India Post News Service

He believes that India cannot progress till the urban-rural divide narrows down. A firm believer in Gandhian precept of service to the 'daridra narayan,' he also understands that key solutions to country's problems lay in the uplift of the villages. Capt. Krishan Sharma, a former Pan American pilot and entrepreneur shifted back to India in 1989 after a realization of what he owed to the country. This led to the start of ‘Vision of India’, a non-profit committed to the causes of rural India.

"When I came back," reminisces Capt Sharma, "it was shocking to see the glaring difference between India and America's accessibility and availability quotients. Here the villagers were still trying to eke out a living without proper roads, water and sanitation while US was light years ahead." After working for five years in Rajasthan, he adopted Abheypur, as nodal village in Haryana.

His initial forays to help the Abheypur villagers failed miserably. Like most NRIs, Capt. Sharma kept throwing in money and time without much response. This taught him a lesson that financial and material assistance alone wouldn't turn them into a progressive lot. Eventually new methods were 'brain-stormed' and today "Self sufficiency with dignity for India," is what a VOI pamphlet reads out.

The building of primary girls school, weaving centers and roads was preceded by strong coaxing 'to get the job done' from the Government. To be sure, it wasn't smooth sailing as criticism and non-cooperation were received from villages in Haryana and Rajasthan who thought the adoption would endanger their traditional value-system.

A Vocational Training Center was set-up to provide quality training in electrical, pumbling, carpentry and welding. Two thousand school drop-outs have already availed training and are respectably employed. The weaving and doll-making programs have been the greatest success of VOI as several women learnt the art, gathered confidence and recognition.

Their products were a hit at Dilli Haat and Cottage Emporiums all over India. Health programs are also being run by VOI. Volunteers from top hospitals like AIIMS conduct check-ups in Abheypur. Two years back, 'rural tourism' was introduced under which students from Delhi and abroad are taken on day-long trips to get in touch with rural-life.

Internees from countries like Germany, Australia, Japan and Holland visit annually. Many issues like water rights and other Government initiatives have been dealt through RTI act. "In high-school I got involved in anti-social activities. With VOI's help I became a dynamic and responsible individual," recalls Vinod Khatana, now a Graphic Designer.

Sunil and Surendra are other paradigms. While Sunil, 25, was a polio-afflicted youth, imprisoned for manufacturing illicit liquor, Surendra was a drop-out. But today Sunil is a computer instructor, with plans to start a call center and Surendra is self-employed with 3 factories in Sohna, Gurgaon and Faridabad. "It is like planting a tree and watching it grow.

Each day the progress of young people like Vinod, Surendra and Sunil encourages us to move on," tells Capt. Sharma with a glint of an achiever. Today Abheypur stands as a microcosm of country's sense of possibility and success. Probably this was the temptation that this NRI couldn't resist the calling of a country and its countrymen.

Capt Krishan Sharma is Managing Director and Joint Editor India Post (Suggest/contribute similar stories at delhi@indiapost.com)