| Friday 28th Dec, 2007: A group of 40 students of | | | | is on smaller technologies, which are sustainable |
| the SS-2006-08 batch of IIPM Hyderabad, visited | | | | and rural friendly so as to enable the rural poor |
| Pochampally village & Swamy Ramananda | | | | earn sustainable incomes and lead quality of life, |
| Tirtha Rural Institute (SRTRI), a tiring but a fruitful | | | | and thus bring in confidence among them to |
| journey of about 90 kilometers. The main | | | | trigger off to a greater heights. |
| objective of the tour was to understand the rural | | | | To our surprise, SRTRI provides free computer |
| markets and rural empowerment being done by | | | | design saree structure print free of cost to the |
| using the latest tools and technology. SRTRI was | | | | pochampally handloom weaver families. We also |
| established in 1995 at Jalalpur Village, Pochampally | | | | visited Pochampally village which is very near to |
| Mandal of Nalgonda District, Andhra Pradesh. | | | | SRTRI - This village is famous for textile yield |
| Dr. Hanumantha Rao (Associate Prof. – training | | | | because the main occupation of the villagers is |
| dept.) addressed the group there by emphasizing | | | | handloom weaving of sarees, hand bags, bed |
| towards the rural empowerment. The session | | | | sheets, etc and these products are branded by |
| was followed by a presentation where in the | | | | the village name called Pochampally Sarees - which |
| show case was towards the training imparted to | | | | are being sold in whole sales, retail and also |
| the rural people with unhindered access to skills in | | | | exported to other countries. |
| latest sustainable technologies using improved | | | | Thus, the visit on the whole was informative and |
| tools and equipment for enhanced productivity | | | | learning tour focusing on promoting understanding |
| and quality dimensions. Special emphasis was | | | | the potential of rural markets emerging in |
| also laid on capacity building and income generating | | | | today’s era and rural empowerment of small |
| of those who are underprivileged, downtrodden, | | | | entrepreneurs. Lastly, it was a wonderful |
| women, unemployed youth, and other vulnerable | | | | experience which would be remembered. |
| sections of the rural community. The prime focus | | | | |