68 Modern Day Heroes Of India

68 MODERN DAY HEROES OF INDIA
COMPILED BY: THEBETTERINDIA.COM
WWW.THEBETTERINDIA.COM

JADAV PAYENG
When we talk about ordinary people bringing about change,
we cannot afford to miss out on this man. He is the one who
single-handedly converted a washed out land into a 1,360
acre forest. He started planting bamboo saplings when he
was 16 years old. Today he is 47 and lives in his own forest,
which is now also home to Bengal tigers, Indian rhinoceros,
over 100 deer and rabbits, besides apes and several
varieties of birds, including a large number of vultures. The
forest department wanted to employ him but he rejected the
job because he believed he wouldn’t be able to pay attention
to the cause if he was bound by responsibilities.
READ MORE >

DR. RANI BANG
This amazing woman has been working with one of the most
under-developed tribal communities in central India.
A gynecologist by profession, she has been serving in the
remotest areas for over 20 years. She set up the Society for
Education, Acton and Research in Community Health, along
with her doctor husband Abhay, and started many such
healthcare initiatives across India. She has managed to
introduce modern medicine in tribal villages and made the
villagers aware of good healthcare facilities. While many
doctors are seeking high-paying jobs in the biggest hospitals
of the country, this amazing woman and her husband is an
inspiration to us all. Kudos to their efforts and passion.
READ MORE >

BEENA RAO
She has taken her profession to another level. Beena
Rao, who has been teaching slum children for free in Surat,
Gujarat, has benefited over 5,000 students so far, working
with 34 volunteers across the city. The curriculum lays
emphasis on a holistic education by including discipline,
yoga, mannerisms, and other aspects which are often
neglected by the government schools. And all of this is free of
cost for the children. We admire her dedication and love
towards education.
READ MORE >

SUDHANSHU BISWAS
This 96-year old freedom fighter takes words like
‘compassion’ to another level. His love for the country and
fellow human beings touches the heart of anyone who meets
him. After fighting for freedom of the country in his youth, he
chose to settle down in a remote village in his after-years.
Dedicating his life to children in need and their education, he
runs Sri Ramakrisha Sevashram (SRKS). Even at this ripe
age, his energy, enthusiasm, dedication and passion is
commendable. Biswas sets an example of how age is just a
number and does not matter if your intentions are pure. Visit
his ashram to know how inspiring this person is.
READ MORE >

PI SANGKHUMI
While growing up in her home state of Mizoram, Pi
Sangkhumi witnessed various atrocities and injustice meted
out to women. She realized that this happened largely due to
the archaic laws, regressive customs, and low levels of
literacy and awareness among women. She made it her life’s
mission to make things right. She has been working in this
field for 40 years now. Former president of Mizo Hmeichhe
Insuihkhawm Pawl (MHIP), an apex body representing
several local women’s groups, Sangkhumi has been regularly
working in the field of women empowerment, education and
entrepreneurship. She is also fighting against domestic
violence, rape and other forms of gender violence faced by
women.
READ MORE >

RITU BIYANI
Her own suffering with breast cancer made her take it up as
her life’s mission to spread awareness among urban, rural
and tribal reaches of India. She has been travelling across
the country to spread awareness about breast cancer. She
hold a record in Limca Book of Records, India as the first
woman to do a solo drive to the four tips of India. A breast
cancer survivor, she is working on an initiative called
High>>>ways Beyond Cancer. She organizes various
workshops at offices, schools, colleges, hospitals and army
camps to spread awareness about the disease.
READ MORE >

SHIRISH APTE
This man has successfully rejuvenated a traditional water
system in Maharashtra. Caught in between the Malguzaars
(the local Zamindars or landlords) and the state government,
the Malguzari tanks were left to die many years ago. Shirish
Apte decided to change the situation and, since 2008, he has
been successfully rejuvenating these tanks. His efforts and
hard work have made the district administration restore 21
more such tanks. This project has helped many local people
get employment, the irrigation output has increased in the
area, the farmers have reduced the use of fertilizers in the
farms and, above all, you now get to witness a great sight as
many animals come and quench their thirst at these tanks.
READ MORE >

NARAYANAN KRISHNAN
Words cannot do justice to what this man does. From being
on his way to becoming an award-winning chef in
Switzerland to feeding the elderly on the roadside, Krishnan
has restored our faith in humanity. He cooks food every
morning and feeds elderly, mentally ill and destitute on the
streets of Madurai. He quit his job and is now passionately
working to help the poorest of poor. He is one of the noblest
men we have ever come across.
READ MORE >

SHAFIQ UR REHMAN KHAN
Some people are born brave and Khan is one of those rare
ones. Ever since he was a teenager, Khan was furiously
active and stood upright for the education rights of Dalit
children and other excluded communities. Ever since, he has
been working actively in the social sector. From
working single-mindedly for the cause of rescuing girls who
fall victim to ‘bride trafficking’ to leading a 300-kilometer
‘March Against Female Foeticide and Gender Inequality’ and
starting an organization “Empower People”, Khan is a ray of
hope that the country’s future is in safe hands. We have
immense respect for this young man and all his endeavours.
READ MORE >

DR. MAPUSKAR
This inspiring man has dedicated his entire life to the
rural sanitation sector. Working for over 50 years in this field,
Dr. Mapuskar has implemented the principles of appropriate
technology and community ownership at a time when these
were not part of the national consciousness. He has been
actively working in the field to promote the use
of decentralized, low-cost sanitation options. He started
promoting the bio-gas toilets and convinced villagers to use
them. The efforts of Dr. Mapuskar are commendable and we
hope his initiatives reaches out to more and more people.
READ MORE >

