Sree Aadithyan
AS part of its ambitious plan to develop ‘100 Model Villages across Tamil Nadu’, the Tamil Nadu Science Forum (TNSF) and MALAR has been spearheading a series of grassroots interventions that merge scientific thinking with community development. The Science Festival at Thirunanthikarai is one of the most vibrant expressions of this vision — a living demonstration of how rationality, collective effort, and scientific temper can reshape rural life from the ground up.
At a time when many communities in India continue to confront fractures along caste and religious lines, the village of Thirunanthikarai in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, has quietly crafted a powerful alternative. Its annual Village Science Festival has evolved from a local celebration into a compelling statement of social imagination — one that asserts that scientific temper, and collective action are essential ingredients for building an egalitarian society.
The guiding philosophy of the organisers is refreshingly direct: “If the younger generation is being divided by caste and religion, then we have a responsibility to unite them through science.” This spirit is not confined to speeches or banners; it is visible in the everyday practices and programmes that the village has sustained over the years.
Celebrating Collective Effort Beyond Caste and Creed
One of the most powerful moments of the event was the recognition of villagers who contributed to local development without any consideration of caste or religious identity. In a rural landscape where such gestures are still rare, Thirunanthikarai’s insistence on honouring human values above inherited social divisions stands out as both courageous and transformative.
The festival also shone a spotlight on the academic achievements of students from the local government school who excelled in the Class 10 public examinations. Their success was celebrated as a collective accomplishment for the community and a testament to its commitment to strengthening public education.
Equally heartwarming was the ceremony welcoming new Class 1 students, reinforcing the message that education is the most powerful social equaliser.
A Feast That Dissolved Divisions
The Village Food Expo, led entirely by homemakers, emerged as one of the festival’s most meaningful symbols. To highlight the numerous cultures that exist even in food, women from across the village prepared dishes in their own homes and brought them together for a shared meal. In breaking bread together, the village reaffirmed a simple but profound truth: human togetherness thrives when people eat, work, and dream beyond barriers. And all assured the truth that we need unity and not uniformity. This basic principle will be the solution for most of problems of polarisation politics.
Village Development Centre: A Beacon of Grassroots Progress
At the heart of these transformations is the Village Development Centre (VDC), a community-driven institution that has become the backbone of Thirunanthikarai’s progress. Each week, the Centre provides: free Wi-Fi; free spoken English classes; free coding workshops; arts and crafts sessions; and sports coaching.
The women’s development programme, in particular, has ensured that many women now earn stable monthly incomes through small enterprises, strengthening family welfare and economic independence.
Long before sustainability became a mainstream slogan, Thirunanthikarai embraced it through its Kitchen Garden Initiative. Free seeds distributed to households encouraged families to grow their own vegetables — a practice that proved lifesaving during the COVID-19 lockdown. Today, the thriving kitchen gardens stand as symbols of resilience and ecological foresight.
Nurturing Scientific Temper Through ‘Thulir Illam’
Tamil Nadu Science Forum, in partnership with the VDC, runs Thulir Illam, a weekly programme aimed at cultivating scientific temper among school and college students. Through experiments, discussions, and community science activities, the programme seeks to dismantle superstitions and build a generation capable of confronting inequality through knowledge.
Rehabilitation Efforts That Protect Vulnerable Youth
The village has also taken a proactive stance against substance abuse. Early identification, community support, and structured rehabilitation have helped many young people rebuild their lives — a model now being observed by neighbouring villages.
A Model for Progressive Rural Development
Thirunanthikarai’s Science Festival is far more than an annual gathering — it is a manifesto for grassroots progress. It illustrates why progressive rural politics continues to matter: because it is grounded in action, accessible knowledge, and the belief that people themselves can shape their future. In an age where divisive narratives seek to weaken social bonds, this small village in Kanyakumari district has shown that science, solidarity, and shared responsibility can chart a different path. Thirunanthikarai stands as a shining reminder that when communities organise with purpose, even the smallest village can become a lighthouse of rationality, dignity, and hope.
