(WATCH): Raj Kumar Rana, a Dalit Sarpanch from Nurpur Village in Punjab, has been committed to the development of his community. Despite his earnest efforts, state-level party politics have significantly hindered his progress. The Panchayati Raj system, designed to empower local communities and promote responsive governance, faces challenges when state politics intrude. In the case of Sarpanch Rana, his firm stance leads to unforeseen consequences for him and his family.

Gurwinder Singh is a Dalit Sikh. His family has a history of working as bonded labourers, known as "Seeris," for landowning farmers in Bauran Kala village in the Sikh-majority Punjab state. His father, now 65 years old, is still working as a "dung-rubbish picker," a job predominantly done by Dalit Sikhs, who are landless and impoverished.

Harsimranjit Singh spent much of his youth looking after his father, who had cancer. Fazilka, where he lives, is one of the 11 districts that comprise Punjab state's "cancer belt," the Malwa region. In the nearby Ferozepur district, Kuldeep Singh had to quit farming as his wife was diagnosed with cancer.

It was out of curiosity that Pavitra tasted alcohol for the first time when he was at school. His adventure soon turned into drug abuse, addiction.... and even crime. The story of Pavitra, who lives in Punjab state's Sri Muktsar Sahib district, may resemble the stories of nearly four million people in the state who abuse substances.

Deep in debt, Gurjeet Kaur’s father lost hope, and interest, in life. Kaur’s brother, who inherited the debt, followed suit. Like Kaur, thousands of women in the agricultural state of Punjab have similar stories to tell, as farming is becoming increasingly unsustainable and more and more farmers are finding themselves…

Kamal Masih, a lawyer practising in a region near India’s border with Pakistan, has represented many victims of discrimination and violence against Dalit Christians in Punjab state. However, Hindu nationalists claim that Christians seek to convert Dalits by offering monetary benefits.