When Degrees Are Not Enough

 By Kalpana Sahoo

Educated Youth, Job Scarcity, and Ecological Instability in Contemporary India

India today stands at a paradoxical crossroads. On one side is a young, educated population—the largest cohort of degree-holders the country has ever produced. On the other side is a shrinking landscape of stable employment, ecological uncertainty, and deepening inequality. Between these two realities lies a generation suspended between degrees and despair.

For millions of young Indians, education was meant to be the bridge out of poverty and insecurity. Yet climate change, economic inequality, rural distress, and job scarcity have combined to turn that promise fragile. Degrees no longer guarantee dignity. Ecological instability now shapes not only the economy but also the psychology, aspirations, and everyday lives of the youth.

 

The Promise of Education—and Its Fracture

Post-independence India invested deeply in education as a tool of social mobility. Families across villages and towns sacrificed land, savings, and labour to educate their children. A degree symbolized hope—of a government job, urban stability, and upward mobility.

Today, however, educated unemployment is rising. Many graduates work in informal, low-paid, or temporary jobs unrelated to their training. Others remain unemployed for years, preparing for competitive exams with uncertain outcomes.

This mismatch between aspiration and opportunity creates emotional distress, eroding faith in both education and institutions.

 

Climate Change and the Shrinking Job Landscape

Climate change intensifies this crisis in subtle but powerful ways.

Extreme heat reduces productivity in construction, manufacturing, and transport

Floods and cyclones disrupt supply chains and small businesses

Droughts weaken agriculture-linked industries

Environmental degradation discourages private investment in vulnerable regions

Sectors that traditionally absorbed semi-skilled and educated youth—agriculture, MSMEs, tourism, fisheries—are increasingly climate-unstable.

Thus, ecological instability directly translates into economic insecurity for young people.

 

Inequality: Unequal Degrees, Unequal Outcomes

Not all degrees carry equal weight. Youth from privileged backgrounds often have:

Better institutions

English proficiency

Networks and financial buffers

For first-generation learners from rural or marginalized communities, a degree is often their only asset.

When jobs disappear, inequality sharpens:

Some youth wait and reskill

Others fall into long-term unemployment or precarious work

Climate change magnifies this inequality by hitting vulnerable regions harder—tribal belts, coastal areas, drought-prone districts.

 

Rural Distress and the Collapse of the Safety Net

For rural educated youth, the crisis is double-edged.

Agriculture, once a fallback option, is increasingly unviable due to erratic rainfall, rising input costs, and repeated crop failures. At the same time, non-farm rural employment remains limited.

Field Story: A Graduate from Bundelkhand

“I have a BA degree, but no job,” says Ankit (24). “Farming fails, cities reject us, and staying home feels like defeat.”

Migration to cities offers no guarantee. Many graduates end up as delivery workers, sales assistants, or gig labourers—jobs vulnerable to heatwaves, floods, and economic shocks.

Degrees lose their social value, leading to shame and frustration.

 

Everyday Life Between Degrees and Despair

This crisis reshapes daily routines and life choices:

Delayed marriages due to financial insecurity

Extended dependence on parents

Mental health stress and self-doubt

Growing exam-preparation culture with diminishing returns

Climate disruptions add another layer—power cuts during heatwaves, floods delaying exams, health impacts affecting productivity.

For many, despair is not dramatic—it is quiet, constant, and exhausting.

 

Human Story: The Coaching Room Generation

In towns like Prayagraj, Patna, and Jaipur, thousands of educated youth spend years preparing for competitive exams.

“We study not because we love the job, but because it feels safe,” says Pooja (26), preparing for state services.

 “Private jobs disappear after floods or layoffs. Government jobs feel climate-proof.”

Yet success rates are low. Repeated failure fuels anxiety, depression, and self-blame—often without adequate mental health support.

 

Youth Psychology in an Age of Uncertainty

Climate change and job scarcity together shape a new youth psychology:

Fear of long-term planning

Reduced risk-taking and innovation

Preference for ‘secure’ but scarce jobs

Climate anxiety mixed with economic anxiety

Many young people hesitate to pursue careers in agriculture, ecology, or rural development despite passion—because these fields are seen as unstable and underpaid.

Thus, ecological crisis discourages the very human capital needed to solve it.

 

Poem: Between Degrees and Despair

We framed our degrees on hopeful walls,

 Believed they’d answer hunger’s calls.

 But floods erased the factory gate,

 And heatwaves burned the interview date.

They told us “work hard, you’ll be free,”

 But freedom needs stability.

 Between the job we seek, the land laid bare,

 We hold our dreams—thin as air.

 

From Awareness to Action: Youth Responses

Despite despair, youth are not passive victims.

Across India, educated youth are:

Building climate startups

Working in renewable energy

Engaging in climate journalism

Joining grassroots adaptation projects

Example: Green Skill Pathways

Training programmes in solar installation, water management, waste recycling, and sustainable agriculture are creating alternative employment pathways.

Awareness of climate–employment links is growing in universities and student movements.

 

Student Reflections: Rethinking Success

“Success cannot only mean a desk job. It must mean resilience.”

 — Environmental studies student, Kerala

“Climate change taught me that jobs must serve society, not just salaries.”

 — Engineering graduate, Rajasthan

Such reflections indicate a slow but meaningful shift in values.

 

Policy Gaps and Structural Challenges

India’s youth crisis cannot be solved by education alone. It requires systemic reform:

Align education with climate-resilient employment

Expand green jobs in renewable energy, conservation, and climate services

Strengthen rural non-farm economies

Integrate mental health support for unemployed youth

Address inequality through region-specific development

Without addressing ecological instability, employment policies will remain incomplete.

 

Hope as a Collective Project

Hope does not lie in denying reality. It lies in:

Recognizing climate change as an economic issue

Designing inclusive job pathways

Empowering youth as problem-solvers, not victims

India’s educated youth are not lacking talent—they are lacking opportunity in a stable environment.

 

Conclusion

Between degrees and despair lies the story of a generation navigating economic uncertainty and ecological instability. Climate change, inequality, rural distress, and job scarcity together shape not only livelihoods but identities and mental health.

Yet within this crisis lies potential. If education is aligned with climate action, if youth are supported with skills, dignity, and purpose, despair can give way to direction.

