Views

on this World Ranger Day, while the world scrolls through headlines, the forest remembers – not in words, but in silence. In every rustling leaf, in every tiger that crosses a camera trap, in every rhino calf curled beside its mother – it remembers those who guard it, so others may live.

I wasn’t just de-linked from my role—I was cut off from my health insurance, my professional identity, my community, and the safety net I thought I’d built after a lifetime of service.

While tourists sip cocktails in overwater bungalows, some neighboring islands are literally running out of fresh water.

What prevents even a small fraction of these funds from flowing toward sustainability? This gap represents not only a financial challenge but also an opportunity to rethink how the economic system works and reorient it towards more equitable and resilient growth.

The data collected from multiple panchayats in the region paints a sobering picture. In areas such as Dhangwan, Laharpur, and Boridand, over 40 per cent of farmers surveyed reported a drastic decrease in crop diversity in the past decade.

Retrenchment is the dominant theme on both sides. However much the West and China may wish to compete for the Global South’s affections, the constraints of their respective political economies limit their offer.

The scheme has promoted the ideals of transparency and participatory democracy, with Gram Sabhas playing an active role in selecting projects and monitoring their progress.