Category Archives: World Opinion

IKEA products: Made in Uttar Pradesh, sold in Sweden

Business & Economy, World Opinion

As it gets ready to open its first outlet in India, home furnishing giant IKEA turns to rural and semi-rural regions to help double sourcing from the country from 315 million to 630 million euros

Juvencio Maeztu, IKEA’s India CEO
Juvencio Maeztu, IKEA’s India CEO

Every day at 8.30 am, Sulekha Bharti steps out of her house in Keshopur Sarpataha in Sant Ravidas Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh (UP), and hails an auto-rickshaw for the half-an-hour, four kilometre drive to the IKEA workshop in Gyanpur, a small town near Varanasi. The day I meet her, she is wearing a bright red sari, her long hair tied neatly in a bun. She is one of hundreds of women in UP who, for the past three years, have been making textile products for the Swedish home furnishing giant.

IKEA, which grossed 28.7 billion euros in sales in FY14, sells ready-to-assemble furniture, appliances, kitchenware and household goods in 46 countries, with its largest markets in Germany, the US and France. Though it doesn’t have a presence in India yet, it has been sourcing products from the country for the past 28 years. In 2014, it procured 315 million euros worth of goods from 48 Indian suppliers; it wants to increase this to 630 million euros by 2020. For now, the goods sourced are mostly textiles, but the Swedish giant is planning to expand the scope and sourcing model, even as it is laying the groundwork for an India store by 2018.

Bharti is part of the retail giant’s most recent initiative—Next Generation—which aims to include and support the development of small-scale entrepreneurs in its supply chain. The handcrafted limited edition products that she makes are shipped to Europe and sold in 31 IKEA outlets across Sweden, Austria, the UK and Switzerland. For the 27-year-old—who, like many of her colleagues in the Gyanpur centre, was married at the age of 15—the novelty of leaving the family house, without the permission of her husband, has yet to wear off. Perhaps it never will. Until three years ago, she was confined within its walls in her role as wife, daughter-in-law, mother (she has two sons aged 5 and 9), cook and all-purpose house help. On the rare occasion when she went outside, she had to cover her face with the traditional ghoonghat or veil.

Then in 2012, after participating in a training workshop, she was recruited by artisan-run social enterprise Rangsutra, which is partnering with IKEA for its Next Generation initiative to produce handcrafted products like cushion covers, pillow cases, table runners, and bedspreads. The Rajasthan-headquartered Rangsutra, which also supplies products to companies such as lifestyle chain Fabindia, is one of IKEA’s 48 suppliers in India. In the south, the Swedish company has partnered with Industree Producer Transform in Bengaluru, which employs around 200 artisans and craftsmen who make shoulder bags, baskets and storage boxes out of natural banana fibre.

Social entrepreneur businesses like these will play an important role in IKEA’s supply chain when it starts shop in India. When the home furnishing company was granted permission to operate in India in 2012, it had announced that it would invest about Rs 10,500 crore over 10 years and open 25 retail outlets across the country. Indian consumers, however, will have to wait for three years before they can shop at an India IKEA store as the company has to build a brick and mortar outlet from scratch.

IKEA recently bought a 13-acre plot in HITEC City in Hyderabad. Though this is the first plot of land it has bought in India, it does not mean that the company will open its first store in the country in Hyderabad. IKEA is simultaneously looking for land in Delhi/NCR, Bengaluru and Mumbai.

The retailer has been struggling to find the right piece of land, especially because a typical store can range from anywhere between 2 and 4 lakh square feet on 8 to 10 acres of land. Its outlets, which can pass off as mini-townships, need to be located near highways with easy accessibility to cities. “We offer about 9,000 home furnishing products for sale. In our stores, we have many room settings that give customers inspiration, a large restaurant and play facilities for children. Therefore, the space required is large,” says IKEA India CEO Juvencio Maeztu, 47.

If all goes as planned, women like Bharti will play an important role in IKEA’s India story, and Next Generation, which IKEA describes as a business initiative with a social mission. The home furnishing company has implemented this initiative with a special focus on countries like Thailand and India that score low on the United Nations sustainable development goals.

Of Veils, Cellphones and Bank Accounts
IKEA takes pride in the change it has brought about among women in the villages of Varanasi. Initially, it was extremely difficult for Bharti to convince her husband and in-laws to let her work. “I faced a lot of taunts from people in my village, including the women. They would ask me if I was working or doing something else [the implications being commercial sex],” she says.

