Gadchiroli girl with Maoist-hit childhood is now engineer at Lloyds; at 20, she is a symbol of hope, helping build the same region her father once fought in

For Arvinda Barsagade, the sound of gunfire and grenade blasts was part of childhood. She was just four months old when her father left home to join the Sironcha Dalam in south Gadchiroli, at a time when Maoist insurgency was at its peak.

Two decades later, Arvinda, now 20, is pursuing a very different path. A diploma-holder in civil engineering, she is working as a trainee at Lloyds Metals and Energy’s LT Gondwana Skill Hub Pvt Ltd in Hedri, a journey that reflects the changing landscape of a district once associated with Maoist violence and limited development.

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How Arvinda’s father was forced to join Maoists

According to a TOI report, Arvinda’s father Rajababu, also known as Kiran or Samayyaya, worked as a peon at Narayanpur gram panchayat in the early 2000s.

Villagers later complained to Maoists that he was allegedly collecting excess house tax. Public humiliation and mounting pressure followed, and in 2005, he was compelled to join the Sironcha Dalam.

Arvinda’s mother, Lata, briefly worked as a peon in Sironcha but left after facing repercussions linked to her husband’s past. She subsequently raised Arvinda, then her only child, by taking up odd jobs.

From Maoist-affected village to civil engineering

Arvinda began her schooling in Bhogapur, joining Class I there. After her father surrendered before the Gadchiroli police in 2010, the family moved closer to the district police headquarters.

She continued her education in Gadchiroli town, completed Class 10 and later finished Classes 11 and 12 in arts during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Initially inspired by advocate and political activist Kavita Moharkar, Arvinda wanted to pursue law. She eventually chose a technical career and enrolled at a government polytechnic in Gadchiroli, completing a diploma in civil engineering in 2025.

Police support helped Arvinda continue her studies

Police officers working with the children of surrendered Maoist cadres also played a role in Arvinda’s educational journey.

Sub-inspector Narendra Piwal of the Gadchiroli police welfare wing took note when Arvinda sought a laptop to support her studies. She later received a tablet from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at a programme organised for surrendered Maoists.

Arvinda said the support helped her continue her education despite the challenges faced by her family.

How Lloyds helped open a new career path

Moharkar later helped Arvinda connect with the human resources team at Lloyds Metals and Energy.

On December 1, 2025, Arvinda joined as a trainee at LT Gondwana Skill Hub in Hedri, where she had earlier worked as a supervisor.

The initiative is linked to Lloyds Metals and Energy’s iron ore and steel expansion in Hedri and Konsari, part of the investment that followed the weakening of decades of Maoist influence in the region, according to the TOI report.

'Jobs are coming to them'

Arvinda sees the changing economic landscape as an opportunity for young people in Gadchiroli to build careers without leaving the district.

“The end of Maoist violence paved the way for development. Earlier, fear kept investors, ministers and officials away from interiors of the district. As the rebel threat waned, companies such as Lloyds arrived. Young people no longer have to leave Gadchiroli for work; jobs are coming to them,” she said.

Arvinda now plans to pursue a BTech. Once she is settled in her career, she wants to give back to her community, particularly by helping create skill-training opportunities for local youth.

'A quieter family life'

Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police M Ramesh has stepped up implementation of the rehabilitation policy for former Maoists.

Ramesh said, “Now, Gadchiroli is a place where a girl left behind in a Maoist-affected village as an infant can work at a construction site and talk about the next course, the next job, and a quieter family life.”


Inputs from TOI