Scepticism is mostly dangerous but sometimes appropriate. The Background...
Empowering The Hinterlands During A Worldwide Pandemic
As a part of my field visits to various Panchayats around Kutch, I got to...
All Roads Lead To Doom
I was in Bangalore last month, roaming around pretty late at night. Around...
How The Khatris Are Bringing Josh To Rogan
Mohmad Hanif Arab Khatri comfortably seats himself on the floor. Stretched out...
Hum Development Kar Rahe Hain [This Claim Is Disputed]
This blog is a mix of observations and realizations in the last month of...
What, From Where And How Should I Consume?
I often used to get frustrated, even dejected wondering about how critical...
Of Young Girls And Big Responsibilities
"Their mother ran away with her lover, leaving these girls behind”. I looked...
Braving The Pandemic As A Child In Villages Of Ranthambore
In an attempt to enhance access to education in some of the most marginalized...
Madaar Mein “Sab Badhiya Hai”?
Madaar is a village in Bargaon block in Udaipur district of Rajasthan. It is almost 9 to 10 km from Udaipur city. There are two beautiful lakes named “Bari Talaab” and “Chhoti Talaab” in the village and you’ll find an amazing topography there. Lakes which are...
Congruence Of Education And Sustainable Lifestyle
Very often this question of ‘Education To Vulnerable Children’ is being discussed these days - almost every forum and every workshop that is related to education, is tuned in. It is definitely a trending topic in development circles; not because it invites long and...
The Hidden Empowerment
The story of a few woman from the village of Madar who are changing the narrative for the next generation.
Life Of The Bheel Community
Every village has thousands of stories to tell, each having different dimensions and textures. What we might find common in the seven lakh villages of India might be the issues of poverty, unemployment, inequality in terms of caste, class, occupation and so on. The...
A Train Of Thoughts
“I am Jeena*, 28 years old, and I work on the farms”. After all the introductions they (Aajeevika Bureau) corrected everyone “You are a wife, a mother, a daughter, a daughter in-law, a sister and a Pravaasi (migrant).” Pravaasi - I recently came across this word...
Stories Heal, And Then You Grow
They have to leave their Kingdom. They’ve lost their wealth and prosperity for being a novice in the game of gamble played by an old man. In accordance with the deal, they have to be in exile for 13 years, and incognito in the last year. The Pandavas along with...
Surat And Its Nakas
Sayeed, the author and a fellow, works with Aajeevika Bureau in Surat, destination of migration and is a part of a study on the same.
Walking For Water
Sitting at the outskirts of Udaipur, Katara doesn’t seem like a typical Bollywood village. While walking in the village, we come across a retired professor who, during our intensely long conversation informs us amongst many things, that he doesn’t earn now and the...
Of Central Importance
India follows a Quasi Federal system. We restrict the powers of Central government to extend laws to States without the approval of the State's representatives. The assumption is that each State knows best for itself. This process transfers some important powers to...
The Ordinary People Of Bihar
Can we get past our biases in a world which is starting to operate based on fears
The Art Of Decision Making
It is believed that decision making is an important trait of leadership. The ability to make decisions is an indispensable characteristic if one intends to lead in any way. We all take big and/or small decisions in our everyday life, right from the...
कम्यूनिटी के साथ पहली रात
मुझे कस्तूरबा गांधी बालिका विद्यालय से जुड़े लगभग 4 महीने हो गए हैं| पहले दिन जब मैं आँचल, प्रिया, स्मृति और ममता के साथ विद्यालय गई थी तब बच्चियों का उत्साह देख कर मैं भी सकारात्मक उर्जा से भर गई थी| वे बाहर से आये व्यक्तियों को बहुत स्नेह और सम्मान देते हैं| कई बार...
An Unconditional Offer
The heat of the day vanished as evening kicked in. The air became cooler. The sun hid behind dense trees that stood tall on the banks of the stream. A Bulbul sat on the electric cable that ran above, and hopped along the wire from time to time. A spider made a web...
Indian Education System: RTE – A Blessing Or Condemnation?
It is said and believed that The Right To Education (popularly known as RTE) is a pragmatic and attainable goal that will change the face of education in our country. RTE is an Act by the Parliament of India, enacted on 4th August 2009, which narrates the modalities...