It was a book by Vivekananda that made him feel there was more to life than driving anarmy truck in the Punjab. Hazare quit at 25, returned to his village, and decided to dosomething about the daily quest for potable water and grain. A programme of action builtaround watershed development, water management—utilising rainwater trapped incatchment areas to recharge underground reserves—and agriculture development finallygave Ralegaon Siddhi 1,200 acres of fertile farmland.
For 18 years now, Hazare hasn’t been home. And for a man of such spartan habits,it’s natural that awards (he returned a Padma Shri) are less satisfying than thesight of trucks loaded with varied produce that leave the village for other parts ofMaharashtra and across its borders.
