They prefer to be called the forest castes . They are the 2,000,000 odd villagers living in some 10,000 villages across Orissa. After Independence, timber smugglers and an apathetic government robbed them of the forests they had lived in for decades.

1920s: The British introduced railway lines in Orissa. Commercial exploitation of forests began in a big way. 1930s: In Dhenkanal, people revolted against the king for rights over the forests

Women living in a non descript village in Gujarat revive a defunct dairy, earlier run by men. Today, not only do they churn out 100 per cent profits, they also keep the dairy owners happy

Herbs spell commercial success for villages in Jowahar Valley