The challenge is not that India has too many educated youth.

 The challenge is whether India can build a future stable enough for them to belong.

 

References

IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6)

ILO – Global Employment Trends for Youth

NITI Aayog – India Climate Vulnerability Assessment

World Bank – Climate Change and Jobs

Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) – Employment Data

Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India

UNDP – Youth, Employment, and Climate Change

When the Future Feels Fragile - Climate Anxiety and India’s Youth in an Age of Uncertainty

By Kalpana Sahoo

 How Environmental Fear Is Shaping Youth Psychology and Life Choices

Climate change in India is no longer only about melting glaciers or rising sea levels. For a growing number of young Indians, it has become a deeply personal psychological experience—one marked by fear, uncertainty, and emotional distress. This phenomenon, known as climate anxiety, reflects the mental and emotional strain caused by awareness of environmental degradation and an uncertain future.

In a country where climate change intersects with inequality, rural distress, unemployment, and food insecurity, climate anxiety is shaping how youth think, plan, and live their everyday lives. Yet, alongside fear, there is also resilience—seen in awareness movements, community action, and renewed hope.

 

Understanding Climate Anxiety

Climate anxiety refers to chronic fear of environmental doom. It is not a medical disorder but a rational response to lived realities—heatwaves, floods, droughts, pollution, and livelihood loss.

In India, climate anxiety is intensified because:

A large population depends on climate-sensitive livelihoods

Economic inequality limits coping capacity

Youth face job insecurity alongside ecological instability

Unlike abstract fears in affluent societies, Indian climate anxiety is often rooted in direct experience.

 

Everyday Climate Stress: Lived Realities

Heat, Water, and Survival

Record-breaking heatwaves affect not just comfort but productivity and health. Students struggle to study; outdoor workers lose wages; cities become unbearable.

Water scarcity in villages and small towns disrupts daily routines, education, and dignity—especially for women and girls.

Climate change thus enters daily life quietly, shaping moods, habits, and mental health.

 

Inequality and Unequal Psychological Burden

Climate anxiety is not evenly distributed. The poor experience climate stress without safety nets.

Wealthier youth may worry about the future

Poor youth worry about today’s survival

Urban slum dwellers fear eviction after floods. Rural youth fear failed crops, debt, and forced migration. Inequality turns climate anxiety into a mental health crisis of the marginalized.

 

Rural Distress and Youth Disillusionment

Agriculture, once a source of stability, is now seen by many rural youth as a gamble.

Field Story: Vidarbha, Maharashtra

“My father depends on the monsoon. I depend on luck,” says Rahul (22), whose family faced three crop failures in five years. “I don’t want to farm, but I also don’t know what else to do.”

Repeated climate shocks erode faith in traditional livelihoods. Many young people migrate to cities, only to encounter informal jobs vulnerable to extreme weather.

This double uncertainty—rural collapse and urban precarity—deepens anxiety.

 

Youth, Education, and Climate Fear

Students increasingly question the value of education in a climate-unstable world.

Student Reflection

“We are told to plan careers, but how do you plan when the environment itself feels unpredictable?”

 — College student, Delhi

Exams cancelled due to floods, schools closed during heatwaves, and online learning during disasters reinforce a sense of instability.

Climate anxiety thus reshapes life choices—career paths, marriage decisions, migration, and even parenthood.

 

Interview: A Young Climate Volunteer

“Climate anxiety pushed me into action,” says Ayesha (19), a student volunteer in Kerala.

 “After the floods, I realised fear alone will destroy us. Action gives relief.”

Her story reflects a key truth: awareness without action increases anxiety, but awareness with action builds hope.

 

Mental Health and Silent Suffering

Climate anxiety often remains unnamed. Many young people express it as:

Sleeplessness

Hopelessness

Fear of the future

Loss of motivation

Mental health services in India remain limited, especially in rural areas. Climate distress adds a new layer to already strained youth mental health.

 

Poem: Inheritance

We did not inherit land alone,

 But heat that burns, and rains unknown.

 We plan careers, we plan our days,

 But cannot plan the sky’s next phase.

They ask us why we fear tomorrow,

 Why our hope is mixed with sorrow.

 We answer softly, clear and plain—

 We are the children of uncertain rain.

 

From Anxiety to Awareness

Despite fear, climate awareness among Indian youth is rising. Social media, campus groups, and local movements have turned anxiety into conversation.

Young people now connect:

Climate change with food prices

Environmental damage with unemployment

Ecological loss with social injustice

This awareness is the first step toward resilience.

 

Action on the Ground: Stories of Hope

Youth Climate Collectives

Across India, youth-led initiatives promote:

Tree planting

Waste reduction

Climate education

Disaster response

Activity Example: Campus Climate Circles

Some colleges now host reflection circles where students:

Share climate fears

Learn coping strategies

Engage in local action

Such activities convert emotional distress into collective strength.

 

Policy Gaps and the Way Forward

To address climate anxiety, India needs both environmental and social responses:

1.    Climate-resilient livelihoods for rural youth

2.    Green jobs linked to renewable energy and conservation

3.    Mental health integration in climate policy

4.    Climate education that emphasizes solutions, not doom

5.    Equity-focused adaptation for vulnerable communities

Addressing climate anxiety is not about denying fear—but about giving people tools to act.

 

Hope as a Strategy

Hope is not blind optimism. It is grounded in:

Community resilience

Youth leadership

Local adaptation

Policy reform

When young people feel heard and empowered, anxiety transforms into agency.

 

Conclusion

Climate anxiety in India reflects a deeper truth: environmental crises are social and psychological crises. As climate change interacts with inequality, rural distress, and youth challenges, it reshapes everyday life—not just materially, but emotionally.

Yet within this anxiety lies the seed of transformation. Awareness leads to action; action nurtures hope. If India listens to its youth and invests in inclusive, climate-resilient futures, fear can give way to purpose.

The future may be uncertain—but it is not hopeless.

