Research and Publications

PUNARCHITH, alongside partners, engages in continuous research on themes and issues that are pertinent to rural India. The following research studies have been completed over the years:

Research on Social Boycott

Based on many years of observations and discussions with several aggrieved families who had been subjected to various forms of social boycott by families, caste members or village residents, we decided to first understand these issues and also address it at the community levels. Focusing on the issue of social boycott of persons and couples who were in inter-caste marriages, we had a team from Alternative Law Forum (ALF) and All India Lawyers Association for Justice AILAJ) conduct a field review and report in 2023. Based on this report and the fact that the Government of Karnataka has now passed a legislation against social boycotts, we have now conducted field reviews as to how such a legislation can gain social traction in the district. A report by Amulya Leona, a student from the National Law School, Bengaluru, provides a broad summary of the situation and highlights ways to enhance people’s awareness about such legislation.

AADI: Revitalising Adivasi Knowledge

From 2022-2024, Punarchith coordinated the “AADHI” programme, which facilitated the inter-generational transfer of knowledge among the Soliga/Solega tribal community in B.R. Hills. This program was conceptualized by Dr. Samira Agnihotri, and was a response to concerns from Solega elders about the serious loss of their knowledge and practices occuring across generations. It was successful in co-creating a repository of Solega traditional knowledge through documentation, working closely with Solega and other Adivasi youth and elders, and hosting meetings with local administrators. The project included the publishing of a Solega alphabet chart in 2023 that is accompanied by a guidebook with suggestions for games and activities that can be conducted using the chart, the launching of a Youtube channel to share Solega Traditional Knowledge, and participation of Solega elder in an Azim Premji University festival that reached hundreds, among other activities.

Climate Change: From December 2022 to March 2023, Sindhuja Sarasram, a masters’ student of Architecture, conducted field research in the Nagavalli area developed a thesis on “Climate Change: Adaptation for at-risk dryland rural landscapes through landscape management strategies: A Case of Nagavalli Village Environs, Chamarajanagar, Karnataka” for her Masters in Landscape, under the guidance of Saurabh Popli, School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal. The thesis reviews climate-change adaptation at the marginal farm level and highlights good farming practices and strategies for ‘Landscape Health’. Details from this study include the impact of human activities and its intertwining with climate change to degrade agricultural and rural landscapes.

SWA-ARTH: SAMUHIKA VOLTHINEDEGONDU PAYANA (SELF-UNDERSTANDING: A JOURNEY TOWARDS COLLECTIVE GOOD). Is a reflexive autobiography by Neelima and Dileep Kamat and traces their engagements with public awareness and movements. Punarchith facilitated the interviews, the compilation and design of this book which was released in 2025 in both Bengaluru and Belgaum and a detailed discussion was held again in November 2025 at Angarike Maala.

In 2022-23, we compiled some of the key progressive songs that are sung in PUNARCHITH into a book called ‘JanaSwara’ or ‘People’s Chorus’. Two songs composed by Punarchith team members are also included here
During the 2021-22 year, Dr. P. Veerabhadranaika edited a volume with five case studies of government schools in Chamarajanagar District. The volume was published by Azim Premji Foundation and was released at a meeting organised by the district education office at Chamarajanagar.
Publication on Climate Change: Translation of Nagraj Adve’s small booklet on climate change into Kannada (by K.P.Suresh). This was published as a Punarchith publication. We have distributed copies of this booklet during our varied training programs and some of it has been sold by the publisher.
In 2021, Joshua Lobo, along with the Institute of Rural Management Anand, published a paper titled “Dry Grain Complex: A Case Study of Chamarajanagar District, Karnataka”

Dry Grain Complex, by Joshua Lobo. (pdf attached)

In 2020-21, two key publications emerged as a result of Punarchith’s engagement with larger networks and organisations. These are: “Rethinking Mass Higher Education: Towards Community Integrated Learning Centres’ (Published by UNESCO, Paris), and is one of the 30 reports from across the world which feed into UNESCO’s ‘Learning Futures’ program. The second is the release of the Report, “State of Rural and Agrarian India, 2020: Rethinking Productivity and Populism through Alternative Approaches’ which was released on November 30th, 2020 via a webinar release and discussion. The latter was translated to Kannada in 2022, continues to be sold widely.
Open ebook (Rethinking Mass Higher Education)
Open ebook (State of Rural and Agrarian India, 2020)
After working on his manuscript for several years, P.Veerabhadranaika was able to have his book on the state of education in Ashramshalas and among tribals of Chamarajanagar district published in Kannada in 2018. It is called ‘Nijaru’: Adivasi Jeevana Mathu Shikshanada Sitantaragalu’ [Adivasi Life and the state of Education].
UPPASARU (published in 2017) is our compilation of local recipes (collected by the ILP learners and core team members) and consists of recipes using local edibles. The book was designed by Abhisheka K and is meant to promote local cuisine as a way to also sustain local food cultures and ensure food sovereignty
In 2014-15, having completed the research study on ‘new lease agriculture’ in the Punanjur belt, the team’s report on the study has been submitted to the Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture group, Hyderabad, who sponsored the study. A Kannada version of this report was developed by P. Veerabhadranaika and submitted to a popular Kannada newspaper.
Open ebook