Why We Exist?
Gramin Vikas Evam Chetna Sansthan (GVCS) was founded with a singular mission to uplift the communities of Rajasthan’s Thar region by addressing the deeply rooted socio-economic, cultural, caste and gender-based disparities that have held back its people for generations.
The challenges here are not occasional or isolated; they are systemic, interlinked, and urgent. We work at the grassroots because the problems begin there. And so must the solutions.
Key Issues:
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Market exclusion: Most artisans do not have direct access to buyers or online platforms. They depend on middlemen who offer minimal returns.
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Lack of innovation exposure: Artisans are unaware of design trends, customer preferences, and market-ready product development.
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Financial illiteracy: Artisans are often unable to price their products correctly or manage their income for long-term growth.
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Quality and packaging issues: Poor product presentation limits sales in premium markets, despite high craftsmanship.
Instead of becoming economic engines for their communities, these skilled individuals remain stuck in a cycle of low-value labour and poverty. As a result, traditional crafts risk becoming economically unviable and culturally diluted.
Marginalized Artisans: Creators Without Recognition or Income
Barmer is home to thousands of skilled artisans many of them women who continue to practice age-old crafts like embroidery, block printing, and textile weaving. Their work is highly valued in national and global markets, yet the artisans themselves remain economically exploited and digitally invisible.
Key Issues:
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There are no indoor sports facilities in the region specifically designed for girls.
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Social norms discourage female participation in public sports activities.
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Lack of female coaches and secure environments leads to low retention.
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Physical inactivity directly impacts long-term health and mental well-being.
Girls are not lacking in talent; they are lacking access. When girls are excluded from physical spaces, they’re also denied social participation, leadership opportunities, and self-expression. The result is a generation of young women left behind in both physical strength and personal agency.
Creating Safe Spaces for Rural Girls
Girls in Barmer are systematically excluded from opportunities for physical and personal development. Due to the absence of girl-friendly sports infrastructure, cultural stigma, and safety concerns, most girls grow up without ever engaging in organised sports or fitness activities. This results in not only poor physical health but also limited self-confidence, reduced leadership skills, and a lack of exposure to team-building experiences, key elements for empowerment.
Key Issues:
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No digital archiving: Thousands of songs, instruments, and vocal styles remain undocumented, making them vulnerable to extinction as the elder artists who created them pass away.
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Economic insecurity: Folk artists receive little to no income from their art. They rely on seasonal events or community gatherings and often perform without pay.
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Digital illiteracy: Artists lack access to or understanding of digital tools, leaving them excluded from online audiences and monetisation platforms like YouTube or Spotify.
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Youth disinterest: Young members of folk families are turning away from music due to a lack of opportunity, leaving no one to carry the legacy forward.
If not urgently addressed, an entire body of indigenous knowledge and spiritual tradition, spanning centuries, will be lost. This is not just cultural erosion; it is an erasure of identity.
Rajasthan’s Folk Music: A Cultural Heritage at Risk of Extinction
Rajasthan’s traditional folk music is one of India’s richest oral art forms, passed down through generations without written documentation. It holds spiritual, historical, and social value, yet it is vanishing. In today’s digital world, these deeply rooted oral traditions are disappearing due to a lack of recording infrastructure, online presence, recognition, and income for artists.
