StoriesStories from another RRuralural BrewsBrews INDIAINDIA (One sip at a time) You will feel pain, sadness, discomfort. A compilation of experiences from rural India, But you will also feel alive, exuberant, human. told by SBI Youth for India Fellows Sometimes you will mess up and make mistakes. Batch 2017-18 You are going to fail, be misunderstood. You're going to get tired. But you are also going to realize that it is okay to fail. You will be telling yourself to rest on days you lack motivation, feel the ugliest, or have the smallest of hope, but you are going to acknowledge that giving up won't be your best option. You are most likely going to lose yourself in the process, but you are also going to find yourself there. You are going to create something for yourself and for the people you love. You're going to tear yourself into pieces pursuing after what you want, and learn to love yourself for it. And it will be the best damn thing ever. Rural Brews (One sip at a time) A compilation of experiences from rural India, told by SBI Youth for India Fellows Batch 2017-18 Chairman's FOREWORD Message

t gives me immense pleasure to bring to you the fifth edition of our SBI Youth lead movements, execute innovative projects and path-breaking ideas at the for India Coffee Table Book. I’m convinced that the batch of 2017-18 fellows grassroot level. Iwill take you on a hard-to-forget journey with the medium of this coffee table In one of the fellows’ words, “I truly believe that these beautiful people have given book. Much like the previous editions, the first-hand experiences of the rural to me more than I can ever give back. They have taught me how to be grateful for realities of our incredible nation, by these young leaders, will leave a lasting all that I have. They have taught me how to work tirelessly without expecting any impact on the readers recognition or rewards. They have taught me how to live, and laugh, and love in Many of them led their lives with urban comforts and some even assumed coveted even the most tumultuous situations. My community is what makes Dangs a positions in their careers but brought along great passion and commitment legendary place to be in, to live in, to learn in. They are a part of my family. For me, towards rural development. They chose to spend 13 months of their lives in the my Bens (sisters) and my children embody the essence of the famous line “You can remotest of the villages in India and tackled some of the most pressing issues check out any time you like, but you can never leave”. faced by these strata of the population that is often ignored or taken for granted. There are many such lessons that I have personally drawn from the experiences of Their stories are truly the ‘Stories from another India’. Our up and coming leaders, our fellows and I urge the readers to treat this book as an entry to an India that also lovingly addressed as SBI YFI fellows, worked hard towards uplifting this remains far unknown and unheard of, to more than half the population of our community of our country, development of whom is rather monumental for the country. The immense courage and empathy exhibited by these youngsters progress of our entire nation but somehow, remains disconnected from us. coupled with their hard work & inclination to partnering with us, has helped us to State Bank of India has extended its support to this community in a myriad ways create a scalable impact on the ground over the years; be it reaching out to them & understanding their needs, or I want to take this opportunity to thank all our partner NGOs, who have reflected spreading awareness by publishing the perspectives of their day to day lives & immense faith in this program and have added greatly to its potential while challenges. It was also rewarding to see them expressing their love and gratitude extending its resources to help us nurture our fellows. Our partner NGOs have for the time they spent with our fellows during the program, which we’ve carefully gone above & beyond and have sincerely mentored these fellows into becoming penned together in this book. the leaders of tomorrow, the doers and gamechangers for our country. It would not The realisation of SBI’s vision ‘Service Beyond Banking’ is a responsibility that’s have been possible without their relentless support towards this program, that is humbly co-led by SBI Foundation, our Corporate Social Responsibility arm. SBI continually helping us to make faster progress and sustain the SBI Youth for India Foundation has proudly channelled all its efforts in bringing justice to its vision. It Fellowship program as one of the most renowned fellowships in the country. has strongly embodied this vision & instilled SBI’s core values through each of the I lead you into this coffee table book with a much stronger faith in the Foundation’s programs it has conducted & facilitated, aiming for holistic development. vision of extending service beyond banking and vouch to continue to provide this Amongst some of the most respected pan-India programs, SBI Youth for India has platform to our young ideators to help us create an impact where it’s needed the fueled many on-ground success stories that take people by surprise to witness most. how in a short span of 13 months, youth can transform lives. Not only that, they also make the SBI Foundation and its parent entity, State Bank of India stand tall with pride to see the potential the program has evolved to, and of course, the achievements it has garnered over the years. This coffee table book is our medium to reach out to each of you in a personable manner and give you a glimpse into the great achievements we’re proud to have made by virtue of this program - be it Shri Rajnish Kumar, about how the fellows leveraged this platform and bridged the rural-urban divide Chairman or how the fellowship empowered 70 young changemakers of our fifth batch to State Bank of India o rightly said that those who trudge the untrodden path will lead the revolution towards social and economic change. When the world is Message Smoving towards globalisation, there are still swathes of tracts in the Message country which have remained completely untouched from the revolution. We may be blowing our own trumpet regarding dispersal of benefits of economic developments to spread through the length and breadth of the country, but when from the MD from the we just move out of the ensconced comforts of urban milieu towards hinterlands, reality dawns on us in its true intensity as to unequal distribution of dividends of growth skewed heavily towards urban and semi urban bias. When we see the President rural women even today spending major part of their lives just arranging for drinking water, while their husbands still working in their fields using age old t gives me immense pleasure to bring to you the coffee table implements and methods, it wakes us from our so called delirium of “all is well” to book narrating the personal experiences of SBI Youth for India the harsh realities. fellows of 2018 batch. SBI Youth for India fellowship, as we all I One way of looking at the issue is to remain mute spectator to the fate of those know, is the flagship CSR initiative of SBI Foundation where highly who have remained untouched by economic development and curse the educated urban youth are mentored to be change makers. The authorities for inadequate efforts and the other way is to contribute our mite in impact they create towards enriching the lives of the weaker and whatever small way we can to bring these stark differences to the notice of those underprivileged sections of the society is the talk of the development urban youth of the country who may not be really unaware of the abject penury in sector in India. As someone who has been closely associated with which some segment of our population still lives and spur them to action through their journey, it gives me immense pride and satisfaction when their community participation. works are recognized in national and international platforms. It is in this context that SBI, the largest Bank of the country, six years ago took a The sudden transfer from the comforts of city life to the rural scenario small step called SBI Youth for India fellowship, through which it tried to make is quite challenging as it is and the totally different landscape, youth from urban upward mobile milieu to think about sparing a slightly more attitudes, aspirations and ethos of the rural folk would certainly than a year (13 months to be precise) of their lives for having a feel of the almost impact the young change makers in one way or the other, and I am inaccessible rural areas and suggest some community participation based sure the narration of this would make a very interesting read. Every economic/social activities which will bring about, if not sea changing but at year we capture such life experiences of our fellows in the coffee table least, perceptible change in the fate of its inhabitants. book. A small step taken six years ago has today blossomed into a full revolution in the As in earlier years, we are bringing out the coffee table book for the shape that with the completion of five batches, today we have a young brigade of year 2018 curating the articles submitted by our fellows. It is a matter 254 alumni and 50 fellows still working in almost all the states of the country. This of great satisfaction that inspite of the demands placed by the young and ebullient team has transformed the lives of lakhs of villagers through fellowship journey, our fellows found sufficient time to pen down their innovative enterprises with wholesome participation of the local what they saw, felt and personally experienced during the 13 months population. When their projects receive international accolades for the they lived with the community. pioneering work done for rural upliftment, it inspires us as well as all associated I hope that this year's coffee table book would be received with as with the project, including the partner NGOs, to spread our reach to more such much enthusiasm as in previous years and would also serve as a untouched rural areas. source of inspiration to thousands of budding change makers. I hope Therefore, these youth who have chosen to trudge the untrodden path through that the book is a good read and is insightful and exemplary for the revolution called SBI Youth for India fellowship deserve all the appreciation persons from different walks of life. and encouragement so that they may imbue the right spirits among other youth Shri Nixon Joseph, also to be a part of this revolution and be the real change-makers. President & COO, Shri Mahendra Kumar Rekhi, SBI Foundation MD & CEO, SBI Foundation CONTENTS

Title Title Personal Experience Pg.01 Pg.02 Personal Experience

Upon reaching our locations, all my co-fellows were dependent on me to pick 1. KhambaAloo : a term commonly used in the Mahapatro household to tell up the language. In all my 22 years, I would have spoken the language for a their kids that they are stupid. total of 22 days. Nevertheless, I set out to do the task assigned to me. I taught Reality of KhambaAloo : A vegetable belonging to the potato family and An ORIYA GIRL them whatever I knew, whenever I knew it. My dad said it was a case of the resembling a bark. (IT IS A REAL THING!) blind leading the blind and I could not agree less. 2. MandaJakichu Ki' : refers to the silence maintained by Mahapatro “What's the past tense for go?” “How do I say I want tea?” “Can you ask him children when questioned about not getting good marks. in an unknown ORIYA WORLD what his profession is?” Reality of 'MandaJakichu Ki': Manda is a sweet Oriya delicacy, stuffed -Abhipsha Mahapatro This was the easy part. with coconut. hen we reached our NGO headquarters after orientation, I had a like to believe that if you asked me that question after I'd watched the movie, “What is masonry in Oriya?” “*Insert names of local vegetables* Can you 3. Enduri : A sing-song chorus prepared by Papa Mahapatro to make Idlis feeling that I was along the lines of 'The Prodigal Son Returns.' I'd have said India as well. Come the ripe age of 20 and 'India' wasn't the translate?” “What is a sickle called in Oriya?” seem like a fun and interesting breakfast. WBut neither am I a prodigy, nor a son, nor was I returning. How answer that told me stories of my ancestors. To everyone's surprise but my own, my half-baked knowledge of Oriya was in Reality of Enduri : A type of steamed food item prepared during poojas. things fall into place to give you exactly what you wished for is one of the No one could have been happier than I was when I got to know my allotted fact only quarter-baked. 4. That Oriya food is spicy. biggest unsolved mysteries of this world. I'm an Oriya who used to visit NGO. Our first stop in Odisha was Bramhapur (read Beh-ram-pur), also the We Indians love the sense of community, of belonging. A lot was Reality of Oriya food: It's not spicy. Odisha every alternate year for only 10 days on vacation. place where my dad grew up, and a place I had never been to before. It was automatically assumed of my personality because I was one of them. “Oh, In the search for my roots, I understood that roots grow wherever you decide My father was in the Air Force so I grew up learning things from all cultures, exhilarating– I had never been amongst so many people who spoke my you people (to my co-fellows) don't have to worry. Avispa is an Oriya girl, she to plant them. I had been chasing familial roots when we had so many ex- rarely from my own. Remember that scene in Chak De India where Shah language; never before had “I'm Oriya” been a part of my introduction. will be able to cook for all of you.” News flash: I CANNOT cook. fellows to look up to. The legend of the first batch of fellows to have come to Rukh asks all players where they are from and only one says 'India'? I would When we first went to the nearby town: “You guys wouldn't have faced any Koinpur still remains untouched. In a way, theirs were the stories that awed trouble at all. Abhishukta was with you, Oriya girls are very helpful.” us, motivated us, pushed us to do something and be like them. It continued to a point where in passing conversations it was assumed that I So here I am, in a land as unknown to me as it is familiar, as comforting and as send money home to my parents, that I would LOVE their local food, and strange and I am growing roots. In these 13 months I have planted hopes, know of all their traditions. Some shock was expressed here and there when dreams and friendships. And if ever someone decides to come looking for once I left my (really long) hair open at the tea stall. Oriya girls never open their ancestors again, they shall not be disappointed. their hair in public, I was told. I was out to get to know my roots but I couldn't have been further away from them. To begin with, the location I worked in was in the hills. I had always thought my family belonged to the coastal belt. The majority population of the Panchayat was the Sohra tribe – a community I do not share ancestry with (yet). They also believe that a cow's milk is only for her calf and not for any other consumption. So no milk! I know, it's shocking that cows here don't understand the commercial value of milk! Well, no white revolution here folks. The Oriya they spoke was colloquially different from the one I knew. I had a fair amount of trouble understanding what was supposed to be my mother tongue. And last, but not the least, my project location was on the Andhra-Odisha border so it was rather tough to tell which of the cultural influence was Telugu and which of it Oriya. But what I could tell was that all the things I believed to just be things were in fact not the things I thought them to be. An example of the deception I faced as a child: Personal Experience Pg.03 Pg.04 Personal Experience

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While the broad for the past few years. She has been unable to see her grandchildren – their time – playing cricket. During early evenings, many of the women of the There and contours of the journey are similar – that of undergoing a meaningful and birth and growing up years into adults. Presently, she has lost complete village come to the ground and test their skill with the bat and the ball. It Tenriching experience; self-discovery, the joy of doing good, etc. - each fellow sight. all started with just one woman joining at my behest, to play with the takes back something different from the fellowship. I write about four such personal She was one of the thirty-two patients of the first eye camp I had organized village teenagers. Her example inspired the other on-looking women to memories, which will stay with me long after the project report is submitted, the to identify and treat cataract – a preventable cause of blindness found shed their inhibitions, and join the game. Earlier, they would feel shy as the Back Again valediction is done and the dust has settled on this coffee table book. largely in old people. We traveled to the town, 100 km away, for the surgery. men would gather to look on. Not anymore. -Akshay Modi She underwent the operation on her right eye without any complications. Today, the Malegaon playing squad is over 20 ladies strong and counting. Two days later, her bandage was removed. As the first ray of light entered One cannot help but notice how this small change has helped to bring her eye in over two decades, she became spell-bound at her newly about a marked improvement in their personality. They still lead a difficult acquired ability to see. She then suddenly had a burst of clear, ringing life; I am happy that these ladies have a new hobby to look forward to, laughter - a sound which still resonates in my ears. given their hectic daily schedules. That evening, she was particularly cheerful The Hitchhiker's Guide to Kalahandi and animated. Some of the other An aspect of urban life that we tend to take for granted is mobility. One is patients prodded her on to sing. only a few taps on a smartphone away from hailing a ride to their After an initial reluctance, she destination. But it is not so simple in rural India. For the first few months, started to sing in the local my co-fellow and I relied exclusively on the availability and mercy of dialect of her tribe, the Parja passers-by motorists, to hitch a ride to our locations. The experience of Kandha. As her audience grew unending waits at the NGO premises gate, the frustration on being denied in number in that hospital a ride and the delight on getting one, even if only for a portion of the ward, so did her enthusiasm journey, became all too familiar. and she carried on singing. In hindsight, I fondly remember those days, as they were a true test of my Later, as I slept at the hospital patience. More importantly, some of the best conversations I have had with the patients, I could hear with people, have been while hitchhiking. For example, the suave ex- her singing late into the night. government official, who told me point-blank that a project idea I was Chak De Maligaon considering would not take off; a school headmaster whom I befriended, Popular culture has conditioned and who later became a key pillar of support; the person going to the block our minds into thinking of a headquarters to purchase seeds and giving me a crash course on particular image of rustic agriculture over a 45-minute ride. There have been other, less rational women – that of carrying water rides, which are as deeply entrenched in the memory, like a ride with four from the well in a pot on their people on a bike over an hour-long journey. My personal favorite: on the heads or against their hip-joint. back of a truck when our bus broke down in a no-network zone. And what Alternatively, that of being abused does one do when no ride is available? Spend the night sleeping at a bus and beaten by drunken husbands. These stand. are indeed everyday realities of rural India. One Year of Solitude But what the media and films do not always In a time when everything we do leaves behind a digital footprint, life show is that, usually, it is the woman of the without social media is unimaginable for the present-day millennial. As house who does a significant part of the telecom companies are bending backward to lure urban customers with farming work, in addition to performing the competitive pricing, they are missing the opportunity bestowed by over household chores. She raises the children, 50,000 Indian villages which are still digitally dark. while also enjoying a quick movie in lieu of the afternoon siesta. Women are usually the most colorful characters one Some of these

smileswere earned some & were lived for

Pic by - SAHANA S. Pic by - SAHANA S. Soon I was called ‘Kusba’, a name I grew fond of because of my year old 70 friend

