From conflict to coffee: Ex-cadres, Naxal violence survivors serve hope at café in Chhattisgarh

Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh), Nov 17 (PTI) Men and women who once lived through conflict, either as victims of Naxal violence or as former members of the banned Maoist movement, have come together to run a café in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district.

Surrendered cadres who have returned to the mainstream and victims of Naxal violence are employed at the 'Pandum Café' in Jagdalpur, in a joint effort towards reintegration and social healing, officials said.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Monday inaugurated the Pandum Café at the Poona Margham Complex in Police Lines, set up by the police and district administration under the state government's Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy, an official statement said.

Sai said the café symbolises the positive socio-economic transformation underway in Bastar and aims to provide a dignified and sustainable livelihood to those who have renounced violence.

"Pandum Café reflects hope, progress and peace. Those working here, victims as well as surrendered cadres, are now moving forward on the path of peace," he said.

The staff have been trained in hospitality, café operations, hygiene, food safety and entrepreneurship.

As per the statement, Sai interacted with the café team members, including Fagni from Narayanpur, Pushpa Thakur and Birendra Thakur from Sukma, and Ashmati and Premila Baghel from Bastar, and wished them success.

Several workers shared emotional accounts of rebuilding their lives.

"We lived in darkness in the past. Today, serving society through this café feels like being reborn. Replacing explosives with coffee and earning through honest work has given us dignity," the release quoted a former Maoist cadre working at the café as saying.

Another staff member said the initiative has enabled them to support their families and "dream of a respectful life".

"We thought returning to the mainstream would be difficult, but the training and trust shown to us changed everything. Working alongside victims of violence has given us a chance to correct our past and contribute to peace," another colleague said.

Officials said the café is being developed as a sustainable socio-economic model and may pave the way for similar rehabilitation initiatives across the region.

Bastar Range IG Sundarraj Pattilingam said the café demonstrates that transformation is possible when opportunities and guidance are provided.

Pandum Café has been conceptualised as a livelihood-based rehabilitation model under the Government's Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy, aiming to empower two key groups — victims of Naxal violence, and surrendered Maoist cadres, he said.

"The objective is not only to generate livelihood but also to show that change is achievable," he said.

The IG said, "Pandum" means festival in the local Gondi dialect, drawing from Bastar's cultural heritage. The café's tagline — "Where every cup tells a story'' — highlights the journey of courage and new beginnings.

The café stands as a testament to what can be achieved when the administration, police, community, victims of Naxal violence, and rehabilitated Maoist cadres work together towards peace and development, he said.

It brings them together as active partners, offering not just employment but dignity, stability, and meaningful participation in community life, he added.

Employment in a respected community space helps rehabilitated cadres and violence survivors rediscover a sense of purpose, belonging, and self-worth, he said.

Success stories from Pandum Café are expected to motivate more Maoist cadres to surrender and choose a dignified path in mainstream society, he added.

Under the guidance of the government, Bastar police and the local administration will ensure that Pandum Café emerges as a successful socio-economic model, paving the way for similar rehabilitation centres across the region, he said.

Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap, School Education Minister Gajendra Yadav and other leaders and officials were present on the occasion. PTI TKP ARU