I started as a Botanist, but I took a leap into the voluntary sector to apply my scientific knowledge for the betterment of people in the remote mountains of Himachal Pradesh. I founded the Himalayan Research Group (HRG) in 1997, joined by like-minded professionals who shared my vision.Since 2005, HRG has been recognized as a core group by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, and we've received support from various national and international agencies. Under my leadership, we've successfully completed over 50 Research & Development projects.To improve livelihoods and conserve biodiversity, we created a range of technology models. These included projects like wild edible mushrooms, medicinal plant cultivation, vermicomposting, solar energy utilization, and the revival of native crops. We faced challenges in sharing these technologies, building local capacity, and marketing, but my team and I made sure they were simple, cost-effective, and accessible for the communities we served.Our technology-based initiatives have directly impacted the lives of 750-900 households annually, bringing in an average annual benefit of around Rs. 40-45 lakhs through various Science and Technology activities. Notably, a group of artisans earned Rs. 15 lakhs by crafting mountain solar water and room heating systems.Our community-friendly technology models, including clean solar energy and vermicomposting, have gained recognition from government and international agencies. These models have been embraced and replicated by various development projects and organizations.Throughout my journey, I've also engaged in research on forest diseases, climate change mitigation, fungal biotechnology, and bio-prospecting. I've had the opportunity to collaborate with national and international institutes, visiting countries such as the USA, UK, Canada, Thailand, and Finland.My strong belief is that empowering local communities, especially women, through modern science and technology is the key to achieving self-reliance and realizing the dream of rural development