Lucknow, 10

Nov (HS): India's dream of becoming a $35 trillion economy by 2047 must also

take into cognisance the vast untapped potential of rural Indians. With

improved infrastructure, better connectivity, wider distribution networks, and

targeted policies, the participation of rural citizenry can be encouraged to

some extent. But lasting progress will depend on deeper structural change,

creating an ecosystem of systemic support, mentorship, and localised knowledge

that strengthens community-led progress. Such an approach ensures inclusion,

especially for those who have limited or no access to formal education. On

National Education Day (11th November), the success stories of rural

entrepreneurs Basanti Ningwal, Madhu Alawe, and Nirmala Ohra prove that

community-based training, digital exposure, and enterprise support can redefine

knowledge beyond conventional classrooms. They remind us that the journey to

true learning and progress begins when local aspirations are nurtured with the

right support.

1. Basanti

Ningwal: With the help of Transform Rural India (TRI), a development design

organisation that works to transform India’s bottom 1,00,000 villages into

flourishing localities, Basanti Ningwal moved beyond a life of limited

opportunities to become an inspirational role model. With enterprise support

from TRI’s Enterprise Facilitation Hub, she has not only built a sustainable

livelihood but also catalysed change in her village. The 40-year-old

entrepreneur from Abahli village in the Thikri block of Barwani district

belongs to the Scheduled Tribe community and could only study up to the 12th

grade. Working as a bookkeeper for a self-help group under the National Rural

Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), she gained experience in managing accounts and

financial transactions. Her innate resourcefulness identified a need for

accessible financial and documentation services in her village, but she needed

training and mentorship to open a Common Service Center (CSC). With TRI's

guidance, family support, and a loan of Rs. 80,000, Basanti finally set up a center to provide services

for money transfers, withdrawals, deposits, and photocopying. The center now

caters to over 100 people from 50 families and garners around Rs. 8,000 per

month. Basanti now plans to expand her CSC Center and to secure the future of her

daughters with higher education.

2. Madhu

Alawe: 30-year-old Madhu Alawe hails from a Scheduled Tribe community in Gram

Bijasan, Barwani district, and battled societal prejudices and gender bias from

a young age. Even though she studied only up to the 8th grade, her desire to

break the generational cycle of poverty inspired her to nurture entrepreneurial

dreams. Working as a labourer and cattle caretaker to support her family, she

encountered a life-changing opportunity when she joined RSETI (Rural Self

Employment Training Institute) and trained to become a BC Sakhi (Banking

Correspondence Friend). To better understand the market and gain access to

finance and business training, she connected with TRI’s Barwani Enterprise

Facilitation Hub and obtained a Rs. 50,000 loan from Rang De. Empowered with knowledge, she

founded a Common Service Center (CSC) in Gram Bijasan in 2024, serving around

100 households in her Panchayat and also in nearby areas. Supported in this

endeavour by

her family, especially her husband, she has gone from strength to strength

despite her mother's serious illness. Madhu currently earns up to Rs. 15,000 per

month and is determined to expand the scope of the services offered via her

center.

3. Nirmala

Ohra: At just 22, Nirmala Ohra from Wajhar village in Niwali, Madhya Pradesh,

has carved a name for herself as a successful rural entrepreneur. Her journey,

however, began far from easy. With family responsibilities holding her back

from studying beyond Class 12, Nirmala supported her household through farming

chores while quietly nurturing a passion for the beauty industry. Inspired by a

relative who became an entrepreneur, she resolved to build something of her

own. Searching for ways to learn, she began exploring basic beauty treatments

through YouTube and later connected with TRI's Niwali Enterprise Facilitation

Hub. Supported by their guidance and training, she was able to finally realise

her dream of starting a business. TRI also supported her in accessing financial

linkages, through which she secured a loan from Rang De and combined it with

her savings to raise Rs. 40,000 and opened her own beauty parlour in 2024. Today, she

successfully offers affordable grooming and makeup services to women in nearby

villages and

earns an income of Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 12,000 every month. She is now determined to

expand her salon, start a general store, and encourage young women to pursue

their ambitions with confidence.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi