In a village where the school was blown up due to an attempt to establish a security forces camp, the daughter of that village is now on the path to becoming a doctor. Dipa Markam, a 21-year-old tribal woman from Potali village in Dantewada district, scored 412 marks in the NEET exam. At the Dantewada rehabilitation center, located about 50 kilometers from Potali, young people who were previously involved in the Naxalite organization are undergoing training in welding, sewing, and electrical wiring. These two examples, presented during a visit to Bastar, demonstrate the formation of a new direction where skill acts as the main force, rather than weapons.
On one hand, there are those who have abandoned weapons and chosen a life of normalcy. On the other hand, there is youth who, having experienced the influence of Naxalite violence, is striving to achieve professions such as medicine and engineering. There is a common thread between these two images in Bastar. In areas previously associated with Naxalite violence, new initiatives related to education, skill development, rehabilitation, and tourism are emerging.
The Aajtak Dot In team visited many districts of Jagdalpur and Dantewada. Photographs taken during this visit show that alongside security operations, work is being done on another front—integrating youth into mainstream society through education and employment.
Potali village, situated amidst dense forests about 50 kilometers from Dantewada town, was long known for its Naxalite activity. Local residents report that Naxalites blew up the school to prevent the establishment of a security forces camp there. For a long time, education and healthcare remained major problems in the village. Although a primary medical center was built in 2005, it remained closed for nearly two decades due to escalating Naxalite violence. Medical services only resumed on January 1, 2025, and a few months later, in July 2025, the primary school reopened.
Village elders note that after many years of silence, the voices of children have once again been heard in the schoolyard. It is a resident of this village, 21-year-old Dipa Markam, who scored 412 marks in this year's NEET exam and is now awaiting admission to a government medical college. Dipa explains that in her childhood, there was no access to treatment in the village; when a patient fell ill, it took hours to reach the hospital, and their condition often worsened before receiving help. Therefore, she decided to become a doctor. Dipa explains that preparing for the medical entrance exam was not easy. She studied for two years at the 'Chhu Lo Aasman' district administration residential training center, where her daily routine included morning classes, afternoon tests, and self-study at night. Her uncle, Dipa Markam, says that there was never an atmosphere for studying in their village, and successfully passing the exam in such a village has become a source of pride not only for their family but also for neighboring villages. They hope she will become a doctor and serve the people of the region.
Dipa's story is not unique. The 'Chhu Lo Aasman' residential training center in Dantewada has become a major center of hope for students from areas affected by Naxalite activities. This year, 158 students took the NEET here, of whom 21 scored over 300 marks. The main achievement of this institution is that six graduates who received education here are now working as doctors in the Dantewada district. That is, students who came here seeking better education and opportunities are now strengthening the healthcare system in the same region.
Representatives of the training center state that many students from remote villages are leaving their homes for the first time to prepare for competitive exams. Thanks to the provision of accommodation, education, and guidance, it has become easier for them to access fields like medicine and engineering compared to the past.
A similar initiative is visible in Jagdalpur in the form of Gyanagudi. This district administration-run residential training center has become an important hub for students preparing for the NEET exam. According to data, 469 students trained here between 2020 and 2021, of whom 290 successfully passed the exam. Currently, 16 students have enrolled in MBBS, 36 in BSc Nursing, 32 in Pharmacy, 7 in BDS, and many other students have enrolled in various professional courses. In 2024-25, 67 students passed the NEET exam, and a large number of students achieved success this year as well. Most students attending Gyanagudi come from remote tribal villages of Bastar, where just a few years ago, even imagining preparation for competitive exams seemed impossible. One instructor at Gyanagudi notes that the biggest change is visible in the dreams of the children. If previously their thoughts were limited to government service, now students talk about wanting to become doctors, engineers, and scientists.