Pic by - ANKITA SHARMA Pic by - GULSUPPAGUY Local Issue Pg.11 Pg.12 Local Issue Cacophony in Cotton -Alex Arockiasamy y earliest memories of Kotra, Rajasthan involve riding past white authorities have curbed the use of child labour in Gujarat, their fate hasn’t blooms of cotton on both sides of the road. Farmers meticulously changed much. Mworking on their fields. A fruit of hard labor. Life here revolves Over the last decade, Kotra has been witnessing a steady increase in Bt around these seemingly innocuous crops. So much so that even their Cotton cultivation and children are now being forcefully employed in their marriages have been conveniently postponed to the months of May and June own farms. It’s also important to note that producing 1kg of cotton in India when farmers receive their annual payment from the Bt Cotton seed requires 22,500 litres of water, compared to the global average of 10,000 companies. This is also the season when they carry out all their major litres. The high water footprint for India’s cotton is due to inefficient water investments and expenditures. use and high rates of water pollution. Kotra has typically been a subsistence economy. Before the rise of An analysis by FactChecker has also revealed that pesticide usage has agriculture, villagers heavily relied on forest produce for their survival. The doubled in a decade to 2015-16. I find it ironic considering the fact that the shift towards agriculture has sadly resulted in diminishing forest cover; genetically modified variant, Bt Cotton, was introduced to fight the pink thereby depleting its productivity. This part of Rajasthan lies on the border of bollworm, a pest that affects the cotton crop, in order to reduce crop losses the state itself and Gujarat. The cultural influence is quite evident from the and reduce pesticide usage. way they drink their tea (in saucers) or from their choice of music. People in Let us now address the role of seed companies. They have been successful in Kotra and surrounding regions of Rajasthan are also heavily dependent on setting up distribution networks with village-level agents who supply Gujarat’s economy for their income. Migration is commonplace. It’s not necessary inputs. Farmers are trained in best case practices to ‘maximise unusual for families to abandon their house and farmlands to leave for work gains and minimise losses’. Credit is also offered on a need by need basis. for months together. Falling into the trap of bonded labour is another threat. These private entities have filled the void by working on everything expected For several generations, lack of water resources and the lack of wealth to of the government, be it infrastructure, agricultural extension or other agri- invest in building those resources has stifled agricultural growth in Kotra. based services. Farmers post their harvest receive a lump sum anywhere in Little did the people of this region know that all this was set to change with the range of 35,000 to 50,000 Rs. for a quarter-hectare plot. The tendency of the introduction of Bt Cotton. Their cash crop. Their answer to economic farmers to consider money at its face value rather than their yield’s actual freedom. worth has worked in the favor of these seed companies. At this juncture, let’s Bt Cotton entered India in 2002 through a joint venture between Monsanto not forget that these farmers have been subject to economic inequality for a and Mahyco, a seed manufacturing company based out of Maharashtra. long time! Kotra’s first exposure to Bt Cotton happened in the mid-2000s through Despite its many downsides, Bt Cotton cultivation does seem to make Gujarat, one of the early adopters. Their vast farmlands employed children in economic sense. There has been an increase in farmer’s disposable income large numbers and this phenomenon was attributed to two main reasons- leading to a direct increase in investment on water resources such as tube children’s physiology and the possibility of exploitation. wells and borewells. Farmers are able to afford quality health care, albeit Children under 10 are generally of the same height (or lesser) as that of the through the private sector. Their standards of living have definitely improved. cotton crops. This enabled them to work for longer hours than adults who And all this, comes at a cost. Rendering their children out of schools, massive would usually experience back pain and hence, take longer breaks. A child’s use of water and other natural resources, environmental degradation and tender hands also meant they were more agile. Yet, they were paid a fraction underpaid labour. But until there is a cash crop that shows as much promise of what an adult usually receives. They’re made to work and live in inhumane and hope as Kapaas (Cotton), the people of Kotra will continue to turn a deaf conditions. Isolated from their near and dear ones, leaving no room for ear to all the cacophony it produces. complaints or change. While stricter norms and regulation by child welfare Local Issue Pg.13 Pg.14 Local Issue

Leela vividly remembers the day when her life changed completely. She was happy because she was pregnant. She shared the good news with her husband who instead of getting her favourite sweets looked sad. As a mother she was happy for her firstborn but as a wife she was disappointed by Ramlal's reaction. She was scared and nervous at the same time. At the mere age Water of 17, she was facing deep emotional stress. It was the first year of their marriage and after the demise of her in-laws within the initial few months of their marriage, she handled her household and helped her husband settle. That night Ramlal returned home very late, he brought her favourite sweets but he was behaving very strange. The silence was hurting Leela. She wanted to know the reason for the indifferent behaviour of her husband. Wives-Ankita Sharma Leela questioned him several times but he only responded saying, “Trust me, Leela, whatever I will decide, it will be good for us, I mean for the three “I know you will keep my son happy, I would not have found a better bride for of us.” him.” Leela pondered over her mother-in-law's last conversation with her. But she was anxious and that was not making her mood any better. Watching his wife's usual smiling face go dim, Ramlal decided to tell her the truth. “Leela, I am very happy for our first child but I have to get married to another eela was sitting in her verandah. Her body had changed since woman. I have seen a girl in a nearby village and Tolaram Pandit will fix a date for the last few months but she wasn't excited about her pregnancy Ramlal got married to a 35-year-old widow from the same village. the wedding. I hope you will understand me,” he said with a heavy heart. anymore. Going back in time, she started thinking if she could During the marriage ceremony Leela was constantly staring at L Nobody spoke for a while and that night no one slept in their house. Ramlal undo the situation she was stuck in right now. She could not control her Ramlal. His face reminded him of coward travellers who leave consoled her and convinced her that a second marriage will not harm her position tears. She prayed for a happy marriage but her husband, Ramlal's their companions behind in the journey called life. in the house. After hours of contemplation and discussion, he looked into her eyes decision of bringing in a new wife left her clueless. She was unable to Next morning, newlywed Kesar went to help Leela who needed and asked, “You are no more sad now, right?” with a dull smile, Leela nodded. understand the circumstances that led her to sharing her husband with support to get up from the floor. The two women looked at each Next day, Tolaram pandit fixed a date for their marriage. This marriage was a very another woman. other and accepted each other's presence in their life without simple affair, it did not take much time for the preparations. Leela was clearly saying anything. upset but she had trained herself in hiding her pain and emotions. Leela was one of those women who had to share their husband with another woman because she lived in a village which had water scarcity. This is a common incidence in most of the houses of rural Rajasthan where there is water shortage and women need to walk long distances to bring some water home. When husbands found their wives were pregnant, they married another woman who could carry water home and do household chores. Ramlal loved his wife but he let her fetch water and walk long distances with the containers when pregnant. He wanted for her to be safe to avoid any complications during her first pregnancy. He had to remarry for a water wife, someone who would continue to run the house. The urban society may declare this practise as blasphemy but this is a survival tactic for the rural communities who face serious water woes. They cannot afford having a pregnant wife at home when there is nobody else to carry water, a daily necessity. Local Issue Pg.15 Pg.16 Local Issue

Throughout the fellowship, we come across people and stories that make us and pack dinner for me. They have taught me the value of affinity. They make The Dab of Dabdar redefine our very basic concepts. These experiences make the fellowship me feel like family without even knowing it. priceless. Here, I am sharing some of my favourite glimpses into the dangi A visit to the village is incomplete without being encircled by the energetic living. I'll start with an interesting observation. If you are reading this right children – often complaining about each other's gags. At the end of each visit, a Dangle in now, you are privileged. Why? Because you had the chance to learn to read. they ask me to visit again the next morning. Learning with them is one of the DANGS You had the time. Urmila Ben was also a very bright student. But, the -Arunima Joshi most joyous experiences I have ever had. Matching up to their energies is the teachers weren't well-equipped to teach English (owing to them not knowing biggest task each day. These heroes are always found singing, dancing, et in the backdrop of the Saputara hill range, the Dangs has a lot of scenic places and enough of it). School had to be missed many times because earning money playing, and raising spirits –unaware of the challenges life has thrown at fascinating stories it is known for. Some go as far as calling it the Switzerland of India! This for the family was the top priority. Then came marriage. Once you get them at an early age. They have etched a permanent place in my heart with Splace is also supposedly a part of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. That is how epic married at sixteen and have children at seventeen, eighteen, and nineteen, it their formidable fortitude. 'The Dangs' is. But, the picturesque places and scintillating stories available on the is difficult to take time out to study. With the little bit she remembers, she There never seems to be enough time to sit and chat and explore. I've pet internet are nothing when compared to the beauty and simplicity of the people who helps her children with their studies nowadays. parrots, sparrows, pigeons, squirrels, dogs, rabbits, and peacocks apart from call this place home. Hardships are evident in the everyday life of a marginal farmer. Most people the anticipated cows, buffalos, and bullocks. The family's pride while Dotted with schemers who have taken advantage of the Dangis time and of Dabdar grow enough food (mainly rice and dal) for sustenance. On free showing their pet makes the experience enriching. It is amusing to hear again, it is hard to get the people to talk –to share. I distinctly days, they work as labour to earn about `200 to `300 a day. But, you won't them talk about their cows and bulls just like we talk about our dogs and cats. remember the first few meetings being full of silence and hear them complain as often as we do. When Inta Ben's home broke down My favourite pet is Kaalu – a bull calf. He was born right in front of my eyes. I quiet glances. But, once this barrier was broken, I was due to another's negligence, she cried for a day. The next day, it seemed like have seen him grow from a baby who couldn't walk to a big boy now. The greeted by an ocean of smiles, hugs, banter, cries, pain, nothing had happened! She was all smiles and giggles. “What had to happen most amusing part is that he thinks of me as fodder and will begin chewing loss, and most importantly love. My beautiful family in happened. Life goes on. How long do I remain upset?” she said. That day, she my dupatta the minute I sit next to him. Kaalu serves as an hourglass the dashing village of Dabdar is the most precious taught me resilience. On explaining the concept of a 'Fund Me' Page, she representing the time I have spent with the community –how I have grown present given to me by the YFI fellowship. This looked confused. She said she didn't want anyone but the guilty to pay for her with them. He is also a stark reminder of the time left. The hardest part of this family is the reason I stuck around when losses. Overcome by emotions, I hugged her tight that day. She looked fellowship is the impending farewell. nothing seemed to be going my way. This confused. I couldn't explain to her that she'd just redefined integrity for me. I truly believe that these beautiful people have given to me more than I can family is the reason I kept trying. This Dangis may not have many possessions. But, they give the little they have ever give back. They have taught me to be grateful for all that I have. They family is the reason I will keep trying. with all their heart. Sumitra Ben on knowing that I was going home for my have taught me how to work tirelessly without expecting any recognition or As soon as the vicinity of the village is mother's birthday quickly ran into her kitchen. She came back with a gift bag rewards. They have taught me how to live, and laugh, and love in even the reached, I'm met with smiling faces full of nagli peet (finger-millet flour) and meet (a signature chilli and garlic most tumultuous situations. My community is what makes Dangs a pausing from the task at hand for a dangi chutney). Countless summer afternoons have been spent eating legendary place to be in, to live in, to learn in. They are a part of my family. For moment to acknowledge my presence. watermelons and gossiping with my beautiful Bens (sisters). It is so easy to me, my Bens (sisters) and my children embody the essence of the famous line “Ben, bes aahass? Bhai, bes aahaas ka know what the latest harvest is. If it is groundnuts, you will be given bags of it “You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.” Now that I nihi? Khaainel ka nihi? Kiti kaam to take home. The same applies for rice, dal, nagli, wild berries, guavas, have been to Dabdar, I will never truly leave. Dabdar will always be a part of karoho tumhi!” (“Sister, how are you? tamarind and so on. On knowing that I hate washing clothes, they offered to me. Brother, are you doing good or not? Have wash them for me. On knowing that I eat dinner outside, they offered to cook you eaten lunch yet? So much work you have on your hands!”), have always been my opening lines. It makes them giggle and their faces light up brighter than the night sky in Diwali. These people are my home away from home. Their smiles to me are like the first sip of morning coffee that the day doesn't begin without. From oneRural to reality another...

Pic by - SAHANA S. Pic by - SHUVAM Then a secret visit now a great story to tell

Pic by - GULSUPPAGUY Personal Experience Pg.21 Pg.22 Personal Experience

found myself benevolent after getting this opportunity to work directly for and with rural community, to help and minimise the erroneous aspect from society. I wanted to fathom the gravity of word governance to Isense the true meaning of our democracy. I wanted to work on something which would have administrative ease, public welfare, long-term sustainable goals with a pinch of social inclusion as guiding principles, but the cauldron of social stigma changed my entire ideology about the change I was trying to bring. The Zwitter People call it diplomacy, I call it conversation and it would be the only thing I did throughout my entire -Aaruni Srivastava fellowship. It gave me an approach to work on real needs over felt needs. “Whoever saves one life; saves a world entire”, I pushed my envelopes to implant this simple idea in the head of people I have been working with and I am rejoiced to say that my efforts didn’t go into vain. Bunker Roy taught me to include humour in your work, I added an artistic approach with his ideology to create a demagogue by mitigating an evil concept, which I have tried to rationalise in this poem : Born to life, developing sensation feeling pain Waking, sleeping, questing for comfort ovum to embryo to fetus to human It required no set of instructions, for the inception Who are you to impose the apparatus Over the ion, over the zwitter over the nucleus, over the zwitter It can be seen, the pendulum rolling where you have been completely blind You repress it, you denounce it You need to placate the power hungry fiend It is fluid it is a choice It is pure mechanics, no reason no ethics You are contriving and pressing the norms Over the ion, over the zwitter over the nucleus, over the zwitter How does the Power define me, and You Prescribes an order, hunts for a logic in what I do Do not touch, do not consume Do not speak, do not exist Body or soul, instinct or reason; licit or illicit The load is piling over now Discovered the Cucufa's ring at the abyss I scratch, I peel off the deliberate mask It is no devil to the abode Cover the ion, cover the zwitter cover the nucleus, cover the zwitter! Personal Experience Pg.23 Pg.24 Personal Experience

