India is a nation full of contradictions. It changes with the changing times and yet it never changes. India aspires to be a superpower riding high on its surging economy. The corporate and political wheeler-dealers will exploit its vast talent pool of highly skilled workers in the Information Technology and other IT-enabled sectors to achieve that enviable distinction. Maybe we will get there someday sooner than later. Right now though, underneath this feel-good sheen there are serious inequities lurking, brought on by lack of political will and accountability. There is still scant regard for Human Rights. Perennial problems like rural unemployment, environmental degradation, unchecked and unplanned urban growth, population explosion, continue to be swept under the carpet.
The voice of the marginalized sections of society in India is hardly ever heard. Truth is scuttled. Until, someone comes along to expose it. We have our rags and we have our riches. But rags-to-riches stories are rare. Fortunately, there is no dearth of do-gooders either, who tell it as it is. One such do-gooder storyteller is D V Sridharan.
Here is his website that tells you inspiring stories about people’s triumph in the face of adversity. D V Sridharan’s ‘Good News India’ unearths scores of initiatives undertaken in the remotest parts of India and documents them on his website: www.goodnewsindia.com. And he does it with insight, wit and authority.
The site features stories of gritty people from all walks of life. These are people with passion and the gumption to change their lives and others’ for the better. In the face of tardy governance, scarce resources, limited financial assistance, if at all, these heroes of the hinterland have spawned environmentally sound, lucrative enterprises providing employment to hundreds of fellow villagers. Whether it is Jatropha plantations and Bio-Diesel production, Rainwater Harvesting or innovative solutions for Rural Sanitation, Holistic farming or Children’s Own Bank all these initiatives have one singular underlying theme: self-reliance through non-exploitative means.
Then there are the unsung heroes, who quietly go about their crusade against social injustices without any expectations of gain. One such group led by Arvind Kejriwal, from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, is waging a sustained battle cutting through bureaucratic red tape and apathy to pave the way for the effective implementation of the Right to Information Bill.
Compelling stories of such brave-hearts make it to this portal of propriety. Go read and feel inspired!
http://www.goodnewsindia.com