16. Chamravattam, Kerala – India’s First 100% Computer Literate Village
Located in Kerala’s Malappuram district, Chamravattom is India’s first 100% computer literate village. 850 families of this village completed basic computer literacy training. Now, everyone in the village can handle a personal computer, compose text using a specially-designed Malayalam language tool, create and edit pictures, surf the Internet, and send an email.
17. Piplantari Village, Rajasthan – The Village That Plant 111 Trees Every Time A Girl Is Born
The villagers planted over one-fourth of a million trees in the last 6 years. According to the village’s former sarpanch Shyam Sundar Paliwal, on an average 60 girls are born here every year.
They collect Rs. 21,000 from the village residents and Rs.10,000 from the girl’s father. And then they make the fixed deposit of Rs. 31,000 for the girl, with a maturity period of 20 years.
Girl parents must sign an affidavit promising that they would not marry her off before the legal age, send her to school regularly and take care of the trees planted in her name. People also plant 11 trees whenever a family member dies.
The village panchayat has completely banned alcohol, open grazing of animals and cutting of trees. Villagers claim there has not been any police case here for the last 7-8 years.
18. Mattur, Karnataka – The Only Sanskrit Speaking Village
When I heard this, I wished I would have born here. Under the Britishers’ rule, Indians forgot Sanskrit completely. Instead of Sanskrit, people were made to speak in English forcibly. Unfortunately, even after Independence, we still speak English and forgot Sanskrit completely. However, this village in Karnataka is fluent in Sanskrit and has kept the language alive.
People converse with each other in pure Sanskrit daily. Every family has one IT professional.
19. Apshinge, Maharashtra – The Village Of Warriors
The village is also called Military Apshinge. At least one member of every family in the village has served or is serving in the armed forces! Men from this village were part of Shivaji Maharaj’s army dates back to medieval times.
Similarly, you will find at least one person from each family serving in force in Jhunjhunu District, Rajasthan. It has contributed the most number of soldiers as well as Martyrs to Indian Defence Services.
20. Payvihir, Maharashtra – The Eco Village That Turned Barren 182 Hectare Land To Community Forest
Located in the foothills of Melghat region of Amravati district in Maharashtra, people of Payvihir turned a barren, 182-hectare land under community forest right, into a forest. The communities and NGOs worked together to conserve the environment and ensure the sustainable livelihood for people. Payvihir bagged the Biodiversity Award from the United Nation’s Development Programme in 2014.