Donkey Year’s Earning! -Axita M ‘You only realize what you have earned when you weigh the responsibility in Tamil. We reached a village and headed to someone’s place. An akka with that has been given to you,’ A quote coined from the experiences I had this me pointed to one girl around the corner near village temple and that’s when year! I woke up to a cool breezy day accompanied with warm sun. It was a it struck me. We went to see girl for my Landlord’s son who is working in Stories behind stories -Ayushi Jain Sunday morning and after a nice cup of typical South Indian coffee, I Dubai. Though I was taken aback, they took it lightly. It was pretty much like wrapped up my few pending things. I had a short trip with my landlord ‘anna’ guests came and talked to the girl. I was never a part of “any big decisions” We were in a jeep which was probably running for decades in the deserts of each other for quite some time. They were amazed and I asked them to take that day. Little did I realize I will experience something that would change ever back at my home. I was skeptical & hesitant, for ‘me’ it wasn’t my Rajasthan. There was a makeshift cloth curtain to cover our heads from the a plate, wash it and then serve food in it. We had amazing 'aloo ka paratha' the lives of people, families and my perspective - my thought process. business. That’s how us, the city people divide things related to “me” as just scorching sun. It was Sunita di and I, on a journey that was going to teach that morning. Flashback my business and NOYB whilst other’s is not my business. We just socialize me a lot. “Di hume bahut alag lag raha hai. Hum zindagi bhar dhusro ke liye khana where we can just show what we want to and what we want people to see. We I was allotted with DHAN Foundation as my NGO for my 13-month fellowship It was a bright day but Sunita di looked worried. She looked at me and said, banaate the aur aj pehli baar hume koi aise itne pyar se khana banake de socialize on Social Networks! After a while, everything was wrapped up. We with YFI. I was sceptical about it as one problem I was sure of, was the “I need to be home by 5 PM'. I casually replied, “The accommodation is raha h. Kya hum bhi itne jada pyar ke hakdaar hai? Aur yeh aisa kyu ho raha ate in a village shop nearby and started back home. While we were on our language barrier. Language is essential to communicate. Our country, India arranged in case you would like to stay”. Impatiently, she screamed at me, h”. And that day was so far my best day of the fellowship. I realised how way, my landlord asked “So how did you find the girl? Liked her?” is rich and diverse in its culture, traditions, eating habits, attire, languages, “Ek mahila apne pati ke ghar mai hote hua raat baahar nikale. na baba na certain simple things for us can be a big privilege for someone else. I still I tried making myself comfortable in the car seat, but it wasn’t helping. I and dialects. It changes in a span of just a few kilometers. I travelled the hamare samaj mai to tehlka mach jaeyega aur mai inko bina bataye ai hun remember the happy and amazed faces. I remember when someone asked suddenly started feeling the pressure that was gradually building up. I country vertically, from the topmost part to the absolute south. Coming from abhi to woh mujhe maar hi daalenge” them how was the breakfast they said 'bahut acha tha' with broad and Shimla and working with SBI in Chandigarh, I was allotted Ponnamravathy estimate the pressure that could be built by mere glances, the burden of such I was shocked and urged her to complain if she was being physically or honest smiles on their faces. Block in Distt Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu. Honestly, I was prepared to leave simple question’s answer. I couldn’t speak up, but just smile and threw the verbally abused for being outside. She did not reply but women like Sunita I understood how simple are the needs of this life but we are the ones who behind my city comforts to live in a rural space for a year, but, I was not ball in their court very cautiously. We reached and I was about to go to my di had to realise that they can make their own decisions and no one had the make things more complicated. prepared for staying in the south. I chose to work on a very different kind of room, just when few girls came over & asked, “So how’s the girl’s character (A right to pressure them. I wondered if there was any way to empower the project. A project which had fear & faith; trembles & belief; age old traditions word used here to ask how’s girl behavior and yes my mouth was open for 2 women around me and the only logical solution seemed to be improving & quest for reasoning; respect & power; authority & willing followers. I chose seconds which never seemed to end)? Liked her? Heard she’s a bit fat. She their skills so that they can get a job and become financially independent. to work on awareness about ‘Conservation of Sacred Groves’ but through works also. No? " Everyone turned around. Again! They were actually looking The 2.5 hours journey covering 38 kilometres required change in three religious connotations. Sacred Groves- Temple forests which are a rich for my opinion for I was ‘educated and was doing well’. It was derived that modes of transportation. Somehow, I convinced a few women from my source of flora and fauna. They are being preserved by the community for the whatever I think would be pretty much correct about the girl. This time I had community to visit the Barefoot campus. The journey which started at 7:05 fear and belief on local dieties. Known as Kovil kad in Tamil Nadu, Dev Vann to face it, I knew so I started and finished with the most diplomatic answer AM was full of stories from my community. The women were all excited and in Himachal, Devkad in Karnataka, Kavu in Kerela, Devrai in Maharashtra, that I could have said, “The girl, the boy should like each other and the pumped up. The old campus was like a 'mahal' to these women. They were Law Lyngdon in Meghalya & so on... different place different name. It was families should accept each other that’s only important and the rest doesn’t astonished on how Barefoot has women solar engineers, a school for kids, indeed a delicate topic but also of great value for the environment. They are matter.” and used my “never failing” smile. They agreed in unison & just bank inside the campus and women were working without a veil and a the treasure troves of biodiversity, but, they are moving towards the verge of when they started talking I slipped from there. Reaching back, thinking over confident self. being destroyed. Working on such a topic has its pros and cons. I was part of a cup of coffee, a chill ran down my spine as to how easily these people can 'Didi ye toh bahut surakshit jagah lag rahi h. Acha hua hum yaha aaye ab each Thiruvala (festivals) related to my village. ‘Kovil Kad’ the forest of local consider an outsider’s opinion for such a life-changing decision. Back at my hum apne unko bhi yahan bulaenge tab unhe humare kaam pe viswaas deities as they are known in Tamil Nadu. I got to know folklores and myths home, I was not even considered for deciding the menu for such kind of hoga,' they said. and became a part of many celebrations and rituals. “South” Indians trusted events, let alone marriage. A few weeks later… the “North” Indian who had come to stay with them for some time & be one of Would we, “the so-called urbanites”, have ever done that? Would the city Two women were supposed to undergo a training on 5 products from the them. I helped setting up medical camps for them, teaching kids and be there folks trust a stranger? Are the rural communities so innocent or foolish; or master trainers of 'Hatheli Sansthan – Barefoot College'. On the first day for whatever I could help with. One evening when I was back from my work, have we stopped feeling human emotions and become plastic? when we went to the mess for food, the women stood up and they stared at anna, my landlord asked me if I was free the next day since he wanted me to That day I realised one thing, even if my project works or not I’ll not go empty go with his family somewhere. handed. I earned their respect and found myself a place in their lives and for The Sunday me it was a feel to be kept for a lifetime. I realized what I earned all the while A I dressed well that day for an 8 seater AC vehicle which was hired, it had to be Donkey Year’s Earning! As my chitappa says “it’s easy to earn money, but not a big deal. Everybody was happy, excited and chit chatting. They kept talking people and that’s what he has earned. Personal Experience Pg.25 Pg.26 Personal Experience

aving come from a comfortable background, I used to seek Every single day with them was full of new experiences and realizations. side – when I was happy or sad. In big successes and small setbacks, they escapes during my initial few days at the village. I would Value were always around me. When they helped me fold my clothes, braid my hair, Hdread my living condition every single day. The problem was It started when they showed me the value of a one rupee coin. Back home, a cook and clean my house, I realized the meaning of being there for someone. that I was unable to look beyond the things that made me rupee coin was not very important. I could find them lying around Forgiving and moving on Another eye everywhere - on my bed or under my clothes, never spared a second thought When I apologized to them for breaking a promise I made them, they held my -Bindhu B. uncomfortable. I could not look beyond the insects resting on my nose Once a strange village, Doddahalli every time, hours spent without electricity, a bathroom that was a few on its existence. But these children would pick up one rupee coins like they chin and told me it was okay. And I learned how to forgive. Whenever they is now my second home. meters away from my house and so on. found a buried treasure in their backyards. They saved these coins and were fought amongst themselves, they would forget the very next day. And I I lived in this tiny hamlet throughout Slowly, I started sleeping on the terrace just like everyone else. proud of their collection. This money was their only wealth that they spent learned the meaning of moving on. my #YearForChange. Sleeping under the stars, the cool breeze sweeping against my face – I very wisely. That is when I realized the value of money, the value of a one Questioning conventional definitions did not need electricity or a fine bed. I had come to love the nights I rupee coin. As days passed, I began to question the term "underprivileged". After a long slept on the terrace. Soon, each time I experienced something Gratitude stay in the village, I went home to Chennai. There were no majestic uncomfortable, I would take that one strong step One fine morning we went hiking at a nearby mountain. We carried with us mountains around me, no neighbors who lived like a family, and no children to try to look beyond that situation. I tried to snacks locally known as "Bara Masala". I saw the children happy, free and playing outside. There was no fresh air and no stars shining in the sky. I could learn, adapt, and become resilient. In this wild. With the wind on their faces, they danced and screamed in joy. When only see smoke, traffic, neighbors living as strangers, children obsessed with fellowship, you will find unlimited we discovered a small pit of water on the otherwise dry mountain, the kids smartphones and the whitewashed walls of my bedroom. "Aren't we situations to learn from, introspect and simply sat staring at it. Some of them even offered their prayers in gratitude. underprivileged too?” I asked my mother. grow. For me, it was working with the This was the day I realized the importance of gratitude for even the smallest Along with teaching me so much, they also were my strength. Their smiling children of the village that gave me my of things. Gratitude will only instill in us, the positivity the children possess. faces made me feel better even when I was homesick or lonely. They were my greatest learning. As my project took an Live the moment family. They were my home away from home. unexpected turn, I was able to spend Whenever I took my phone out to click pictures of them, they would strike I have grown stronger. And by "stronger", I do not mean that I will never break more time with children. The children of silly poses laughing amongst themselves. They did not care about how the down in future or cease to feel discomfort. I will most definitely continue to. Doddahalli have become an integral part pictures were or what would happen next. They have always lived one But I have grown into a much more resilient person; someone resilient to of my life at the village. moment at a time. Because of their carefree attitude towards life, I realized discomfort, failure, and weakness. the meaning of living in the moment. This community has lent me sight beyond barriers. By my side always I came here looking for answers. I have not found any. But I have discovered I was alone in the village. My family and friends were back home. But very something greater- another eye, another perspective towards life. soon, these children were an integral part of my life. They were always by my P ic by-P ARIJ BORGOHAIN They, I and You P ic by-P ARIJ BORGOHAIN Pic by - GULSUPPA GUY Local Issue Pg.31 Pg.32 Local Issue ABILITY BEYOND

-Dhilsha Jubair DISABILITY Hit & Run-Sunita Das Tara Devi Ji belongs to a remote village awareness. In the year 2010 with the help of Barefoot College, she went a sually, the legal system of our country handles accident owner. This fine is called 'Mohtana' and the community decides close to Bandar Sindri in Ajmer District. step ahead and set up the sanitary napkin section, which currently caters to cases. But, I was shocked to see the village had their the value of their property. If the person who has caused the At the age of 5 she was diagnosed with the need of over 1000 women in 45 villages. Tara was solving social issues Uown mechanism to manage situations where their damage fails to pay the 'Mohtana', the community will not let Polio, her family, close relatives and but in her own personal life she was struggling. Due to the pressure of cattle or animals were hit. them go alive. He also said that sometimes these bones were used villagers where uncertain of how she villagers and their continuous mocking, Tara's husband used to beat and Since I moved from the small islands of Andaman & Nicobar to the to stop passing tourists/people and loot them. would survive let alone envisage the was constantly involved in domestic violence. He wanted her to not work desert in Rajasthan, I have been experiencing the diverse culture, Throughout the ride, he shared with me horror 'Mohtana' stories kind of transformation she would bring with other men and leave doing what she so much wanted to. She knew she tradition, lifestyle, and belief-system of our country. SBI Youth for that made me think I had traveled back in time when there were to the lives of women surrounding her had to take a decision; she had to choose between her husband and her India fellowship has been an incredible 13-month period as I first- bandits terrifying villagers and travelers. “Mohtana” is at most and faraway. This change in her life work. In the year 2015 she filed for divorce and continued working with hand lived in the small village of 'Som' surrounded by tribal groups horrible when a woman dies at home, said Dhularam Ji, the happened when she got associated Barefoot College. Post her divorce, going against her family will and that decide their own rules. They unapologetically live their husband has to pay a price to his wife's family. In case of murder or with Barefoot College in the year 2002. breaking all social taboos she remarried in the year 2016 which is an lifestyle and unabashedly continue to follow age-old traditions death, the fine is between 10-15 lakh rupees. This often results in This was the period when Barefoot was achievement in itself. Tara Ji has lived a life fighting social taboos, breaking and practices. debt for a lifetime. I was curious to know since how long it has encouraging differently abled people stereotypes and standing up for what she thought was right. She has The one practice that astonished me was the system of 'Mohtana' been in practice, so the next day I went to my field location and from these villages to work for social issues, their prime focus being women. achieved success in numerous fields and has inspired the same villagers – a fine for any damage/loss of property or life. It had been a few asked the village Mukhiya (head) about it. He told me that this Tara Ji was one of the few who were motivated enough to leave her village who used to ridicule her to send their girl child to schools and get education. days after I had moved to the village. I explored the village with was an age-old practice in their tribe and he also shared that in behind and join Barefoot College. She was young, unmarried and differently It is only when you meet her you get to know the true meaning of Women the local NGO staff of Seva Mandir. Most times I saw ribcages and the past the head tribe would beat a drum to bring the community abled. This did not go well with the villagers, she was bullied, mocked, her Empowerment. bones of big animals on the roadsides, which scared me. After a together followed by an announcement if there were any parents were put in embarrassing situations, but she continued her fight. few months, I asked a co-passenger in the bus, Dhularamji, about incidents related to 'Mohtana'. But, slowly things were changing Her will and determination made her overcome the double stigma of gender the animal bones lying around. and people were not killing the offenders. They were willing to go and disability. At Barefoot she found opportunities to better her skills; she He noticed I was scandalized and with a wry smile on his face, he to the police and lodge a complaint for loots, death penalty, learned everything from the knowhow of computers to pushing her explained that this was a tradition of the Jhadol tribe. Apparently, accidents etc. entrepreneurship capabilities by running a milk booth. The booth provided if a vehicle runs over their people or property, knowingly or Changing or not – the mere existence of a system that defies the milk and more than that it showed other women what empowerment felt unknowingly, they stop it and block the road using the animal very basis of 'equal rights & laws' is quite surprising. Despite like. Although empowered, Tara Ji felt there was something she could do bones that were lying around. For example, if someone runs over a setting up a law & enforcement force, there may be many remote more; this is when Barefoot College planned to start a sanitary napkin Hen, then they have to pay a fine of about Rupees 20,000 to the locations in our country of 'rich and varied culture and heritage' production unit. She observed the problems faced by women during menstruation. Tara Ji realized that the women in villages were not aware of menstrual hygiene. This was when she decided to work on this project. Women in the villages used rags without properly washing them, dried them inside because of the social stigma attached, all this lead to health problems that they thought were now a part and parcel of their daily life. Tara Ji started fighting these taboos with the help of few other women and raising Personal Experience Pg.33 Pg.34 Personal Experience

