After independence many scholars felt that it is important to work for the development path emphasized by Mahatma Gandhi with its emphasis on villages and crafts. J.C. Kumarappa played a very important role in taking forward this thinking as an economist. However several scientists and technology personnel also had similar feelings. Dr. Devendra Kumar was a prominent name among these. His contribution was in several diverse fields of rural development, the more important field being edible oil processing. After working in several villages with Gandhian activists and with social movements like Bhoodan, he started the Centre for Science and Villages in Wardha in 1976 with the help of others including Dr. Vibha Gupta.
This provided encouragement to several scientists and technologists including those working in prestigious institutions to give more attention to problems and issues awaiting attention in remote rural areas and among crafts-persons.
As this year (2025) the birth centenary of Dr. Devendra Kumar is being observed, this provides an opportunity to look at the work and contributions of several of these scientists and related professionals.
Dr. Bhartendu Prakash left his job in IIT Kanpur to set up a Vigyan Shiksha Kendra (Science Education Centre) in Bundelkhand region. He worked on alternative means of making cement in village conditions initially, but later devoted his attention more and more to how the traditional wisdom and creations of water harvesting and conservation could be used to solve the problem of water scarcity in Bundelkhand region. His work was assisted by the government but his recommendations were not accepted.
Dr Nerendra Mehrota played an important role in setting up the Society of Young Scientists in AIIMS. He played a leading role in several initiatives for mobilizing younger scientists to play a wider role and influencing government science and technologies policies in ways where these can be more involved in helping common people particularly in villages. Subsequently he became more involved with alternative medical systems, herbal medicines and plants. He brought out a journal Jeevaniya in English and Hindi on these issues for several years.
Vinoo Kaley was a professional architect who decided to devote his life to finding better utilization of bamboo and helping bamboo artisans in diverse ways. His book on bamboo and its uses titled ‘Venu Bharti’ is a must read for anyone interested and involved in this subject. He opposed selling of bamboo at very cheap rates to big industry and instead pleaded for making more bamboo available to local crafts-persons on easy terms to support their livelihood. Kaley was an enormously creative person also involved with mud architecture.
Ajay Kumar set up an academy of young scientists in Chandigarh and contributed to valuable work on rural energy systems.
Of course there are several other names which should be added here but this is just to give an indication of the kind of work these scientists and other related professional were doing. As several efforts were coming up to mobilize and organize crafts-persons and artisans, several of these scientists linked up closely with these efforts and tried to help them.
It is not possible to identify these diverse efforts with any one organization as some of those involved in them continued to retain their regular jobs and others left to find more time for such work. They formed some groups formally and informally but what is important is that many of them were in regular contact and when the need arose they could get together to contribute to many good causes. Hence they could get together quickly to help Bhopal tragedy victims or for various consultations on crafts-persons and crafts.
They have also got together to bring out journals and books as well as booklets that can be used in literacy programs for promoting scientific approach to various issues. They made important contributions to initiatives like Bharat Gyan Vigyan Jatha.
As several of these scientists and related professionals are now getting together in the course of the various events relating to the birth centenary of Dr. Devendra Kumar, this can be the right time for encouraging more young scientists to join these efforts. Some of the controversial issues bothering the country just now in a big way can be taken up by these scientists. The oilseeds sector was the specialization of Dr. Devendra Kumar and today the oilseeds and edible situation is in a mess, with palm oil being encouraged and the heritage of traditional oilseeds facing more and more problems, apart from the dangers posed by GM Mustard. In fact the entire issue of GM crops and gene edited crops can also be taken up by these scientists because of the serious threats posed by them. By taking up such important contemporary issues, the relevance of the work of these scientists will increase further. On the side of constructive work, if in a village or cluster of villages, they can establish a model of almost complete natural farming, local processing of farm produce and renewable energy, this will be another important achievement.
Bharat Dogra is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for children,