In a happy twist, the women who taunted Bharti three years ago have become her admirers and now work with Rangsutra, which has employed 440 women artisans in UP, in and around two centres (one in Gyanpur and another in Mirzapur) to supply products to IKEA. Rangsutra had delivered about 55,000 pieces to the European company as part of the last order; there are two such orders every year.

source: http://www.forbesindia.com / Forbes India / Home> Features-Boardroom / by Shabana Hussain / August 06th, 2015

UP farmer’s soccer player son heads for Germany

Sports, World Opinion

Lucknow :

For 14-year-old Akash Mishra, a student of Lucknow’s Guru Gobind Singh Sports College, it is hard to tell when soccer turned from pastime to passion. But it sure yielded fruitful returns as Akash and 14 other children from across India have been chosen for a six-year training programme in Germany, during which the youngsters will train under coaches from Bundesliga Club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.

Son of a farmer from UP’s Balrampur district (Tekuhikala, Pilibhit), almost 160 kilometres from the state capital, the family was initially reluctant to send their only son abroad, but when they saw the training facilities in Mumbai, their doubts and anxiety were gone.

Mishra, who plays at left full back position in his team would be leaving for Germany on Wednesday (August 19), and hopes to represent India in the FIFA World Cup 2017 (for the under-17 age group). Speaking to TOI, Akash said, “I was surprised when I came to know I had been selected for the training programme in Germany. I never expected to make it to the training schedule of Bundesliga.” Mishra and 14 others were selected through a massive talent hunt conducted across 50 cities of India in the presence of experienced coaches of the German soccer club.

Elaborating about his training module, Mishra said he is working on a strategy to use his right limb optimally to yield positive results. “In a tournament held in 2014, we were told about the possibility of selection for the German training programme,” said the budding soccer player, who idolises Cristiano Ronaldo and ace Indian footballer Baichung Bhutia.

Proud of his son’s exploits, Anil Kumar Mishra said, “We were reluctant when Akash was coming to Sports College Lucknow and when we came to know about his chance to go to Germany for a six-year training programme, we told him to decline the offer. But my son and his coaches convinced us about the bright prospects in sports, following which we relented.” Akash’s younger sister is happy for him.

“During the 6-year programme in Germany, Akash would get a chance to be with his family every six months,” said Anil Kumar.

Praising the budding footballer, coach Mahesh Gawali said, “TSG 1899 Hoffenheim is one of the best training grounds in the world and Akash would benefit from the exposure. He is a natural left-footer, a rare characteristic seen in Indian footballers. This will definitely give him an edge over others. Apart from this, he is dedicated and disciplined, an essential pre-requisite.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / by Arunav Sinha, TNN / August 20th, 2015

World War I weapons on display in centenary year in Allahabad

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

Allahabad :

To mark the centenary year of the World War I, the Allahabad Museum will set up a gallery displaying arms and armours, including light machine guns and pistols, used in both world wars by August end. Renowned poet William Cowper’s quote, “War lays a burden on the reeling state, And peace does nothing to relieve the weight,” will be the theme of the gallery.

Museum director Rajesh Purohit said, “A light machine gun having a number on the outer side as MG 08/15 and manufactured in 1917 was used during the World War I. Another machine gun maxim MG 08/15 manufactured in 1918, pepper box revolver with six barrels and a six cartridge belonging to the 19th Century are prominent displays which were used during the World War-I. Their advanced versions were used in WW II.”

The other weapons to be displayed in the gallery are a muzzle loading, percussion cap firing system pistol and a smooth bore pistol with ram rod having a size 31cm and 1.6 cm belonging to early decades of 19th Century. Apart from the arms used in the two World Wars, the gallery would also exhibit pistols, swords, khukhri, bayonet and chest plates used by freedom fighters. Dumped in museum’s reserve collection along with 3,000 objects and antiquities, these arms and armours were away from public eye till 2011. After four years of classification, cataloguing and preservation, the objects classified under ‘arms and armours’ are ready to be displayed for visitors. These include various types of pistols, rifles and light machine guns. At present the museum has catalogued 211 weapons. However, the rifles that were in vogue during the WW II are yet to be displayed.

