Bundelkhand: A daily wage earner in Bundelkhand's Bijawar village has decided that the only way out of the drought is to dig a well.

It is a simple enough idea but one he has then acted on, after his attempts to bore for water failed twice.

His loan for Rs 70,000 has gone down the drain. Villagers think that he has lost it and many stand by and watch. However, no one helps.

",If I get water, I will start farming and grow vegetables,", said Shahid Ali.

After a year of doing this the sneers turned into admiration and after 25 feet, he finally hit success.

",May god bless the boy. Earlier we had to go far to fetch water,", said Rahiman, a villager.

With sheer grit and determination, Shahid has managed to fight the drought literally with his own hands. And his well, indeed, is a spring of hope.