Nashik: While thousands of young people leave their villages in search of brighter futures under city lights, a tribal youth from a remote corner of Surgana taluka believes prosperity lies in preserving the darkness.For Vipul Khiradi, the journey began with a simple act of looking up.One night in 2019, as a 14-year-old Class VIII student at Eklavya English Medium Residential School in Satana, he attended a stargazing programme organised by Pune-based AstronEra. The stars sparked a fascination that would eventually lead him to dream of putting his native village, Udmal, on the global astro-tourism map.
The night sky captured from Udmal
Today, the 22-year-old physics student is at the centre of an ambitious effort to transform the tribal-dominated village into Maharashtra’s first Dark Sky Community, a place where the night sky is protected from light pollution and turned into an asset for education, conservation and tourism.“I was attracted to the twinkles,” Vipul said. “It generated a lot of interest in me, so much that Shweta Kulkarni, the director of AstronEra, asked me to join the field events whenever they were conducted.”As he volunteered with AstronEra and travelled to astronomy events across the country, he discovered a world where darkness itself was a resource.During one such visit to Manali, the idea struck him. “An idea hit me: Why can’t my village be part of this world map?” he said.Nestled amid the hills of Surgana, away from the glare of urban development, Udmal already possessed something increasingly rare in modern India, naturally dark skies. Vipul realised the village’s remoteness was not a disadvantage but a strength.However, villagers initially worried that a dark-sky project would mean restrictions on daily life and lighting. Vipul went door to door, explaining that the goal was not darkness for its own sake, but smarter lighting that allowed people to live comfortably while preserving the stars overhead.
Udmal village in Surgana taluka of Nashik
“I was the first one from the village to fly to some places, thanks to AstronEra, and this alone was more than enough for me to convince villagers that what I was doing had scope,” he said.“There was a good opportunity for the village as well to enter an exclusive, nature-gifted sector, astro-tourism. It will not only bring the village onto the world map, but will also provide ample opportunity for the villagers to earn.”Residents backed the proposal. AstronEra joined hands with the village and local administration. What started as a teenager’s dream soon evolved into a community movement.For Shweta Kulkarni that local ownership is what makes the project special. “This isn’t development happening to Udmal. It’s development being shaped by Udmal,” she said.“Udmal has the opportunity to become a model for community-led, responsible tourism, creating local opportunities while protecting the culture, nature, and dark skies that make it unique.”The vision has also received govt backing.The Nashik district administration has sanctioned funds for infrastructure and equipment required to achieve certification under DarkSky International guidelines. The village will procure telescopes, sky-quality meters and other specialised equipment while developing facilities for visitors and astronomy enthusiasts.District collector Ayush Prasad said the initiative could become a template for similar projects elsewhere. “The administration has decided to provide funds of Rs 42 lakh from the District Planning Committee to ensure the village gets recognition at the earliest. This might also encourage others to follow suit,” he said.
Udmal village in Surgana taluka of Nashik
Udmal is among 11 locations identified by the state for potential International Dark Sky Places designation, alongside well-known destinations such as Kaas Plateau, Lonar and Toranmal.For Vipul, however, the project is more about proving that rural youth need not leave home to pursue ambitious dreams.As cities continue to brighten their skylines and erase the stars from view, a young man from a tribal village is betting that the future may lie in protecting the night. And if his vision succeeds, the darkness over Udmal could become the brightest thing that ever happened to it.
