Last June, I went to Manikonta village in Sukma with my colleague for work. It was a regular field visit, but that day turned into something very memorable. When we reached the village, a festival was happening. People had gathered, and there was a different energy in the air. It felt lively and meaningful at […]
Category: Fellowship
Fellowship programs in social development usually are designed as youth social leadership immersions wherein young people undertake challenging development projects and learn about society, development and self as part of a leadership journey
Kulasai Dasara : Story of a Friend
Kulasekarapattinam, a coastal town in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu is in news for the construction of India’s second rocket launching facility an strategic step to save fuel and increase payload efficiency while launching of small satellite vehicles. Along with modern scientific developments, the town hoist deep cultural roots from the Pandyan dynasty, infamous for […]
The first awareness session that I facilitated on anemia and healthy dietary practices was a very special experience for me. Since the beginning of my fellowship, I have been working closely with adolescents, and my project primarily focuses on them. Over time, I have built a friendly and comfortable bond with the students, which made […]
What Farmers Of Anantpur Taught Me
In Anantapur, agriculture is not just an occupation , it is a way of life. Yet, for many farmers, it is also a struggle for survival. During my SWAR Fellowship, I worked closely with horticulture farmers growing crops like sapota, banana, and groundnut. What I witnessed was a powerful contradiction: farmers were producing quality crops, […]
My Accidental Travel Map
I grew up in a small place where my world was limited. Home to school was just a 500-meter walk, and college was 6 km away. That was my routine. Once a year, we would visit Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh or my grandma’s place near the state border. Travel was not a big part of […]
Murga Bazar or cockfighting is one of the main entertainments in Bastar. It is not just a way to pass the time, but a proper gambling den. This gambling has captivated many people in Dantewada, just like Joga. Breaking free from the lure of that addiction, the way Joga is implementing the Kalpataru model on […]
Finding Home Away from Home
Leaving my hometown, Tirupur, and stepping into a new place like Thanjavur was not easy. It was my first job away from home, and with it came countless fears. I had no clear idea of what life would look like there. The thought of living alone for almost a year scared me deeply. Questions kept […]
Bachelor’s Kadhai
I grew up in a typical South Indian middle-class family. Our kitchen was not fancy, but it was full. Big shelves, so many utensils stacked one above the other, different sizes of vessels for different dishes, a proper stove setup… everything had its own place. Morning filter coffee smell, afternoon sambar boiling sound, night dosa […]
Almora: The City
I am not going to go into the history of the city, because I think I still have a lot to read about it to write about it. So this blog will be more about the city I have lived in, and my experience so far. Let me start from the beginning. So when I […]
Gadi Pandum: Gratitude to the Soil
An evening lamp flickers inside the mud hut. From above the mahua tree, the moonlight falls softly on the face of Dhaneshwar Netam. Beads of sweat glisten on her dust-covered forehead, shimmering like silver under the tender touch of the moonlight. Before the oil in the evening lamp runs out, the tomato saplings must be […]