t all started with this one sentence ‘wahan akele mat jana khatra ho sakta hai’ (don’t go there outside my window and relish the present moment. That’s when the woman guiding me to go back but my heart was pushing me forward. alone, it might be dangerous). Having travelled across India, and many times all alone, often sitting next to me asked where I travelling to. As soon as I told her the name of I walked as fast as I could. Ithe above statement would disappoint me. I always questioned if it’s because I am a girl or is the fort, I noticed she turned pale and asked me with a concerned voice if I From those dense forest which had no human race visible to a distance my the world around me has become a dangerous place to survive in. was travelling alone. It was the same question all over again that brought eyes could see. I FEAR! back the concern. All she advised me before changing her seat was to get I remember, as a child, I was so free. Free from all these warnings that would make me tense. I was pacing up and the dense clouds were shielding me into them, only this AND THAT'S MY Somehow I often ended up in all the random places all alone and without any fear. May be the back before it’s dark. My heartbeat by now had gone up and I don’t know if it time, I felt protected and not terrified. concept of fear hadn’t developed by then, but still looking back at those days leaves me with was because of the story or because of the apprehensions running in my I was soon stopped by a man and I remember the quirky smile he passed at immense satisfaction of living the way I always wanted to. Though things changed as I grew old head. Even before I could think of any solution, my stop had arrived me. I heard my heart making a thud noise, as my hands shivered. I admit I STRENGTH and I started becoming more cautious, more selective about travelling alone to places. But I never There it was, the Asirgarh Fort, one of those forts in our country that was was in deep fear, fear of some unwelcomed trouble. But in that moment, I stopped traveling, as it give me satisfaction that finally, I won against all the odds only until I ruled by five dynasties and had a combination of Islamic, Persian, Turkish -Kavya P gathered again. I told myself to stay strong, to look straight in the stranger’s ended up in a tribal village of Madhya Pradesh. and Indian style of architecture. The fort demands a pass through the eye, and continue to climb. I literally climbed with a speed of a rocket, not It was a circle all over again when my community women suggested me not to travel to certain Satpuras that connected the valleys of Narmada and Tapti rivers, which is bothered about my drying throat , paining back or growling stomach. All I parts of the village alone, even during the daylight. Saddened by their suggestions, I avoided apparently one of the most important routes from North India into the knew was to keep myself safe to reach the hill top no matter what. As I was taking some routes that appealed extremely beautiful to me. Yet I couldn’t make efforts to go Deccan. It was also popularly known as Babe Deccan or Key to the Deccan. about to reach the pinnacle, I saw three more men walking towards me. there, as the stories constantly echoed in my ears. I always wondered how did the women This was it! I decided to climb the hill to encounter one of the most Clenching my fist hard, I was getting ready to protect myself, but my heart managed to know so much? How did they walk alone everywhere without any fear? To some astounding views I knew was worth a watch, almost forgetting about the once again made a murmur, asking me to calm down and assuring me that I bigger questions like didn’t they have anything to lose? Were they more prepared for the world day. From the beginning, I geared up and planned to climb up as I had no can battle this out. than me? Or did they think I wasn’t capable enough to go by my own? other means of travel to get there. The hill was at an elevation of 700-800 Another moment where I rose stronger and increased my pace to reach the When these thoughts kept rumbling in my ears now and then, something felt setting me back in meters with a steep climb, nearly 5 kms from the place I was standing. I hilltop. tightened my shoe lace for action and entered the village of Asirgarh to notice my mind to a point where I decided to do it no matter what. Dot at 3:19 PM. there was not a single human being on the streets. Not letting myself It was on a Saturday midnight when I decided to visit a nearby fort with my co-fellows but due to And in that moment, nothing mattered. I had discovered a new me! A bothered by the surrounding ambience, I began walking towards the some uncertainty, they decided to drop out of the plan. But I stayed stern on living by it. stronger me! A confident me! My fear had given me strength to do something entrance of the fort where I spotted a young girl and asked her if the jungle And then on an unusual Sunday that had something tacit in the air making me uncomfortable, I I wouldn't have done otherwise. route was safe enough to go alone. After her nod, I gained back my boarded my bus, deciding to live by the decision I had taken. On my way I kept asking a couple of And to add on to my utmost satisfaction, there was the magnificent view enthusiasm and as I began to climb, suddenly the sky embarked to change co-passengers for direction to reach the fort and each one of them happened to ask the same from the hilltop. It definitely was worth all the drama that came along. The its colour and became dense grey with the clouds floating all around me and question - “Kya aap akele ja rahe ho?” I constantly kept ignoring it aiming to reach the place lush greenery and the pleasant breeze took me to a different world until a blocking my view. I continued to walk I and spotted not a single soul around before the fort closes. On reaching the nearby district that too appeared unusually quiet that day moment when I was stopped by the guard to give my details before making me but four men some what down the hill, only a few meters away from me, when I hardly found anyone on the streets, I enquired again about the best way to reach the fort an entry to the fort and the question rebound back again ‘aap akele jungle se sitting and playing cards. I skipped a beat or two there. and felt chills down from the rare souls spotted on the way. And to the unusualness, everyone kept asking the same aaye ho?’ my spine. As fear began to take control over my mind putting me in a state of question. It had now started to give me a slight discomfort. At one instance, there was a man who But this time I had no fear but a pleasant smile on my face to tell him with dilemma, I found myself growing weak against those hundreds of questions came up to me to say something but he was stopped by this fellow mate making me wonder what confidence that ‘jee han mein akele aayi hun, mein akele jungle ke raste se that came to my mind within a few seconds. Amid all of that, a thought did he wanted to convey. I sensed not something positive definitely but I chose to go anyway. aayi hun, maine akele poori chadhayi tay ki hai.” come loud and clear, ‘If not today, never.’ I don’t know why that thought On my way to the fort in the bus, I began reading about its history and folktales around it. That’s appeared but it meant if I stepped back today, it might take me a very long He smiled back and had no answer. I guess those were some unspoken when I found out that ‘Ashwathama, son of Guru Dronacharya, after being cursed by Lord Krishna time to gather myself back again. gestures we exchanged and I realised that it’s you alone who can be your for his misdeeds is roaming around the fort for the last five thousand years until he attains death. own support system and nobody else. All you need is to carry yourself with And from fear, I rose stronger. I heard my heart pounding loud and clear not It also said that he was the first one to worship Lord Shiva in the morning even before the fort confidence and courage, with a strong belief in yourself and nothing because I was scaling a steep hill with speed but out of fright, fright of opens and mysteriously enough, there would be fresh flowers and sandal offered to Lord Shiva. thereafter can stop you. Some people also believed that Ashwathama lingers around the fort post sunset asking people for something dangerous waiting to happen. Back to my community, I narrated my experience to my women and thanked turmeric and oil to stop blood coming out of his forehead. And anyone who sees this apparition As I went on with the clouds closing the doors behind me, it felt as if I was in a them for questioning me because if not for them, I wouldn’t have gone this far either goes insane or loses his mental stability. mysterious world, unaware of what would come ahead of me. I looked at my to experience this new side of me. It was seeing them that pushed me. If they watch that said exact 3 PM, and I looked at the hill, it was still a distance of Gathering myself back from the past, I began to realise that maybe this could be the reason for could walk and travel alone anywhere and everywhere then #WhyNotMe. those questions repeatedly asked. I kept the thought aside and decided to enjoy the scenic beauty almost 4.5 kms. I was hearing my heartbeat loud and clear. My mind was Local Issue Pg.35 Pg.36 Personal Experience

QUESTIONS -Ketaki Ulhas Natekar

Have I taken the correct decision? Will this fellowship show me the way medical help was not asked for beforehand. Doctor sahib was furious as any Life moves on proud of it. She told how she had to manage everything alone. I was curious forward? What project shall I select? Shall I work on the aspects I know or more delay could have costed the lives of both the mother and child. Masterji During one of the field visits with a co-fellow and NGO staff, we reached a to know about the role of her daughter-in-law. shall I try something different? With all such questions I reached the Betul patiently listened to doctor sahab. He replied towards the end of the village called Mali-Silpatti. The village like any other in our country had On asking this, she looked at me with utmost surprise. district of Madhya Pradesh. I came to work with the tribal community along conversation,'” We were waiting”, though he realized it was wrong as he future generations not interested in agricultural activities. The reasons were She said,”jawan ladki akeli kab tak rahegi? Woh to chali gayi' I was shocked with the NGO, BAIF. The fellowship raised many questions and it also shared an incident when a neighbor's cow died while delivering. obvious and the same everywhere - low and uncertain income, attraction to hear the way she told me this in a 'matter of fact' tone and without any answered a few. Despite knowing the risks, Masterji could not give us a satisfactory answer to towards the city life and its luxuries, etc. anger. Life coming into Life why he did not call Doctor sahab beforehand. While conversing with the community members I noticed a middle-aged lady Again questions started disturbing me - How was a tribal woman so It was a warm winter day and I had reached the Mandai office of BAIF with After about 10 days we visited Masterji's home to meet the calf. I may have sowing wheat alone in her farm. I approached her to speak with her. As progressive with her thoughts? Was the daughter-in-law irresponsible to Purva, the Veterinary Assistant in BAIF (also known as 'Doctor sahib' among imagined things but I felt like the mother recognized me. I could see though we knew each other from a long time, she started sharing her life leave her kids behind? Was it right of her to start a new family only because the villagers). happiness in her eyes. Both the calf and the mother were healthy, everything story. I patiently heard her tale. Her voice was feeble and sad. She told me her husband passed away? Or, is it a good thing that the in-laws let her start a Before leaving for the field, he asked me “Madam, kacche raste pe gadi chala was fine. The mother was serving the family happily without asking WHY? that she owned about 4 acres of land and her well had a good water level. She new life instead of curbing her at one place with no normal family life? loge na? jaldi pahuchenge.” had electricity connection to pump water for irrigation and yet she cultivated My thoughts were interrupted by the lady. She continued telling me how New to the field and counting on my bike riding skills, I agreed. Within a few crop enough only for her consumption. both of her grandchildren like to come with her to the farm. In few years, they minutes, I realized Kachha rasta literally meant NO ROAD. We were driving Her husband was ill and her only son died in an accident a couple of years might help her. She did not seem disturbed neither did she complain of her through farmlands and muddy tracks. To entertain us was the screeching ago. She had two grand-children who she ensured went to school, she was daughter-in-law. She had moved on in life and was looking ahead. background sound the bike made. After a long ride, we reached the village of Kumharia. As soon as we stepped down, one of the villagers informed Doctor sahab that Masterji's buffalo was not well. We went to see the sick animal and on reaching the place we found that the buffalo was trying to deliver a calf. Half of the paw was out but the poor animal was too tired to push the calf out. Her eyes were pleading for help. Masterji's mother told us that, she (The buffalo) was struggling for almost 3 hours. After thinking for a few minutes, Masterji provided us the rope and warm water. He needed help with pulling the calf out, an injured shoulder was not enough to do the task. Purva and I volunteered to help and within a minute we pulled out a beautiful black haired calf. The mother started licking her calf to clean it. Her eyes expressed both, gratitude and satisfaction. All of us were mesmerized by the sight of a happy mother and calf, getting to know each other. For the first time, I witnessed a life being born. Post-discussion: After this incident, Masterji and Doctor sahab almost had a debate over why Pic by - SAI KRISHNA Pic by - SAI KRISHNA If any one year had to define what life is to me, it would be the year of this fellowship.

Pic by - GULSUPPAGUY Personal Experience Pg.41 Pg.42 Personal Experience

· Logic of few men who go to the stream to take a bath and not in their duty is to provide marketing services is unable to actually market the bathroom since they tend to catch a cold with the bathroom water. products that the people produce. The doctor who is never available in · Community works like clock-work, they seem to have an internal watch the PHC. -Krishna Kasturi which guides them about the time to wake up, drink and sleep but the · How there are so many policies on paper which seem like the solution to BAZINGA watch seems to always fails when trying to stick to meeting schedules / most of the problems but never actually get implemented on ground. f you understood the title of the project, you expect I'll “bazinga” you with me since I can't even remember my phone number. timetable. · How few villages still don't have road access and have to climb down a this article just like Sheldon Cooper (let me hope that I will succeed). For · Their ability to always give and share despite them having limited · My community is super positive about anything and everything, the mountain to reach the main road and how few districts still don't have Ithose who didn't understand this, the reference is from the show, “Big resources. answer to any question that I ask is always “Yes”. But when the time network. Bang Theory”, which indicates situations where you leave others baffled and · How they adopt most of the street dogs, particularly pregnant ones, feed comes to act, it is big NO. They hate disappointing you verbally but are · When my community says they don't have any time on their hand but are stumped. The article summarises few instances in which my community them even when their rations are scarce. quite comfortable in disappointing you in reality when the time comes. having a 2-hour volley ball session or a 2-hour chai session. (which includes people, school kids, animals and insects) left me “bazinga- · Their instant trusting nature to a stranger and welcoming with open · Their preference to do a back breaking job for 8 hours instead of a less- · When husbands of female ward member attend the panchayat meetings ed”. While most of the what follows seems to indicate a negative tone, I have arms. (I don't even know and trust my neighbours). demanding job. (This may be a reason, why I'm obese and they are not). (who cares about the female to male ratio). But they suddenly turn up for been pleasantly surprised most of the times and have been trying to maintain · How much cows actually like mangoes and how less the community · The amount of aloo (potatoes) that gets consumed by every family in the meetings when a block / district official visits the panchayat. a positive outlook about the situations around me. likes mango fruit. every meal. I have vowed to never throw a tantrum if my mom repeats a · How kids chase snakes and scorpions instead of screaming and running · The number of chickens which are ready to die under the bike because · Their confidence in open breast-feeding during meetings which also vegetable in a week and may actually be open to eating potato skin. away from them. they don't know how to and why they cross the road. includes men. · The washboard abs that the women and men display – can't help but · When kids say they want to grow up to be Naxals when they don't know · The women's flawless and beautiful skin across ages without using any · Their sense of cleanliness, taking bath twice a day (no matter how cold gawk. This is attributed to (a) poor nutrition (b) few rations (c) hard work head or tail about what a Naxal stands for. chemical product – Haldi and Besan zindabad! the water is) and sweeping their homes twice a day. (d) timely eating and (e) following a no junk diet. · How few kids who have gone through so much mentally (death of a · Their ability to retain information in detail without noting it down stumps · Their willingness to spend over Rs. 50k over celebrations (death, 21 day parent(s), abuse of parents, abuse by parents) continue their life with so celebration, menses) but not over school and college education. much zest and happiness. Their sorrow is treated like a matter of fact · Their confidence that their cattle will come back hail and hearty post an and their life moves on with only happiness in their every step – so much open grazing session. to learn from them! · Their attitude about never taking milk from a cow, since the calf · How insects always seem to find a way in the room despite closed mesh deserves the milk of the mother and not human beings. doors and windows – where there is a will, there is a way. · Their attitude towards growing only a single crop on their land, despite · Select people's carefree attitude about any disease - who needs a doctor, having seeds, water and land. we have our own cure for malaria, cancer, snake bites and other life- · How a dog who followed me to climb a mountain of 8 km and has been a threatening diseases. constant friend during the journey was stolen by my co-fellow who fed · How community is comfortable to travel 5 km for Rs. 20, spend Rs. 500- him – loyalty can be bought. I still love both of them! 800-2000 with a local doctor / quack but not travel 35 km in a bus to a · Their open-door attitude despite theft of chicken and mushrooms. They government hospital where both services and medicines are free only will of course lament over this misfortune but continue to trust that this because they have to spend Rs. 60 to travel. will not happen in the future. · How generous some shop keepers are, they continue to feed people · How some women continue to get abused by their husbands and despite their eat-and-run attitude. assume it is fate. · How only the present matters, neither the past nor the future. They are · Comfort with which few panchayat authorities continue their corrupt true followers of Buddhism and Master Oogway (Kung Fu Panda – watch practices. One such instance is seeking out Rs. 10k payment from the it, if you haven't!) Indira Awas payments. The IWAS payment is not sufficient to build the · How one lady's mother like attachment towards us SBI fellows living in house since the transport of materials to far-off locations is a costly affair the location was formed within 3 months of eating with her. Do visit her - so the community tops up the loan that they anyway take to fund the shop (“Basantididi”) if you happen to visit Koinpur, Orissa ever – she transport of materials to cater to the officials. makes amazing vadas and chai. · How some institutions and their representatives don't care about the Finally, the location with all its natural beauty itself stumps you every work and duty – The government vet has not visited the panchayat in single day. over a year in which at least 100 goats have died. An institution whose Personal Experience Pg.43 Pg.44 Personal Experience Bhaiya, mere glass mein paani daal do" -Lomash Chaudhary Simple In formals we usually save for our big interviews, dressed was this tall figure passed but Harijans (I hate that this is how they are referred to) are still of a young humble man named Ramesh. Cycling 8 kms at the break of dawn, continuing to do the work they were once ‘entitled’ to - waste, the without breaking a sweat, Ramesh reported for duty in my field location with untouchable. a bright smile every morning. But today was different. You don't see a daily Infuriating. A worker trying by all means to make the village stand out, wage worker all dressed up. So I asked him, “Ramesh ji, aaj kuch special hai working under the carnage of the fiery Rajasthan sun, pulling a rickshaw full Pasta Smiles kya?" "Nahi, bhaiya, ye to bas aise hi," came the reply, as he started the mini of their refuse, sweating (now they've a auto rickshaws, kudos to that, -Lekshmi tempo and loaded the big plastic barrels for his usual rounds in the village. sweating nonetheless). And yet, hold such a pleasant smile that can oday when I entered Akka's house, there was an unusual quiet. The villages and she had no idea how to cook it. “Can u cook this akka?” he had Ramesh ji works in the waste segregation project initiated by a senior (SBI anyone’s day, is an untouchable? kids were huddled together and they nudged each other. The son an innocent craving in his voice. YFI) fellow, Kavya Raman, and currently handled quite dedicatedly by a co- In an era when 4G has reached their houses and yet casteism remains Twhispered in Akka's ears, “Show her the packet. I am sure she must Having proved my cooking skills during our stay there (you may confirm with fellow, Shuvam. Almost every day, Ramesh ji sets out in this small tempo, ingrained, what surprised me more was the fact that he had to go to the know.” my co-fellow), pasta was so much easier. visits houses, collects their trash, and requests the villagers, training to neighbouring house to call them to serve him food in his ‘special’ plate. “He is not leaving me alone ma. You figure this out” said Akka to me as the Akka got some carrots and onions from the market. Her daughter and I took segregate their waste into wet and dry, and not complaining if his prayers are A few days later, I went to him and asked about his point of view. Centuries of son went to the kitchen to get something. to boil the pasta. By then akka had cut the vegetables. Having prepped the not answered. This is his everyday living. Either take it or leave it. Once done such a treatment, when everything that is demanded of them is conveyed I was clueless of what was going on. The kids were never so shy before. I ingredients, we both sat down to cook the pasta in the firewood stove outside with waste collection, which otherwise would have littered the only by yelling, complaining and swearing, it had become the normal for the began to imagine what it could be and as humans tend to think the worse in their home. neighborhood for the centuries to come if not for this ambitious project, likes of Ramesh ji. such situations, I did too. It was a pasta without any sauce or garnish. A simple fry with some Ramesh ji heads towards the site to do the needful - segregating and But I was still optimistic. With his children pursuing education and aspiring Just before my thoughts went haywire, her son came and handed me a seasoning of local chilli, we divided it among us. After tasting it they were moreover, helping the villagers benefit with the process of organic for a promising future, there is hope. packet. “I want to eat this akka” he said. impressed with my cooking. Akka and her daughter laughed light heartedly composting. Given the right tools for safeguarding his health and people And for those of us who’d ever witness this, god forbid, I’d ask you to try to “What is this ma? Do you know?” enquired akka. As I checked the packed it as to how easy a preparation it was. around him, Ramesh ji does how much is humanly possible to segregate the make it a point to, maybe, shake hands with them, share food and give them a turned out to be a pasta packet! After having it, her beaming son came to me and announced “akka next time plastic from the wet waste. He then feeds the composing pits with water and new normal. Akka explained how her son bought this from a sales woman traveling to I will get five packets!” notes down different activities and timings in his journal. And that is when he heads towards the field centre, where food awaits the man of honour, if you personally ask me. Just like every other day, today too he greeted me with a smile and resulting one in return from me too. Having no sign of exhaustion or disgust towards his work, I saw him sit down with a plate in his hands, filled with everything the cook offered. I then went back to my room to do some work only to be called by him after a few minutes. Bhaiya, mere glass mein Paani daal do." (Pour some water in my glass). Puzzled for a few seconds but without thinking too much, I poured some water from the matka in his glass and went back to my work. And then it kind of hit me. I went back to him and asked him why did he have me pour the water. He smiled. And I think I understood. Casteism was quite prevalent, but this was untouchability. Generations have Personal Experience Pg.45 Pg.46 Personal Experience

