The remoteness of the Himalayan region and the isolation faced by its inhabitants have left their voices unheard. Himalayan people have a lot to say to the rest of the world, about their needs and aspirations, and much that we can learn from, about their perspectives on life and development.

Pragya, the host organization for Himalayan Voices, is carrying out a process of recording oral testimonies of Himalayan people, presenting them in an unvarnished form. Policies and projects are most often designed based solely on cold facts and figures. The people they aim to serve and their feelings play no part. While objectivity is undoubtedly very important in the framing of policies and practices, real contact with lived experiences would surely add value. This initiative seeks to amplify the voices of the unheard to enable them to reach policymakers and development workers. These oral testimonies will help one experience the life of a broad cross-section of Himalayan people, the children and women, the farmers and the elders, the nomads and the healers, and develop an empathy that we hope would aid appropriate development.