Located in the foothills of the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu, there exists a village that defies all conventional images. There are no muddy pathways or thatched-roof huts, as one would imagine a village to be. Welcome to Odanthurai, a village that could easily be mistaken for a small town or even a city. With well-built, sanitized homes and its own electricity production, Odanthurai has earned the title of India’s first completely sanitized village and serves as a model of rural transformation.

Odanthurai: A Village Like No Other

Home to fewer than 10,000 residents spread across 12 villages, this panchayat has earned its place as a model village in the country. The story of Odanthurai is one of resilience, innovation, and community spirit.

Walking through Odanthurai, you'll see well-constructed, sanitized homes equipped with solar panels, modern infrastructure, and a thriving community. This village doesn’t just consume electricity; it produces it. Odanthurai’s panchayat not only generates its own power but also sells electricity to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB), showcasing a self-reliant model that is rare in rural India.

The Journey from Struggle to Success

However, Odanthurai was not always the picture of progress it is today. There was a time when its residents lived in huts, struggled for basic amenities like water, and faced a lack of reliable electricity. Many villagers were forced to leave, searching for better opportunities elsewhere.

The transformation began in 1996, when the panchayat, under visionary leadership, decided to harness renewable energy by operating a windfarm in one of its villages, Udumalai. In 2005-2006, the panchayat secured a bank loan to establish a 350-kilowatt windfarm, which now generates over 675,000 units of electricity annually. Not only does this windfarm power the village, but it also generates an annual profit of 20 lakh rupees by selling surplus electricity to TNEB. This income is used to repay the bank loan and fund further development in the village.

The Green India Scheme and Beyond

Electricity was just the beginning. Odanthurai has seen progress in many areas, thanks to the Green India Scheme and the panchayat's determination to improve the quality of life for its residents. The scheme facilitated the construction of well-built homes, each fitted with solar panels on the rooftops. To address water scarcity, overhead tanks were installed, borewells were cleaned, and infrastructure was set up to receive water from the nearby Bhavani River.

Education, too, received a significant boost. Previously, children had to travel to neighboring areas due to the lack of schools in Odanthurai. The panchayat made a concerted effort to build schools within the village, ensuring that every child had access to education. Additionally, a poverty alleviation program was introduced to support the less fortunate, helping Odanthurai become a national leader in self-employment and energy education.

The Man Behind the Transformation

The remarkable transformation of Odanthurai is largely attributed to the tireless efforts of one man—R. Shanmugam. Elected as the Sarpanch in 1996, Shanmugam served as the panchayat president for ten years, and later supported his wife when she took over the role from 2006 to 2016. Under his leadership, the panchayat implemented various government schemes that improved housing, water supply, electricity, and roads in the village.

Ward member Vadivelu, a resident of Odanthurai’s Vinobaji Nagar, recalls how the village was once lined with humble roadside dwellings. Today, his lime-colored home, with its green-bordered design, proudly displays a logo of former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, symbolizing the success of the Solar Powered Green House Scheme (SPGHS) that transformed the village.

Source: Google Images

A National Leader in Rural Innovation

Over the past three decades, the gram panchayat has turned Odanthurai into a model village. The panchayat pursued the Rajiv Gandhi National Rural Drinking Water Mission, becoming the first village panchayat in India to implement this scheme in September 2000. This initiative, combined with the windfarm, has made Odanthurai a trailblazer in rural innovation.

The village’s out-of-the-box approach earned it the title of a ‘model village’ and a spot at the Mera Gaon, Meri Dharohar show at Delhi’s Qutub Minar, which celebrates 21 remarkable Indian villages.

As India strives to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 and meet half of its energy needs through renewable sources, Odanthurai’s wind-powered success story is more relevant than ever. Although experts point out that there are not many working models or pilot projects for wind energy in the community sector, Odanthurai stands out as a symbol of what is possible.

When asked about the windmill’s low return on investment, Thirumoorthy, a panchayat official, emphasizes the broader perspective: “We should not view the windmill solely from an economic standpoint. In the broader perspective, it fulfills the country’s energy requirements through renewable energy.”