Barefoot College founder and social activist Bunker Roy dies at 81

• Renowned social activist and Barefoot College founder Bunker Roy dies at 81 at his home in Tilonia, Rajasthan

• Founded Barefoot College in 1972, empowering rural communities through solar energy, education, healthcare and water conservation

• His pioneering work trained rural women as solar engineers and promoted village self-reliance across India and other countries

Renowned social activist and Barefoot College founder Sanjit Bunker Roy, who dedicated more than five decades to rural development and women's empowerment, died at his home in Tilonia, Rajasthan, on Tuesday morning. He was 81.

Roy breathed his last at 6.15 am in the presence of his wife, noted social activist Aruna Roy, and other close associates, according to a statement issued by people associated with him.

"Bunker Roy passed away peacefully at 6.15 am this morning with Aruna and others around him. He went as he wanted to, in his own home in Tilonia, surrounded by some of the countless people who loved and cared for him deeply and passionately," the statement said.

Activist Nikhil Dey said Roy's funeral would be held in Tilonia at 4 pm on Tuesday.

Roy founded the Social Work and Research Centre, popularly known as Barefoot College, in Tilonia in 1972. What began as a grassroots initiative in a small Rajasthan village eventually grew into an internationally recognised organisation working towards sustainable rural development.

His approach was rooted in the belief that rural communities, including people without formal education, possessed the knowledge and ability to address their own challenges when provided with appropriate training and opportunities.

Under his leadership, Barefoot College developed programmes in solar energy, water conservation, education, healthcare and livelihood generation, with a particular focus on empowering women in rural communities.

One of its most recognised initiatives involved training rural women, including those who had never attended school, to become solar engineers. After receiving practical training in Tilonia, these women returned to their villages to install, operate and maintain solar lighting systems, bringing electricity to households in remote areas.

The initiative eventually expanded beyond India, with women from several countries travelling to Tilonia to receive training and take similar solutions back to their communities.

Barefoot College also undertook projects focused on rainwater harvesting, traditional crafts, rural healthcare and education.

Its educational initiatives included night schools for children who could not attend regular classes because of work or family responsibilities during the day.

Roy's philosophy of development drew heavily from Mahatma Gandhi's vision of village self-reliance. He believed that rural communities should be empowered to manage essential services themselves rather than remain dependent on external experts and institutions.

Through his decades of work, Roy helped establish a model of grassroots development that placed local knowledge, practical skills and women's participation at its centre.

With PTI inputs