Peaceful coexistence with elephants: Avoiding human-animal conflict as part of tribal culture – Tamil Nadu

Shruti Agarwal, Gudalur, 30 September 2013 A Bettakurumba man watches a herd of elephants at close quarters | Read the full blog and view more photos here >> Coexisting with elephants would seem unthinkable and impossible to most of us. Yet adivasis in Gudalur have done so for generations and continue to do so. They share their home, the … Read more

Tip | Educational resources and information on indigenous customs: Wiki Resource for Indian Biodiversity

Nelumbo nucifera (Sacred Lotus) – the National Flower of India. Find out more national and state symbols of India here >> We strongly believe that knowledge is the first step towards any kind of change. Thus, we created this Biodiversity Of India website. The BOI website, part of the Project Brahma Initiative, is an open-source, community driven project, much like Wikipedia, where anyone … Read more

Forest Department recruitment drive among forest-dwelling tribes: Protecting inhospitable forest terrain – Kerala

State to conduct special recruitment drive Chinnappa Raja, chief of the Muduvan tribe in the Malakkapara forest areas of Thrissur district, is elated at the decision of the Forest Department to recruit 700 tribal people as forest watchers. — Photo: C. Suresh Kumar The State government has cleared a Forest Department proposal to create 700 … Read more

A not-for-profit venture promoting sustainable farming practices and a sense of participation by individuals and communities: reStore – Chennai

Organic Farming: The reality behind the myths bu Karthik Kumar An edited version of this article also appeared in The Business Line newspaper http://www.blonnet.com/2008/09/02/stories/2008090251610900.htm Organic farming is coming under attack from many quarters, even as awareness spreads that it is a more sustainable and healthier way to live. Criticism ranges, from, doubts about its lack … Read more

Book in memory of Santiniketan artist and activist Shyamali Khastgir: “A novel way to introduce scientific thinking in village communities” – West Bengal

‘Monishar pathorer bon’: a novel way to introduce scientific thinking in village communities. ‘Gatchpathor’ or ‘wooden stone’ is a common curiosity in many parts of Bengal. In appearance and texture gatchpathor looks like wood, but one touch reveals that it is actually made of stone! How did it form? Many explanations for its origin exist … Read more