Siraj Barbhuiya, Founder and Director of Barak & Brazos Engineering, is not only a name associated with engineering excellence but also someone whose vision transcends boardrooms and business metrics. His recent visit to Deoria, a relatively unheard-of place tucked away in rural India, reflects a deeper commitment one rooted in transformation, inclusion, and nation-building. The story he shared is not one of mere observation, but a call to action. Through this visit and his engagement with grassroots change-makers, Siraj Barbhuiya is shedding light on the emerging heartbeat of a Viksit Bharat.
Siraj Barbhuiya had the opportunity to witness something quietly revolutionary in Deoria. What he saw there was more than just an initiative it was a living ecosystem of change. At the center of this transformation is Amrit Prayas, a 10-year mission founded by Shashank Mani, a Member of Parliament and the founder of Jagriti. This initiative aims to unite government, civil society, and the private sector to redefine the future of rural India. For someone like Siraj Barbhuiya, who operates at the intersection of innovation and enterprise, this mission resonated deeply.
But what truly moved him wasn’t just the policy framework or the grand vision it was the real story of an individual’s courage. The story of Mrs. Poonam Nigam, affectionately called the Badi Bahu of her joint family, is the kind of story that represents the soul of this initiative. In 2021, as India was emerging from the shadows of the pandemic, Poonam didn’t wait for external help. With just a mobile phone and unwavering determination, she launched Gaurishankar Udhyog, a small camphor manufacturing unit. No prior experience, no funding cushion just grit.
Siraj Barbhuiya emphasized how Mrs. Nigam’s journey stands as a testament to the untapped potential that exists in rural India. Within just three years, she turned a modest beginning of ₹9 lakhs into a thriving ₹50 lakh business. She didn’t just uplift her family she became a symbol of resilience, resourcefulness, and relentless progress. Her success was nurtured by the ecosystem built by Jagriti, but it was her will that drove it forward.
What Siraj Barbhuiya saw in Deoria is a snapshot of what could be replicated across thousands of villages. And it is this realization that fuels his passion further. The story of Deoria, in his words, is not just about one village’s rise it’s about India’s future taking root in places often overlooked.
As an engineer and entrepreneur, Siraj Barbhuiya understands the importance of systems. But more importantly, he sees the value in human capital especially in places where people are building dreams with fewer resources but greater resilience. His voice adds weight to a crucial narrative: that development must not remain confined to metros and urban corridors. It must flow into the heartlands, where people like Mrs. Nigam are writing their own success stories.
Siraj Barbhuiya believes that creating self-reliant, empowered villages is not just a noble idea it’s a practical necessity for building a sustainable, inclusive India. His support for initiatives like Amrit Prayas reflects his belief in collaborative progress, where private enterprise works hand-in-hand with government and civil society. And more importantly, it highlights his ability to look beyond profit and policy to see purpose.
It’s easy in the world of leadership to get caught up in metrics, awards, and expansion strategies. But Siraj Barbhuiya reminds us that true leadership lies in identifying where the real battles of progress are being fought and amplifying those voices. His admiration for grassroots entrepreneurs isn’t about romanticizing poverty, but about recognizing strength where the world sees struggle.
In telling the story of Deoria and Poonam Nigam, Siraj Barbhuiya is telling us to look again to shift our gaze from what’s missing to what’s emerging. There is a powerful message in his words: that innovation doesn’t always wear a suit or operate from a glass tower. Sometimes, it’s a woman in a rural home, armed with a phone, learning through YouTube, and daring to believe in her dreams.
The rise of real India, as Siraj Barbhuiya sees it, is not a distant dream it’s already happening. And it’s time we recognize these sparks and fan them into flames of progress. He believes that if we can support and scale such stories, we can reimagine India’s growth story one that is inclusive, localized, and rooted in resilience.
Siraj Barbhuiya’s reflections from Deoria offer more than inspiration they offer direction. They ask leaders, entrepreneurs, and citizens to step beyond comfort zones and participate in building ecosystems that foster dignity and opportunity. By shining a light on stories that often remain untold, he urges us to rethink development not just in terms of numbers, but in terms of lives transformed.
Siraj Barbhuiya doesn’t just share stories. He activates them. His engagement with grassroots change-makers and initiatives like Amrit Prayas is a reminder that real impact begins where empathy meets action. His journey to Deoria may have lasted just a few days, but its echo will travel far and wide if we choose to listen.
In a time when India is chasing ambitious goals for 2047, it’s people like Siraj Barbhuiya who help bridge the gap between vision and reality. Not with fanfare, but with focus. Not with speeches, but with stories that matter.
