Holistic and Sustainable Development Center

It is our belief that the future of societies will be high technology and decentralized rural based units. What will be the size of these units, one is not sure but they will be between village and a town. Our data has shown that Taluka is the right size and fits the bill. We also feel that this decentralization and subsequent sustainability can be achieved by the efficient use of locally available renewable energy resources like biomass residues and solar, wind energies, etc. However sustainability can only be achieved when we also curb our consumptive lifestyles. This can be facilitated by spirituality as enunciated in ancient Indian philosophical thought. Ancient Indian thought can provide an envelope to our greed for resources. Thus we believe that spirituality and high technology should be the mantra of sustainable development.

We also feel that the sustainable technologies already developed by NARI, including whole-plant approach in various crops, is a step in the right direction. Thus an attempt is being made to develop strategies for Taluka to optimize the production of food, fuel, fertilizer and feed for the animals from the same piece of land. A concept paper on this theme has been written recently.

We also feel that sustainable rural development can only take place when corporate sector gets involved in it. Thus there is a need to have a strong and fruitful partnership between corporate world, NGOs and local population. Towards this goal an attempt is being made to set up a sustainable center. The center will teach the participants about the problems of rural India and their possible solutions and how to use high technology together with spirituality for developing a sustainable life style. The basic theme is "Simple living and high thinking". The material of teaching in this center will be mostly based on the writings of Anil K. Rajvanshi. Other notable scholars and researchers will also be called to lecture at the center.

Recently the center was inaugurated by Shri Madhur Bajaj.