Cultivating an interest


Until four years ago, Mustafaganj was like any other Indian village. Its people had big dreams, but they killed them. Manoj Kumar, a gold medalist in geography from BR Ambedkar University of Muzaffarpur, knew what it meant to have unfulfilled desires.

Like most young men from Bihar, he wanted join the IAS. But couldn’t. In 2006, he returned home after completing his postgraduation, smack in the middle of the Maoist-controlled ‘red zone’, to discover people living on the edge. He convinced them to sign up for a club whose members would be engaged in the production of  vermi-compost and start organic farming.

Day labourer Leela Devi, 43, is a member of Manoj’s Bihari Thakur Kisan Club. “Yeh khad nuksaan nai karta hai (This manure does not harm),” she said with a smile on her face. “It’ll produce nearly six quintals of organic manure and fetch Rs 3000.” It funds her children’s education. Leela’s son is now a graduate. Her daughter is about to complete B.A........click for More

Source: Hindustan Times

View as PDF


Comments (0)



Please Login or Register to join groups