Joseph Stalin started Rural Development Council in the year 1990 as a kind of youth club for doing some welfare activities. It did not have a specific vision according to Stalin. The vision emerged in 1995 as Stalin moved deeper into the developmental activity in Tamilnadu and by 1995 it was to bring about a classless and caste-free society. The mission was to change the life situation of oppressed caste and class of society in the plains area of Tiruvallur and Chengalpet districts of Tamilnadu.

The year 2001 brought about an organic change in RDC. There was a change in the geographic location of the operational area to Denkanikottai, Dharmapuri district of Tamilnadu and the adivasi community became the target people. K. Gowri who had been awarded a fellowship by Nirnaya, joined Stalin. Nirnaya awarded him also a fellowship and the two between them, set to out transform the lives of the Irula tribal communities in the reserve forest area of the Krishnagiri hills. The vision now is to bring about equality for adivasi people in socioeconomic, cultural and political spheres. The mission / goal is to organize all the tribals in Denkanikottai taluqs of Kelamangalam and Thalli blocks through training, meetings and lobbying with various actors of civil society. The strategic objectives are

1. Formation of sangams
2. Facilitation activities for enabling target community’s access to basic needs
3. Education outreach for all target community’s children
4. Addressal of livelihood issues and community right over MFP

The individual strengths of the team combine towards the rapid growth of RDC. Both Gowri and Stalin are good trainers for the community and documentation is systematic. Rural Development Council has undergone an organic growth which will sustain it as long as the leadership remains strong and committed.

In the words of sangam (community women’s group) leader Letchumi, ‘we neither knew that we had rights nor dreamt that our children could have a life different from ours. Now with the motivation and training of Gowri ‘akka’ and Stalin ‘anna’ we are able to lobby with the district collector for education for our children, fulfillment of our basic needs and not only open accounts in the bank but also take loans. We got our tribal caste certificates which reinforces our rights as tribal peoples.’