 

References

1.    IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6)

2.    World Health Organization – Climate Change and Mental Health

3.    UNICEF – The Climate Crisis Is a Child Rights Crisis

4.    FAO – Climate Change, Agriculture, and Rural Livelihoods

5.    NITI Aayog – Climate Vulnerability Assessment for India

6.    National Mental Health Survey of India

7.    Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

Climate Change at the Dinner Table - Food Inflation, Inequality, and the Struggle for Nutrition in India

 By Kalpana Sahoo

Introduction

Climate change is often discussed in terms of melting glaciers, rising sea levels, or global temperature targets. However, for millions of Indians, climate change is experienced most intimately at the dinner table. Rising food prices, shrinking crop yields, and declining nutritional diversity reveal how climate change has entered everyday life. It intersects with deep-rooted inequality, rural distress, and youth challenges, transforming food from a source of nourishment into a daily anxiety.

In a country where a large population depends on climate-sensitive agriculture and spends a significant share of income on food, climate change is not merely an environmental issue—it is a social and economic crisis that threatens food security, livelihoods, and human development.

 

Climate Change and India’s Food System

India’s agriculture is heavily dependent on monsoons and stable seasonal cycles. Climate change has disrupted this balance through:

Erratic rainfall and delayed monsoons

Increasing frequency of droughts and floods

Heatwaves are affecting wheat and vegetable yields

Unseasonal rains are damaging standing crops

These disruptions reduce agricultural output and destabilise supply chains, directly contributing to food inflation. When production falls and uncertainty rises, prices of essential commodities such as cereals, pulses, vegetables, and edible oils increase.

For the poor, this translates into reduced access to food and compromised nutrition.

 

Food Inflation and Deepening Inequality

Food inflation affects all sections of society, but its impact is sharply unequal. Poor households spend 50–60% of their income on food, while wealthier households spend a much smaller proportion.

Urban poor face stagnant wages and rising food prices

Rural households, including small farmers, often become net food buyers after crop losses

Women and children are the first to reduce consumption in food-scarce households

Thus, climate-driven food inflation reinforces existing inequalities of class, gender, and region. Hunger today is not caused by absolute scarcity but by unequal access.

 

Rural Distress and Agrarian Vulnerability

Climate change has intensified rural distress in India. Small and marginal farmers lack:

Irrigation facilities

Crop insurance awareness

Financial buffers against repeated crop failures

Repeated climate shocks push farmers into debt cycles, distress migration, and in extreme cases, farmer suicides. Traditional farming knowledge becomes less reliable under unpredictable climate patterns, increasing uncertainty and risk.

Migration emerges as a coping strategy, but it fragments families, erodes rural food cultures, and increases pressure on urban informal economies.

 

Nutritional Stress: Beyond Hunger

India’s challenge today is not only hunger but hidden hunger—deficiency of essential nutrients.

Climate change reduces the availability and affordability of nutrient-rich foods such as pulses, fruits, vegetables, and millets. As prices rise, households shift to calorie-dense but nutrient-poor diets dominated by cereals.

Public nutrition programs like:

Mid-Day Meal Scheme

Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)

also face supply and cost pressures due to climate disruptions. This affects child growth, learning outcomes, and long-term health, undermining India’s human capital.

 

Youth Challenges in a Climate-Stressed Economy

India’s youth, often described as the country’s demographic dividend, face a paradoxical reality:

Declining viability of agriculture

Limited non-farm employment opportunities

Climate vulnerability of informal urban jobs

Heatwaves halt construction work, floods disrupt transport and markets, and climate extremes reduce daily wages. Alongside economic stress, climate anxiety is growing among young people, shaping their aspirations and mental well-being.

For many youth, food insecurity becomes a symbol of broader uncertainty about the future.

 

Poem:

The Empty Plate

The rain came late,

 The sun stayed long,

 The field stayed quiet,

 The hunger grew strong.

Mother counts grains,

 Father counts debt,

 A child asks softly—

 “What will we get?”

Climate has entered

 The home, the plate,

 Not as a storm—

 But as empty fate.

Social Awareness: Changing Perceptions

There is a growing realization, especially among students and young citizens, that climate change is not a distant phenomenon but a lived experience.

Student reflections increasingly link:

Rising food prices

Nutritional decline

Climate injustice

This awareness is critical because it transforms climate change from an abstract environmental issue into a social concern demanding collective action.

 

Grassroots Action and Community Resilience

Despite severe challenges, multiple adaptive responses offer hope:

Revival of millets and climate-resilient crops

Community seed banks preserving indigenous varieties

Women-led self-help groups promoting kitchen gardens

Youth-led digital campaigns on climate and food literacy

Local initiatives demonstrate that adaptation is possible when communities are empowered with knowledge, resources, and institutional support.

 

Policy Imperatives and the Way Forward

To protect India’s food security in a warming world, climate action must be inclusive and people-centric:

Promote climate-resilient agriculture for small and marginal farmers

Strengthen nutrition schemes against climate and inflation shocks

Encourage dietary diversification through millets and local foods

Create green and rural non-farm employment for youth

Integrate climate policy with poverty reduction and social justice

Climate adaptation must go hand in hand with inequality reduction.

 

Conclusion

Climate change has quietly entered India’s kitchens, shaping what people eat, how much they eat, and who eats last. The dinner table has become a powerful site where climate stress, inequality, rural distress, and youth challenges converge.

Yet, the same table can become a site of hope. Through awareness, community action, youth engagement, and inclusive policy, India can transform its food system into one that is resilient, equitable, and sustainable.

When climate justice reaches the dinner table, it nourishes not only bodies but the future of the nation.

 

References

IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6)

FAO, Climate Change and Food Security

NFHS-5, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India

NITI Aayog, Strategy for Climate Resilient Agriculture

World Bank, Climate Change, Poverty, and Food Prices

UNICEF India, Nutrition and Climate Change

Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India

Invisible but Indispensable -The Community Movement Protecting India’s Pollinators

 By Kalpana Sahoo

Guardians of the Unseen: Communities Protecting India’s Pollinators and Native Species 

In the vast mosaic of India’s biodiversity, some of the most vital players are also the most overlooked: pollinators and native species that quietly sustain ecosystems and human life alike. Bees, butterflies, beetles, birds, bats, and countless other small creatures facilitate pollination, seed dispersal, and natural regeneration of plants — processes that underpin agriculture, forests, and even clean air and water. Yet these unseen heroes are under stress. Habitat loss, pesticides, climate change, and rapid urbanisation threaten their populations across the country. 