In the midst 'Beyond borders, across faiths' -Niha Mol

The breeze was cold than usual; we cramped into a small car with our on fruits and berries, sowing rice with foot deep in thick mud and the rural luggage overhead. Thus, my journey began to find a new abode amidst the scenario only gave life to my childhood fantasies. hills. From the chaotic lanes in the city to a small village in the hills, this The connection became so real with the community that I became the of nature journey was going to be an adventure of a lifetime. At the crack of dawn the women's confidante. I was always up to date with gossips and also the clouds gave way to the far-fetched mountains, and a small temple stood right listener to untold stories of their life. From listening to a woman who was in the middle of the river. For a girl who always lived by the beaches, I couldn't silently weeping for aborting 5 female foetuses in wait for a baby boy to the stop gaping at the view. But no journey is complete without a few woman who was a victim of domestic abuse; I often felt guilty for not being disappointments. Moving into a place with less facilities wasn't the trouble thankful for the life I had. and love… and trusting people who are from same city bred life was so easy and natural; For almost 10 months after working with the community, I decided to give -Naireeta Biswas but there were some unpleasant beginnings to my happy ending. wings to one of the dreams that the women had – they wanted to become an A lone Muslim within the radius of 20 km, I was received with both smiles entrepreneur. I began a small business to manufacture laddoos and biscuits and ambiguity. From being refused for a place because of my religion to out of the super crops which the women barely used in their daily t took a flight journey from Guwahati to Imphal and then a 3-hour Her husband, Dominique Uncle, was my savior in the village as he made sure people having inhibitions while interacting with me, they all brought back consumption. From cooking the dishes in the backyard of a house in front of bumpy ride to Gangluan to reach the village that was going to be that I call my mother every day. He walked with me for 2 kilometers to reach the fear of being cornered. I became careful and kept my religion hidden from chulha which burnt the eyes and made me cry (they have become so used to permanently inscribed in my memories. It is with sheer awe and the location where we could somehow manage to find some cellular I the community I worked with. It was a sad thought but it helped me get the flames that the smoke no longer makes them cry) to the packaging and amazement the community greets you when you visit Gangluan. Cradled in reception. But the most poignant of them all were the discussions that we closer to the women. bringing the product on stand; the achievement wasn't small. The hopes of the lush green hills of West Manipur, it is an isolated village with scanty had during our daily walks. Dominique Uncle is a hard-working man. In the While working with them, I got familiar with the concept of caste and failing rather than being successful was high; but our hard-work had done population. morning, he used to tend to the paddy fields and in the nigh the worked as a untouchability. The community had a clear divide between the higher and the inevitable. I never hoped the women will come forward and help me with But, it was also a location that could compete with any tourist destinations security guard at a local stone factory. But what awed me the most was the lower castes. They never shared a common room for group meetings or this because they prefer standing alone better than being in a team. popularized by travel agencies and magazines. Completely untouched by sheer pride and admiration he felt for his wife for being a solar engineer and accepted food or the water that was being served. They even apprehended The 'Devidhura Mela' during Raksha Bandhan is the biggest of all fairs that is commercialization and modernization, the place had everything a nature- helping him earn money to run the household. In a vastly patriarchal society the thought of their utensils being touched by a person from other caste. The held locally. The harsh didn't deter me from backing out of this Mela. Instead I enthusiast would look for. And most importantly, it did not have a network it was a welcoming change! deep rooted caste issues are so real that even the younger generation feel the went there, and was promoted by all the temple authorities who allowed to connection. The adorable couple used to play guitar for me during evenings. They talked same for children whom they go to school with. The women have separate let me sell the laddoos in the temple. My religion didn't matter, my caste But what touched me the most was the welcome I received by the villagers about their life and aspirations. Knowing my profound fondness for non- SHGs for people of lower castes. No one from the community or in nearby didn't matter, and my belief in religion also didn't matter. My work spoke for each time I visited them. Teresha Aunty, as I lovingly call her, was my 'dost ' vegetarian food they made sure that I got the most of it. And I realized that vicinity prefer to have water from their houses. But the joy they share when me. and host for the rest of my stay there. She was a solar engineer who had spent despite so many hardships and troubles, you can be really happy and asked for a glass of water might tear you up. My journey is uncomparable and no metaphor would do justice. But it has 6 months in Tilonia, Rajasthan with the Barefoot College team. I stayed at satisfied if you want to be. The illusion I had before that money and Sometimes the motivation to get up and get going was so difficult that a walk made me both happy and fulfilling. I do not wish to overlook the troubles I her one-bedroom house. She ensured that I have a bed to myself despite my materialistic luxuries are the sole factors for judging happiness completely in the woods to view the Himalayas and smelling the deodar trees only felt went through to deserve this happiness, but I am happy for what has many persuasions that I share the bed with someone else. She has a loving changed once I entered this phase of life. People can be happy with bare real and made me happy. Walking along the woods like a happy child to pick happened. family of 5 that stays in the same household, including her husband, necessities and this was a big lesson for me. daughter, son-in-law and a grand-daughter. “I never knew these women would be such a wonderful actors. Within a short span of time, they started providing me with crazy digital tutorials, talking ideas and becoming change agents across the Sagbara block. I feel blessed to have an opportunity of working with them, where every single interaction with them made me more humble and genuine.” - Chirag Gupta SBI YFI Fellow 2017-18

Pic by - GULSUPPAGUY Personal Experience Pg.49 Pg.50 Personal Experience THE CALM IN MY CHAOS -Rohan Nair he jungles have different story to tell. Ever heard of it? You have to was required, so I started getting up early (hell of a job). The boy looked at me listen to it carefully, look carefully, and experience it beyond your again and I looked at him again the same day but in winters (which doubled Tvision. Very early in fellowship I realized that I have lost a lot of our misery). things after coming to Kalahandi, “The majestic jungles of Odisha” where I got up again, took my tea, sat under the tree, waited for my friend in misery peace finds you and calmness takes control of you. Well that's what people so that we could share our stare and only tried to make ourselves feel better say but only my pain and troubles made me realize that peace is not a place like we do every day. I saw him he was walking towards me like every day, my but it is a state of mind. I have to somehow find THE CALM IN MY CHAOS. veins started to shrivel and the cold winds were not the reason. The boy was This morning like every day I sit under a tree with our nana's black tea which not alone but he was with a girl; she wore an old scarf on her head. The boy obviously is my everyday fuel. As usual I see him, again just like me troubled, was lost in his own world which was newly found by this girl and for all I this boy who passes by me every day with a bundle of wood in his hands. We could think was that he had no reason to look at me anymore. But he did, only look at each other as he passes by me and by his expression I can say he feels this time he looked at me and smiled. It was so enticing that it made my soul no peace inside him and troubles controlled his ways of life. Never has he bend for a moment. He had firewood in his hands as usual, but no sign of smiled at me nor have I smiled at him but always we stared at one another troubles or pains only a new found happiness. Again the other day he was with our troubled expressions. The summers were passing by, the winters with this girl all happy as a hungry squirrel who found tree full of nuts. I was were to arrive and here I saw the miseries winters brought with it. Winter just happy to have found myself a new hope of finding my peace. here was a season for rich with few resources and poor refuge, people here Today the winters end and I sip my tea back at the same place. The boy walks waited for summers to arrive. Winter mornings were late but the people of past me alone again with the same pain and same troubles on his face again. Kalahandi were not, they couldn't be because being late in poverty is being He ties the scarf of the girl around his hands and looks right into my eyes and hungry. But I was blessed with all resources and refuge I needed and I we stare at each other for a few moments which seemed like a decade. For survived just fine here. Winters I did not see the boy very frequently (because him the summers brought back his old miseries and where everybody usually I got up late). Sometimes I did and we continued staring. enjoyed the spring, in his eyes I saw how badly he waits for winters, he waits I was to organize the big science fair in our school where my pro-activeness for the CALM IN HIS CHAOS. Personal Experience Pg.51 Pg.52 Personal Experience

For us Earthlings, watching the constant stream of negativity pumped out in She went unnoticed even in the happening market street. I lifted the puppy the AIR, media etc, we can be left feeling, anxious and sometimes less hope slowly, and yet again it was born a "she". I wasn't surprised when I heard for the future. How it would be to feel constantly pressed?! I have always voices " ye nahi bachega, chhod do". ( she wont survive... leave her down) All I wondered if that's the case, of how Earthlings perceive their own species, could see was a life within her, but not as tiny as she was, which just wanted how do animals see us?! some water and food. Due to scarce facilities in treating her paw, she went I always wore their lens and nodded to that thought "if animals had a religion, through TLC (tender loving care) at home. I started my adoption campaign humans would be the devil " once again but to my surprise, the reception wasn't as disastrous as it was I somehow found it difficult to vary myself out from the fact that their earlier. Those very same voices said " Are! Aap logon ne isko theek kar diya. activities to survive were no different from ours. The equating never felt Abhi badhiya daud rahi hai". (Wow! You guys have treated her well. She's strange. I was busy imagining how I would live in that place I used to see in running with ease now) images earlier wondering how people managed to live in such uncertainty & Later someday, When I asked dada if he would take care of her when we are alienation. gone i was once again taken back hearing " Isko kya chahiye, Sirf 2 roti aur It took some time to stop the murmuring voice which kept comparing urban humara pyar". life to that in a village. That very moment I realized any nook and corner of the earth, even if we don't I always had a tendency of observing people's ideologies towards other life share similar culture or language, emotions are simply universal that every forms, tiny or not so tiny, other than oneself, perceiving to hold superiority in individual shares with another, irrespective of comparisons and when the the pyramid. The root of self contradiction always rises in that sphere. One same is extended and related with other life forms, the way the world works always needs power when wanting to harm, otherwise love is enough to get seems way different with rays of hopes for which one needs to witness everything done as said by Charlie Chaplin. somebody practicing such emotions just to believe in its working & its The folds of the serene mountains had in it humans who had specific existence which leads to INCEPTION of change . acceptance towards gender of the animals unlike back in the cities, where its "If u let your humanity sleep, your memory sinks back to evolutionary levels just that an animal was simply referred to by using an 'it', without any and you start behaving like a beast. An excessively intelligent one." - OSHO attention paid to it being a male or a female. It took me aback every time when "cows became family but bulls didn't deserve to get nourished by his own mother's milk, male dogs never are short of love & a family, but female ones deserved the incredible hate looks and the streets to dwell in. It became all the more strange in the air when my co-fellow and I started feeding & lending a sq foot space to a black furred little girl, wagging her tail around in the neighbourhood. When questions arised as to why we were up to this, we said "isko itna kuch nahi chahiye. Jo mere pass hai, de rahi hoon, Doo EXPEDITION roti aur thoda sa pyar Bas, ho jayega"( she doesn't need much. Just two rotis and some little love, that's all..I'm giving what I got). We managed to get through some cold receptions besides which I was pursuing people to adopt her cause I was going to leave the place very soon. Days passed, it unfortunately occurred that she died unexpectedly followed by a fever. A subconscious thought said she left probably because she wasn't wanting to HAPPINES-SahanaS S be a burden. I weeped my heart out and decided never to do this again which didn't last long until I saw another puppy face very tiny and weak to even move as I spotted an open wound with a tiny little broken bone from a vehicle driven away over it. Personal Experience Pg.53 Pg.54 Personal Experience

his fellowship has given me one of the most precious gifts in the form of Baansuli – the rural social enterprise Kuchh din to guzaro Tthat has become an integral part of my identity. I feel proud when I am called and known as the 'Baansuli girl', but this would not have been possible without the help and support of Dang mein!!! many people. And it would not have been possible without -Saloni Sacheti 'Dang' or the people fondly known as 'Dangis'!

