For decades, environmental protection and poverty reduction were often seen as opposing priorities, as though supporting one meant sacrificing the other. Forests were these fragile spaces, supposedly safe only if people stayed out, while raising rural incomes was some separate struggle. But recent research tells a different story. According to the International Forestry Resources and…
A viral video circulating on social media platforms highlighting young girls exposing themselves to danger in fetching water amid soaring temperatures in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh, has reignited discussions about the issue of rural water scarcity in India. Although great strides have been made through the Jal Jeevan Mission, much still needs to be done. Access…
Picture the scene: a woman with a PhD in Nuclear Physics from the University of Madras, sitting in a modest room in Kanchipuram back in 2002, her mind turning over the problem of child labour. At first glance, the leap is almost surreal. You’ve got atomic particles on one side, rural kids out of school…
The Numbers from Korba Earlier this week, India CSR shared a fresh, detailed update on BALCO’s Vedanta Skill School, bringing in data up to FY2025-26. Since its launch in 2011, the school has helped more than 15,000 young people leave uncertainty behind and start solid, respectable careers. Just in the last year, over 1,200 trainees…
Innovation, agri-tech and renewable energy are transforming agriculture in rural India by improving productivity and market access for farmers. Experts say combining modern technology with traditional knowledge can strengthen rural economies and support sustainable development. India’s rural economy is entering a new phase of transformation as innovation, renewable energy and modern agricultural technologies begin to…
India’s WASH transformation through the Swachh Bharat Mission and Jal Jeevan Mission has significantly expanded sanitation and safe drinking water access, improving public health, gender equality, and rural livelihoods. The next phase focuses on sustaining these gains through resilient systems, community ownership, and climate-sensitive water management. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) is not only a…
The journey of Aamir Khan shows how cinema, education, and social advocacy can create meaningful change beyond entertainment. Through films like Taare Zameen Par and initiatives like the Paani Foundation, he has promoted inclusive education, water conservation, and gender justice. Born in Mumbai on March 14, 1965, Aamir Khan came from a family steeped in…
Maharashtra government partners with Tata Trusts and Naam Foundation to enhance rural healthcare, water security, and public service delivery through a collaborative CSR model, focusing on sustainable development and last-mile impact. A new partnership in Maharashtra is quietly showing how development work in India is evolving. The state government has signed multiple Memorandums of Understanding…
Anyone who has worked in India’s development sector for a significant period will recognise a familiar pattern. Across states and districts, the landscape is crowded with organisations trying their best to solve difficult problems, yet most of them do so in isolation. The intent is strong, the commitment is real, but the way programmes are…
Jharkhand is famously referred to as a state of plenty, with forests, minerals, and a huge population of rural and tribal inhabitants. However, under this prosperity, there is a crude reality of deprivation that defines the day-to-day living in its villages. The latest report by the Azim Premji University, Rural Multidimensional Deprivation in Jharkhand (2025)…
