- The AGM became a canvas for deep reflection, meaningful renewal, and collective realignment.
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Participants included core team members from different parts of the country-Mrigendra, Amol, Neeraj, Rahul, Hemant & Vithika; the gathering took place in our first Community Learning Center- Surta Se Srajan, Dakkotola, Chhattisgarh.
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The gathering spanned 3 days, followed by an exposure visit into the heart of Chhattisgarh, Bastar.
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We began by returning to where it all started—from three people to now a core team and growing group of mentors.
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We reviewed Pipilitara’s 3-year journey—its projects, communication flow, finances, administrative aspect, team capacity- well being & most importantly what systemic changes we need to bring.
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Each team member took time to reflect on how they’ve grown and spoke about a moment or task they felt deeply connected to on the ground.
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A powerful session unfolded where each person shared their life journey—marked with turning points, pauses, struggles, triumphs, and things left unsaid despite working closely.
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These presentations often lasted an hour, filled with honesty, laughter, tears, and moments of silence that carried their own meaning.
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A unique team-building activity followed—a blindfolded sensory game that invited us to trust, move, and listen in new ways.
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With our usual senses shut, we discovered how much of our teamwork depends on instinct, care, and awareness.
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The one-on-one conversations, group interactions, and even the quietness between sessions created a rare space of human connection.
- These deep sharings helped us understand how to support each other better, give space when needed, and move through conflict with grace.
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Evenings brought their own rhythm. We cooked with limited resources, shared simple meals, read books, went on long walks, and sat together in quiet companionship.
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We were joined by Mrs. Sunanda Muhurle, President of Samagra Srishti Samaj Sevi Sanstha (S5), and Jaydev ji, a committed volunteer and community link.
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They shared reflections from their longstanding work in the region and their aspirations for the year ahead.
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The discussion moved into planning a community visioning workshop in Sansaargadh on the theme of NTFP (Non-Timber Forest Produce) & Livelihood with five villages: Padki, Chirchari, Sonoli, Sansaargadh, and Bhurbhusi. The series of workshop will later get culminated into community festival in the month of February (tentatively) 2026.
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The field exposure began with a visit to Lakhanpuri where we met the team at Bastar se Bazaar Tak—an initiative started by alumni of Azim Premji University.
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We observed how their for-profit enterprise mirrored the development sector in vision, systems, and commitment to long-term growth.
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One key insight was the need for decentralized systems that can carry the work forward, even if individuals move on.
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The visit affirmed that strong vision, clarity of values, and consistent collaboration are the backbone of sustainable work—whether in business or community initiatives.
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The journey continued into the forests of Jagdalpur, reaching villages nestled deep within.
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These communities live in close relationship with animals, forest cycles, and ancestral knowledge systems.
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Their ways of life are self-sustaining—rooted in forest produce, small-scale agriculture, and inherited wisdom.
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For many of us, it was a revelation. While cities preach sustainability, these communities live it—with quiet grace and fierce dignity.
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Traveling together revealed each person’s working style, energy levels, and emotional thresholds.
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We came to understand what gives each of us energy, what triggers stress, and how to support each other in real, practical ways.
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It allowed us to see beyond our functional roles—to truly see the human behind the teammate.
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This AGM wasn’t just about planning our year—it was a pause, a reflection, and a recommitment.
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What we take back are not just tasks and action points—but memories, insights, and deeper bonds with each other and the communities we stand beside.