Apart from the exclusive scenic beauty of Dang, what attracts me the most khatumbada (sour gooseberries) and other things which were local to Dang to this place, was its delicious cuisine and rich cultural heritage. The two and came straight from her farms. If I asked for green chillies she put lemon, Not only for the people who introduced me to and acquainted me to Dangi cuisine and coriander and ginger along with that, without charging for any of the extras. culture are the local community members. Right from the owner of a I wonder if cities weren't so commercial, wouldn't we have a happy lot of natural beauty 'Bhojanalaya' Suresh Bhai, the community ladies Jasu Ben and Sunita Ben dwellers who faced every problem in life with a smile on their face rather to my neighbours – these are the people who took care of all my needs like I than fight with the vegetable vendor for a few extra chillies after buying but to experience were one of them, and in the end they ensured that I was a complete Dangi hundreds of rupees of stuff. The way Jasu Ben and her friends used to call too. me “Dikra” (child), it would fill my heart with joy and love, creating a sense of the warmth and I remember the first day when I went to Jalaram Bhojanaliya, our lunch & belongingness to this place. dinner spot, where Suresh Bhai served us the tastiest homemade Thali - There were months when the Bamboo jewellery sales were not much and love of the Dangis. typical Gujarati cuisine with enough food for just a meagre amount of 40 the artisans did not earn enough money. But this never stopped my famous Rupees. It was not just the taste of the food but also the way he used to serve Baansuli artisan Sunita Di to ensure that she cooked for me as I was one of the food, with lots of love and extra servings of buttermilk was sure to make her family members. I still remember one of the summer months when we you his regular customer. His morning stall of dal vada and khaman dhokla hadn't had sufficient sales and we all were very careful in spending the little was my favourite way to start off a rather busy and tiring day. Since the very money we had, cautiously. In the scorching sun, I visited Dagadpada and first day, he had become so caring for us since we were outsiders and in Sunita Di would get me a glass of chilled masala buttermilk. She would say Dang to work for his community, that he would make the food dor, that was “subah se kuch khaya toh hoga nahi?” and serve me the first meal of the day. comforting to me. All my favourite food was just a call away! Our I used to constantly tell her “aap kyun paise kharch kar rahi ho waise hi iss relationship had transformed from a customer in his restaurant to more like mahine kuch zyada kamaya nahi hai, Mein de rahi hu” and asked to stop her a daughter, he was always my go-to person when I needed any help. He from doing this, but Sunita di with a beautiful smile used to reply “aap bhi to would also lend me money if I had any ATM issues and was unable to karte ho humare liye”. She made amazing Naagli ki roti and mit (grinded red withdraw cash. This kind of warmth is missing in cities, especially these chilli and garlic chutney) and exclusive Bamboo sabzi, from the little they days. had, they shared with me just like I was a part of their family and life. Have you ever visited a village weekly market? It is not only fresh vegetables All these may sound very normal but it had a denting effect on my life. These and fruits that you get there, it is the people you meet there and become memories are worth cherishing for a lifetime. The amount of love and friends with that matters more. One such lady I met during the weekly affection the people in my community share, nobody can even match up to Wednesday markets of Waghai is Jasu Ben. Wednesday market is a small that in my life. Their love towards me is just impeccable and it made this step by Gujarat government in Dang district to set-up unique local markets fellowship a life changing event. Do visit Dang once to meet more of these where, once in a week, farmers and other local people come and directly sell warm and welcoming people, meet them to re-live the humanity that is their product, thus, eliminating the role of middle man. Jasu Ben is a middle- diminishing in the cities and also to know the side of Dang that no travel aged woman who is always smiling. She used to bring produce from her blog or itinerary will cover! farms and I used to buy my kitchen requirements from her. She made me taste all new and fancy vegetables and fruits like cashew fruits, Pic by - Sahana S Personal Experience Pg.57 Pg.58 Personal Experience We bond over our bad past -Sanjana Almost two weeks into the fellowship, I was sitting in a room crying. I wasn't peep into their washroom. But now after taking sessions on gender and crying alone. I was with 30 adolescent students who had come for a sexual playing with girls, he has realized that he was wrong. He promised that he harassment session. At the beginning when asked how many of them had would be more respectful with girls and would never behave badly with faced sexual abuse in their life, only 5 of them hesitantly raised their hands. them. He started teaching cricket to the girls. From not playing with them at When I asked the same question at the end of the session, 26 students raised all and saying, “ladkiya cricket nahi khel sakti” to putting all the efforts to their hands, including two boys. It was an overwhelming moment. I had teach them. There were days when no boy would be interested in playing always read horrific facts about child abuse but when I saw the young with the girls, but he never gave up on teaching them. Every day, without fail, children affected by it, it just shook me from inside. Many of them were he would play with them and would happily and proudly tell me that the girls assaulted by men who masqueraded as protectors but turned into molesters. defeated him. He is my HERO. Not everyone has the courage to acknowledge They revealed that these scars of varying intensity overlap most of their their mistakes and work on them. I am very proud of him. He is my HERO. memories. It was a first for me as a person who talks too much to be struck so Like this, the kids have filled my bag with endless stories of change. They intensely by the words of others. have made me a better person. I have learned the most from these kids. They But this time was different: we were all broken by the horrific have taught me to be grateful about everything I have and finding happiness incidents of our past. What should have been a normal session on child in little things. Despite of coming from harsh backgrounds, they are full of sexual abuse turned into something very different: it was an outpouring of love and hope. They don't complain about not having things, they just give grief, guilt and fear. A moment of catharsis for everyone. what they have in abundance that is Love. This incident made me more confident of choosing Gender Sensitization as Few months back, someone asked me about my dreams and after a lot of my project. I decided to dedicate all my energies to the purpose of lessening pondering I couldn't think of anything for myself. The only dream that I could gender violence and specifically, provide relief to the amputated spirits of think of was to see these kids happy and healthy. I really wish they achieve those who cannot speak up against sexual assault and abuse. Thus, I started the best in life and most importantly, become good human beings. Will miss working with school students. Every single day of my fellowship, I felt lucky their warm hugs, unchaste smiles, unbelievable madness, uninhibited to be doing what I love the most. I was doing something which I was most spirits and unconditional love. passionate about. I don't know how much impact I have made in the lives of the kids I worked with but they have surely left an everlasting impression on mine. Every morning I would wake up to see their excited happy faces. Very effortlessly, they took a special place in my heart, they became my family, my home. Every time I would miss my parents they would just come and give me a tight hug. And with a curve on their lips, very naively they would say, "hum aapko bahut paresan karte hai na, abse nahi karenge, par hume chhodkar mat Jaana". From "didi hum aapse baat nahi karege agar aap Kahi Gaye toh" to countless hugs on my return. They would never cease to melt my heart. They have been my constant support system. Even if nothing was working out, their love kept me going. Every month I used to ask the children about what the things they are guilty about and what would they do to change them? One of the letters really stuck with me. A boy had written that he used to hate girls, would abuse them and Personal Experience Pg.69 Pg.60 Personal Experience ges T;knk t:jr gS mudh---- ;w¡ rks cgqr lh ;knsa vkSj ckrsa gS] ysfdu tks lcls ;knxkj vkSj eq>s ,d Q+k;nk igq¡pk;k] fQj Hkh oks yksx gj ne esjs lkFk Fks] enn ds fy, rS;kj! & 'kqHke tSu lh[k ns x;h og gS yksxks dk I;kj] O;gokj vkSj lEeku esjs çfr ! mu blesa pwjek ckVh ikVhZ dks Hkh Hkqyk;k ugha tk ldrk ] ftles ngo dk LVkQ yksxks dh enn ds fcuk eq>s ugha yxrk dh Q+syksf'ki esa dqN [k+kl dj vkSj fdlku dk ifjokj lkFk feydj [ksr is nky ckVh cukdj lc lkFk ikrk ! 'kq: &'kq: esa lHkh dk ,d gh loky jgrk Fkk ] Þ'kgj esa ukSdjh cSBdj [kkuk [kkrs gSa] tgk gj ,d ds ikl viuh ,d vyx dgkuh Fkh vkSj ugh feyh D;kÞ\ gekjs ;gk¡ ls rks yksx 'kgjks esa tkrs gSa ]rks vki ;gk¡ D;ksa ,d rjg ls [kkus ij ppkZ! vk, ! rc esjs ikl bldk dksbZ mÙkj ugha Fkk ysfdu le; ds lkFk vkSj gj vPNh ;knsa yksxks ds lkFk jgdj feyh gSa ]mUgksaus eq>s vius ifjokj dk yksxks ds lkFk ?kqyfeyus ds ckn fdlh us ;gk¡ okil ugha iwNk ! fgLlk le>k] muds fcuk esjk xkao esa jguk Hkh eqf'dy Fkk ! yxrk Fkk dh yxHkx viuh gj t:jr ds fy, eSa xkao ds yksxksa is fuHkZj Fkk] lqcg dh bu yksxks dks esjh t:jr gS ] ij Q+syksf'ki [k+Re gksrs& gksrs le> vk x;k Þ pk; ls ysdj 'kke ds [kkus rd] 'kq: esa u rks eq>s lgh rjhds ls [kkuk ges T;knk t:jr gS mudhÞ------cukuk vkrk Fkk u pk; cukuk] ftrus Hkh fnu eSa xkao esa jgk] lqcg dh pk; ?kj ls nwj dksbZ viuk yxrk gS ]fny ds fgLls lk yxrk gS ] fdlh u fdlh ifjokj ds lkFk gh gksrh Fkh] ;k fQj dkbZ u dksbZ vklikl ls 'kgj dh HkhM+ ls dkslksa nwj ]tgk viukiu feyrk gS ! cksyus vk tkrk Þdgk¡ vdsys pk; cukvksxs vkt gekjs lkFk ih yksÞ! dHkh dqN lh[kk] dqN ik;k] fdlh ds ;gk¡ ls lCth vk tkrh dHkh dqN] xkao esa esjk ?kj] ekaxfyd Hkou thou esa ,d vuqHko vk;k ! ds ikl Fkk ] 'kknh fdlh dh Hkh gks eq>s ges'kk vkea=.k jgrk Fkk ! tgka ugha dj jgk Fkk #dus dk eu ] vc ugha gksrk ogk¡ ls tkus dk eu] eq>s ugha yxrk dh Q+syksf'ki ds nkSjku eSaus fdlh dh dksbZ cM+h enn ;k irk gh ugha pyk ijk;s dc vius gks x,] vkSj ;w¡ gh rsjg eghus xqtj x, ! Local Issue Pg.61 Pg.62 Local Issue

e often conclude that Government workers do not perform their best and have a laid back attitude. This holds true for One person Wboth - urban and rural set-ups. These pre-notions were challenged when I started working in the village of Koinpur in Orissa. I had met quite a few government employees during my tenure. But, one CAN stir a change government worker inspired me. -Siddhant Gupta inapani Didi, the 50-something Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) in say anything. Didi then had one look at the Aadhaar card and her suspicion Koinpur is one person who truly stands out. She is present in all got confirmed. “We can register you but you will not get Mamata Scheme BPanchayat and Health workers' meetings, always armed with a brief cash benefit. If you want that, you should go to Parlakhemundi and get the report of her work in her diary. She was respected by everyone wherever she date of birth on your Aadhaar changed.” Parlakhemundi is a Gajapati district went effortlessly. I admired her work ethics since I first attended her headquarters about 41 kilometers from the village. Panchayat meeting in Koinpur. She delivered a summary of her work to ward The girl seemed too scared to say anything. She would probably accept her members who were mostly men. She remained calm even though the fate and be excluded from the Government scheme cash benefit only for members showed no interest and were unresponsive. women 19 and above years of age. The idea of going to the nearby town to I used to accompany her to find a project idea in Maternal and Child health, some government offices would seem daunting for a 16-year old who had my interest area. However, I realized that there is really nothing much that I hardly ever stepped out of her village. In the unlikely scenario of her could do in that field. My only contribution was being a butt of ASHA changing her Aadhaar details on ANM's advice, she would be misreporting workers' jokes in their women empowerment talks. “Men don't understand incidence of child marriage which happened with her. anything. Look at the only man in this room today. He doesn't even On my way back, I met a co-fellow at the village chai shop and narrated the understand Odia”. It was true. I did not understand anything. I had no idea incident. I was aghast at what I had witnessed. A pregnant minor girl and her what to do. But, I was glad that my presence helped make a fine joke in those unborn child do not deserve punishment and exclusion from critical meetings! government schemes just because two families decided to get her married off as a minor. Also, effectively on the ground, the policy was incentivizing Box: young mothers to misreport or under-report incidence of child marriage to Binapani Didi's most important job is immunisation and the Village Health get the benefit. Just reportage of these incidents could enable the Nutrition Days (VHNDs) in villages for the care of pregnant women and government to first understand the scale of the problem and do targeted newborns. I often visited these centres in nearby villages. At an interventions around it. But my co-fellow felt otherwise. “They broke the law immunization in Amarsing village, I saw a girl probably in her teens, sitting and now they must pay for it. The 18-year eligibility to avail the scheme in a corner. She seemed a little scared to be there. Binapani didi arrived and should deter these people from breaking the law. These people need that, did her routine activities. When all the mothers left, she asked the girl what otherwise they will not change.” she said. And I was still wondering, are the the matter was. Turned out that the girl was recently married and pregnant. right culprits getting punished or are young girls & their unborn infants the The girl immediately took out her Aadhaar card and handed it over to culprits? Binapani Didi. “You are not 18 years old yet, are you?” Didi asked. She didn't Personal Experience Pg.63 Pg.64 Personal Experience

-Sonal Ramdey

Humans are keen observers, especially when we visit a new place or are kept looking out for her in a jiffy, but she was nowhere to be seen or found, she was in an unfamiliar situation. Observation is a skill which starts playing an missing school and no one knew why. imperative role to adjust to the situation and find familiarity. A few days later when I was going to school I heard a cheerful “didi When I was placed in a small village of Orissa as part of my Youth for India namaskar” and to my surprise, it was her! My happiness knew no bounds and fellowship, I was excited yet anxious to be living in the tribal belt for the first I had the widest grin on my face that morning. I asked her about her time. I had to visit the community and live with the students of Gram Vikas' whereabouts and the reason behind not attending classes. She resisted a residential school. In the initial days, I was observing everyone and little, but eventually told me that all this while she was taking care of the everything around me. Amidst the school children, there was this one who family and cooking meals for her brothers and parents as her stepmother was was always happy and kind to others. She constantly smiled and used sick. She told me about how her father always wanted a boy from her mother encouraging words with everyone who approached her. Anyone who spoke and when her mother died after giving birth to her, he did not take care of her to her even for some time left with a 'happy vibe'. Everyone who knew also and eventually remarried after a few years. I felt extremely sorry for her, but knew that they could count on her for anything and they regarded her as a she did not feel sorry for herself at all. I could not sense a tinge of sadness in great friend. her voice while she narrated the story to me. The day I met her, I was totally mesmerized by her patience and maturity at A reality like this would hurt anyone. I knew she was a neglected child and the age of 13 years. I wanted to know more about her as her kindness and had probably parented herself. That was the time I also realized how women helping attitude towards others had surprised me a lot. She was never all over the world have this immense and special power to belittle their pain bogged down even if the other students mocked her or took her for granted. and energize others around them. My curiosity to know more about her and the other school kids made me plan She said “I am happy," and what she said next changed my life, “When you an activity for them in which I asked them to write about their dreams. Most make peace with yourself, you can be at peace with the rest of the world”. of the sheets were filled with dreams of becoming doctors, teachers and The little one had given me a lesson to survive with in the remaining of my pilots, but somewhere I was waiting for something different, something that lifetime. She found happiness in giving others happiness and bringing a came straight from the heart. As most of the children were writing it in Odiya smile to their faces. I was completely awestruck by her reply and saluted her I was unable to read them properly. When everyone finished, they gave me spirit of not giving importance to the negatives in life by finding something their sheets and left the class. I started looking for her sheet as I wanted to positive in every place, person and situation. This is a quality which is very know about her dream. I went back home and asked a teacher to read them hard to find and harder to imbibe upon even for the most learned and out for me. educated souls. Finally, after going through many sheets, I found hers. Her dream was to I have learnt many lessons in life, but she taught me the application of my become a good human being, I had a smile on my face as I knew it came favorite learning: If you can -Change- and if you can't then -ACCEPT! 'straight from the heart'. The next day I visited the school again and started Life will be simpler and better. 'You' and 'I' made 'Us'

Pic by - BINDHU B. Pic by - GULSUPPAGUY Personal Experience Pg.67 Pg.68 Personal Experience

rom my childhood I always loved to travel to new places and experience new things. To begin with, my name is Sunita and I have landed in Aravali Hills for 13-month journey on The journey Fa road less traveled. This was right after my Masters, when I found myself in this village called “Som” in Jhadol block of Udaipur district, 2542 km away from my land -- Andaman and from SHORES Nicobar Islands. And the very first comment I received in here: Jal Pari se Registhan ka Safar -Sunita Das “Jal Pari Pani Chorker Registhan me Kya Kar Rahi Hai?? to DESERT!!

