This document describes an initiative called "Mera Gaon Mera Base" that aims to connect urban and rural youth in India. It is a design competition open to engineering and architecture students, challenging them to visit villages, identify problems, and propose solutions. The goal is for students to engage with their roots by visiting villages and using their skills and education to help improve rural communities through infrastructure, public spaces, and other developments that enhance quality of life. Guidelines provide criteria for village selection, documentation, problem analysis, and feasible, implementable solution designs.

1. presents
India’s first & largest initiative to connect urban & rural young India

2. The young travel the world
in search of what they need,
only to return home and find it.

3. All things must come to the soul from its roots,
from where it is planted.

4. Leave the city of your comfort,
Go into the wilderness of your intuition.
What you'll discover will be wonderful.
What you'll discover is yourself.

5. There is nothing like returning to a place that is unchanged
to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.

6. CONCEPT
INDIA’S FIRST EVER COMPETITION TO CAPTURE DESIGN SOLUTIONS FOR INDIA’S VILLAGES
•Open to engineering and architecture college students … traversing 6,45,000 villages.
•An unprecedented effort to thread India’s past and its future

7. AIM
Mera Gaon Mera Base wants every young Indian engineer and architect to trace their roots,
return to his/her village and design solutions…and tell us how they want to re-imagine their
villages.

8. BACKGROUND
THE VILLAGE AS THE BACKBONE OF INDIA
India has seen an unprecedented economic growth in the last few decades primarily because of
urban activities. But it would be short sighted to limit the definition of ‘developed India’ to its
urban centers and the term must necessarily include the development of the backbone of India-
its rural strength. Scattered throughout India are more than 6, 45,000 villages. These settlements
range from tiny hamlets of thatched huts to larger settlements of tile-roofed stone and brick
houses. It is in these villages that India's most basic occupation-agriculture-takes place, which
accomplishes the challenging task of feeding our nation. It is our firm belief that villages in India
should be evolving as one of our strengths and on par with urban India, if India is to aim for
sustained growth.

9. BACKGROUND
THE NEED FOR ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE INTERVENTION IN VILLAGES
Mahatma Gandhi said “India lives in her villages.” Today our villages are languishing due to the
lack of - political will, availability of resources and most importantly abject neglect by the
intellectual capital of the country. Among the many problems faced by the village, we have
identified the lack of engineering and architecture initiatives to be a crucial one. From limited or
no access to design talent, technology and new and improved building methods, our villages are
being forced to remain as crumbling units of a derelict past. Therefore, there is a need to address
the problem and bridge the need for talent and the availability of the same.
The time has come for our engineering and architecture students to help in building better
villages which will not just improve portals for rural access but will also empower a growing India
and her talents.

10. CRITERIA
• MERA VILLAGE
 Maximum of 2 paved/pucca roads through the village.
 No regulated municipal water supply/electricity.
 Nearest hospital/police station is more than 5km away.
 No high school.
 Atleast 50% of families are BPL (Below Poverty Level).
Weightage will be given to the choice of village. It should not be an urban agglomeration or small town.
• LOOK WITH YOUR EYES AND HEART
 Observe, listen to what the people have to say.
 Take photographs/make a documentary that describes the village, its people and problems.
The documentation of how the issue/s are highlighted will be an important aspect.
• ANALYSE
 Understand the issues facing the people.
 And what can make their lives better.
• SOLVE
Provide a solution to either one or multiple issues that you observe.
The design solution will be carefully scrutinized for suitability and feasibility.

11. THE CHALLENGE
FOR STUDENTS OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
The Challenge
We are pleased to present students of civil engineering (Year 1-4) with a unique opportunity to propose real
time, solutions for an existing infrastructure/ engineering design problem in a village. The students are
expected to study and analyse a village of their choice and propose viable solutions to critical problems faced
by the village.
Challenge Outline
It is imperative that the Team identifies and does a site visit of the village (Minimum duration of visit: 3-4
days) for which the design is proposed.
While it is not mandatory, the practice of maintaining an online diary/ blog, about the student’s experiences in
the village, is encouraged to add to the richness of the idea. The same would be a criterion for evaluation of
the entry by the jury panel.
The Blog must elaborate on the following questions:
•What are the strengths and weaknesses of the village?
•What is the village’s economic structure?
•How have the villagers dealt with some of their problems?
•What is the student’s learning from the village and its people?

