Rural India remains the backbone of India’s economy and heritage. It is often represented by “modern” urban India as backward and uneducated. It is observed that many of the students in India are rarely exposed to rural life, economy, practices and ethos, despite call by policy makers, since independence. IIT Gandhinagar aspires to address this concern by exposing its students to rural India. IIT Gandhinagar Gram Fellowship aims to encourage students to immerse themselves in the experience of what-it-is-like to live in a village. During the fellowship stay, the students would engage with the community to understand their concerns, welfare, values and beyond. This fellowship is expected to be a learning experience rather than a “solution” finding/seeking project to be completed. This fellowship would help the fellows to experience the life of common people who may not have access to sufficient resources. It would also be an opportunity for the fellows to think beyond technological interventions to address the concerns of the community.

The students would also get a chance to understand prevailing socio, political, economic, cultural and humanitarian factors in the community. The students should be ready to volunteer to offer social service to the community during the fellowship. The students are encouraged to earn their livelihood by working for the community. The fellows should stay with the members of the community and be non-judgmental about their way of life. On their return, the fellows may translate their experiences into possibilities of interventions which could address the concerns of the community.