y basic day would start at 6 in the morning, and by 7 AM, I’d cry just like we spend our free time. For the elders, giving birth is not a big pack my bag and run to the bus stop to catch a bus, the one and deal, but they’d never understand how to provide them a better life. They Monly that goes to my field location in the morning about 40kms earn only Rs 4000-5000 per month and that also gets spent on alcohol, post away. Somehow I would get a window seat always and the view of green which, they would assault their wives. And this would lead to women fields, mud houses on top of a hill, river, kids going school, women coming running away with other men and divorcing their husband. The children home with firewood and fodder, and the fresh air would not fail to mesmerize suffer a lot. Young girls dropout from school to take care of siblings and boys me every morning. would start consuming alcohol and smoking in an early age. In the initial few days, I visited with the NGO field staff to understand village Another peculiarity was of finding rib cages and bones of buffaloes and cows people and develop a bond with them. Some of those initial observations on the road. It was quite scary initially. One day I asked Dhularam Ji who were too quick to understand the village dynamics. was sitting beside me in the bus about the bones of animals. He then shared Some peculiar things about my village: about the traditions of “Mohtana” followed by the Jhadol tribal community. It People out here don’t seem to care what’s going on outside of their village; is a ransom that one has to pay when he/she causes damage to a person or they just need food twice a day, the local drink and that is it. I always heard his property knowingly and unknowingly. And the amounts went up to Rs. lots of stories about rural India but, this is my first encounter and I am 20,000-50,000. Came as a shocker, I enquired more about it. Urged, I surprised to see that women work more than men -- wake up by 4 in the dedicated an entire story named as ‘Hit and Run’ to highlight the issue. morning, go to the forest for collecting firewood, come back then go again for Though slowly now the things are changing and people are not killing other fetching water 5-6 kms away from their house, cook food for their family, and people for Mohtana. They have begun complaining to the police or again work at the fields. When I asked a girl who is already married at the age panchayat for loots, death penalty, accidents, etc. of 16, “why did you marry so early?” Suddenly her father-in-law responded, My first village encounter tells me that in a country there is a concept of “girls should get married in a young age and take care of kids and in-laws. fundamental rights, a constitution, there are courts, different departments to what will they after studying?” “unko toh chulah hi sambhalna hai”. Girls solve the issues, but there are still some parts of the country who live by their here don’t have the right to study or to get married when they want. They own rules. And think that’s what makes in an ‘Incredible India.’ And this have been given the responsibility to look after the cattle and take care of happens to be my incredible year -- a complete ‘Jal Pari se Registan ka safar’ - siblings. - an experience of the real world and real people. Som village, where I would work, is a hilly terrain and becomes lush green during monsoon; people here called it “chota Kashmir”. Most of the house are made out of mud and do not have electricity connection. There is high population density, and there is a PHC nearby but most of the time doctor would be unavailable. When I asked an old man from the village, “what you do in free time?” He replied that he played with his grandson and daughters. You might be thinking why I am relating free time and grandchildren. Every house in this village has 6-7 children and the old man would add, “we have no electricity and no source of entertainment.” So kids play around, laugh, #PadharoMareDesh #JanekyaDikhJaye #coloursofRajasthan #RuralRajasthan #MyRuralYear #JalPariseRegisthankaSafar Personal Experience Pg.69 Pg.70 Personal Experience Witnessing the Strength of SURRENDER -Vibhav Joshi Apprehension – this was the natural sense of instinct I had when I had first many of the conversations that I had, they shared with me the socio- According to religious texts, 'Surrender' is 'Complete Acceptance'. It is the that these rains will help the next crop season. People did whatever they entered this unfamiliar place carrying a load of expectations and bubbling economic issues that have distressed them over the years with utmost kind where reality is accepted without pointing fingers, criticising others or could in the fields with a refreshing smile on their faces and gracefully moved with new ideas, especially because I knew situations here would be very composure, not particularly blaming anyone for their situations. I did feel burning in rage. This 'surrender' is what leads to the dissolution of on with it. unpredictable. Thus, the first few weeks in the village of Kojwada were full of guilty for bringing up sensitive topics and I thought that it was disturbing resentment, misery and victim mentality. And there are people who put the It is not only with the crops, even loss of human life is handled with utmost mundane formal and professional interactions with the people around me. their peace, but yet, they remained calm each time. I tried to find the source energy tapped from this clarity to bring positive changes in every one around grace and humility. I have even seen people coming back with a smile from a As days passed by, I slowly put down my defences and started opening up to of this blanketing calmness, which I was sure of, was neither blind optimism them. Though there are many such individuals I met in the village, I would 'Kriyaavar' - a ceremony to pray for the ones who passed away. the community. Soon, I was part of the community who not only welcomed about their future nor the ignorance of reality. It was very confusing to say definitely like to cite a few conversations that proved 'Surrender' is not always It is my firm understanding now that people have found equanimity even in me to their houses but also trusted me enough to share with me the village the least. defeat. these situations through their 'conscious surrender' to reality, accepting the gossip and secrets. I won't lie, I felt privileged. We had numerous Though by the end of the fellowship year, I think I have managed to decode For instance, one day Dinesh ji, who has become a good friend of mine from things that are out of their realm of control and using their energy to improve conversations thereafter and the topics ranged from eloping couples, tribal the very reason that makes my folks so calm and peaceful in life. And the the village, was talking about how his fields were severely damaged because what they can. This allows them to face multitude of challenges with Gods to caste dynamics, and the art of making 'Mahudi' – an intoxicant made word that defines it the best is 'Surrender'. Now, 'Surrender' has a very of the heavy rains in the past few days. While he said this to me, I did not intelligence and without being consumed by anguish. They use their from Mahua. negative connotation and is often used as a synonym for 'defeat'. We have sense disappointment, distress or agitation in his words. Instead, he mended energies to make their next endeavour a success instead of wasting it on These conversations showed me the numerous challenges faced by been taught from our childhood to fight tirelessly against everything that the damages in no time and started working on possible solutions. He did not 'cribbing' about the past. everyone around me. It seemed like in every phase of their life, there was troubles us and to never give up. We revere the heroes who chose death over waste time blaming the natural phenomenon, the government system; I also felt a similar calmness in me when I learned to enjoy travelling on the some indomitable challenge, waiting for its turn to surface in their lives. surrender. This state of surrender is also one of the reasons why it is so neither was he hoping that someone else would take care of his problem. He roof of local jeeps or witnessed stretch of days without electricity in the Despite the challenges the ease with which these people lived was difficult to mobilize people towards working on a solution. accepted the problem, calmly found the solution and simply acted on it. middle of the summer. I am fairly confident that every one of my co-fellows astonishing. I rarely met people agitated about anything or holding grudges But there is another meaning of this word 'surrender', a meaning which is Similarly, when untimely rains hit the village around October, there was would have observed a rise in their psychological strength over the last one for a long period of time. They were always cordial and their eyes were rather very beautiful but we were never taught about it. Fortunately, this heavy damage to the standing crops. Months of hard labour were wasted yet year as well. It is my sincere hope that this calmness stays with me for the always sparkling with a warm yet unknown energy. Everyone went about version of 'Surrender' still exists in the rural environment and is preserved by I did not see my villagers lose their smiles. Every one discussed it in a very rest of my life and I never rage again over 'criminally long wait time' for my their daily lives like there were no problems or burdens to bog them down. In the native communities. 'matter-of-factly' way, some of them saw positivity in the calamity by stating cab. Personal Experience Pg.71 Pg.72 Personal Experience

ell, coming to the hinterlands of Odisha, was losing and finding many such parts. Life Bebina didi, my biggest supporter for my teacher training project came to her children's dream to study does come true. It's the two didi at the has a strange way of showing you what all you are capable of, sometimes you may not school till her sixth month of pregnancy. She was not just fighting against all government schools I work at, who are mostly 60 plus and with several The ColourfulWagree with those ways but at the end of it all, leads you to believe it was done for a odds to ensure that her students received quality education since the ailments come in regularly to cook for 150 plus students and some even then reason. Ofcourse, stepping out of my cocoon which I had carefully built for the last 22 years was an government couldn't provide quality infrastructure. Sitting in a thatched roof go back to work in the fields. It's the women rigorously working in the paddy experiment in itself. Whether it would go horribly wrong or pleasantly well, was a one year wait to with 35 students she was trying to win a battle back home as well. Bebina fields (rice is the major crop grown in Odisha) for hours at a stretch. It's the WOMEN of find out. There was no manual to be followed or instructions given as to ensure that the journey didi's in-laws never favoured her working; let alone going away from home girls of the community who cycle far stretches to get an education despite the would be thorn free and smooth sailing. and living alone in a village few hours away, with her six-year-old daughter. It family resistance and safety of travel. It's all these strong women who made So when someone asked me, from city life to living in the middle of the forest. How are you doing it? wasn't the easiest job to single-handedly manage a house in a new village the journey easier to tread on. and being a teacher who would handle classes 3-5, but like she says, “I want It's difficult to be honest, can't even begin to explain it to anyone. But, I now have an answer to what Why did I just write about the women who inspired me on this 13-month long to financially contribute to my family and working gives me immense joy.” ODISHA made it much easier to handle; the women around me. The most important thing that would keep me journey, there were quite a few male figures who I looked up to as well. -Zeenat Tinwala The hard work and dedication I saw in her every day, made me wonder how going, which chorused in the words of my well-wishers was 'strength and inspiration is what will get Having grown up in a household made up entirely of women, out of habit I convenient it is to choose the easier path (she could have easily stayed at me through'. I can't manage to name all the didis that welcomed me into their homes with a warm drew my strength and inspiration from the women of my community. I would home and not fought back) but the harder the journey the bigger dreams get I believe that a part of you smile and welcoming arms without even understanding what I was saying. A smile and a simple see them work hard day in and day out, not just for themselves but for so to be fulfilled, and that's what I would tell myself every time I reached the “Namaste, Naam Kono?” (what's your name?) would be enough for me to become a permanent visitor many around (they are the real social work superheroes), breaking gender point of giving up. is lost and a part of you is found to their homes. Laxmi, who by age is 70 years old, is by still a 16 year old by heart and attitude. stereotypes and if they haven't done enough they still get back home and in every new place you explore. Meeting her would brighten up my day and make me see life from a new perspective, she even asked Roibarididi, even before I could learn to pronounce her tongue twister name, complete their household chores and play with their children affectionately. me to call her “Ma” since my mother was away. I often would wonder how she manages to keep a she had become a friend and a mother like figure. Having lost her husband at Going into the fellowship, I went in thinking I would be helping the smile on her face and spread positivity after all that she's been through. My initial conversations with a young age, she is the sole bread winner of her family which consists of her community I work with, at the end of it I can surely say that the help they her were her narrating her secret love story which blossomed at her father's shop, a story which no daughter and son. Both, of who now want to pursue higher education but do provided unknowingly, in building my character has been far greater that one in her village is aware of because of the caste politics. While sipping on tea that she runs her not have the means to. Didi comes in to work everyday at 6 AM and leaves at what I have done. livelihood on, she revealed to me her love for writing poetry which she writes down in her small diary 6 PM with even Sunday not being a holiday for her, so that she can make sure not able to sing it out loud since her community would not appreciate a widow doing so. She has played the role of a daughter, sister, step mother, mother and grandmother but now she seems to be living for herself. A promise that she keeps reminding me of is to gift her a T-shirt and pair of pants before I leave, she says she wants to try what it feels like to wear them. She even jokingly once mentioned, while asking me about marriage if anyone would be willing to marry her at this age. Her spirit to deal with everything in life, good or bad with a smile on her face, would always motivate me to overcome my obstacles. Pic by - ARJUN PALHADE

Some of my favourite learnings -

#1 CURIOSITY/CRITERIA "25 and unmarried! How is that possible?" "Which world are you from? By now, we have at least 3 kids - each prodigal." "We found you a Dangi boy; he's beautiful and adorable!" "Don't you worry about him; he never drinks, he never hits. Really! Come on! It isn't that implausible!"

#2 LOVE "It's 2pm in the afternoon. This heat will be your end!" "Did you eat something? Do you want water? Listen, have soda. You're growing weak, my friend!" "Get your clothes and we'll wash them for you. Get all the clothes you have to mend." "Take this bag of veggies home. No, it isn't too much. Why do you want to spend?"

#3 REMEMBRANCE "What took you so long? Where were you yesterday?" "The kids have been waiting all day for you to come play" "Can't you come back sooner from the holidays?" "Don't leave yet! It gets boring once you go - stay"

#4 INTEGRITY Her house got destroyed because of an on the loose drunkard's negligence. I told her, "Don't worry! We'll start a 'Fund Me' page to address your grievance" She looked confused as she said, "I want the negligent to pay! Why would I ask someone else to bear the inconvenience?" -- Pic by - SUNITA DAS Arunima Joshi, SBI YFI Fellow 2017-18 Goodbye Pg.75 Pg.76 Goodbye

Bidding goodbye to the community I am a sloppy person when it comes to clicking photographs, hence, My deepest gratitude to you all. Dear community there are so, so, many good people missing in this picture. These Thank you for all that you have given me. Most of which I am going to I stepped into your village with big hopes of making change. But you people.. they have become my own. They met me an year ago as a carry for the rest of my life. taught me change lies in the smallest of small ideas, in everyday life stranger knocking on their door to let her 'make their lives better'. They When I was devoid of anything, let it be food, water, some smile on my experiences and in listening to the feeblest of voices. I felt the pain overlooked the naive claims I made, and let me in. Living with them face or love, you were all right there. Pouring it all with no when rains fail, the value of water and the joy of the first rain of a has changed me. Career, compassion, intimacy, family, society, expectations. I cannot promise if I can come back very often. season. freedom.. each word has a new concept, and a better one at that. Each But I promise to do something out of my life to give what you all have All the while the ones who cared least about the “success” of my and every person in my community has taught me something. They given me, as a symbol of you all. project were you people! Yes, for all of you my work came secondary, have humbled me through their constant reminders of living life one I am leaving today by feeling so much more loved than ever. It's never you were always concerned about my food, safety, and health. In the day at a time, a feat an anxiety-stricken person like me considered a goodbye between us. whole one year, there was not a single time that I went hungry in your almost improbable. Bowing down to you all for showing me another way of looking at life. village. I could knock on any of your doors and was assured of being Today, when someone asks me where my village is, I don't have to See you soon ?" fed. mumble and fumble that I don't have one. I have a place to tell them - Bindhu So thank you for feeding me. Thank you for accepting me. Thank you about, and with so much pride! for all the moments that I shared with you in this beautiful journey. Today, I can say with conviction that I have the blessings and support Now I take leave from you all with a treasure trove of memories and of 15 different families, who'll always make me feel like I'm home, even the promise of coming back soon. if it's just by cooking my favorite chicken or letting me binge on -Lekshmi sugarless tea, whenever I visit them. How am I so confident, you ask? Probably because they asked me a zillion times to marry one of the eligible bachelors in the village so that I could stay with them forever! Today, I can say with a stark clarity that I am not a city girl; I never was, and I never will be. I have always felt like I have an old soul; an year of living in the countryside, and my doubt has turned into a staunch belief. Yes, I am bidding them farewell today, but I'm not sad. I know that I'll be back again. And not just to see how the enterprise is doing, but to feel the same love, compassion, and the serenity this place, and my community, has showered on me throughout this one year. I came here with absolutely no expectations, and I have never been happier! - Saumya Omer Our Fellows

Aaruni Raman Shrivastava, Barefoot College Arunima Rajeev Joshi, AKRSP(I) Abhinav Sharma, AKRSP(I) Akshatha S Belludi, DHAN Foundation Akshay Modi, Gram Vikas Alex Arockiasamy, Seva Mandir Worked in Self Governance domain Worked in Food Security and Health domain Worked in Social Entrepreneurship Worked in Education domain in Worked in Self Governance domain Worked in Food Security domain in Kadampura Village, Ajmer district in Gira-Dabdar Village, Waghai Block, domain in Muzaffarpur, Bihar Kalrayan Hills, Villipuram District in Adri, Thuamul Rampur, Kalahandi, in Kotra Block, Udaipur District in in Rajasthan during the fellowship. Dangs District, Gujarat. during the fellowship. during the fellowship. Tamilnadu during the fellowship. Odisha during the fellowship. Rajasthan. during the fellowship. Aaruni has completed B.Tech in Arunima has completed B.E., Information Abhinav has completed B.Tech in Akshatha has completed Bachelor Akshay has completed MBA (IB) Alex has completed B.Tech (E.C.E) Mechanical Engineering and holds 5 Years Technology and holds almost 3 years Computer Science and holds 3 years of Of Engineering (Biotechnology) and holds and holds 2 Years 1 Month of from SRM University, of Work experience with Avant Garde of work experience with Persistent Work experience with State Bank of India. 6 Years 6 Months of work experience Work experience with SRM Ramapuram. Cleanroom and Engineering Solutions, Systems Limited. with Accenture. Royal Bank of Scotland. New Delhi.

Abhipsha Mahapatro, Gram Vikas Abhishek Manish Gadhia, BAIF Aditya Pratap Singh, DHAN Foundation Ankita Sharma, BAIF Annu Shree Tiwari, AKRSP(I) Dr Apurva Vijay Ghugey, Gram Vikas Worked in Rural Livelihood domain Worked in Rural Livelihood domain Worked in Self Governance domain Worked in Health domain in Ghatol, Worked in Education domain in Worked in Health domain in in Koinpur, Gajapati district, Odisha in Lobhi village, Bhandara district, in Ambajhar and Sinduria Village, Banswara district, Rajasthan Dediapada block, Narmada district, Kumudabahal, Thuamul Rampur, during the fellowship. Maharashtra during the fellowship. Nilagiri block, balasore district, Odisha during the fellowship. Gujarat.during the fellowship. District Kalahandi, Odisha during the Abhipsha has completed B.A., Abhishek has completed Bachelors during the fellowship. Ankita has completed B.Tech., Annu Shree has completed B.com, fellowship. Mass Communication and holds in Civil Engineering from L J Institute Aditya has completed Masters in Computer Science and holds 2 Years Commerce and holds 1 Years of Apurva has completed Master of 15 Months of Work experience with of Engineering and Technology, Ahmedabad, Sociology fromJamia Millia Islamia of Work experience with Work experience with Public Health and holds 1 Year of The Quint, Quintillion Media. Gujarat Technological University. State Bank of India. Swahha Resource Management Pvt. Ltd.. Work experience with Nisarg Vigyan Mandal Nagpur.

