The Kickass Rural India: 10 Super Cool Villages Every Indian Will Be Proud Of

Now India might to some of us come across as a nation that is slightly backwards especially when it comes to the rural population. The various crimes like rapes, theft, molestation, child marriage, etc. in Indian villages could make one wonder as to when things will ever change. With rapid growth in our economy, our villages also want to race up to the top and prove all the myths wrong about the rural side of India.

Whilst the urban crowd is all busy in reaching the topmost place there is on the success ladder, the otherwise laid back villages of India have done some serious work that we could never imagine. Here are 10 super villages that will make every Indian proud.

The Village Of Millionaires - Hiware Bazar

Noted for its irrigation system and water conservation program, Hiware Bazar has fought the drought and drinking water problems. The village witnessed a turnaround of their fortunes when Popatrao Baguji Pawar won the gram panchayat election in 1990. Under his supervision the village has blossomed with a record of 60 millionaires in the village.

Asia's Cleanest Village - Mawlynnong

Mawlynnong is a village in the East Khasi Hills district of the Meghalaya. Mawlynnong is famous for its matrilineal society as well as having been dubbed Asia's cleanest village. The waste is collected in the dustbins made of bamboo, directed to a pit and then used as manure.

The Village With Wifi And CCTV - Punsari

Punsari, located in Gujarat, puts most metros to shame. Funded by the Indian government and the village's own funding model, Punsari is no NRI-blessed zone. The village also boasts of a mini-bus commute system and various other facilities.

The First Fully Solar-Powered Village - Dharnai

Dharnai, a village in Bihar, beat 30 years of darkness by developing its own solar-powered system for electricity. Dharnai has declared itself an energy-independent village. Students no long need to limit their studies to the day time, women no longer limit themselves to stepping out in the day in this village of 2400 residents.

A Village With 100% Literacy Rate - Pothanikkad

Pothanikkad or Pothanicad is a village in Ernakulam in Kerala. It's also the first village in India to achieve 100% literacy in India.

A Village Where Sweets Are Distributed When A Girl Is Born - Chappar

Chhapar is a small town in the Churu district of Rajasthan. This small village had witnessed a sharp decline in the number of girls per male, the new feisty sarpanch Neelam made it a point to change that. Since her appointment, she executed several policies to foster the equality between men and women. Now the whole village celebrates when a girl child is born and sweets are distributed. Also the women in the village do not wear the 'ghunghat' any more.

The Village That Beat Arsenic Poisoning - Ballia

A small village in the state of Uttar Pradesh that faced the serious problem of poisoning because of high levels of arsenic in their water. The government introduced the hand-pumps in the area which further escalated the problem. The water from the hand-pumps contained high level of arsenic. The villagers took it to task to fix their old wells to get rid of the problem.

The Village That Curbed Open Defecation By Saying Good Morning - Bekkinakeri

Bekkinakeri is a village in Belgaum district in the southern state of Karnataka. The villagers have found an innovative way to curb the practise of open defecation in the village. The elders which comprise of local gram panchayat members and anganwadi "courtyard shelter" teachers hang around open spaces used for open defecation from 5.30 am to 8 am and say "good morning" to the people heading there, they also share the benefits of toilets to these people.

The Village With No Doors - Shani Shingnapur

Shingnapur is famous for the fact that no house in the village has doors, only door frames. Despite this, no theft was reported in the village. In January 2011, the United Commercial (UCO) Bank opened a 'lockless' branch in the village, the first of its kind in the country.

A Village That Believes In Conserving Nature - Kokrebellur

This small village in Karnataka is light years ahead of their urban peers when it comes to conservation of nature. While most villagers consider birds a nuisance, the villagers of Kokrebellur consider these birds to be their companions. They have even created a special clinic for wounded birds.