‘Self rule’ outside Bengaluru since 1960; Janapada Seva Trust’s Gandhian success story

By Aratrika Dey

The real India resides in the villages. Just three hours drive from Bengaluru stands Melukote where one organisation has been applying Gandhian principles to create an equitable society and promote sustainable living. From rehabilitating abandoned children, sustaining livelihoods of dozens of families, educating the local children and adults, and restoring local forests, the Janapada Seva Trust (JST) is doing commendable work for over 60 years (watch the 30-minute video to get a complete overview with English subtitles). Established by Surendra Koulagi (former personal assistant to political reformer Jayaprakash Narayan and close associate of freedom activist Acharya Vinoba Bhave) and his wife Girija Koulagi in 1960, their voluntary organisation is inspired by the ‘self rule’ ideas expounded by Mahatma Gandhi and his associate economist JC Kumarappa. JST is working towards creating a non-violent social order and providing a lifestyle of socio-economic equality in the rural population. “A society devoid of exploitation, that’s our quest,” says Sumanas Koulagi, the grandson of Surendra Koulagi and a volunteer at the organization. JST has survived because of its ideology of an equitable society where the people fund the work they do and not government grants. 

First-ever initiative

The town of Melkote did not have any schools or nurseries when the Koulagis’ moved in. Therefore, they took it upon themselves to work with children across communities, races, castes, and religions. It was called ‘Shri Krishna Nursery’ as it operated from the courtyard of a temple of Lord Krishna. 

“It has never been run like an NGO”

Janapada Seva Trust is a voluntary organization. Since its inception, it has been working around the needs and challenges of the local community and town, with the support of interested individuals and friends. Having adopted Gandhi’s ideologies of sustainability, self-sufficiency, and sarvodaya (meaning ‘progress of all’), the organization works with little aid from the government. 

Giving children a new chance at life

Initially, the organization ran a facility where they helped rehabilitate disabled rural children, especially ones suffering from polio. Started in 1963, it is known as the Karunaguha or the ‘home of compassion’. Since then, they have successfully helped disabled children rehabilitate and become self-sufficient adults, going on to pursue careers. 

From 2009, the Karunaguha changed course and started functioning as an adoption placement facility, on being approached by the Karnataka government to start an adoption centre in the region. They help children from their district but the adoption process is open to all of India.      

Khadi, a way of life

In 1918, Gandhi had started a movement for Khadi or khaddar as it is also known, as a relief programme for the poor masses in the country. In his ideology, spinning and weaving became a way of life of self-sufficiency and governance. Similarly, at Janapada Khadi, Khadi is not just the material but also about “human or individual freedom”. For them, the production process in their Khadi unit takes priority. Contrary to the modern economic system where the product takes precedence and not the producers, they believe in championing their producers and say that the good quality products are just a “by-product” of that. 

At Janapada Khadi, they have not only managed to sustain a cloth which is inherent to our identities as Indians, but they have also sustained and supported dozens of livelihoods, unlike machine-made fabric where the customer hardly supports one individual upon buying a piece of fabric or clothing.

Khadi is labour-intensive work. Therefore, the trust has consciously kept a small production team and made sure that every person is paid a living wage of Rs 8,000-10,000. Local women and the traditional weaving community in the town are the sole managers of the activities.

Educating and offering sustainable alternatives

People looking to live an alternate life of non-violence can approach the Hosa Jeevana Daari centre of the organization. Hosa Jeevana Daari means “a way to new life” in Kannada. 

The unit organises regular farming and khadi activities, besides sustainability workshops involving the community and interested individuals. Often, they offer programmes for school children, college-goers and farmers, and educate them about environmental, developmental and sustainability issues. 

Helping the environment recuperate with love

One of the best initiatives of Janapada has been the native forest rejuvenation. Through the years, the local forest has lost many of its native variety of trees, and the government has been introducing exotic varieties in the area to meet the needs. This inspired them to restore their forest to what it had been before the deforestation programmes took down most of their trees. They have asked the local people to plant a native tree sapling in the name of a loved one in the 15 acres of land belonging to the organisation. Besides, they can make a minimal donation to look after the planted sapling. “It is basically a forest of loved ones,” says Sumanas. Therefore the name ‘Nene Bana’, which means ‘forest of reminiscence’.  

Over the years and through a pandemic

When most organisations don’t survive for more than 25-30 years, JST’s 60-year survival story is highly commendable. Many of their activities work on self-sustenance at a small scale. Involving the local people and catering to their needs has helped them manage their organisation so well over the years. In 2014, founder Surendra Koulagi was bestowed with the Jamnalal Bajaj Award for Constructive Work.

COVID-19 hit organisations all over the world, but Janapada has managed to pull through despite a few hiccups. However, seeing how they run wholly on donations, given the current climate, benefactions have become unpredictable. Therefore, on the occasion of having celebrated their 60th anniversary in August, the trust has made plans to gather a hundred interested benefactors into a system where they are required to pay a sum of Rs 1000 a month. For more details, email them (janapadasevatrust@gmail.com) or call 96634-06366.