DEENANATH RAJPUT was living the Indian dream―the 32-year-old was an engineer in the software capital of India, Bengaluru. But, six months into that life, he quit to return to Bastar, Chhattisgarh, to follow his dream. He set up an NGO that has helped transform the lives of 6,100 women farmers in the Naxal-affected district. The Bhumgadi Farmer Producer Organisation, which was established in 2018 and had 337 women as members, now has more than 6,000.
And for these efforts, Rajput was awarded the Rohini Nayyar Prize for outstanding contribution to rural development in India. The prize is awarded in memory of Rohini Nayyar―a pioneer in the world of economics who dedicated her life to focusing on rural India. Nayyar spent 17 years in the former Planning Commission, trying to make the lives of those living in villages better. The prize honours individuals who, like Nayyar, have chosen to devote their lives to help transform this space. The award comes with a citation, a trophy and a cash prize of Rs10 lakh.
“I come from a family of farmers,” said Rajput. “I always wanted to help make things better. Now, the women I work with are empowered.”
Rajput Sir, as he is known, has helped women farmers cut out the middleman and find better prices. He has helped them diversify―they initially sold tamarind―to create products that would find a market. He has also helped them grow produce better, by getting them better fertilisers and teaching them how to apply for government schemes. Today, his initiative stretches over three districts: Bastar, Kanker and Narayanpur.
It was not easy. “My parents were not happy,” he said. “For a year, they kept telling me that I had left a steady job to come back. What was the point?”
But Rajput never let the challenges deter him. “I knew this is what I wanted to do,” he said.
And the change is visible. One of his initiatives, Bastar Cafe, which serves locally grown roasted coffee, is hugely popular and is likely to open in Delhi, too. “It is a speciality of the area,” he said. “We also have fusion food; there is a millet pizza. But then, there is also traditional Chhattisgarhi food.”
An annual feature, the Rohini Nayyar award focuses on the dreams of the young; the age limit is 40. “Perhaps it is the only such prize for contribution to rural development in India,” said Dr Deepak Nayyar, emeritus professor of economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, who founded the award in the memory of his wife. “It is also among the few prizes anywhere that is named after a woman. In times to come, we hope that the prize will become the gold standard for persons working towards development, and that it will motivate the winners to inspire more innovative work and disseminate best practices across India.”