Swades - Bihar engineer does Swades act

It could well be the script of Shah Rukh Khan's Swades. A local lad chucks a high-paying job in the states to bring light to his remote, off-the-grid village in Bihar's west Champaran district.

Villagers found light when local lad Gyanesh Pandey came home from Los Angeles, chucking a promising career in engineering to spark this revolution with his friend Ratnesh. His undergraduate mates, Manoj Sinha and Charles 'Chip' Ransler, from the University of Virginia, raised funds and soon the village was empowered.

Read the link below

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080051189&ch=5/27/2008%207:25:00%20PM


His two other expat Bihari friends and an American mate, helping him script this bright turnaround story.

After living in the dark ages for decades, a forgotten village in Bihar's west Champaran district, has found the power to light up its future. It comes from this plant that runs on rice husk, a forgotten technology.

''I can see why we lack innovation and everything, like to me. It all comes down to dignity and self-respect, unless you have that, you can't let your imagination fly. It is the very core of your living and that's something we lack here the most,'' said Gyanesh Pandey.

''This is enabling my own people, distant relatives you can say, or my own extended family. This is most inspiring,'' he added.

''The word 'enabling' is the key here. This is to help people help themselves,'' said Charles Ransler, Gyanesh friend.

Two villages have been electrified so far. Others are clamouring to join Gyanesh's light brigade, which also promises to reverse migration from the area.

''A powerhouse like this will remove the trouble of kerosene, it will bring happiness, children will study at home. We'll be able to watch TV,'' said Bala Gupta, Villager.

From darkness to light, it has been a terribly long wait for the villagers in Dhanaha, a dream that they could not even imagine to dream has finally seen light here.

Thanks to Gyanesh and his friends, who preferred and succeeded in chasing a mirage instead of the American dream, which was theirs for the asking. (Courtsey NDTV)

Hidden facts about Bihar

Hidden facts about Bihar. Do you know that...

Bihar has more number of Literate than Kerala and Tamil Nadu
combined?

Bihar has more number of Graduate than Andhra Pradesh and Kerala
combined?

1\3 of srength of student of IIM(ahmedabad) is from bihar

Bihar has produced more number of IAS officer than Kerala,
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu , Andhra and Gujarat combined?

More Biharis are bank probationary office than any other state?

Murder rate in Bihar is half of murder rate in Mumbai?

Number of people killed in Bihar in communal violence is 1/75 th
of Gujarat?

Naxalites in Bihar have killed less people than in Andhra Pradesh?

Bihar produces more wheat than Punjab?

Bihar is only large state where no farmer committed suicide?

More Bihari Girls complete Graduation than any other state