In Jharkhand, in eastern India, the land is rich but the people are poor. It´s the second most resource-rich state in the country, but 39% of the population lives below the poverty line. In the capital, Ranchi, luxury hotels and retail shops crowd the main roads. Businesspeople travel to the city to deal in Jharkhand´s natural resources: iron ore, copper, uranium. Once you leave Ranchi, it´s easier to get a grasp of Jharkhand´s landscape: sprawling fields, shady trees, and long, winding roads. Small, square ponds appear by the sides of the road, with steps that indicate they´re man-made-an old-fashioned system for water preservation that´s currently going through a revival. As we drive...
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