The Action for Rural Rejuvenation (ARR) initiative is a comprehensive program aimed at improving health and quality of life for the rural poor in Tamil Nadu through medical aid, community support, and indigenous health practices. Established by Isha Foundation in 2003, ARR encompasses mobile health clinics, health awareness camps, and community sports to enhance overall wellness and resilience in rural areas. By March 2011, the program had reached over 3 million villagers across multiple districts, addressing urgent health needs and promoting sustainable living practices.

2. ACTION FOR RURAL REJUVENATION- A SHORT INSIGHT…
Action for Rural Rejuvenation (ARR) initiative is a comprehensive rural rehabilitation program
that provides initial relief for urgent medical needs and ongoing services to restore inner well-
being and rebuild community.
ASPIRING FOR..
ARR’s primary objective is to improve the overall health and quality of life of the rural poor.
ARR is a unique, well-defined philanthropic effort, which enhances existing development
schemes by supporting indigenous models of health, disease prevention and community
participatory governance, while offering primary health care services by allopathic treatment as
well as native system (Siddha, Ayurveda) of medicines through its dedicated team of qualified
and trained personnel.
Throughout this project, health is viewed holistically, involving a multitude of unparalleled
components to create healthier environments and wholesome ways of living, targeting the mind,
body and spirit concurrently.
CURRENTLY OPERATING AT..
7 regional offices (Chennai, Coimbatore, Gobichettipaalayam, Madurai, Salem, Thalavadi and
Kolli Hills) with its Zonal Offices at Salem and Coimbatore. Currently, 15 MHCs are being
operated.
DWELVING INTO THE HISTORY
2003:
The first Mobile Health Clinic was launched in August 2003 in the town of Gobichettipaalayam
in Erode district, Tamil Nadu by Sadhguru, Founder, Isha Foundation.
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3. 2004:
In 2004, when the Asian Tsunami struck the coast of Tamil Nadu, ARR was involved in
rehabilitation work and provided medical aid, support for the reconstruction of houses and boats,
adoption of orphans, impartation of yoga as a means to overall physical and mental well-being
and in community building efforts. ARR also adopted 120 affected villages in Cuddalore and
Nagapattinam districts for long-term rehabilitation. Eight mobile health clinics with an allopathic
physician and a paramedical support team of four each provided medical care every day to nearly
4,000 villages in the affected areas.
2005
ARR also provided aid and support in 2005, when Cuddalore, Chidambaram and Trichy districts
of Tamil Nadu were affected by monsoon floods.
2005-2007
Isha Gramotsavam happened in Gobi, Coimbatore, Salem, Chennai where more than 6 Lakh
rural people participated in the celebrations.
2008
Launch of Arokiya Alai, a series of mass Health awareness camps in rural Tamilnadu,
A trial of ARR in West Africa – Sierra leone.
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4. 2010
Launch of AYUSH Isha Organic Health Systems (www.ishaoutreach.org/ayush), at Kolli Hills
block tribal community in Namakkal District, a first ever public health intervention project
using Siddha, Ayurveda and Yoga for Health care delivery.
Flood Relief Camps were conducted helping the people affected by the flood in the areas of
Nagapattinam and Thriuvarur Districts.
Launch of Patient Monitoring System using IT Application for Public Health Research.
NUANCES OF THE ONGOING JOURNEY….
MOBILE HEALTH CLINICS
An essential part of Action for Rural Rejuvenation are the free Mobile Health Clinics
which provide timely medical care to people who would otherwise not have access due to
financial constraints or the remoteness of the region. Action for Rural Rejuvenation also
brings free yoga classes and introduces medicinal herb gardens which support the health
of villagers through indigenous methods. Another health promoting activity of the project
is the community games organized in each village, which offer a healthy alternative to
alcohol and drug abuse.
Implemented in 4,500 villages across the Coimbatore, Chennai, Erode, Salem, Namakkal,
Karur, Dindigul, Madurai, Theni, Tiruvannamalai, Thiruvallur and Cuddalore districts of
Tamil Nadu and in Chamaraj Nagar in Karnataka, Action for Rural Rejuvenation has
reached 3,161,181 villagers.
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5. RENDERING HANDS FOR NATURE’S FURY--TSUNAMI RELIEF AND REHABILITATION
Isha Foundation was quick in its response to the unprecedented and catastrophic death and
destruction caused by the tsunami on 26th December, 2004. In coastal areas of Chidambaram
and Cuddalore and the devastated villages in Vellankovil and Nagapattanam, thousands of Isha
volunteers from all walks of life tirelessly operated relief camps from the very first day, offering
food, shelter, quality medical assistance and psychological relief to the victims. Specially
designed Isha Yoga classes were also conducted to help those affected cope with the disaster,
through physically and psychologically strengthening tools.