In response, ordinary citizens and communities are rising as guardians of the unseen — working at the grassroots to protect pollinators and native species through habitat restoration, education, sustainable farming, and cultural conservation. Their efforts may not dominate headlines, but they are powerful forces shaping a greener and kinder future for India. Through heartfelt human stories and real examples, this article explores how local action is safeguarding biodiversity and inspiring global conservation thinking. 

Why Pollinators and Native Species Matter 

Pollinators such as bees, butterflies, birds, and bats are small in size but colossal in impact. They pollinate the majority of flowering plants, including many crops that feed humans and livestock. Without them, food production would collapse, ecosystems would fail, and biodiversity would plummet. Researchers emphasize that pollinators are fundamental to ecosystem health and biodiversity conservation .LEISA India 

Native species — plants and animals that evolved in specific ecosystems — are equally essential. They maintain soil fertility, support food webs, and provide resilience against climate extremes. Communities that understand and protect this delicate balance are safeguarding not just wildlife, but human wellbeing itself. 

1. Yaongyimchen, Nagaland: When Villages Chose Falcons Over Guns 

In Nagaland, the story of conservation begins with a moral turning point. For years, thousands of Amur Falcons—migratory birds traveling from Siberia to Africa—were hunted during their seasonal roosting. In 2012, church worker and conservationist Nuklu Phom, from the Phom indigenous community, helped villages pause and reflect. 

Through dialogue, faith-based outreach, and collective decision-making, the villages of Yaongyimchen, Alayong, and Sanglu established the Yaongyimchen Community Biodiversity Conservation Area (YCBCA), banning hunting and forest destruction across 10 square kilometers. What followed astonished the world: falcon numbers soared from around 50,000 to nearly one million birds. 

This success sparked a wider movement. Today, Nagaland has over 407 community-conserved areas, covering more than 1,700 km², with communities enforcing rules rooted in tradition and shared responsibility. Nuklu Phom’s work earned him the Whitley Award (Green Oscar), but its true legacy lies in how communities reclaimed stewardship over their land. 

2. Village Bees and Tribal Guardians: A Jharkhand Revival 

Nestled in the forests of Jharkhand, tribal communities in Nachibera have long lived close to nature. But as commercial agriculture and chemical inputs spread, traditional beekeeping and the native pollinators it supports began to decline. Recognizing both the ecological and economic value of bees, villagers initiated a community-based beekeeping movement focused on indigenous species. 

Thanks to local leadership and collaboration with ecological groups, young tribal beekeepers received training in sustainable bee-management practices, including the construction of traditional hives and promotion of bee-friendly plant species. These efforts led not only to increased honey harvests but also revived the presence of native bees in the region, essential for pollinating crops such as mango and coffee. Farmers observed improved yields and enhanced ecosystem stability as a result. The Better India 

What began as a livelihood initiative blossomed into a conservation strategy that restored habitats and linked cultural knowledge with modern practice. Tribal youth and women became stewards of pollinator health, their actions preserving both biodiversity and community resilience. 

 

3. Youth-Led Pollinator Gardens in Palghar 

In the Palghar district of Maharashtra, communities faced shrinking pollinator populations due to mono-cropping and pesticide use. But change emerged through the enthusiasm of young farmers and villagers who decided to create pollinator gardens — designated patches of native and nectar-rich plants that attract bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects. 

Groups of youth in villages like Malawada and Ganjad planted species such as sesame, sunflower, carrot seed, lemon trees, drumstick, and alfalfa, creating vibrant habitats where pollinators could thrive year-round. These gardens served not only as biological havens but also as living educational spaces, where families learned the interconnectedness of plants and insects and the importance of diversified farming. LEISA India 

The initiative took root beyond individual farms. Families established shelterbelts that acted as insect highways across agricultural fields, enabling pollinators to travel safely and sustain crop pollination. This community momentum showcases how even small habitat interventions can restore ecological balance and strengthen food systems. 

 

4. Bees in the Nilgiris: Tribal Involvement and Biodiversity Awareness 

In the Nilgiris, part of the Western Ghats — a global biodiversity hotspot — conservationists and tribal communities have partnered to preserve native pollinators, especially bees, through sustainable practices and education. Traditional knowledge about bee behavior and ecology became the foundation for promoting indigenous beekeeping techniques that support both pollinator health and livelihoods.LEISA India 

Local youth engage in building bee tools, and tribal carpentry units fabricate hives that align with native ecological needs. Schools organize nature walks where children learn from elders about native pollinator habitats and the role these insects play in forest and agricultural ecosystems. A Bee Museum and interpretation centers have been established to raise awareness and embed pollinator conservation into broader public consciousness. 

This effort illustrates that biodiversity protection is not only a scientific task but a cultural one — one that blends traditional wisdom with contemporary conservation. 

 

5. The Bishnoi Legacy: Centuries of Wildlife Protection 

Long before modern conservation frameworks emerged, India’s Bishnoi community in Rajasthan demonstrated one of the earliest and most famous examples of indigenous environmental stewardship. Founded in the 15th century with principles upholding the protection of all life, the Bishnoi have long protected wildlife and trees as sacred. Environmental Studies (EVS) Institute 

The iconic 1730 protest in Khejarli, where hundreds of villagers sacrificed their lives to protect sacred trees, remains a cornerstone of environmental history. Today, Bishnoi villages continue to serve as biodiversity oases in the desert, preserving species such as blackbuck and chinkara where they have disappeared elsewhere. Their grassroots model underscores that long-term cultural values can yield sustained ecological protection, influencing conservation movements across India. 

 

6. Butterfly Walks and Citizen Science in Assam 

In Assam’s Lakhimpur district, the Dulung Reserve Forest has become a hub for biodiversity awareness. Community-driven events like the Butterfly Walk, organized by the Nature Conservation Society and Assam Tourism, have drawn citizens into active biodiversity monitoring. During one such walk, over 70 butterfly species were documented, alongside more than 15 bird species and various moths, providing both educational and scientific insights into local pollinators. The Times of India 

Butterflies, often overlooked in favor of more charismatic wildlife, are crucial pollinators — especially in forest and edge habitats where they support flowering plant reproduction. Events like these not only generate data but also nurture a sense of environmental stewardship among participants. By connecting people with living biodiversity in their backyards, such initiatives help communities realize that protecting unseen species is foundational to healthy ecosystems. 