12. THE CHALLENGE
The scope of problems includes:
•Lack of infrastructure
•Water Resources
•Rain Water Harvesting
•Sewage Treatment
•Human Comfort
And others…
The scope of solutions includes:
•Infrastructure Engineering
•Water Resources Engineering
•Structural Engineering
•Sanitary Engineering
And others…

13. THE CHALLENGE
The proposed solution (descriptive component- not more than 750 words)
Brief Background Note:
Why a particular village was selected.
Documentation and a clear articulation of the existing problem and all facts associated.
Brief note on the brainstorming leading up to the solution.
The Idea
Concept sheet (the participant can choose to represent his idea visually through sketches,
renderings, and a walkthrough. It is recommended that students use the medium of
sketches also instead of only computer aided tools for their entry.)
Technical drawings as appropriate: site plans, plan, sections and elevations
Design details and perspective views
The participant can in addition also make a film, not more than 5 minutes/ a photo feature or use
any other medium to support the proposed idea. While this is not mandatory we aggressively
encourage every participant/s to do so.

14. IMPORTANT GUIDELINES
The solution should:
...be contextual
...show initiative and innovative thinking
...maximize the local intangible heritage
...be feasible, cost effective and long term
...be implementable by ‘locals’
...be evolved from local materials/ resources as far as possible (sourced within a 150 km radius
around the village)
...be replicable
...be simple, clear and original - from idea to presentation

15. THE CHALLENGE
FOR STUDENTS OF ARCHITECTURE
The Challenge
We are pleased to present students (Year 1-5) with a unique opportunity to propose design solutions for an
existing design problem in a village. The students are expected to study and analyse the village and propose
viable solutions to critical problems faced by the village.
Challenge Outline
It is imperative that the Team identifies and does a site visit of the village (Minimum duration of visit: 3-4
days) for which the design is proposed.
While it is not mandatory, the practice of maintaining an online diary/ blog, about the student’s experiences in
the village, is encouraged to add to the richness of the idea. The same would be a criterion for evaluation of
the entry by the jury panel.
The Blog must elaborate on the following questions:
•What are the strengths and weaknesses of the village?
•What is the village’s economic structure?
•How have the villagers dealt with some of their problems?
•What is the student’s learning from the village and its people?

16. THE CHALLENGE
The scope of problems includes:
•Lack of public infrastructure/ institutions
•Lack of community spaces
•Dying local heritage/ crafts
•Human Comfort
And others…
The scope of solutions includes:
•Public infrastructure/ institutions (Schools, Colleges, etc)
•Community spaces
•Entertainment/ Play areas
And others…

17. THE CHALLENGE
The proposed solution (descriptive component- not more than 750 words)
Brief Background Note:
• Why a particular village was selected.
• Documentation and a clear articulation of the existing problem and all facts associated.
• Brief note on the brainstorming leading up to the solution.
The Idea
• Concept sheet (the participant can choose to represent his idea visually through sketches,
renderings, and a walkthrough. It is recommended that students use the medium of sketches
also instead of only computer aided tools for their entry.)
• Technical drawings as appropriate: site plans, plan, sections and elevations
• Design details and perspective views
The participant can in addition also make a film, not more than 5 minutes/ a photo feature or use
any other medium to support the proposed idea. While this is not mandatory we aggressively
encourage every participant/s to do so.

18. IMPORTANT GUIDELINES
The solution should:
...be contextual
...show initiative and innovative thinking
...maximize the local intangible heritage
...be feasible, cost effective and long term
...be implementable by ‘locals’
...be evolved from local materials/ resources as far as possible (sourced within a 150 km radius
around the village)
...be replicable
...be simple, clear and original - from idea to presentation

19. RESPONSES TO THE CONCEPT
“ What a remarkable idea!!
Can only wait for the response of young minds...well done "
-B. V. Doshi
"I thought the idea of a village will die with my generation.
I am so glad there is a body that will introduce the youngster to
embrace and reimagine his past. I wish the idea all the very best…
-Kamal Hadker

20. ELIGIBILITY
Are you:
•An architecture student from a college recognized by the Council of Architecture (COA)?
Or
•Engineering student from a degree college, recognized by the Indian Institute of Engineers?
•Like travelling new places and exploring unknown spaces?
•Are you intelligent, sharp and yet sensitive?
•Are you game to play the most challenging reality game of your life?
If the answer to all the above is YES, you are eligible to participate in Mera Gaon Mera Base.
•You can participate individually or in groups of 3, from the same college.
•You can send in a maximum of 3 entries per participant, if so desired, but each entry should be
for a different village.
The important thing is to GO, OBSERVE, UNDERSTAND AND IDEATE.

21. SCHEDULE
Competition Launch | 15th August, 2012
Submission Closes | 22nd November, 2012
Register today Online
Log on www.meragaonmerabase.com
Post your comments/queries/compliments on
https://www.facebook.com/meragaonmerabase

22. THANK YOU
www.meragaonmerabase.com