Gram Swabhimaan –
Dignity That
Lives in the Soil
A journey to rediscover rural pride, reclaim forgotten wisdom, and break the labels that hold communities back.
What is Gram Swabhimaan?
“Started with a simple intent — to help rural communities rediscover their self-worth… not through aid, but through conversation, celebration, and listening deeply.”
Started this journey called Gram Swabhimaan with a simple, yet powerful intent – to make rural communities realise their self-worth and value the richness of their culture and wisdom. Through sustained dialogues and listening to the community we aim to amplify grassroots wisdom, local resources, and traditional skills—walking alongside communities as enablers. In just the initial phase one of our happiest realisations was when on ground we saw the community take up the revival of an out of use creek. Coming together in scorching heat and rebuilding their own future and working towards their swabhimaan, proving ki “koi gareeb nahi hai.. hum- dil, buddhi, bal se ameer hain”.
A thought that we wish to take forward to every individual in the community and looks down on themself or others as “gareeb, bechara or besahara”. This act of reviving the creek wasn’t just about water. It became a symbol — a turning point from, “jal jeevan hai” to “jal swabhimaan ka pratik hai” in communities who have been suffering. In places where scarcity of water has led to deep physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion, this shift in thinking is no small feat. From, “Hume to DJ hi chaiye” to “humko dhol bajana nhi aata, kya aap humein sikhayenge?”– the journey of Gram Swabhimaan is marked with these honest, heartfelt conversations that slowly bring forgotten traditions and shared wisdom back to life. P.s pattal pe khichdi khane ka alag hi mazza hai :)) It’s not just a meal — it’s a memory, a celebration, a quiet act of cultural pride.
Stories of Gram Swabhimaan
A series of moments, memories, and movements from the heart of India’s villages — where dignity leads.
Dancing with Dignity
In the Hills of Odisha
Pledge of Gram Swabhimaan - the beginning of change
Community interaction
“Gram Swabhimaan is my attempt to address this deep rooted sense of poverty – not just financial but emotional, psychological and social. It’s about shifting how rural communities see themselves and their relationship with the resources they hold”
Unpacking Labels. Revealing Realities.
Poor
Rich in wisdom, skills, and lived knowledge
Dependent
Rooted in self-reliance and shared strength
Uneducated
Keeper of oral traditions and farming innovation (like 5,000+ rice varieties)
Beneficiary
We are not poor, helpless, or dependent.
We are rich — in our hearts, in our hands, in our hard work.
