Renowned social activist and Barefoot College founder Sanjit Bunker Roy, who turned a small Rajasthan village into an internationally recognised centre for rural development and women’s empowerment, died at his home in Tilonia in Rajasthan’s Ajmer on the morning of November 10. He was 81.

Roy, who spent more than five decades working to make rural communities self-reliant, breathed his last at 6.15 am in the presence of his wife, noted social activist Aruna Roy, and others close to him. His death was announced by the Social Work and Research Centre (SWRC), popularly known as Barefoot College, which he founded in 1972.

“He went peacefully as he wanted to in his own home in Tilonia, surrounded by Aruna and some of the countless people who loved and cared for him deeply,” the institution said in a statement.

Roy was cremated at Tilonia on Tuesday evening in the presence of a large number of activists and people who worked with him over the years. The funeral was attended by former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who paid floral tributes to Roy on behalf of the top Congress leadership, including Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and K.C. Venugopal. Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot, Jairam Ramesh, Shashi Tharoor, and Sachin Pilot were among those who expressed grief over Roy’s demise.

Gehlot said Roy made significant contributions to rural self-reliance, education, and development by following the principles of Mahatma Gandhi. He said Roy devoted his life to empowering villages and improving the lives of underprivileged people.

Recalling his long association with the activist, the former Chief Minister said he had recently visited Barefoot College and met Roy. In a post on X, Gehlot said Roy left a lasting impression through his social work and would always be remembered for his contributions to rural development, education, and other fields. He also offered condolences to the bereaved family.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh described Roy as a pioneer institution builder in civil society who inspired hundreds of young men and women to take up social work. “After a fine education and excelling in sports, in 1972 he decided to devote his life to social activism and rural development, based in Tilonia in Ajmer district,” Ramesh said in a post on X.

He said that Barefoot College stood as a testimony to Roy’s commitment to rural development and social change. Ramesh also recalled Roy’s association with former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and his role in creating opportunities for voluntary organisations to participate in government development programmes. He added that the activist worked with Sam Pitroda in implementing technology missions, particularly those concerning drinking water, immunisation, and adult literacy.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor described Roy, his senior from St Stephen’s College, as a visionary social activist and educator who challenged conventional ideas about education and expertise. “His extraordinary vision of training rural grandmothers into ‘Barefoot Solar Engineers’ illuminated thousands of off-grid homes across India and the developing world,” Tharoor said.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot said Roy’s contribution to rural empowerment would always be remembered. “Through the Barefoot College in Tilonia, he transformed the lives of countless people in rural communities by empowering them, especially women,” Pilot said, extending his condolences to the activist’s family.

According to a note issued by Barefoot College, Roy’s journey into social work began after he witnessed the suffering caused by the Bihar famine of 1966-67. In 1967, he decided to leave behind the prospect of a conventional career following his privileged education and work among rural communities. He eventually reached Tilonia, where he began working alongside a farmer named Meghraj on digging open wells for groundwater recharge in the water-scarce region.

In 1972, he established the Social Work and Research Centre, which became known worldwide as Barefoot College. The institution was founded on the belief that rural people, even those without formal education, possessed the knowledge and skills needed to solve problems in their communities. Drawing inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi’s principles of self-reliance and decentralisation, Roy developed programmes in solar energy, water conservation, education, healthcare, livelihoods, and women’s empowerment.

One of the institution’s best-known initiatives was training rural women, many of whom had never attended school, to become solar engineers. Popularly known as “Solar Mamas”, these women learned to install and maintain solar lighting systems and brought electricity to remote villages. The programme eventually expanded beyond India, bringing women from different countries to Tilonia for training before they returned to their communities.

Barefoot College also established night schools for children who could not attend regular classes because they worked or helped their families during the day. Its other initiatives included rainwater harvesting, community-based water management, healthcare, and support for traditional livelihoods.

Roy believed that development programmes should be designed and managed by local communities rather than depending entirely on outside experts. His work helped establish Tilonia as a centre for grassroots learning and innovation, attracting development workers and rural women from across the world.

Roy received several national and international honours for his work. He was awarded the Jamnalal Bajaj Award for Application of Science and Technology for Rural Development in 1985 and the Padma Shri in 1986. His international honours included the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement in 2004, the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship in 2005, and the Blue Planet Prize in 2011. In 2010, TIME magazine named him among the world’s 100 most influential people. He also received the Clinton Global Citizen Award in 2013.

The institution recalled one of Roy’s guiding beliefs: “There are no failures in Tilonia, every failure is a beginning. Everyone had a chance in Tilonia. This is a place for cop-outs, drop-outs, and washouts.”

In its tribute, Barefoot College said Roy’s contribution extended far beyond the institution he founded: “His legacy will live on in the countless lives he transformed across the world,” it said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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