India, Aug. 5 -- A few years ago, visitors entering Bandrabhan, a village in Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh, were greeted by an unusual welcome. Painted across the village water tank were the words: Kalyani Gram Bandrabhan aapka swagat karta hai (Kalyani Gram Bandrabhan welcomes you). No government notification or official scheme had conferred the title. The villagers themselves had chosen the name.

Why? For years, Bandrabhan lived under the shadow of malaria. Inspired by Kalyani - a weekly health programme series on Doordarshan - the community came together to fight the disease, under the guidance of the district malaria officer. When the village completed a malaria-free year, the villagers celebrated with a malaria awareness ra...