Thar Desert

Every monsoon, Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch transforms into a surreal mirror. A thin sheet of water over white salt creates perfect sky reflections. It’s India’s version of Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni!

Wildlife conservationist Sharvan Patel is using a WhatsApp group of 1,000 members, each contributing Rs 365 annually, to restore habitats, protect endangered species, and improve farming practices in Rajasthan.

A government school teacher in Rajasthan, Bheraram Bhakhar has planted more than 4.28 lakh trees to prevent desertification and maintain Thar's ecological balance.

Engineer Gaurav Gurjar along with Afforestt transformed highly saline and infertile land in the Rajasthan desert into a safe habitat for birds, animals and reptiles

Built entirely out of Jaisalmer sandstone by community craftspeople, the Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls School is a stunning example of sustainable architecture and empowerment -- it educates 400 girls from underprivileged families.

Prasannapuri Goswami from Rajasthan has planted thousands of trees on the barren land surrounding Mehrangarh Fort, all because of a childhood dream he nurtured over three decades

Independent French researchers Carlo Oetheimer and Yohann Oetheimer recently published a paper discussing their findings in Thar, Rajasthan, and the discovery of possibly the world's biggest geoglyphs, that surpass the famous Peruvian Nazca lines.

The Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls’ School in Rajasthan was conceptualised by CITTA founder Michael Daube, and designed by US-based architect Diana Kellogg

"I see farmers are spoiling their fields with all sorts of chemical poison. But once I introduced them to organic farming, their profits have spruced up by up to 50%."

Undeterred by displacement from Pakistan during the 1971 war and resettled in the unforgiving Thar Desert, women now living in Bikaner district have used their skills of traditional embroidery to earn a living with dignity. Tarun Kanti Bose takes a closer look.