Now, SRISTI to organise Shodh Yatra 4 times a year

From 2018 onwards, Shodh Yatra, a journey for the search of knowledge, creativity and innovations at the grassroots organised by Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions (SRISTI), will be held four times a year.

It is an attempt to reach out to the remotest parts of the country with a firm belief that the hardships and challenges of natural surroundings are prime motivators of creativity and innovations. Rameshbhai Patel, secretary, SRISTI said, "Until now, it was conducted twice a year in summer and winter. Now, Shodh Yatra will be conducted four times."

Professor Anil Gupta, SRISTI founder, spoke to DNA from a village in Uttarakhand, where he is accompanied by 30 students of the IIMA including five foreign exchange students as part of the Shodh Yatra.

"We are in Bharwa Katal village in Dhanaulti exploring and meeting the villagers and understanding their problems. We have decided to hold such yatras frequently as more number of foreign exchange and doctoral students want to be a part of the yatra," he said.

Professor Gupta said, "One of our first visits was to a school where we realised that there was only one girl in class 9 which means girl students drop out after class 8."

Shodh Yatra was started in 1998, out of a meeting organised at Titodi in Junagadh district of Gujarat. The farmers present there felt it was important and necessary to encourage organic farming. Moreover, there were many people from nearby villages who had found the solutions of their own problems through their inborn ability and presence of mind.