 

7. The Hargila Army: When Women Saved a Stork—and a Culture 

In Assam, the Greater Adjutant Stork—locally known as Hargila—was once considered an ill omen. By 2007, fewer than 450 birds remained, and the species teetered on the brink of extinction. What reversed this fate was not just scientific intervention, but a cultural shift led by wildlife biologist Dr Purnima Devi Barman and thousands of rural women. 

The Hargila Army, also called the Stork Sisters Movement, mobilized women living near nesting sites to protect stork nests, prevent tree felling, and monitor breeding. Over time, these women became storytellers, educators, and ambassadors—transforming the bird’s image from feared to revered. Today, storks are celebrated during baby showers and festivals, woven into songs, and embraced as symbols of pride. 

The results are remarkable. The stork population in Assam has grown to around 1,800, prompting the IUCN to reclassify the species from Endangered to Near Threatened in 2023. Beyond numbers, the movement has empowered over 10,000 women with livelihoods and leadership roles, showing how conservation and social upliftment can move together. 

 

8. Urban Guardians: Butterflies in Mumbai’s Green Spaces 

Even in megacities, unseen wildlife persists. In Mumbai, biologists and citizen volunteers documented an astonishing 84 species of butterflies around Powai Lake and adjacent green spaces, almost half of the butterfly diversity known in the entire region. Reddit 

These findings highlight how urban green areas — parks, lakeshores, and gardens — act as refuges for pollinators amidst concrete expanses. Community biologists now use this data to advocate for better urban green planning, pollutant reduction, and habitat corridors that support wildlife. Their work underscores the message that cities can be sanctuaries for biodiversity when residents embrace conservation. 

 

9. Beekeeping for Resilience Among Adivasi Farmers 

In many tribal and Adivasi communities, sustainable beekeeping programmes are empowering women and smallholder farmers to build resilience against climate stress while enhancing biodiversity. By installing indigenous beehives and cultivating bee-friendly flora, these projects aim to restore native pollinator populations, improve crop fertilization, and generate income through honey and by-products. Earth Exponential 

The approach integrates pollinator habitat creation with livelihood strategies, ensuring that conservation becomes economically viable. Women, in particular, are central to these efforts, blending ecological stewardship with community development. As these practices scale, they offer replicable models for integrating pollinator support into broader rural sustainability. 

 

10. Sacred Groves: Ancient Community Conservation 

Traditional sacred groves — patches of forest conserved due to religious or cultural beliefs — are scattered across India, from the Western Ghats to central plains. These groves often host rich biodiversity, including pollinators, insects, birds, and rare plant species. For instance, communities around the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary maintain sacred groves where large trees house beehives and support complex ecological interactions. Wikipedia 

Although many groves face threats from encroachment and land conversion, those that remain are living proofs of age-old community-based conservation practices. By valuing nature culturally as well as scientifically, these communities protect unseen species through everyday reverence and ritual — an approach that modern conservation increasingly acknowledges. 

 

11. Nature People Network: Reconnecting Forests in Chhattisgarh 

In Chhattisgarh’s Kota Block, a quiet rewilding effort is taking place across 1,048 hectares of community-owned forest land. Launched in 2025, the Nature People Network works with seven villages to remove invasive species, restore native vegetation, and reconnect fragmented forest patches. 

This restoration is critical for wildlife movement. Elephants, tigers, leopards, and sloth bears rely on continuous habitats to survive. By rebuilding corridors, communities are reducing conflict and strengthening biodiversity resilience. Importantly, villagers are not passive participants—they manage forests, make decisions, and benefit from sustainable livelihoods linked to restoration. 

 

How Local Action Inspires National and Global Change 

What unites these stories is the power of local action to influence broader environmental practices. When villagers protect native bees, or youth cultivate pollinator gardens, or citizen scientists document butterflies in cities, they create knowledge, habits, and models that others can emulate. These efforts amplify beyond their origins in several ways: 

1. They generate data and awareness. Citizen biodiversity documentation provides critical insight into species distribution and health, informing policymakers and researchers. 

2. They shift cultural values. Initiatives rooted in tradition, such as sacred groves or tribal beekeeping, remind people that ecological care is not new — it is part of heritage. 

3. They influence policy frameworks. Grassroots conservation models are increasingly referenced by international organizations and national biodiversity strategies as best practices for participatory conservation. 

 

Conclusion: Guardians of a Shared Future 

The unseen species pollinate our fields, nourish our forests, and sustain the rhythms of life — yet their decline sends shockwaves through ecosystems and societies. In India, ordinary citizens and communities are stepping forward not with grand slogans but with patient, persistent care for the small, vital beings that make life possible.

WOMEN ON THE FRONTLINE OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS.

 By ARPITA PRIYADARSHINI MISHRA

INTRODUCTION:- 

In most climate change discussions, we talk about melting glaciers, rising temperatures, and extreme weather. But we rarely talk about the people who experience these changes every single day, especially women. For millions of women in India, climate change is not a future threat. It is already part of their daily routine, silently shaping their health, work, and dignity.

Women do not just face climate change as victims. They face it as caregivers, workers, farmers, mothers, and survival managers. When water dries up, it is women who walk longer distances. When crops fail, it is women who manage food shortages. When disasters strike, it is women who hold families together while losing their own sense of security.

Climate change may be global, but its burden is deeply unequal.

CLIMATE CHANGE BEGINS AT HOME FOR WOMEN:- 

In rural India, women are responsible for most household resources - water, food, fuel, and health. As climate patterns become unstable, these basic tasks become harder.

In drought-prone regions of Rajasthan, Bundelkhand, and parts of Maharashtra, women now walk several kilometres every day just to fetch water. What used to take 30 minutes now takes two to three hours. This time loss directly affects their health, education, and income opportunities.

A report by The Hindu highlighted how in many villages, girls drop out of school during drought seasons because they are needed to collect water and manage household stress. Climate change, in this way, quietly steals not just resources but futures.

