.
Rural homestays for solo, offbeat travellers
Rural homestays near Orchha provide offbeat tourists and solo women travellers with a serene getaway while boosting the rural economy.
Madhya Pradesh activist gifts home for tribal museum
Born in a poor family, Subhadra Khaperde, 56, is doing her bit for uplifting the downtrodden, including turning her own modest home into a tribal museum.
How this young man from MP is ‘ringing’ in a new future
With the right guidance and practical training, this rural youth from Barwani, Madhya Pradesh, has transitioned from a small shop assistant to successfully launching his own mobile phone repairing business.
Madhya Pradesh rural women’s band sings bhajans with a cause
The Saraswati Mahila Bhajan Mandal, a group of women from Dhamanya village in southern Madhya Pradesh, spreads a powerful message through their soulful songs inspired by Sant Singaji Maharaj and Kabir.
‘Rancho’ of Dewas gives up on engineering dream to become driver
Financial troubles are forcing Vishal Choudhary to abandon his passion for creating mechanical marvels that saw him convert a bike into a car.
Tribal artist creates coat of many colours for PM
Sakshi Bhyadiya from Jhobat in Madhya Pradesh found fame when PM Modi wore a jacket with Pithora artwork painted by her.
Bhagoriya festival – Of blooming flowers and blossoming love
Often misunderstood as a rural Valentine’s Day, the tribal festival of ‘Bhagoriya’ was a few days back declared a cultural heritage by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The week-long carnival marks the onset of spring. Amid the amber hues splashed by the blossoming palash and the fragrance of yellow mahua flowers, the community rejoices the rabi crop harvest.
‘Only my husband had faith that I could empower women’
Nitu Nagpure’s efforts to form a Self Help Group in her village in Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh has brought about a change in women’s lives, besides improving farm output, family income and quality of life.
Breaking biases, building bonds
Learning from Indian villages and villagers: Three days of ‘rural immersion’ for scholars of Vedica Scholars Programme for Women at Pradan campus in Kesla, Madhya Pradesh.
Real life Dangal: All I see is an Olympics gold
Script of the movie Dangal starring Aamir Khan seems to be playing out in a Madhya Pradesh town where 18-year-old Hansaben Rathore – nicknamed Mahi – trains hard against odds for wrestling gold in the Olympics.
Village of coat makers
With 150 tailors and hundreds of sewing machines, Kajliban in Dewas district has built up a formidable reputation for itself as the 'coat walon ka gaanv' – village of coat makers.
With nowhere to go, new year brings no cheer to landless Adivasis in Madhya Pradesh
Hundreds of Adivasis of Shukrawasa village in Madhya Pradesh stare at an uncertain future, risking eviction from the land they toil on but do not own.
Food security improved by women’s groups in MP
Involving women self-help groups in the public distribution of food in Madhya Pradesh is strengthening food security, according to a development worker with Transform Rural India Foundation.
Megha Parmar, the first woman mountaineer from Madhya Pradesh
We spoke to the inspiring Megha Parmar, a mountaineer, scuba diver and a youth icon from Madhya Pradesh, about her journey, motivation, and her many achievements. She will be one of the inspiring rural changemakers at the World Localisation Day event.
Small pumps are a viable solution for poor farmers
Although small pumps for irrigation doesn’t get the attention it deserves, evidence from groundwater-rich states such as Assam, Jharkhand and Odisha show that they have significant benefits for small and marginal farmers