An Indian man single-handedly dug a well in his drought-hit village in the western state of Maharashtra, after his wife was barred from drawing water from a common well because they were Dalits, among the most discriminated groups in India’s traditional caste hierarchy.

A poor daily wage labourer, Bapurao Tajne put in an extra six hours of work into digging the well every day, apart from his regular work. After 40 days, he discovered ground water, surprising everyone in his community as well as family, who had labelled him as crazy.

However, Tajne laboured at his task single-handedly, putting in four hours in the morning, and two hours in the evening after returning from work. He chose a spot based on instinct. “I just wanted to provide water for my whole locality so that we Dalits did not have to beg for water from other castes," he told reporters.

The Kalambeshwar village has a rocky terrain and has been affected by extreme water scarcity this year. It lies in one of the several parts in India that are reeling under a severe heat wave and drought that have millions without enough water for their daily needs.

The 15-foot deep well now provides water to Tajne's entire community. After being lauded by the local authorities and his neighbours, Tajne is now back to work to deepen and widen the well even further.