Transform Rural India

30/04/2025

Is healthcare truly reaching the last mile in rural India?

This we celebrate Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY as a powerful step toward equity in health. Yet many rural communities still struggle to access timely, affordable and quality primary care which reminds us that the journey toward “Health for All” is far from over.

TRI’s report 'Neighbourhoods of Care – State of Healthcare in Rural India 2024' highlights the urgent need to strengthen local health systems, support frontline workers and bring care even closer to communities.

At we’re rural development designers working to reimagine public health by putting people, proximity and prevention at the heart of rural healthcare.

30/04/2025

What happens when Panchayat leaders, governance experts and citizens all sit at the same table?

At the roundtable on the Panchayati Raj Act, chaired by Shri Sunil Kumar (Former Secretary, MoPR), elected Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) leaders, CSOs and governance experts came together to address the deep-rooted challenges of limited power, funding gaps and bureaucratic barriers in local governance.

The conversation focused on actionable ways to
✅ strengthen PRI autonomy,
✅ ensure consistent devolution, and
✅ empower grassroots leadership to deliver meaningful development.

is passionate about bringing equal opportunities to rural, marginalised communities by creating development design solutions, enabling Panchayats to lead with power, purpose and people at the centre.

29/04/2025

What if the best tool for rural development was built by the people, for the people?

To create a Landscape Assessment Tool rooted in reality TRI, led by Ashok Da and a team of 23 professionals engaged villagers in Belkhedi and Bijandandi, District , through rich Focus Group Discussions. By capturing insights across age, gender and social groups they explored satisfaction levels across 13 critical dimensions.

This community-centric approach has enriched TRIF’s understanding, sparked critical reflections and laid the foundation for a standardized tool that will guide sustainable rural development and landscape resilience.

At we’re rural development designers building new frameworks for rural progress grounded in people’s voices

27/04/2025

How does design thinking bridge the gap between policies and people in rural India?

This , André Nogueira, Founder & CEO of Leap Design, explains to us how design goes beyond aesthetics by helping translate policies into simple, relatable actions and shaping interventions based on how people actually live, move, and aspire.

When we design with observation and empathy, we move beyond assumptions. We create systems that fit into daily lives and not the other way around. In rural India this can mean the difference between a scheme on paper and real change on the ground.

At we’re rural development designers by translating dreams into designs and designs into everyday realities for rural India.

Curious how design can truly transform rural lives? Watch the full conversation here:
https://youtu.be/CSo1veRrNaw?si=AWPENdK6Htlqf8WY

26/04/2025

On April 24, 2025, Xavier Institute of Social Service (XISS), Ranchi, and the Transform Rural India (TRI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create meaningful impact through joint initiatives, research, and field-based interventions aimed at strengthening rural ecosystems.

This collaboration marks a significant step towards mutual engagement in areas of rural development, local governance, health, education, women’s empowerment, environmental sustainability, and climate change.

The MoU was signed by Dr Joseph Marianus Kujur SJ, Director, XISS, and Mr Ashok Kumar, Director, TRI, in the presence of Mr Sourabh Bhattacharjee, Specialist - Governance and Health, TRI, Dr Amar E. Tigga, Dean Academics, XISS, Dr Anant Kumar, Head, Rural Management Programme, and Ms Aayurshi. ​

25/04/2025

Can digital innovation close the last-mile gap in rural healthcare?

At the upcoming World Health Summit – Regional Meeting hosted by Defeat NCD India Foundation, TRI’s Shyamal Santra will be part of a powerful panel discussing how digital innovation, policy, and grassroots action can transform NCD care.

He’ll share how community health workers are using tech to bridge last-mile gaps and how local innovation can help build ‘NCD-proof’ rural communities.

At TRI we’re rural designers reimagining public health systems by empowering communities, frontline workers and rural institutions to lead the way in inclusive healthcare.

24/04/2025

Powerful voices, strong leadership and real change all led by rural women

This we celebrate the women Sarpanches shaping India’s rural governance.

From to , to , these women Sarpanches are not just leading panchayats but they’re rewriting what rural progress looks like.