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6. Personally participating in the relief and rehabilitation programs, Sadhguru made several visits to
the affected areas – closely directing and overseeing the process. Eight Mobile Health Clinics
complete with their medical teams, supplies and thousands of volunteers were immediately
moved from their project sites to the coast and put at the disposal of the district administration.
Subsequently, in close working with the district administration, Isha Foundation adopted four
villages in Cuddalore district and completed a model rehabilitation program that was highly
acclaimed by the beneficiary communities and the state administration alike. In addition, Mobile
Health Clinics were permanently dedicated to implementing the project Action for Rural
Rejuvenation in 60 coastal villages.
Isha Foundation delivered its first permanent house to the victims within 30 days of the disaster.
The novel housing design developed promptly by Sadhguru himself, was certified as fire,
earthquake, cyclone and tsunami proof by various institutions. Further, a boat manufacturing
facility was set up on the premises of Isha Yoga Center to respond to the urgent need for fishing
boats (the sole livelihood provider of coastal villagers). Volunteer engineers and professionals
assisted to restore livelihoods lost through the calamity.
REVITALISING THE LOCAL FLAVOUR THROUGH SPORTS - ISHA Gramotsavam
An essential component of the Action for Rural Rejuvenation program had been the introduction
of sports and recreational activities in the rural villages of Tamil Nadu.
Daily gatherings on the volley-ball court help to renew a sense of community by involving
villagers old and young, and men and women from all castes and economic levels. Playing
together fosters a healthy spirit of competition, which translates into higher self-esteem,
improved communal harmony, better health and enhanced productivity.
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7. It is in this spirit that Isha Foundation volunteers organized Gramotsavam or "Rural Olympics
“in Gobi in 2004, Coimbatore in 2005, Salem in 2006 and Chennai in 2007. Through the event,
600 teams from villages in 7 districts competed in over 13 different sport disciplines and
traditional rural games such as Selambu Attam, an ancient martial art, Rekala Race, a bullock
cart race to beat the clock, tug of war, Uri adi (hitting a pot strung on a height), vazhuku maram
or greasy pole contests, Volleyball and Throw ball finals for men and women. Modern track &
field events along with fun filled village games allow spectators of all ages to become
participants in this weekend-long sport festival.
However, Gramotsavam is not just about sports, it also provides an opportunity to celebrate
South India's rural life and culture. The event showcased traditional rural cuisine and local arts
and crafts, while folk songs and dances delighted the 600,000+ attendees.
Moreover Rural Olympics is happening every year at Gobichettipalayam, Erode district
involving more than 200 teams from 160 villages annually since 2004.
AROKIYA ALAI-THE WAVE OF HEALTH among the RURAL COMMUNE
ARR conducts health awareness events and medical camps across Tamil Nadu under the Isha
Arogya Gramam Plan launched in 2008 in order to address the healthcare needs of people in
rural areas. Patients are screened and treated for general health, eye, ENT and dental problems.
The “Wave of Health” or Arokia Alai program also works to support this endeavor by spreading
awareness on nutrition, disease prevention and hygiene and sanitation to the rural people through
talks and media presentations. The Arokia Alai project provides free-of-cost, simple, healthy
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8. dietary solutions to help eradicate malnutrition in villagers. By providing knowledge on diseases
and their symptoms, Arokia Alai seeks to make villagers proactive about their health and enable
them to detect diseases early through the taught symptoms and thus take the necessary action.
A Number of camps are being conducted in various rural villages as a part of Arokiya Alai
Series.
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9. ISHA KRIYA – an ancient yogic tool for sustainable physical as well as inner
wellbeing:
Sadhguru’s vision is to offer “one drop spirituality” to the entire humanity. This is made
possible by Isha Kriya, a simple but powerful 20-minute yogic practice. Daily practice of Isha
Kriya enhances one to reach the heights of physical and inner well being, enabling to create a
better healthy and happy rural society.
