(August 19, 2024) In 2015, India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, traveled to the US and addressed the Indian community in San Jose, California, imploring them to give back to the society they came from and stressing that Indians abroad should be counted as “brain gain” and not “brain drain.” Among the audience was Rajnish Bajpai, who held a job at Synopsys Inc. and was deeply motivated by the PM’s speech. “I couldn’t sleep for two days after I heard the speech. I was determined to do something for my motherland,” he recalls, in an interview with Global Indian. It was this determination that soon made him start the SmartGaon initiative with his friend Yogesh Sahu, which worked towards making India’s villages’ smart. Things came to a full circle when the Prime Minister mentioned Rajnish and his initiative in his Mann Ki Baat program in 2018, lauding his efforts and holding him as a shining example as to what global Indians can achieve. He is the first NRI who was appreciated in the national program.
Rajnish Bajpai was lauded for his SmartGaon initiative by PM Narendra Modi on his Mann ki Baat program
By leveraging his expertise and passion, Rajnish Bajpai has made a significant difference to society, transforming rural communities through technology and innovation. His efforts have not only improved the quality of life in these villages but have also inspired others to contribute to the development of their homeland, showcasing how the efforts of one person can act as a multiplier for a community.
A rooted upbringing
Born and raised in the Taudhakpur village in Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh (the first village adopted under the initiative), Rajnish was the first person in his village to pass his tenth board exams with distinction.
He calls those years blissful. “Growing up in a village is a very humbling experience. While I sat on the ground in our school, which did not have many comforts or facilities, I really learned a lot about human resilience and the importance of relationships. We had so much time for street games, be it gully cricket or gilli danda,” he shares.
He went to complete his Bachelor of Engineering degree in Computer Science from Bhopal and his master’s degree from IIIT Hyderabad.
Sparking a fire
After moving to the US in 2013, Rajnish wanted to give back to his janmabhoomi but was not clear on the path to do it. SmartGaon was the perfect vehicle to do so and actively contribute to the country in which he grew up.
SmartGaon is an idea that is built around the five principles that can transform a village into a smart village: Swacch (sanitation), Swasth (health), Sundar (modern), Sakshar (literacy), and Swavalambhi (self-reliant). Just like a body needs five elements to thrive, Rajnish believes that society can thrive if these five fundamentals can be provided.
Rajnish with SmartGaon co-founder Yogesh
“There are so many benefits available to the common man by the government that they are not aware of,” he states and adds, “be it as simple as prices of wheat and rice, complaints and suggestions to Sarpanch, availing of government schemes, or having access to healthcare. Raised in a village, I know the issues that plague people. From village news to requests for certificates, the app helps authentic information trickle down to the grassroots level.”
The app is easy to use, and anyone who wishes to make their village a smart village can only download it and feed information to use it to make a difference. What started with one district in Uttar Pradesh was followed by many in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, transforming the lives of people.
Currently working with 20 villages with a focus on 3E development: education, employment-based skills, and entrepreneurship assistance, the initiative is making its presence felt at the grassroots level.
Making an impact
The SmartGaon Mentors program trained 1,500 students in 21st-century skills, including coding and imparting others that leverage technology. An early success was building 243 quality toilets in 48 hours in Taudhakpur with the help of district administration and village support. Security measures, such as CCTV and public address systems, increased PDS distribution from 30% to 90%. School infrastructure improvements boosted attendance from 20 to 140 students, earning an award from the Chief Minister.
The SmartGaon model aims for holistic development, starting with smart schools with clean drinking water and toilets, smart classrooms, cleanliness, tree plantations, beautification, electricity connection, and clean drinking water for each household, healthcare, waste recycling, better road connectivity, and sanitation facilities—all things small and big that have an impact.
The biggest change the SmartGaon initiative has brought about is that many NRIs came forward, bringing with them resources and skills, which created a ripple effect. As Rajnish juggles his job with his initiative (working on the weekends), this has helped create a community of changemakers.
“When you have the passion to do something, you find a way,” smiles the change agent and adds, “When you give 5% of your time to society, you can actually create an impact that future generations can take advantage of. So many people ask me how to give back to their motherland. I say, Do it by giving your time.”
Advise to next gen
As many young Indians seek opportunities abroad in record numbers, Rajnish’s advice is simple and straightforward. He says, “Many youngsters think that language is a barrier as they come from rural backgrounds and cannot speak perfect English. Remember that your ideas are what matter most. If you keep learning, you are in the right direction.”
He also implores the young to not lose touch with their roots (similar to Japanese and Chinese students who move overseas yet remain connected to their values) and think about giving back to society. “While you learn new skills, remember that the same skills are transferable to improving society. From Gen AI to tech transformation, try and ensure that you use them in real life too.”
When not juggling his work, Rajnish loves to spend time with his wife, Ojaswi, traveling to the national parks in US and enjoying the small joys of life.
Rajnish Bajpai’s journey exemplifies Mahatma Gandhi’s wisdom: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. He has demonstrated the impact of what one determined person can make with their passion.
- Learn more about SmartGaon on their website
Great initiative by Rajnishji, His smart gaon program will help our former to explore forming in Bharat,
Dil se Dhanyayavad…. all the best