Most of these weapons are in good condition and could be used even after 100 years. The museum had roped in Allahabad University’s department of Defence Studies for cataloguing the guns and other arms. “A brigadier was also consulted to ascertain the present condition of the weapon. AU’s RK Tandon and Onkar Wankhede of the museum toiled hard towards restoration and preservation of arms. A total of 211 weapons are in the gallery,” said Purohit.

However, the museum had not documented donors of these weapons. “The museum started functioning with a small collection in 1931. With passage of time, donations started pouring in. We lack accounts of persons who donated various items, including arms and armours to the museum till 1950s,” said Purohit.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Allahabad / by Vinod Khanal, TNN / August 20th, 2015

Harvard book chronicles Maha Kumbh success saga

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, World Opinion

Lucknow :

The success of Maha Kumbh 2013 has now been chronicled in form of a book produced by teachers and scholars of Harvard University. Titled ‘Kumbh Mela, Mapping the Ephermal City’, the 447-page book will be formally released by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav in New Delhi on Monday.

A compilation of contributions from acclaimed writers like Dina L Eck, the book praises the chief minister’s efforts to celebrate the mega event as a “Green Kumbh” by banning the use of plastic materials and other pollutants at the Sangam in Allahabad.

Diana L Eck is a scholar of religious studies and a professor of comparative religion and Indian studies at the Harvard. Her earlier books include ‘Banaras, City of Light’. Among other contributors of the book are renowned architect Rahul Mehrotra and a group of Harvard students who camped at the Sangam during Mahakumbh in 2013 on Akhilesh’s invitation.

Published by the South Asia Institute of the Harvard University, the book in a complete narration of various aspects of the event which attracted millions to one single place. Some bound by intrigue, some drawn by interest, some tied to devotion, some in quest of peace, some for research and others by the simple urge of being part of the momentous event that unfolded between January 14 to March 22, says the book

The book, right from its preamble, lists how the spade work on the mega event started, from laying the grid of the sprawling Mela premises, to the logistics and the massive sanitation, sewage disposal and mass vaccination campaigns that were taken care of by the government agencies.

Referring to the Kumbh Mela project undertaken by the South Asia Institute (SAI) of the Harvard University as a “keystone project” the book goes on to discuss in detail the entire multi-year research project findings. During the period of the project, over 50 Harvard professors, students, administrative staff, doctors and researchers made a pilgrimage to the site, with the duration of stay spanning between two days to several weeks.

Meena Sonea Hewett, executive director of the SAI in the preamble states that the book serves as an “example of sophisticated, interdisciplinary researched and produced a set of teaching tools, useful across the disciplines of public health, data science, architecture, urban planning, business, religion and culture.”

The contributors to the book also call the Kumbh much beyond the media spectacle and details the “sheer human achievement of creating the temporary and yet complex infrastructure of the 24-square-mile Kumbh city, compared to almost 2/3rd of Manhattan. Calling the entire process of making this city with an expiry date as “astonishing”, the team of the SAI also details how this city comes up for 45 days and takes in millions of faithfuls.

In the section on ‘Metrics’, the writers detail how the mela area stretches to 23.5 square km and extends to another 15 km stretch due to the receding river that leaves behind additional flood plains. “The sense of elastic accommodation within the temporary settlement is outstanding and unique” the book observes.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / by Subhash Mishra, TNN / August 17th, 2015

At Aligarh village, shrine to British soldiers killed in 1857

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

Shairpur (Aligarh):

In a strange twist of fate, nine British soldiers who died fighting rebels in the 1857 freedom struggle near this village are now worshipped by the descendants of the villagers. The locals, who believe the souls of the nine soldiers protect them from evil spirits, have turned the memorial plaque into a shrine with lit candles, incense sticks and red sacred thread.

Nearly 121 km from Agra, in the Gangiri block of Aligarh district on its border with Kasganj, the memorial plaque at Shairpur village commemorates British cavalrymen from two highly decorated regiments — the 6th Dragoon Guards, also known as the Carabiniers, and the 9th Queen’s Royal Lancers, who for their participation in the events of 1857 came to be called the Delhi Spearmen.

Engraved on the plaque are their names — Captain George Wardlaw, Lieutenant John Hudson, Lieutenant Sydney Vyse, Privates Joseph Barrett, Robert Chapman, Walter Cossar and Allen Eastwood of the Carabiniers, and Privates John Dyson and Henry Frampton of the Delhi Spearmen.

