Born into the Jenu Kuruba tribe of Karnataka's Mysuru district, Shri Somanna’s journey is one of resilience, leadership, and quiet revolution. Orphaned at the age of two and forced into bonded labour as a child, Somanna broke free in 1978 following the abolition of bonded labour in Karnataka and never looked back.

From joining the Dalit movement to founding the Budakattu Krishikara Sangha (BKS), he dedicated his life to organising, empowering, and advocating for tribal communities across H.D. Kote, Saragur, and beyond.

In this episode of Padma Pride, we journey through Somanna’s remarkable efforts—whether it was resisting luxury development in national parks, fighting for forest rights under PESA and FRA, or facilitating land and rehabilitation for thousands of displaced tribal families. His activism has impacted over 4,000 families, securing community forest rights, housing, roads, ration access, pensions, and more.

About Padma Pride

Padma Pride is an inspiring audio series by The Good Sight and Rise Against Hunger India, celebrating Padma Awardees and their extraordinary impact. Every Sunday, webring you the story of a changemaker shaping India’s future. (Narration: Shalini Singh, The Good Sight).

💌 We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts at⁠ contact@padmapride.com⁠.

You know, when we talk about healthcare or education in rural India, we often hear words like access, infrastructure, or policy gaps. But behind all those buzzwords are real people—families, frontline workers, local entrepreneurs—doing the hard work of making things better, every single day.

Sometimes, change doesn’t come from just building more hospitals or schools. It comes from reimagining how services reach people—whether it’s a mother in a remote village choosing when to have her next child, or a young person stepping up to offer basic health support in their own community.

And that’s exactly what today’s episode is about.

We’re in conversation with Prachi Shukla, India Country Director of World Health Partners (WHP)—an organization working across India to tackle big challenges in creative, grounded ways. From family planning to rural education, and from supporting local health entrepreneurs to building tech-based solutions, WHP has done a bit of everything.

Discussion Highlights

🔹How telemedicine is transforming healthcare access in rural India

🔹Lessons from launching “TB Mukt Panchayat” at the grassroots

🔹What 36,000 sterilisation procedures taught WHP about scale and empathy

🔹Strategies to deliver respectful, safe reproductive health services to women

• 🔹Building people-powered healthcare systems through local entrepreneurship and trust

  If your organisation is dedicated to driving positive social change, we want to hear from you.

  Reach out to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Good Sight⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by emailing us at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ contact@thegoodsight.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with a brief description of your work and achievements, or give us a call at 9696399931.

  
  

Sometimes, the earth is graced by souls who not only sow crops in the fields but also plant hope in people's hearts.

In this moving episode, we bring you the inspiring story of Padma Shri Sanjay Anant Patil, lovingly known as Sanjay Kaka — a farmer, innovator, and quiet revolutionary who transformed dry, uncultivable land into a thriving oasis without machines, electricity, or chemicals.

From crafting 125-ft-long hand-dug tunnels to harvesting rainwater and creating life-saving "jeevamrut" from cow dung and urine, his journey is a lesson in resilience, simplicity, and devotion to the earth.

Honoured with the Krishi Ratna, the Innovative Farmer Award, and finally, India’s prestigious Padma Shri in 2024, Sanjay Kaka's life is a living testament to what can bloom when love meets the land.

Tune in to witness how one man’s green dreams became a movement that now inspires thousands of farmers every year.

About Padma Pride

Padma Pride is an inspiring audio series by The Good Sight and Rise Against Hunger India, celebrating Padma Awardees and their extraordinary impact. Every Sunday, webring you the story of a changemaker shaping India’s future. (Narration: Shalini Singh, The Good Sight).

💌 We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts at⁠ contact@padmapride.com⁠.