Visva Bharati : Palli Samgathana Vibhaga (Institute of Rural Reconstruction)

Palli Samgathana Vibhaga was originally established at Sriniketan by Rabindranath Tagore in 1922 with the primary objective to bring back life into villages making them self-reliant and self-respectful, acquainted with the cultural tradition of their own country and competent to make an efficient use of modern resources for the improvement of their physical, intellectual and economic conditions. Leonard K. Elmhirst was its first Director. This Institute has four departments, a sectional library and a Music Unit. The Institute is a balance between academic activities (teaching and research) and extension. A substantive data bank of the villages under eight Gram Panchayats in Bolpur-Sriniketan and Illambazar Block has been built up over the years.