The Deendayal Research Institute (DRI) has long been committed to Gramodaya—the holistic development of villages through self-reliance, values-based living, and indigenous knowledge systems. In line with this philosophy, DRI’s interventions in Beed district, Maharashtra, focus on strengthening livelihoods and sustainability.

“A single thread, when stitched with care, can sew a future full of hope.”

This is not just a saying — it is the truth for many women in Beed, a town in West Beed district, Maharashtra. Beed is known for its rich history and its brave people. But it also faces many problems. The area often suffers from drought, unemployment, and lack of education, especially for women. Many families struggle to earn even the daily basics. With a population of around 1.5 lakh, Beed has many young girls who dream of helping their families but don’t know how.

That is where the DRI Vocational Centre plays a very important role. It gives women skills — not just education from books, but real training to start small work and become self-reliant. In Beed, the Jan Shiksha Vocational & Skill Training Centre has been doing this good work since 2005.

This centre teaches tailoring, cutting, and hand embroidery to women and girls. It gives them a chance to learn, grow, and earn. One such girl is Neloker.

Neloker came from a simple home. Her family had very little income. She joined Jan Shiksha with the hope to learn something useful. Slowly, she learned how to stitch, cut fabric, and make clothes. After finishing her training, some people in the village gained confidence that she will be able to run own shop and they lend her some money she also invested some of the savings she had. And she started her own small tailor shop. And after her sometime people from her village and nearby villages started from 

But Neloker did not stop there. She wanted to help others the way the centre had helped her. She hired two other women — one to do cutting, and another to do embroidery. All three now earn and support their homes.

Today, Neloker’s shop is a small example of how learning a skill can change not one, but many lives. Thanks to the Jan Shiksha Centre and DRI’s efforts, many women in Beed now have a new thread of hope in their hands.
This initiative is a true reflection of Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya’s philosophy of Antyodaya, where the last person in the line is empowered through practical skill-building.