Agents Of Change

One man, 22 years, a road

Fed up of state's highway fixation, villagers connect themselves to the world

by Alok Gupta, Gaya

Shaking hands with Ramchandra Das is like clasping a stone. His hands are callused by 11 years of cutting a hill to build a road all by himself. Das’s only companions were a hammer and a spade.

Bank at your doorstep

Technology is helping public sector banks find customers in rural India. This is part of the Centre's efforts to include villages in the organised financial system; to ensure they are not cheated of their wages. Pilots show promise