Karnataka

These three women are changing the way women in villages see their health. From spreading awareness to guiding them in crucial times, from earning some extra income for the family to knowing all the government rules and laws, these women are guiding others to a better future.

Concerned about the human-wildlife conflicts and the poor awareness on how to deal with it, Suresh Kumar and Jaishankar started Vanamitra to teach people to co-exist with the wild. They have reunited 12 leopard cubs with their mothers, rescued several specieis of wildlife and sensitized over 20,000 people about wildlife conservation. Read more about their amazing and daring initiatives and how they do it.

While in many cities we are seeing a heavy decrease in the number of birds, this village sets an example of how birds and humans can co-exist in complete harmony. Chirping birds of rare species in your backyard, several nests on each tree - Kokrebellur is a delightful sight. Know more about the amazing village and its conservation efforts.

There is something fascinating about train journeys. Trains are much more than just a mode of transport. As the train moves forward smoothly passing through beautiful locations and landscapes, we all fall in love with it. The journey becomes all the more amazing during the monsoon when the fresh rain cleans the surrounding and makes it a journey to remember. Have a glimpse of the lush monsoons in the Western Ghats.

A real hero does not need external support. Santosh Kaveri, born in a poor farmer family, has changed the lives of hundreds of farmers through his simple low-cost innovations. Read his story to know how he fought against all odds, completed his education and developed some awesome machines which are helping farmers across 10 villages today!

Join Nabila Tazyeen as she wanders into the historic towns of Gulbarga and Bidar in Karnataka, soaking in the local history, the local cuisine and the local legends. From a shrine where locks are used as wishes to a madrasa which was struck by the wrath of God, the legends are colourful indeed!

Read how children playing on see saws ensures that there is water in the overhead tank, how one headmaster has helped children in his school save Rs. 25,000 and how children are learning the value of growing their food - all through the role played by local communities linked to schools called School Management Committees.

Bandhavi is an initiative by the Bangalore-based organization Visthar. Bandhavi is Visthar’s initiative for girls who are at risk of being dedicated as devadasis. Currently 100+ girls hailing from villages in North Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh participate in a residential school program that enables them to grow as individuals, as well as build a community that lives in love, respect, trust and friendship.

Mohan Rao is a landscape architect at IndeDesign. He wanted to explore how to design cities with sustainable water management. On this quest, in Hampi, India, Rao uncovered a reservoir system dating to the Hindu empire of ancient Vijayanagra, circa 1000AD, that had sustained a population of half million (five lakhs) people for hundreds of years with very little rainfall. With the help of the Architectural Survey of India, Rao’s work in Hampi has provided much needed models for water supply management in the development of cities and urban complexes around the globe.

Narendra Patil, a third year engineering student from Karnataka and his fellow mates tapped the positive side of technology and their engineering knowledge, to come up with a unique model of an eco-friendly refrigerator. It not only runs without electricity but can also be available to the poor as an inexpensive and necessary utility option. Read about the wonderful innovation here.