4 April 2012 Last updated at 11:14

In pictures: Beyond the Indian dream

Children in Jharkhand - one of the three poorest states in India

India has enjoyed record-breaking economic growth in recent years and celebrated many other milestones, such as the eradication of polio. However, millions still struggle to share in the success. Scottish photographer Simon Murphy and Danielle Batist, editor of the Scottish-based charity International Network of Street Papers (INSP), travelled to Jharkhand - one of the three poorest states in India. They made the trip in conjunction with the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) and the INSP.

A woman washes clothes after heavy rains in the village of Pithertoli. The state of Jharkhand is home to many of the country’s poorest. A World Bank study found that just 11% of rural households had access to electricity.

Villagers at work to dig out a well for irrigation of their farm land in Pithertoli. The rural areas - where almost two-thirds of India's population still lives, according to last year's official Census of India - remain the most underdeveloped.

A young girl at work on the farm in Gumla district. A United Nations poverty index, which includes factors such as housing, sanitation, child mortality and education, classes 680 million Indians as poor - more than half the country.

Villagers shelter from the rain in the village of Pithertoli. The severe rains cause many mud houses to flood and collapse each year.

Girls on their way to school in Gumla district. In 10 years, literacy in the Gumla district has gone up from just over 50% to almost 69% in 2011, but female literacy is still lagging behind. According to 2011 official Census of India data, almost half the women in the state cannot read and write.

Women on their way to a celebration ceremony in Palkot.

A boy plays hide-and-seek in the village of Pithertoli. Due to a lack of schools and teachers, many children in the poverty-stricken state do not have access to full-time education.

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In pictures: Beyond the Indian dream

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