Gujarat

A man who is 84 years old now had decided in his younger days not to migrate from his village but to bring a wave of change and set his village as an example. He has been working tirelessly towards the upliftment of his village through education, livelihoods, awareness and more, and his spirit is undying as he plans to extend his programme to other villages too. Read more to know how he and his small team have been overcoming all challenges and changing the lives of thousands.

While showing pride in being an Indian, how many of us realize that preserving our country’s heritage and culture is also our responsibility? Vivek Modi has run from pillar to post to preserve the Bohri houses in Gujarat, a one-of-its kind architecture, from being demolished by the ‘increasing urbanization mania’. This article is an inspiring account of Vivek, an engineer by profession, who is doing his bit his way to preserve the heritage of Gujarat.

It can be seen from the examples below that when residents and stakeholders in a community come together to solve an issue, the results are not only positive, but also long-lasting. Here we learn of ordinary citizens and local NGOs who inspired people in their areas to keep their surroundings clean and free of diseases.

When one lives in the city and enjoys excellent health care at one’s beck and call, it is difficult to appreciate the hardships suffered by the poor in remote locations of India. SEWA Rural is an organization that aims at improving the lives of these very deprived people. From healthcare to vocational training, they have been providing holistic development to the needy in Gujarat for 33 years now, and even today, they continue to serve the poor with utmost enthusiasm.

Continuing our water series this week, today we profile a few remarkable people and organizations who have turned around several villages in Gujarat, a largely arid part of the country, into fertile agricultural land. This article demonstrates nicely what can be achieved when government agencies, non-governmental organizations and local governance bodies like water committees can work together and inspire community-level participation and ownership.

There are several people our society does not accept willingly. The leprosy-affected and the mentally handicapped are some of them. Imagine an entire village dedicated to them, where they can live freely and without prejudice, and receive loving care and attention from dedicated staff. This is what Sahyog Kushtha Yagna Trust in Gujarat attempts to achieve.

The Parsis may be a small community in terms of numbers, and it would have been quite easy for them to become invisible in this vast country of ours, but their accomplishments and sense of philanthropy has made them stand out. Here's a look at how they landed in India, and managed to flourish while creating a deep respect and adoration in the hearts of Indians. Gangadharan Menon has interacted with his several Parsi friends and traveled to their historically important sites to recreate their history in words and photographs.

At a time, when beautiful Natural Rock Formations around the country are being pulverised by greedy quarry owners, particularly in Andhra where they were once abundant, here is a story from Gujarat. Here, the Natural Rock Formations protect the villagers, and the villagers in turn protect the Rocks that protect them!