Exploring the Grassroots Project – An Eye Opener for the Rural Management students

Being the first batch of the PGDM Rural Management (2012 – 2014) at WeSchool, the excitement knew no bound when we undertook a 10 day research based project in the rural areas of Maharashtra in the month of October 2012. The project aptly titled ‘Exploring the Grassroots’ created an unmatched fervor amongst all of us to go on a ‘ Trip’ and have fun. But little did we know what was in store for us!

The project was aimed at understanding the life and culture of the people in rural areas. In addition to this, we focused on understanding the various government schemes implemented at the grass root level such as National Health Mission, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme, Integrated Child Development Scheme, National Horticulture Mission, Kisan Credit Card and so on. These schemes were a part of our syllabus in Trimester 1 thus understanding the working of these schemes became much easier.

We were divided in to four equal groups covering four districts in Maharashtra, i.e. Jalgaon, Kolhapur, Satara and Dahanu. Pre – research workshops conducted helped us a great deal  to acquaint ourselves with various research techniques.

Our “Trip” started really smooth and easy going. It was later when we started interacting with the local villagers, Self – Help Groups (SHG’s), Gram Panchayat, the BDO officers and local entrepreneurs did we get a reality check. The experience of visiting the fields, houses of the villagers, having lunch with them in the field, discussing politics and learning and listening about their life, the problems they face and the hope to live a good life and flourish is something that is ineffable. It can only be experienced and truly felt.  Such valued conversations with the villagers also provided us with insights on their living pattern, consumer behavior, the level of financial literacy in those villages and so on.  We thus, understood the socio – economic behavior of that village. We also conducted “Innovation Workshop for the Rural Youth” in these villages.

This project gave us confidence boost to strive for change in the society and bring about sustainable development and transform Rural India. The students group which went to Jalgaon conducted workshops in a D.Ed school to tell them and give information on the Right to Education Act. We also undertook tree plantation drive in the villages we went. Once back from this eye opening “Trip”, we wrote a research paper which was evaluated by Dr. Sten Ekman, faculty at Malardalen University in Sweden and Dr. Anna Ekman.

This week long exposure gave us the chance to understand the living pattern of the people in rural areas, their way to life and gave insights on their ambition, their desire for simple things in life and how they value their culture and want “Harmony” and “Brotherhood” to prevail in the village and country as a whole. It is quite evident from interaction with my peers post the visit that each village was different and unique and had different socio – economic pattern. The saying, Unity in Diversity couldn’t hold more true but in this case. All in all ,an enriching experience in exploring the rural roots for all of us !!!

Contributed by -Susmita Paria,PGDM Rural Management(2012-14)