Profound tales of passion

Passion struck and it immediately turned into a business venture. This is the existential trend, which has been giving life to many unconventional startups. However, moving away from such stories, here is a blend of deep-seated tales of communities to whom passion isn’t just for a job but for a cause.

The power of ‘we’YUVAA — Youth United for Vigilance Awareness and Action is a team of youngsters in Bidar, who came together to contribute their energy and time for a cause. With various projects — conservation of heritage structures, revival of traditional waterbodies, plantation drive and awareness programmes — their fervour has driven them towards building a proactive community. The neglected, drought-stricken area of Bidar got rejuvenated with sufficient water sources after its 300-year-old wells, which had turned into dumping yards, were given a makeover by the YUVAA team. “Our wells have water!” whoops Vinay Malge, one of the core members of the team. With 45 active members and 125 volunteers, the team has the best minds working together for the betterment of the city. “We, a group of friends,  took a sabbatical and moved back to Bidar to put our talents to better use. It took us seven months to identify the people who shared the same passion, and we launched YUVAA in 2012,” he says. 

They started off with a plantation drive and planted 37 lakh saplings that are being nursed by them. More than 200 wells have been treated to provide clean and sufficient water. Above all, the cultural heritage of Bidar came alive in the hands of YUVAA as the 600-year-old water system, called the Karez waterway, was accidently discovered and invigorated by the team. Vinay explains, “The revival of Karez brought all the villagers together and it was a blessed moment.”  YUVAA was recently felicitated by the Bidar district administration for being the force behind the change, and now they are aiming at increasing the tourist flow to the district by organising heritage walks. Vinay explains, “We have been coordinating with photographers and travellers for these walks. The travellers are taken to explore the heritage sites and are enlightened with tales of history.” 

While YUVAA is building a better community in Bidar, another group called Nature Research Centre is making Dharwad a better place for animals and birds. Ten like-minded people kick-started the mission of conserving nature by starting the ‘Green Army’. Their foremost objective was to increase the green cover of Dharwad. Eight years passed, and they succeeded in planting 5,000 saplings in the vicinity of Dharwad. With bigger plans in mind, the ‘Green Army’ was given an institutional frame in 2012 and was renamed as Nature Research Centre. 

Led by Prakash Goudar, this team with over 100 other members conducts research and finds solutions to make Dharwad a favourable place for all the creatures of nature. In one such effort, the group has distributed cardboard nests to many households in the city to help rehabilitate birds. 

The team, which has professionals working for a common cause, has been recognised by the Animal Welfare Board of India. Harshavardhan V Sheelavant, one of the core members, explains one of the researches conducted by him, “I studied the impact of high mast electricity lamps on nocturnal birds and found out that these lamps affect their sleep patterns. The team raised an alarm regarding the issue and four mast lamps were immediately withdrawn.” While this sure is the taste of a successful mission, the hurdle in this regard was that it saw the axing of a tree, “as removing a lamp was not a feasible option for the administration!”

They also face challenges concerning the safety of the team involved in the rehabilitation of wild animals. “During the rehabilitation of a cobra that entered the city, the person involved in the mission was paralysed for months due to the unavailability of anti-venom. After this incident, we made anti-venom available in all government hospitals in Dharwad,” Harshavardhan says.

Siri Village Arts is another passion turned business venture, but again is for a cause. With a belief that creativity gives the possibility of some sort of achievement to everyone, Mamata Sattur started the initiative and turned homemakers into artisans. While the village women of Dharwad did patchwork for their basic home decor, Mamata gave this art a professional touch and popularised the traditional kaudis. A handstitched patchwork, kaudi is now making its rounds in urban areas in the form of colourful quilts and cushions. “It was not a tough job to train these women as this art is largely followed in the area and is seen through plain eyes as a basic necessity rather than a glorified art. However, their work needed fine finishing. I just briefed them on designs and that was all. With successful exhibitions in many cities, I am happy to be associated with such talented artisans,” expresses Mamata.

Creating awarenessIt is not passion when there is money involved, believes Drishti Srishti Photography Club, which came into existence in 2012 in Dharwad. A platform for amateur photographers, it consists of a team of doctors, students, engineers and other photography enthusiasts. The team conducts annual photography exhibitions to create awareness on conservation activities. “We encourage photography among children, train them, organise bird watching camps and involve them in conservation activities,” says Anilkumar Kittur, one of the founding members of the club. School children are taught on various aspects of ecology by Professor Gangadhar Kallur, honorary wildlife warden of Dharwad, and are made to participate in animal rescue operations. 

Sharing the same passion for photography and based mostly out of Bengaluru, Indian Wildlife Conservation Trust (IWCT), launched in 2015, is yet another team that brings together wildlife enthusiasts, nature lovers and wildlife photographers to work for a common cause. The trust organises ‘Kanana Darshana’ — an initiative designed for kids living on the fringes of the forests and also for government school students. In a day-long workshop, kids are presented with cartoons and strong messages on conservation. “The initiative is successful in creating awareness among kids from over 800 schools,” explains Vinay S Kumar, a member of IWCT. 

Apart from awareness programmes, the trust supports people living on the fringes of the forests through vocational training. Self-sufficient in raising funds, the team conducts workshops and photography exhibitions in metro cities. 

While some of us in the hugely competitive cities are busy making money, some living for the job we do and some surviving because of the job, here are some enthusiasts who have found solace in passion that has turned them into philanthropists.