Surrounded by rice fields, tall shrubs and several trees including a peepal, the ramshackle memorial silently narrates the story of a bloody battle fought here on December 14, 1857.

The structure for the nine soldiers, known locally as ‘Kalajar’ since the war was fought near the Kaali river, has shrunk to its current size of 20 sq ft after villagers took up the surrounding land for cultivation.

However, what remains is of occult significance for locals. “On every holy occasion, local villagers, particularly women, worship this stone plaque. They tie sacraments at the peepal tree behind it, light earthen lamps and incense sticks and offer flowers to the dead soldiers’ souls,” said Jai Vir Singh, headmaster of the primary school at the village, just 30m from the grave. “It is certainly ironic that the descendants of the rebels who fought and killed these men offer them prayers today,” Singh added.

Others assign specific powers to the dead men. “We offer prayers here as we believe the souls of these men protect our village from evil spirits. Every year, the families of these soldiers also visit our village from Britain to pay homage to their ancestors who were buried here,” said Pushpender, a local villager.

BD Rana, son of the former local MLA Netram Singh, believes that the place is of historical importance and the government should take steps to conserve it. “During the Raj, this entire area was part of the Gungeree cantonment. Some five kilometres away, there is another tombstone protected by the ASI, but not much information is available on it,” Rana said.

Experts, however, play down the historical significance of the site. “As the tombstone indicates, there must be a graveyard of British soldiers in the area, but that doesn’t mean it is of historical significance. Scores of Britishers were killed by Indians and their bodies were buried at several places during the events of 1857,” remarked MK Pundhir, medieval archaeologist from the Centre of Advance Studies in History, Aligarh Muslim University.

“Worship of the tomb is a mere superstition. Since there is a peepal tree behind it, villagers over the years must have started worshipping the tombstone as well,” he added.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Agra / by Arvind Chawhan, TNN / August 09th, 2015

French Artist to work with UP Artisans

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, World Opinion

A French entrepreneur who runs a fashion store has shown his inclination to work with the artisans based in Uttar Pradesh and make zardozi the talking point in the global fashion industry.

Maximiliano Modesti , who runs an export fashion centre in Mumbai, held a meeting with Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, and showed his inclination to work with zardozi artisans of Uttar Pradesh.

A Government official said in a statement issued here on Thursday that Modesti has told Yadav that he wanted to work with zardozi and other artisans and export their work to the international market. “The French entrepreneur made it clear that he wants to make Uttar Pradesh as his work centre,” the spokesman said.

A graduate of IFM (Institut Francais de la Mode), finishing an MBA in Paris, Modesti runs an office in Mumbai. He works with clients like Hermès, Isabel Marant and Bibhu Mohapatra. All of the Hermès embroidery is done in Bombay and leather accessories and garments in Delhi. Now he wants to open embroidery centre in form of zardozi in UP.

Modesti told CM that he already works with a group of 50 artisans in UP as a pilot project. “After the success of this pilot project we want to increase this number to over 1000. We want that the products they make can be sold in the international market. This will not only give these artisans money but also bring UP’s zardozi and other art work to limelight,” he said.

The French entrepreneur had all praises for the skill development schemes launched by the UP Government, He said that such initiatives will help the artisans to hone their skills and if the government can provide them a market this skill will further flourish.

Yadav, on his part assured Modesti of all help. He said that UP being the most populous state of country it is full of opportunity. “The Samajwadi Party Government is trying to improve infrastructure facilities in the state with the result many top industrial houses are now willing to invest I UP,” he said.

source: http://www.dailypioneer.com / The Pioneer / Home> State edition> Lucknow / Pioneer News Service, Lucknow / Friday – August 07th, 2015)

Lucknow had deep impact on Sanjiv Chaturvedi

Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion

Lucknow :

Shadowed under the heavy weight of numerous books for competitive examinations, Sanjiv Chaturvedi’s home in Lucknow’s Chandralok Colony in Aliganj also houses a rare collection of Urdu poetry from Ghalib to Majaz and Firaq Gorakhpuri. Ever since the family settled in Lucknow in 1995, Sanjiv who had then finished his engineering from National Institute of Technology (NIT), Allahabad, had developed an interest in Urdu poetry, a collection of which adorns his library shelf.