Whether it's building roads, reviving SHGs, ensuring clean water or starting local markets, each of them is a voice of change and proof that empowered women build empowered villages.

At TRI we’re rural development designers turning languishing localities into thriving communities by co-creating solutions with people and amplifying their voices especially women who lead from the front.

23/04/2025

When rural women speak up, they inspire a future beyond limitations.

Supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Tuleshwari Patel from Chhattisgarh and Ashok Rani from Uttar Pradesh were among just 12 women selected across India for The Moth storytelling workshop in Delhi.

With TRI’s support they found their voices, shared powerful stories of economic resilience, and connected with inspiring women from across the country. For Tuleshwari Didi, the workshop also fulfilled a long-held dream of her first time flying in an airplane.

At TRI we’re rural development designers working to co-create a future where every woman’s voice shapes development, dignity, and direction.

23/04/2025

A Proud Milestone Achieved!

district has made history by becoming the first to win the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration two years in a row!

Led by KarnSatyarthi, Gumla implemented 11 priority schemes and launched impactful initiatives in 2023 — from the “Gift of Education” and District Science Centre to the PM-JANMAN Mission, Ragi and Bamboo Missions, and the Library Movement, many of which are now being replicated elsewhere.

Kudos to Aekansh Somani and former Fellow Ramesh Kumar for their key role in this achievement through tireless planning and ex*****on.

With the support of Niti Aayog we at TRI take pride in the progress of Gumla District Administration.

Post credits: Darshan Kumar

17/04/2025

What does women-led local governance look like in action?

In the lead-up to , 13 women Mukhiyas from block in , came together for a capacity-building workshop focused on health governance and grassroots leadership.

Across rural India, female Mukhiyas are stepping up but often without the tools, training, or support they need to lead on critical issues like health. This session, facilitated by TRI’s State Governance Team and local CAL team, equipped these leaders with practical knowledge in planning, monitoring, and driving change.

At Transform Rural India, we are designers of regenerative development passionate about bringing equal opportunities to rural, marginalised communities. We believe poverty is a multi-headed monster that demands a multidimensional, community-first approach. That’s why we design solutions that put people at the center by enabling Panchayats to lead democratic development and build resilient, thriving communities.

Post Credits: Sourabh Bhattacharjee

16/04/2025

In rural India 45% of individuals live with anxiety, and 73% of elderly households lack access to basic mental health support.

Mental health struggles often go unseen, more so in rural India. Most suffer in silence without care, conversation, or community.

This we’re focusing on what truly makes a community healthy: awareness, empathy, and understanding.

At TRI we believe that building truly flourishing rural communities means designing systems where mental well-being is as much a priority as physical health, because dignity, care, and opportunity must reach everyone.

15/04/2025

30 years since the and we’re still not connecting the dots between gender and climate.

In India rural women continue to face the harshest impacts of climate change resulting in food insecurity, unsafe migration, unpaid care burdens, and climate-induced health issues.

Yet the Beijing India Report 2024 overlooks the climate-gender nexus, missing a critical opportunity to drive meaningful change.

TRI’s Neeraja Kudrimoti highlights why integrating gender into climate policy isn’t just a moral or feminist imperative but it’s a matter of resilience, sustainability, and survival.

At TRI we believe designing truly regenerative solutions begins with listening to those most impacted and co-creating with them every step of the way.

Read full article via link in bio

14/04/2025

How do you prepare rural women to lead thousands more?

Across India, Women Elected Representatives often lack access to meaningful training and leadership opportunities thus limiting their ability to fully participate in local governance.

Under the Shashakt Panchayat Netri Abhiyan, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Transform Rural India trained 40 women from 10 states to become State Level Master Trainers. Held at IIPA, , this national-level training used songs, games, and simulations to create engaging, participatory learning experiences.

These trainers will now return to their states to build the capacities of women leaders at the grassroots and strengthen panchayats from the ground up.

At TRI we are rural development designers working to turn languishing localities into thriving communities by bringing equal opportunities to rural India.

Post credits: Pankaj Pandey, Amjad Khan

09/04/2025