It’s been almost an year since I moved back to India. I will be lying if I say this time has been easy – each day has been rife with doubts – if I made the right choice to come back, if what I am doing is right thing to do, if I am good enough to actually make a difference. I have gone through these and what is left of me is certainly a stronger person.
When I used to sit in a trading floor in front of 7 screens, I always used to dream of working outdoors to improve the environment, to improve our villages.
After coming back to India, I met Nagaraj Gangolli around March 2014. Not only was I inspired by his work, I had found someone who helped me live my dream. He was leading Art of Living’s work to rejuvenate the Vedavathi River and had made significant progress. He had convinced people from 49 villages to undertake the project under MGNREGS. In his own words his work was to deal with the ‘Circus’ of grassroot level politics to ensure that constructive work actually gets done.
Over the last one year I have tried my level best to add value to the project – from streamlining the finances and the documentation process, to working with the government to improve execution and outcomes. Needless to say I have learnt a lot and am marginally wiser smile emoticon
Even so, I never knew I would have to step in and make a film on the work we had undertaken. Wonderful crew members ensured that was indeed possible – Jishnu Krishnan, Gautam Singhani, Abhimanyu Jadaun, Arun Sharma
I request to please take out time and watch the film. Whether you like it or not please do share it wink emoticon One of our aims is to reignite hope in our existing systems – to suggest that good work can be done. There is still hope.
Also please do bless the project so that we can continue this work against all odds.
If you have any comments please do write to me at himanshu.kalra@gmail.com.
P.S: Every time I share that I am working on River Rejuvenation people think that we are cleaning rivers. Well you can clean rivers where rivers exist. Most rain fed rivers in South India have dried down. What is left is empty streams with no water and we are working to ensure that these rivers start flowing again.