“I was startled when he started collecting poetry books, finding the hobby a little out of place. I told him sternly one day, that he would have been at great heights in the engineering field, had he put this much effort in it, instead of reading poetry,” recalled his father, Daya Shankar Chaturvedi, now laughing over the phone from Devariya. Making four attempts to the civils, each time after reaching the mains, his merit in the interview would drop. “But he was determined and got through IFS the next year,” shared the proud father who had tears of joy when he “got all emotional on the good news” after receiving the update from his son at around 10 am. .

Sanjiv belonging to a small village Baliawa in Devariya, was born in Allahabad but has a deep rooted connect with Lucknow. Building the foundation of his education from Saraswati Shishumandir in Gonda where he studied till V standard, he juggled between Basti, Gonda and Gorakhpur for the rest of his schooling.

It was in Lucknow and through self study that the Magsaysay awardee prepared for the IAS examination.

“Lucknow has left an indelible impact on me. I have imbibed the city’s value system and its simplicity that have given me strength from time to time. The city helps me unwind. Whenever I am in Lucknow, I hang out with friends who have stood by me and supported me all through my fight,” said Sanjiv.

Every time he visits Lucknow, ‘Chaturvedi’ as he is fondly called among friends, visits his favourite hang outs, gorging on Azhar Bhai ka Paan at Akbari Gate, Shukla Chaat Centre, Netram ki Puri.

“Fifteen days ago, when he was here, we had gone to eat at 11:30 in the night the old city area,” said Waqar Ahmed, who has been friends with Sanjiv since 1991, sharing a room at NIT hostel and being neighbours in Lucknow.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / by Yusra Hussain, TNN / July 30th, 2015

Nidhi wins bronze at Asian Powerlifting Championship

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Varanasi :

Ace powerlifter from Mirzapur Nidhi Singh Patel bagged bronze at the 2015 Asian Powerlifting Championship held at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Hong Kong on Thursday.

Her coach Kamlapati Tripathi told TOI that she lifted 345 kg in senior women (57kg) category. Though she was suffering from typhoid and was under medication, she made it successfully. According to him, she also has a chance to get silver if the dope test of gold winner is found positive.

It may be mentioned here that Apna Dal member of Parliament (MP) from Mirzapur Anupriya Patel provided Rs 1.5 lakh to Nidhi Singh to help het participate in the event. Belonging to a poor rural family Nidhi has earlier won 5 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze in international events, and 5 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze in national events. It was difficult for Nidhi, a native of Pachera village in Mirzapur district, to arrange the amount for her foreign trip. Her father Girija Prasad Singh Patel is a fourth grade employee at a college.

Earlier also, her three foreign trips to Manila (Philippines), Taiwan (China), and Bournemouth (England) became possible after help from private donations. While she bagged five gold medals in 2011 Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships in England, she won silver in Asian Benchpress Championships in Manila in 2010 and a bronze Asian Benchpress Championships in Taiwan in 2011.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Varanasi / TNN / July 25th, 2015

AU scientists develop herbal oil for fungal infections

Education, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Allahabad :

High humidity has led to spurt in cases of fungal infection. The easy remedy to the problem comes in form of oil extracted from various herbs. A team of scientists of Allahabad University has extracted three types of oil. Their study has been published in various international journals and further research is being conducted in collaboration with an institute in Germany.

Detailing about various sorts of fungal infections and remedies to combat them, head of the department of botany, Allahabad University, Anupam Dikshit, said: “We have extracted oil from various plants which are effective against fungus and viruses. Both bacteria and fungus are capable of harming the fibre of your clothes but fungal infection is far more deadly.” He added that fungus needs certain medium for growth and cotton clothes and leather items provide best of conditions. Cotton and leather contain cellulose, which is made of polysaccharides and on the contrary, synthetic clothes are much safer from these infections.

This work of Dikshit has given two patents to his name, one a joint US-India-German patent and another one an Indian. Apart from this the work has been published in several international journals.

Dikshit said that the best climatic conditions for fungus are the temperature ranging between 30-35 degree Celsius and 55% or above humidity.

He suggested that one should be more careful in respect to white or light clothings as the fungal growth in the vegetative stage misses the naked eyes. And by the time you recognize the dark or black colour of the second stage of fungal growth, it had already done substantial damage to the fibre.

