In the large compound of TLM Chandkhuri Hospital, in Chhattisgarh, 2.5 acres of land lied waste and vacant for 12 years before Dr Manotosh Elkana, hospital medical superintendent and his team decided to put it to good use. As paddy cultivation is the backbone of the economy of Chhattisgarh (Chhattisgarh is known as the rice bowl of India), they decided to cultivate paddy crop there. Seeds were sown in July-August last year and when the crop was harvested this week, 34 quintals of paddy told the story of how dreams bloomed in a wasteland.

Planting and harvesting were times of great celebration, with the staff and their family members taking an active part. At the end of it, the hospital pocketed a neat profit of around Rs 50,000 by selling the paddy. Mr Manash Roy, business head of the hospital said: “It’s our commitment to using all our resources to bring healing, inclusion, and dignity in the lives of people affected by leprosy.”

Please check out the following link for more photographs: http://bit.ly/2IDzacJ