FARMING WOMEN, FAILING CLIMATE:-

Nearly 70% of women in rural India are engaged in agriculture in some form, either as farmers, farm labourers, or unpaid workers on family land. Yet most climate policies ignore their role completely.

Unpredictable rainfall, rising temperatures, and soil degradation hit women farmers the hardest. Unlike men, women often do not own land, have access to credit, or control agricultural decisions. When crops fail, they face hunger first and last.

In Telangana and Vidarbha, where farmer distress is severe, many women have taken up multiple informal jobs after crop losses, working as domestic workers, construction helpers, or seasonal migrants. Their workload doubles, but their recognition remains zero.

As reported by the Indian Express, climate change has increased the number of women-headed households in farming communities, especially where male farmers have migrated or died by suicide due to debt.

CLIMATE DISASTERS AND INVISIBLE TRAUMA:- 

When floods, cyclones, or heatwaves strike, women suffer differently.

During the Kerala floods, relief camps lacked basic privacy, sanitation, and menstrual facilities. Women reported discomfort, infections, and humiliation, but these issues were barely covered in mainstream disaster reporting.

In Assam floods, women often avoid relief camps altogether due to safety concerns, staying in unsafe homes instead. This exposes them to higher health risks but gives them a sense of control over their dignity.

Disaster management systems are built around infrastructure, roads, power, and rescue teams. But they rarely consider emotional labour, unpaid caregiving, or gender safety. Women carry invisible trauma long after the floodwaters disappear.

HEAT, HEALTH, AND UNPAID LABOUR:- 

Rising temperatures directly affect women’s physical health. Construction workers, street vendors, domestic workers, and sanitation staff, most of whom are women, work long hours under extreme heat with little protection.

Heatwaves increase risks of dehydration, miscarriage, fatigue, and chronic illness. But most women cannot afford to rest. If they don’t work, families don’t eat.

A study quoted by The Hindu showed that women lose more working hours than men during extreme heat because their labour is considered flexible and replaceable. This leads to income loss, food insecurity, and emotional stress.

Climate change, therefore, does not just warm the planet; it drains women’s bodies.

CLIMATE AND GENDER: A SILENT INEQUALITY - 

One of the biggest problems is that women are rarely included in climate decision-making. Village councils, disaster committees, and environmental policy bodies are mostly male-dominated.

Women know exactly how climate change affects daily life, water quality, food shortages, disease patterns, and migration stress. But their voices are not heard.

The United Nations has repeatedly pointed out that women are among the most vulnerable groups to climate change, yet remain underrepresented in climate governance.

In India, climate adaptation plans rarely include women-specific strategies. This makes women frontline workers without frontline rights.

REAL STORIES FROM THE GROUND:- 

In the Sundarbans, women have lost farmland due to rising sea levels. Many now work as informal labourers in cities like Kolkata, leaving children behind. Migration separates families, increases emotional stress, and exposes women to unsafe work environments.

In Marathwada, women farmers describe how irregular rainfall has destroyed kitchen gardens once their main source of nutrition. Now families depend on market food that they cannot afford regularly.

In urban slums of Delhi and Mumbai, women living near landfills face respiratory problems due to pollution and heat. They cannot move because rent is cheaper, but health costs rise every year.

These stories rarely make headlines. They are not dramatic disasters, just slow suffering.

WHY WOMEN ARE MORE VULNERABLE:- 

Women face climate change more deeply because:

They handle unpaid labour (water, food, caregiving)

They have less access to education and resources

They lack property ownership

They have limited political representation

Their health needs are ignored.

Climate change multiplies existing inequalities. It does not create new problems; it makes old ones worse.

WOMEN ARE ALSO THE SOLUTION:- 

Despite the burden, women are also leading local climate solutions.

Across India, women’s self-help groups manage water conservation, seed banks, and waste recycling. Tribal women protect forests and biodiversity through traditional knowledge.

In Odisha, women-led disaster preparedness groups saved hundreds of lives during cyclones by early warning and evacuation.

Women are not just victims of climate change; they are agents of resilience.

But their contributions remain underfunded, underreported, and undervalued.

CONCLUSION :

Climate change is not just about rising temperatures or carbon emissions. It is about whose lives become harder and whose voices are ignored.

For Indian women, the climate crisis means longer walks, heavier workloads, fragile health, unsafe spaces, and shrinking opportunities. It is a slow erosion of dignity disguised as environmental change.

If climate policies continue without women’s participation, they will fail not because women are weak, but because solutions built without real experiences are incomplete.

Women do not need sympathy. They need visibility, resources, and power in decision-making.

Because a climate solution that does not protect women is not a solution, it is another form of injustice.

REFERENCES:- 

The Hindu – Reports on climate, gender and rural distress

Indian Express – Women farmers and climate vulnerability

United Nations (UN Women) – Gender and Climate Change reports

World Health Organisation – Heat stress and women’s health

Down To Earth Magazine – Climate impacts on Indian women

Wikipedia – Gender and climate change (background)

Oxfam India – Climate inequality studies

From Classroom to Queue: How Competitive Exams Are Reshaping the Mental Health of Indian Youth

By ARPITA PRIYADARSHINI MISHRA

INTRODUCTION:- 

In India, finishing school does not mean that life truly begins. For many young people, it marks the start of waiting. Waiting for exam results, waiting for cut-offs, waiting for another attempt, and waiting for the day when life finally feels stable. This long period of uncertainty, quietly accepted as “normal”, is slowly reshaping the mental health of Indian youth.

When we look at students outside coaching centres, libraries, hostels, or exam centres, one feeling stands out: exhaustion. Not just physical tiredness, but emotional fatigue. Competitive exams have changed more than career paths; they have changed how young people think about themselves, their worth, and their future.

WHEN AN EXAM BECOMES A LIFE TEST :- 

Exams like UPSC, SSC, NEET, JEE, banking, and state services are no longer seen as assessments of knowledge. They have become symbols of security, dignity, and respect. In many households, especially middle-class and lower-middle-class families, there is one shared belief: “Bas ek baar nikal jaaye, phir sab theek ho jaayega.”

Parents invest their savings in coaching fees. Some families take loans; others sell land. Students carry not just their own dreams, but the expectations of the entire family. In such an environment, preparation is driven less by curiosity and more by fear — : fear of failure, fear of falling behind, fear of disappointing everyone.

