In a first, Maha tribal hamlets hoist Tricolour

There is no government school or a gram panchayat office in these remote hamlets, hence, a flag-hoisting never took place in the last seven decades

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Ganesh Pavara had a challenging task on the eve of Independence Day. Managing with a feeble mobile network in his North Maharashtra hamlet, where electricity is yet to reach, he downloaded a video explaining how to tie a flag to a pole, so that it unfurls without a hitch.

On Friday, leading a group of about 30 children and locals, the 20-something Pavara ensured that his remote Udadya hamlet, nestled in the Satpura range in Nandurbar district, witnessed its maiden flag hoisting.

The hamlet, around 500km from Mumbai and about 50km from the nearest tehsil, has a population of 400, but has no government school. Pavara teaches at an informal school run by the NGO YUNG Foundation.

"This region is endowed with natural beauty, fertile soil, and the Narmada River flows through it. But being a hilly belt, it is difficult to reach," says Sandeep Deore, founder of the YUNG Foundation.