For the first time since India’s independence in 1947, the national flag was hoisted in four remote tribal hamlets—Udadya, Khaparmaal, Sadri, and Manjnipada—in Maharashtra’s Nandurbar district on August 15, 2025. Nestled in the Satpura range, approximately 500 km from Mumbai and 50 km from the nearest tehsil, these hamlets, home to around 400 residents each, celebrated this historic moment led by the YUNG Foundation, a local NGO dedicated to educational outreach.

Ganesh Pavara, a young teacher at an informal school run by the foundation in Udadya, spearheaded the effort, overcoming challenges like a weak mobile network and lack of electricity to learn how to properly hoist the flag. On Friday, he led a group of 30 children and villagers in raising the Tricolour, a symbol of national pride, in a region untouched by such ceremonies for over seven decades due to the absence of government schools or gram panchayat offices.

Sandeep Deore, founder of the YUNG Foundation, emphasized the initiative’s dual purpose: to mark a historic “first” and to educate tribal communities about their constitutional rights. “The tribals here live independently but may not fully understand their democratic rights,” Deore noted, highlighting issues like exploitation in labor and transactions. The foundation, active in the region for three years, enrolled over 250 children across its four informal schools for the ceremonies, fostering community participation.

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The hamlets face significant challenges, including no road connectivity in places like Sadri, where residents rely on hours-long walks or boats on the Narmada River to access other villages. Electricity remains absent, with most households depending on solar panels. The local Pawari dialect further complicates communication with outsiders. Despite these hurdles, the foundation has earned the trust of locals, with residents like Bhuvaansingh Pavra of Sadri offering their land for schools to ensure better education for future generations.

The YUNG Foundation relies on donations to sustain its teachers and basic infrastructure but cannot provide mid-day meals like government schools, as its facilities are informal. While government-appointed anganwadi workers often avoid these remote areas, exceptions like Aajmibai in Khaparmaal diligently serve their communities.

This milestone flag-hoisting, set against the backdrop of the Narmada River and fertile Satpura hills, not only celebrates India’s 79th Independence Day but also signals a step toward empowering these isolated tribal communities through education and awareness of their rights.

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