PREPARATION THAT SLOWLY TURNS INTO ISOLATION :-

Competitive exam preparation often demands isolation. Students move to new cities, stay in small rented rooms, and cut down on social life. At first, this feels temporary and manageable. Over time, however, life begins to shrink around books, mock tests, and rankings.

A poor test score can ruin an entire week. Missing a cut-off creates deep self-doubt  “Maybe I am not capable.” Many students experience anxiety, sleep problems, and constant overthinking, but hesitate to speak about it. They fear being judged as :—

“Serious nahi ho”,

“Mehnat kam hai”,

“Bahane bana rahe ho”.

This silence is heavy, and it hurts the most.

HEADLINES THAT WE READ AND FORGET :- 

Every year, newspapers carry brief reports about students preparing for competitive exams who die by suicide. These stories appear as short headlines and disappear quickly. But behind each headline is a long story of pressure, loneliness, repeated failure, and emotional exhaustion.

Reports and expert opinions published in newspapers like The Hindu and The Indian Express have repeatedly pointed out that exam pressure has become a serious mental health concern. Yet, as a society, we often dismiss it as “part of the process”.

THE COACHING CULTURE AND THE COST OF HOPE :- 

India’s coaching industry presents success very loudly with toppers' posters, rank celebrations, and motivational speeches. What remains unseen are the thousands who try year after year without success.

For many aspirants, preparation becomes their identity. When attempts end or age limits are crossed, they are left unsure of who they are or what to do next. This prolonged uncertainty slowly turns into sadness, loss of confidence, and depression  not dramatic, but deep and quiet. 

MENTAL HEALTH STILL FEELS LIKE A TABOO :- 

Global organisations like the World Health Organization and the United Nations have warned that young people facing prolonged uncertainty are at high risk of anxiety and depression. In India, this risk is even higher because mental health is still surrounded by stigma.

Students often avoid counseling because they fear what others might say. Many believe they should “handle it themselves”. As a result, emotional distress remains hidden until it becomes overwhelming.

WHY HELPLINES ALONE ARE NOT ENOUGH :-

Government initiatives and helplines are important steps, but they often reach students only when the situation has already become serious. What is missing is early emotional support : Teaching students how to handle failure, uncertainty, and comparison.

Students need to hear that failure does not define their worth, and that there are multiple paths to a meaningful life.

A QUIET QUESTION WE MUST ASK :- 

Competitive exams are not the problem by themselves. The problem is that we have turned them into the only door to dignity and stability.

If the journey from classroom to examination queue is filled only with pressure, fear, and silence, we risk losing an entire generation’s confidence and well-being. Perhaps it is time we ask not only how many students cleared an exam, but also how many remained emotionally healthy while trying.

Because behind every roll number is a human being -: tired, hopeful, and deserving of care beyond results.

RURAL vs URBAN ASPIRANTS: SAME EXAM, VERY DIFFERENT STRUGGLE - 

Although competitive exams are the same on paper, the journey looks very different for rural and urban aspirants. An urban student often has easier access to coaching centres, libraries, stable internet, peer groups, and exposure to English-language resources. Even when pressure exists, there is usually some awareness about alternative careers or mental health support.

For many rural aspirants, the struggle begins much earlier. Students travel from villages to cities carrying hopes not just for themselves, but for entire families. Language becomes the first barrier exam papers may be in Hindi or English, but quality study material, test discussions, and interviews often favour urban backgrounds. Digital access, which is taken for granted in cities, remains uneven in rural areas.

Living away from home for the first time, managing expenses, and facing cultural isolation add to the stress. When results do not come, rural students often feel they have failed not only themselves, but their parents and communities. Returning home without success is emotionally harder, because expectations are visible and constant.

Many rural aspirants hesitate to speak about anxiety or emotional distress. Mental health is rarely discussed openly, and counselling services are almost non-existent in small towns. As a result, stress remains bottled up, turning preparation into a lonely and emotionally heavy experience. The exam may be the same, but the mental load is far from equal.

CONCLUSION :- 

At the end of the day, competitive exams are not wrong. What is wrong is that we have made them the only path in life. As if clearing one exam means everything is fine, and not clearing it means nothing is fine.

Behind every student there is a full story waking up early, studying till late night, avoiding family questions, and quietly fighting with their own thoughts. But society only looks at the final result, not at the effort, the struggle, or the mental pressure.

The truth is, failure is also a part of life. But in India, failure usually comes with guilt, shame, and constant comparison. Because of this pressure, many young people ignore their mental health. They tell themselves, “First the exam, then I will take care of myself.” But by the time the exam ends, they are already emotionally exhausted.

If the mind is not okay, what is the meaning of success anyway?

Maybe it is time we stop asking only about ranks and selections, and start asking how students are actually feeling. Exams are supposed to test knowledge, not break confidence and self-worth.

Life is not an answer sheet where everything is either right or wrong. Life is slow, confusing, and uncertain and that is normal. Every student deserves to feel that even if the result is not perfect, they are still enough as a person. Not just a roll number, not just a rank, but a human being who deserves understanding and respect.

REFERENCES:- 

The Hindu – Reports on education and student mental health

The Indian Express – Editorials on competitive exams and youth stress

National Crime Records Bureau – Student suicide data

World Health Organization – Youth mental health reports

United Nations – Youth well-being studies

Wikipedia – Background on Indian competitive examination system

Between Drought and Debt: Farmer Distress in a Climate-Changed India

 By ARPITA PRIYADARSHINI MISHRA 

INTRODUCTION:- 

I remember a conversation that stayed with me longer than expected.

It was not dramatic. No big statement. Just a farmer saying, almost under his breath, “Ab mausam pe bharosa nahi raha.”

That line says a lot about farming in India today.

For generations, Indian farmers have lived with uncertainty. But what they are facing now feels heavier, more relentless. Climate change has altered not just weather patterns, but the emotional rhythm of rural life. Rains arrive late, or all at once. Heatwaves stretch longer than before. Floods destroy crops that survived months of care.

And when crops fail, debt does not.

This is where today’s crisis sits between drought and debt quietly reshaping lives across India’s villages.

