{
  "id": 19289952,
  "title": "Social activist Sanjit Bunker Roy dies",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/10/social-activist-sanjit-bunker-roy-dies",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-10T05:39:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/social-activist-sanjit-bunker-roy-dies/article71685040.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Renowned social activist and founder of the Barefoot College, Sanjit Bunker Roy, passed away peacefully at his home in Tilonia, Rajasthan on Tuesday morning. He was 81 years old. Roy's death was mourned by his wife, noted social activist Aruna Roy, and others close to him. A funeral was planned for 4 p.m. in Tilonia.\n\nBunker Roy dedicated over five decades to rural development and women's empowerment. He founded the Barefoot College in 1972, initially in a Rajasthan village, which soon gained international recognition. Roy's philosophy centered on empowering villagers, even those without formal education, to acquire technical skills and solve community problems.\n\nThe Barefoot College focused on training rural people in various fields like solar energy, water conservation, healthcare and livelihood-related activities. A notable program trained women, including those without formal education, to install and maintain solar lighting systems in their villages. This initiative later expanded globally, with women from multiple countries undergoing training at Tilonia.\n\nThe college also implemented rainwater harvesting, rural education, and traditional crafts programs. Roy's development approach was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's ideas of village self-reliance, emphasizing that rural communities should not solely depend on outside experts for basic services.",
  "summary": "Roy founded the Social Work and Research Centre, popularly known as Barefoot College, in Tilonia in 1972",
  "key_points": [
    "Sanjit Bunker Roy, founder of Barefoot College, dies at 81",
    "Founded Barefoot College in 1972 to empower rural communities",
    "Trained women in solar energy, water conservation, healthcare"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Roy’s passing marks the end of a lifelong mission to prove that rural communities can achieve self-reliance through grassroots technical training instead of depending on outside experts.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Social activist Bunker Roy, who founded Barefoot College, dies at 81",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/10/social-activist-bunker-roy-who-founded-barefoot-college-dies-at-81",
        "published": "2026-11-10T05:28:13.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "NDTV",
        "title": "Renowned Social Activist Sanjit \"Bunker\" Roy Dies At 81",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/10/renowned-social-activist-sanjit-bunker-roy-dies-at-81",
        "published": "2026-11-10T05:30:57.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}