Similarly, about the leather items, he explained that the green spot on the leather, which again is an organic material, is fungus named penicillium. The best remedy is to polish them in every two days as the essential oil controls the fungal spores from germinating at the first stage, itself.

About the remedial measures, Dikshit informed that essential oil, present in ammi commonly known ajwaien, fennel or Sauf and cumin seeds or zeera, are the best remedy.

So, the next time you spot a white or coloured patch on your dress better get it treated as this could be fungal infection already in the process of harming the fibers of the clothes.

Tips to protect clothes from fungus

* Take your outside, sunshine and fresh air will kill the mildew

* Leave a light bulb turned on in areas where the fungus is most likely to breed

* Remove clothes from plastic dry cleaning bags immediately

* Check your clothes for spots/stains every time you hang them up

* Keep about an inch between your clothes and don’t cram them in

Keep closet door open to help with air flow

* Never hang clothes in your closet, unless they are completely dry

* Stuff your shoes and handbags that you don’t wear daily with a little tissue

* Opt for paint, not wall paper on your closet walls

Tips to protect leather from fungus

* Allow air circulation around stored items

* Apply a wax dressing to leather

* Take your leather items out occasionally and place them in the sunlight

* Store leather goods for extended periods

* Clean your leather regularly

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Allahabad / by Rajeev Mani, TNN / June 28th, 2015

Meet the Boston woman who builds toilets in UP

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, World Opinion

New Delhi :

India draws epithets mostly of two kinds from foreigners. Indophiles call it ‘exotic’ for its rich multi-culturalism, mysticism, spirituality and other cliched reasons. Yet, others scathingly dub it as a ‘dump’ for its egregious lack of sanitation, infrastructure and development. Some go as far as calling India a ‘shithole’ ‘drowning in its own excreta’.

Having grown up in both under-privileged and privileged classes in the States, Marta says her idea about the difference in the two classes shaped her view of the world.
Having grown up in both under-privileged and privileged classes in the States, Marta says her idea about the difference in the two classes shaped her view of the world.

But an American Ph.D student Marta Vanduzer-Snow (34) moved to rural India three years ago thinking that India needed a different approach altogether—”To be an invisible human who makes a difference on the ground.”

The result—Marta, a Rutgers University scholar who grew up in Boston, got 82 low-cost evapotranspiration toilets in homes and 1 in a primary school and 10 feet wide 122 meters permeable roads constructed, all at half or one-third the cost of similar governmental projects in the villages of Rai Bareli and Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

Each government toilet, built under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan that aims to eliminate open defecation by Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th anniversary in October 2019, costs about Rs.17000, but the evapotranspiration toilet that Marta has brought to the villages costs only Rs. 9109. As against government’s Rs. 4 lakh per 100 meter of interlocking road, Marta’s 100 meter permeable road costs only Rs. 2 lakh.

A co-author of books and research papers with various academics, Marta has developed a theory for three-pronged strategy on development that integrates infrastructure, health and education. “I wanted a small scale model based on my theory that I could execute. So I did some research and found that Amethi and Rai Bareily had quite a few active self-help groups. I decided to learn, practice and contribute.”

An Amartya Sen development economics fan, Marta who spends her own personal resources on all these projects, has also set up 27 solar power plants, including two street lights and a mobile charger. One of the only villages in Rae Bareli boasts of being the beneficiary of night light set up by the do-gooder scholar. Marta also got French drains built, with rainwater harvesting techniques and has been working on myco-filtration systems for potable water.

MartaLUCKNOW02jun21

Along with her programme coordinator Pawan Singh in some villages, she has also run literacy programs, written text books on English and organic farming, set up libraries and oversaw a pilot stage of four classrooms. The Rutgers scholar also run telehealth, ‘Mera Doctor’ a medical facility that offers 24×7 doctor-on-call service for free for a year to two villages.

Having grown up in both under-privileged and privileged classes in the States, Marta says her idea about the difference in the two classes shaped her view of the world. “The sharp difference was basically due to access or lack of access to opportunity,” she believes. The travels through Africa, Middle East, Asia and half a year she spent in Nepal running community service programs after high school confirmed her understanding of the difference in social classes. “But human life is about hope and how we look at future and what is possible for us. That is why I am doing what I am. ”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / June 20th, 2015