WHEN THE CLIMATE REFUSES TO FOLLOW THE CALENDAR -

Agriculture in India still depends deeply on nature’s timing. Sowing, irrigation, harvesting everything follows a seasonal logic passed down over decades.

That logic is breaking.

In recent years, farmers across regions have spoken about the same problem in different words: unpredictability. A delayed monsoon means dry fields. Sudden heavy rain means waterlogged crops. Heatwaves now arrive early, damaging young plants before they can survive.

Reports in The Hindu and Down To Earth have repeatedly pointed out how climate variability is increasing yield uncertainty, especially for rain-fed farming regions. For small farmers, even a single failed crop can upset an entire year’s income.

What makes this harder is that climate stress does not come with warning. There is no time to prepare. The damage is often realised only after it is done.

DEBT THAT GROWS EVEN WHEN CROPS DON'T - 

Debt has always existed in Indian agriculture. But climate stress has changed its nature.

Today, farmers borrow not just to invest, but to survive. Seeds, fertilisers, diesel, irrigation, labour  costs rise every season. When crops fail due to droughts or floods, loans remain unpaid. Interest continues to grow.

Several ground reports covered by The Indian Express show how repeated climate shocks push farmers towards informal credit, even when institutional loans exist. Formal systems are slow. Paperwork is complex. Climate disasters do not wait.

One farmer explained it simply: “Fasal gayi, par karza nahi gaya.”

Crop insurance exists, but compensation often arrives late and rarely covers the real loss. Many farmers say it helps on paper, not in practice.

SMALL FARMERS, BIGGER RISKS - 

India’s farming landscape is dominated by small and marginal farmers. Their landholdings are limited. Their savings are thin.

Climate change affects them first.

They cannot afford climate-resilient technologies or expensive irrigation systems. They depend on rainfall and local water sources that are increasingly unreliable. When crops fail repeatedly, migration becomes a coping strategy.

During drought years, villages thin out. Men move to cities for daily wage work. Women manage farms and households with reduced resources. Children’s education suffers. Nutrition becomes compromised.

These are not abstract effects. They are everyday adjustments people make quietly.

FARMER SUICIDES: A REALITY WE STRUGGLE TO TALK ABOUT -

Talking about farmer suicides is uncomfortable, but avoiding it does not make it disappear.

While suicides are influenced by multiple social and economic factors, climate stress and indebtedness remain significant contributors. Regions facing repeated droughts or crop failures often report higher distress indicators.

Newspaper reports over the years show that behind every number is a family dealing with loss  not only of income, but of dignity and hope.

This is not about blaming climate change alone. It is about recognising how climate stress intensifies existing vulnerabilities, pushing some beyond their limit.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT: BETWEEN POLICY AND PRACTICE -

India has introduced several schemes aimed at supporting farmers crop insurance, income support programmes, disaster compensation, and minimum support prices.

On paper, these measures matter.

On the ground, experiences vary. Compensation is often delayed. Assessments take time. Awareness about schemes is uneven. Some farmers benefit. Others fall through gaps.

As highlighted in multiple Down To Earth analyses, climate impacts move faster than administrative systems. When support arrives late, its value reduces sharply.

This gap between policy intention and field reality continues to frustrate farmers.

ADAPTATION, QUIETLY TAKING SHAPE - 

Despite everything, farming in India has not collapsed.

In drought-prone regions, some farmers are returning to millets and traditional crops that need less water. In flood-affected areas, mixed cropping and raised-bed farming are being tried. Community water conservation efforts are reviving old practices.

These adaptations rarely make headlines. They are slow, local, and practical.

The UN’s food and agriculture reports repeatedly emphasise that climate-resilient farming must be rooted in local knowledge. Indian farmers, when supported, have shown that resilience is possible.

But resilience should not be forced. It should be supported.

CLIMATE JUSTICE AND THE FARMER’S QUESTION - 

At its heart, farmer distress in a climate-changed India raises a question of fairness.

Farmers contribute little to global emissions. Yet they bear some of the heaviest consequences of climate change. Crop loss, debt, migration, emotional stress these are daily costs paid by those least responsible.

India’s Constitution recognises environmental protection under Article 48A and the right to life with dignity under Article 21. Supporting farmers facing climate stress is not optional. It is a responsibility.

WHAT NEEDS ATTENTION, NOT JUST ANNOUNCEMENT -

Whenever policies are announced, they sound reassuring. On paper, everything seems to be in place. But in villages, the gap between announcement and impact is clearly felt.

Farmers often say that climate-resilient practices are being talked about everywhere, but adopting them is not easy when costs are high and incomes are uncertain. Crop insurance exists, but compensation frequently arrives after the damage has already pushed families deeper into debt. Water management plans are discussed at higher levels, while at the local level, farmers still depend on tankers, borewells, or uncertain rainfall.

Markets too rarely reflect climate risks. When crops fail due to weather extremes, farmers are expected to absorb the loss alone. What remains largely invisible is the emotional toll this takes. The anxiety of not knowing whether the next season will be better, the pressure of unpaid loans, and the quiet fear of failure are rarely addressed openly.

Most importantly, farmers often feel that they are consulted only during crises, not during planning. They are expected to adjust, adapt, and survive but their voices are seldom part of decisions that shape agricultural policy.

CONCLUSION: LISTENING BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE -

Indian agriculture is changing, whether we choose to recognise it or not. Climate change has disrupted the rhythm farmers once relied on the seasons no longer behave as expected, and certainty has become rare.

Between drought and debt, many farmers are holding on quietly. Some are experimenting with new practices. Some are simply trying to get through the next season. Many are tired, but still hopeful enough to keep going.

If India truly listens not just to data, but to lived experiences from the fields there is still room for meaningful change. Ignoring these realities will not only affect farmers. It will affect food security, rural stability, and the social balance we all depend on.

The climate has already changed.

What remains to be seen is whether our response will change in time.

• REFERENCES:- 

1. Reporting and Editorials from The Hindu on climate and Agriculture 

2. Ground Reports and Analysis from Down to Earth Magazine 

3. Rural Economy coverage by the Indian Express 

4. UN and FAO reports on climate - resilient Agriculture 

5. Government of India Policy documents and farmers welfare schemes.