Farmers' hero lost to drought

Four days after her only son killed himself, Lakshmi struggles with her faith: "I don't believe in God anymore nor do I have any courage left. But his children are important to me. What will happen to them now, I am worried."

Devender's young son and daughter can't understand why their house is full of relatives in mourning.

This part of Andhra Pradesh is known as suicide-county. Four farmers have killed themselves in the last 45 days. The opposition says that toll is 16. And yet, Devender's death has stirred not just his neighbourhood, but the entire village.

He was recognized as an 'adarsha rythu', or "ideal farmer", progressive, ambitious and very hardworking. From working as labour in a poultry farm at the age of eleven, to buying five acres of land, a tractor, and the house his family now mourns in, Devender was a local inspiration.

After his cotton crop failed last year, Devender leased two extra acres this year, and dug two new borewells. He switched to growing maize, tomatoes and chillies this year. But when the rains failed, he couldn't bear the loss.

Locals have given up looking to the government for help. "It is the problem of every farmer in this area. The problem is recurring because of poor planning by the government and failure of rains."

Now, the last remains of Devender lie on the very field on which he had hoped to build his life and a future for his family.