Isha Kriya sessions conducted during the Arokiya Alai camps and School Health Awareness
programs has its own impact among the teachers and particularly the elders of the rural
community
R & D:
With increasing patients each and every month, ARR introduced Online Patient Monitoring
System to keep track of the patients and their history online, in collaboration with Yousee
(www.yousee.in) and Swasth India (www.swasthindia.in). Laptops were installed in one Mobile
Health Clinic from October 8, 2010 and Patients Details (including their ID Proof Details) and
Medications are entered. This enables to keep a complete track of patients and gives better
reliability of the figures, whenever needed. This application also has an option for the Medicine
Inventory Management which effectively reduces most of the back office work.
Mobile Clinics at remote villages which lack Network connectivity are provided with hand held
scanners to scan the Patient Cards and being digitized at the Back Office. Currently, five of the
mobile clinics are digitized. This initiative will progress with further advancements like
Telemedicine.
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10. ARR IN DIGITS & FIGURES as of march 31, 2011
TOTAL NUMBER OF PANCHYATS REACHED: 665
TOTAL NO OF VILLAGES TOUCHED: 4,500
TOTAL NUMBER OF MOBILE HEALTH CLINICS: 15
TOTAL NO OF MEDICAL BENEFICIARIES: 3,161,181
AVG PATIENTS PER DAY PER CLINIC: 124
TOTAL NO OF CAMPS CONDUCTED: 1,861
TOTAL NO OF CAMP BENEFICIARIES: 293,689
STATIstiCS 2010-11:
 Districts covered- 14 - Coimbatore, Erode, Karur, Namakkal, Salem, Trichy, Perambalur,
Chennai, Thiruvallur, Dindigul, Madurai, Theni, Palakkad (Kerala), Chamraj Nagar
(Karnataka)
 In 2010, Isha’s mobile health teams treated 3,72,976 out patients in the regular Mobile
clinics, an average of 31,081 patients per month and 1,036 per day.

 Isha has offered its service in the flood affected regions of Thiruvarur and Nagapattinam
Districts in December 2010.

LINKS OVER THE WEB:
website: www.ishaoutreach.org
updates: www.facebook.com/pages/Action-For-Rural-Rejuvenation/219507781407290
presentations: www.slideshare.net/IshaARR
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Dr.SANJEEVI AWARD FOR THE YEAR 2009.
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11. Some Analysis:
 The percentage of female benefitted by the overall program is 62.1%
 An interesting trend too is evident while comparing the age distribution of OutPatients
attended between MHCs that operate in Rural versus Urban area. The clinics that
operate in predominantly areas like Gobichettipalayam and Rural Salem have 50% of
their patient visits belonging to Geriatric Category. In contrast, Urban areas like Chennai
and Urban Coimbatore have a very high percentage of Out Patients attended belonging
to the working age.
Clinic Name
Total Number of Out Patient visits: 3,72,976 Chennai MHC 1 8.5%
Chennai MHC 2 6.5%
50000
45000 Coimbatore
5.6%
MHC 1
40000
Coimbatore
7.7%
35000 MHC 2
30000
Coimbatore
6.9%
MHC 3
25000
Gobi MHC 1 8.3%
20000
Gobi MHC 2 8.5%
15000
Gobi MHC 3 8.1%
10000
Madurai MHC 8.0%
5000
0 Salem MHC 1 6.9%
Salem MHC 2 6.1%
Salem MHC 3 11.9%
Salem MHC 4 7.0%
Grand Total 100%
Gender distribution
30000
Male
Female
25000
20000
15000
10000
Gender distribution
5000
0 Male
38%
Female
62%
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12. Age distribution
25000
Adults
Pediatrics
Geriatrics
20000
15000
Rural
10000
Urban
5000
Geriatrics Adult
0 40% 46%
Pediatrics
14%
Disease Pattern
Musculo
skeletal
related
Others 29%
Nutritional
20%
5%
Infections &
Infestations
5%
Digestive Respiratory
8% Skin & RTI Circulatory 17%
8% 8%
 The major complaints are pain in joints, generalised body pain, cough and cold.
 Apart from the medicines given as treatment of these commonly prevailing ailments,
the medical team is teaching the patients- Isha Kriya, a 12 minute simple yogic practice,
which promotes health.
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13. How you can participate?
Tribute gift: Express your respect, gratitude, or remembrance with a donation that will help Isha build a
better life in rural villages. Celebrate a special anniversary with a gift that improves rural and urban slum
dwellers health care.
Volunteer: You can assemble and deliver health care along with the clinics, disseminate health
education messages, spending time with the village people and urban slum dwellers, in whichever way
you can..
For details:
+91 94425 90016, 25, 58, 85
Operations.arr@ishaoutreach.org
swami.pranaka@ishaoutreach.org
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