Narratives in the Public Realm

52 Parindey is a project dedicated to identifying and documenting the lives of 52 innovators who are
making a conscious and sustainable living for themselves and the planet through alternate careers
in Indian towns.

Travellers’ University that curates journeys around education. Founded in 2018, its three other partners Ashik Krishnan, Ashwini Shah and Preksha Singh share the common aim of self education through travel.

Education has an integral role to play in the journey of a person. And to achieve this education, it is important to gain new experiences. However, as I pursued my academics, I found that these experiences cannot be gained sitting within the four walls of the classroom. That’s when I decided to go on a journey of self-designed learning. On the course of this journey, I found that travel is the tool I was looking for my own learning.

The abundance of knowledge and hospitality he experienced from strangers along his journey left Rahul at a loss for ways to express his gratitude. In November 2015, with backpack, tent and camera, he left home on a journey that would take him to the furthest corners of the country in search of people following their hearts in alternate careers, allowing him to repay the generosity by spreading and sharing at least a modicum of what he’d received. And that’s how 52 Parindey began.

The world, as we see it, is changing at a rapid pace. Technology is advancing every day with the intention of creating a better life for us. But we need to ask ourselves, how the “better life” we imagine is affecting other species, our environment and our surroundings. We need to question the idea of a better life presented by the dominant model of development. Does it really serve its purpose of creating a better world for all, or are we misguided by convenience and comfort?

While talking about his ideas, he told me that he wanted the world to know about the professions that are almost dead, or earth-friendly vocations that are not popular because they are not seen as fashionable. He wanted to share the efforts and practices of people who are involved in these occupations and are committed to preserving the environment, conserving water, avoiding wastage of food, and conserving culture and heritage.