Prakhar Andlay, Gram Vikas Sri Akhila Nookala, DHAN Foundation Akshatha N Nayak, Seva Mandir Aubrey Maurice King Lee, AKRSP(I) Axita Mehta, DHAN Foundation Ayushi Jain, Barefoot College Worked in Education domain in Adri, Worked in Rural Livelihood domain Worked in Educationdomain in Kumbhalgarh Worked in the Social Entrepreneurship Worked in Environment Protection Worked in Rural Livelihood domain Thuamul Rampur, Kalahandi, in Barama block, Baksa district in and Delwara, Rajsamand district, Rajasthan domain in Pandhana, Khandwa, MP domain in VPO-Sadayampatti, in Kotri Village, Ajmer district in Odisha during the fellowship. Assam during the fellowship. during the fellowship. during the fellowship. Block- Ponnamravathy, Distt- Pudukkottai, Rajasthan during the fellowship. Prakhar has completed B.Sc., Sri has completed BSc, Life Sciences Akshatha has completed B.Sc., Biotechnology Aubrey has completed his MBA, Tamil Nadu during the fellowship. Ayushi has completed BA Journalism Information Systems Management from Osmania University. from School of Life Sciences, Finance and holds 3 Years of Work Axita has completed MBA- Marketing /HR and Communication from and holds 5 years of work experience Manipal University experience working with Parcon India and holds 6 Years, 2 Months of Manipal University, in Payments Technology with Bank Pvt. Ltd. and Paterson Securities Pvt. Ltd Work experience with State Bank of India. Queensland University of Technology, of America Merrill Lynch, Australia. (Semester Exchange) Our Fellows

Bindhu Manohar, DHAN Foundation Chirag Gupta, AKRSP(I) Dhilsha Jubair, Barefoot College Krishna Geeta Kasturi, Gram Vikas Kriti Gupta, AKRSP(I) Lekshmi M, DHAN Foundation Worked in Education domain in Worked in Women's Empowerment domain Worked in Social enterprise domain in Worked in Rural Livelihood domain Worked in Social Entrepreneurship Worked in Water domain in Doddahalli Village, Tumkur District, in Ubhariya Village, Sagbara Block, Tilonia Village, Ajmer, Rajasthan in Koinpur, Gajapati district, Orissa domain in Nadagkhadi Village, Sadayampatti Village, Pudukkottai Karnataka during the fellowship. Narmada District in Gujarat during the fellowship. during the fellowship. during the fellowship. Ahwa Block, Dang District, Gujarat district in Tamil Nadu Bindhu has completed B. Architect Chirag has completed B.Tech (EC), Dhilsha has completed B.Tech in Krishna has completed B.Com, during the fellowship. during the fellowship. and holds 1 Years of Work experience and holds 8 Months of Work experience with Electronics and Communication from Chartered Accountant and holds Kriti has completed B.Com, Lekshmi has completed B.A. with Advani and Associates, Bangalore. SolidBLOCKS Semiconductor Solutions Pvt. Ltd. Calicut University, Government Engineering 6 Years 5 Months of work experience Chartered Accountant and holds Social Sciences from TISS. Triple O studio, Chennai. College, Thrissur, Kerala. with Price water house Coopers. 1 Year 6 Months of work experience with International Business Advisors.

Gaurav Sahni, BAIF Gautam Kumar, AKRSP(I) Gurunathan Karthik, Barefoot College Lomash Chaudhary, Barefoot College Maanasa Paramasivam, Barefoot College Maurvi V. Shukla, DHAN Foundation Worked in water domain in Daiyat Worked in Environment Protection Worked in Health and Education domain Worked in Education domain in Worked in Education domain Worked in Health domain in Salna tok, Tyarshun village, domain in Niwali block, Barwani district, in Tilonia Village, Ajmer district, Rajasthan Chota Narena, Ajmer District in in Tilonia, Ajmer District, Rajasthan Virpapura Village, Ramanagara District district Champawat, Uttarakhand MP during the fellowship. during the fellowship. Rajasthan during the fellowship. during the fellowship. in Karnataka during the fellowship. during the fellowship. Gautam has completed B. Tech, Gurunathan Karthik has completed Lomash has completed B.E. in Maanasa has completed International Maurvi has completed Bachelor of Gaurav has completed M.Sc. in Civil Engineering from VTU, Bachelors in Planning and holds 10 months Electrical Engineering and holds M.Sc.in Rural Development Dental Surgery (BDS) from Geographical Information System and Siddaganga Institute of Technology, of work experience with 2 Years 6 Months of work experience from Ghent University. Bharati Vidhyapeeth Dental College Remote Sensing (GIS & RS) from Tumkur. M A Solutions Pvt. Ltd. with State Bank of India. & Hospital, Sangli. Amity University, Noida.

J J Adithya, Seva Mandir Kavya P, AKRSP(I) Ketaki Ulhas Natekar, BAIF Naireeta Biswas, Barefoot College Niha Mol, BAIF, Ninad Khanolkar, DHAN Foundation. Worked in Social Entrepreneurship and Worked in Health domain in Worked in Self Governance domain in Worked in Rural Livelihood domain in Virpapura Worked in Food Security domain Worked in Technology domain in Education domain in Kherwara, Udaipur, Dedtalai, Bhuranpur District, Barethha Village, Betul District, MP Gangluan and Tubung villages, Noney district in Village Tyarson, Champawat, Vizhundamavadi Village, Rajasthan during the fellowship. MP during the fellowship. during the fellowship. in Manipur. Tharon village ,Tamenglong Uttarakhand during the fellowship. Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu Adithya has completed B.Tech, Kavya has completed M.Sc. Ketaki has completed Masters in district in Manipurduring the fellowship. Niha has completed B.Tech., during the fellowship. Electrical and Electronic Engineering Clinical Psychology and holds Commerce and holds 9 Years of Naireeta has completed B.Tech in Food Computer Science and holds 9 Months Ninad has completed B.E.(CS) and and holds 1 year of work experience 4 Years of work experience work experience with State Bank of India. Engineering and Technology and holds of Work experience with holds 3 Years, 11 Months of with Cognizant Technology Solutions with Oakridge International School. 1 Year 4 Months of work experience with Redington India Ltd, Salve Maria Work experience with India Private Ltd. IBM India Pvt.Ltd. Tech Mahindra Pvt. Ltd. Our Fellows

Pallavi Choudhary, BAIF. Parij Pran Borgohain, Gram Vikas Pinky Verma, DHAN Foundation Rohit Kumar, Gram Vikas Saanaee Naik, Gram Vikas Sagar Balasaheb Bendre, BAIF Worked in Rural Livelihood domain in Worked in Technology domain in Worked in Rural Livelihood domain in Worked in Education domain Worked in Rural Livelihood domain Worked in Alternate Energy domain Sakarpatal village, Dang District, Karnibel, Th. Rampur, Kalahandi, Murganandapuram, Ramanathapuram, in Kankia, Brahmapur, Orissa in Koinpur village, Gajapti district in Baretha Village, Betul District in Gujarat during the fellowship. Orissa during the fellowship. Tamil Nadu during the fellowship. during the fellowship. in Odisha during the fellowship. Madhya Pradesh during the fellowship. Pallavi has completed Bachelor Of Parij has completed M.A in Pinky has completed B.A. from Kalindi Rohit has completed B.A.LL.B Saanaee has completed M. A. Sagar has completed B.E, Electrical Design (B.Des.) in Film and Video Mass Communication & Journalism College, Delhi University. (Specialization in Criminal Law) (Political Science) from University from Savitribai Phule Pune University, Communication Design and holds from Tezpur University, School of Law, KIIT University, of Delhi, Faculty of Social Sciences AISSMS's Institute Of 2 Years of work experience with Bhubaneswar. Information Technology, IBM India Pvt. Ltd.

Prachi Dilip Makde, Gram Vikas Priya Krishna Madig, Gram Vikas Priyanka Kishor Gadhave, DHAN Foundation Sahana S, BAIF Sai Krishna, DHAN Foundation Ekkirala P. S. Samyuktha, AKRSP(I) Worked in Education domain in Worked in Education domain Worked in Rural Livelihood domain Worked in Technology domain in Worked in Rural Livelihood domain Worked in Education domain in Kumdabahal village, Kalahandi district, in Koinpur village, Gajapati district in Ayyanarpuram, Peraiyur, Madurai, Khetikhan, Champawat in Uttarakhand in Aland, Gulbarga , Karnataka Daiyat Village, Khaknar Block, Orrisa during the fellowship. in Odisha during the fellowship. Tamilnadu during the fellowship. during the fellowship. during the fellowship. Burhanpur District, MP Prachi has completed B.Tech Priya has completed Interior Priyanka has completed Msc Innovation Sahana has completed UG in Visual Sai has completed B. Tech. Electrical during the fellowship. from S.B. Jain Institute of Technology, Designing (Dip) and holds 3 years of Design Engineering from Communication and holds 4 Months of and electronics and holds 1 Year of Ekkirala has completed B.Tech, Management and Research, Rashtasanth Work experience with Chirag Developers, Imperial College London. Work experience with Red crab studios. Work experience with Trident Group. Information Technology and holds Tukdoji Maharaj Nagpur University 1 Years of Work experience with Accenture Services Private Limited.

Pushpamitra Das, Seva Mandir Rishi Kumar, DHAN Foundation Rohan Nair, Gram Vikas Sanjana, Barefoot College Saptami Dutta, AKRSP(I) Satyajit Borgohain, AKRSP(I) Worked in Education domain in Kotra, Worked in Rural Livelihood domain Worked in Education domain in Kumudabahal Worked on Gender sensitisation in Worked in Self Governance domain Worked in Health domain in Udaipur district during the fellowship. in Sinduria village, Nilgiri Block, village, Kalahandi district in Odisha education. Sanjana has a major in in Dediapada Taluka, Narmada District, Ramakheda Kala Village, Kaknar Block, Pushpmitra has completed B.Tech., Balasore district, Orissa during during the fellowship. English literature from Lady Shri Ram South Gujrat during the fellowship. Burhanpur District, Madhya Pradesh Information Technology and holds the fellowship. Rohan has completed B.A (Hons) in College and interned with Teach for Saptami has completed B.Sc Economics during the fellowship. 2 Years 8 Months experience with PTC Rishi has completed B.A, Economics Economics from Amity University, India, Humana People to People and Honours and holds 4 Months of work Satyajit has completed M.A, Sociology and holds 5 years of work experience District institute of Education experience with Gujarat Institute from Pondicherry University. with State Bank of India. and Training of Social Sciences. Our Fellows

Saumya Omer, AKRSP(I) Shalmali Ghaisas, AKRSP(I) Saloni Sacheti, BAIF Siddhant Gupta, Gram Vikas Shiddalingesh B Ballolli, Seva Mandir P A Sivaramakrishna, Gram Vikas Worked in Social Entrepreneurship domain Worked in Health domain in Worked in Social Entrepreneurship domain Worked in Technology domain Worked in Self Governance in, Worked in Rural Livelihood domain in Zakharda Village, Surat District, Rojanimal Village, Balwadi cluster in Dagadpada village, Waghai taluka, in Koinpur, Gajapati District, Ranawada, Kherwara Block, in Tumbagam village, Gajapati district, Gujarat during the fellowship. of Barwani district, Madhya Pradesh Dangs district, Gujarat during the fellowship. Odisha during the fellowship. Udaipur District, Rajasthan Orissa during the fellowship. Saumya has completed Social Entrepreneurship during the fellowship. Saloni has completed LL.B and holds Siddhant has completed PGDM (Mktg) during the fellowship. P Ankala has completed MCA and holds 3 Years of Work experience Shalmali has completed MSc, Economics 1 Year of Work experience with MSA Partners and holds 15 Months of Shiddalingesh has completed B.E., Computer Science and has worked with Appster LLP, Tolexo Online Pvt. Ltd. from Pantheon Sorbonne University, work experience with Axis Bank. Mechanical Engineering and holds 9 years with State Bank of India. and M/s Commitments Pvt. Ltd. University of Paris. 6 Years, 7 Month of Work experience with State Bank of India

Shifa Thobani, AKRSP(I) Shivank Jhanji, DHAN Foundation Shreyas Prakash, BAIF Sonal Ramdey, Gram Vikas Sunita Das, Seva Mandir Vibhav Joshi, Seva Mandir Worked in Environment Protection Worked in Rural Livelihood domain Worked in Education domain in Worked in Education domain in Worked in Environment Protection domain Worked in Social Entrepreneurship domain in Kotda village, Junagadh in Virpapura village, Ramanagara Lobhi village, Bhandara, Maharashtra Village Gayaganda, District Ganjam, in Jhadol block, Udaipur, Rajasthan during domain in Kherwara, Udaipur, district in Gujarat during the fellowship. district, Karnataka during the fellowship. during the fellowship. State Odisha during the fellowship. the fellowship. Rajasthan during the fellowship. Shifa has completed B. Tech, Shivank has completed BBA., Shreyas has completed B. Tech, Sonal has completed M.A. in Sunita has completed MA local governance Vibhav has completed MBA(IB) and Biotechnology from Vellore Institute LLB (Hons) from National Law Instrumentation and Control Engineering Sociology with specialization in and development from Rajiv Gandhi holds 3 Years, 5 Months of work of Technology, VIT University University Odisha, Cuttack. and holds 6 Months of work experience Rural Development and Population National Institute of Youth and experience with TATA Steel Ltd., with Ware Innovations, Uravu Ecolinks, Studies from Panjab University. Development, Chennai. Reliance Power Ltd. Barefoot College.

Shubham Gupta, AKRSP(I) Shubham Jain, BAIF Shuvam Das Choudhury, Barefoot College Zeenat Khozem Tinwala, Gram Vikas Worked in Self Governance domain Worked in Environment Protection domain Worked in Environment Protection domain Worked in Education domain in in Kachhwanya Village, Dhar district in Dhordiya and Eral village, Chittorgarh in Chota Narena Village, Gayaganda village, Ganjam district in Madhya Pradesh during the fellowship. district in Rajasthan during the fellowship. Ajmer district in Rajasthan during the fellowship. in Orissa during the fellowship. Shubham has completed B.Tech, Shubham has completed B.com (Hons) in Shuvam has completed B.E., Zeenat has completed Bachelors in Computer Science and Engineering Banking And Financial Services from Mechanical Engineering from Media & Communication and holds from JRE Group of Institutions, symbiosis college of arts and commerce, School of Engineering, Tezpur University. 10 Months of work experience with Uttar Pradesh Technical University. Pune University. Deep Griha, Pune 365 Indian Express. SBI Youth for India August cohort of Batch 2017-18 Valediction Ceremony SBI Youth for India October cohort of Batch 2017-18 Valediction Ceremony

Attended by Mr Bhaskar Parmanik, Director, State Bank of India, and Mr Alok Kumar Choudhary, CGM Delhi Circle, State Bank of India. Attended by Dr Pushpendra Rai, Director, State Bank of India, and Ms Karnam Malleswari, first woman in the history of India to win an The guests also included top executives of the Bank and from the Foundation, Mr Mahendra Kumar Rekhi, MD & CEO, SBIF, Olympic medal, Padma Shri Awardee and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardee. Mr Nixon Joseph, President and COO, SBIF, many other experts from the development sector, representatives of leading CSR firms, The guests also included top executives of the Bank and from the Foundation, Mr Mahendra Kumar Rekhi, MD & CEO, SBIF, Mr. Nixon Joseph, President and COO, SBIF, many other experts from the development sector, representatives of leading CSR firms, parents of the fellows and officials from our Partner NGOs. parents of the fellows and top officials from our Partner NGOs such as Mr. Liby Johnson from Gram Vikas and Mr. Gurunathan from DHAN Foundation. By

SBI Youth for India

Stories by SBI YFI Batch 2017-18

Illustrations By Anuj @_anujjuna_ & @gulsuppaguy

Edited by Anvi Mehta SBI YFI Alumni 2016-17

Design Strategy by Akshat Tiwari @gulsuppaguy and Shifali Khurana, SBI YFI Alumni 2015-16

Page Setting by Zishan Riyaz