SUPRAJA DHARINI
However tough and hard a turtle might me, he still needs
protection. And Dharini understood it pretty well when she
saw kids playing cricket with turtle eggs. She has been
working extensively to change the attitude of people towards
turtles. Since 2002, she has released more than 44,654
hatchlings in the sea. Dharini’s efforts have brought people
together from all sections of the community. From a student
preparing for IAS exams to a fisherman, everyone has come
together to protect the specie. Kudos to the lady who has
given a new life to the specie which has mostly been ignored.
READ MORE >

RAJESH NAIK
He is the man who transformed 120 acres of barren land into
a self-sufficient organic farm by developing a 50 feet lake on
two acres of the land. Naik was determined to convert the
fallow land into something useful. In spite of criticism from
family members and friends he did not give up and continued
to work on the land. Today, the lake generates 40,000 litres of
water which irrigates the whole land. The farm is now one of
the largest organic farms in the area and produces various
fruits and vegetables like mangoes, haldi, pepper, bananas,
cashew nuts, etc. So, in case you want to grow your own
veggies, you know who to contact.
READ MORE >

JYOTSNA SITLING
This recipient of Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar has
transformed the fate of the beautiful Himalayas, which were
going into a state of neglect. She engaged the community,
took initiatives, ran cleanup drives, started vigorous
campaigns and collected 15 truckloads of garbage weighing
up to 50 tonnes which was sent for recycling. Between 1997
and 2000, she mobilized a community of nearly eleven
thousand people across 82 villages to spend at least 1 day in
a year for the restoration of their villages. This inspirational
personality has been regularly working towards the
betterment of the community in the hills without expecting
anything in return.
READ MORE >

SHUBHENDU SHARMA
This young man has been making forests out of backyards.
Having started experimenting in his own backyard, he now
manages to create a lush green forest within a year’s time in
any small plot. He has already created 33 forests across
India and is currently working on many more such
makeovers. He believes in making forests and not lawns.
Holder of many fellowships and awards globally, Sharma has
been able to create a stir in the way people approach
environment conservation.
READ MORE >

VIDYA RATTAN SHARMA
He started his career as a cook but soon realized his love for
cookstoves and innovations. His DEEP Chulha helps users
to improve fuel efficiency by as much as 50%. Apart from
creating this amazing stove that is helping the rural
community at large, Sharma is also working with the elderly
people in his area by running around 34 elders’ Self-Help
Groups. Having started as a cook at a local NGO, he has
been continuously working to improve the condition of the
community through his innovations in the field of cooking
stoves, traditional medicine, organic farming and animal
husbandry. He is an inspiration to all of us and is a perfect
example of how charity begins at home.
READ MORE >

BINALAKSHMI NEPRAM
Manipur is home to much violence which results in creating
many widows who financially and emotionally weak. Nepram
was witness to one such black day when a lady lost her
husband, and it changed her life forever. Nepram then
decided to remake the lives of widows in Manipur. Since then
she has been helping these women to be financially
independent, exploring livelihood options by giving them
resources like sewing machines and soft loans. From helping
these women open their bank accounts to providing them
monetary help to kick-start a small business, Nepram has
revived the lives of many such women who once had almost
given up on their lives.
READ MORE >

SANDEEP VISWANATH
What started as a fellowship soon became his passion, and
Viswanath started dedicating the majority of his time in
teaching photography to tribal kids. In areas where even
education is not taken seriously, photography was a far cry,
but Viswanath did not give up and continued to gather
students to teach new techniques. From developing pinhole
cameras that are cheaper to triggering the attitude of learning
among students, Viswanath has taken a path less followed.
Though he faces many challenges, he is determined to bring
a significant change in the community and how it looks at
education.
READ MORE >

MUKUND BS
While most of us are in a race to get the latest gadget, this
guy has been creating affordable computers from scrap.
Targeting the economically weaker sections of the community
as customers, Mukund has created over 10,000 computers
from scrap. Not only this, they also provide free after-sale
service for these machines for one year. At a time when the
computer has become almost a necessity, Mukund is
making a huge contribution in the field where those who need
the machine but can’t afford it now have an opportunity to
own one. Now, this is called putting skills to a better use.
READ MORE >

MRS. RAJANI PARANJPE
This amazing lady has taken a pledge to make 100% literacy
rate a reality and she is trying to achieve this with her
amazing initiative called ‘Door Step School’. She goes
wherever the children are and starts the class right there.
She has managed to take classes at places like pavements
and road construction sites, building construction sites,
outside big markets, railway stations, etc. Targeting children
from age 3 to 18, hers is a school on wheels where the team
can teach the children even if there is no place to conduct the
classes. Amazing, isn’t it? How one can bring changes
without cribbing about lack of resources. I guess we all can
learn a thing or two from her incredible initiative.
READ MORE >

SHWETA CHARI
We often see fancy toys in the market, and as we buy the
latest ones, we push our old ones to the corner. While these
old toys might not be useful to us anymore, they could still
give immense joy to someone on the streets. Shweta Chari
started an initiative, Toybank, with a vision to place a toy in
the hands of every child in India. Chari started wrapping the
donated toys and gave them to those who could not afford
them. Having spread smiles on over 8,000 faces, Chari
continues to do her bit to make the lives of these small kids a
little better. Chari has been spreading joy for a couple of
years now and we admire her spirit.
READ MORE >

MAHIMAAND VIJENDRA SHEKHAWAT
Ever since we are born we have known one thing – that
paper is made out of trees and we should not waste it so as
to save our trees. But this duo has transformed the way
paper is made. They invented a paper that is made out of
elephant dung! Mahima and Vijendra started Haathi Chaap,
an organization that makes paper and several other products
like bags, notebooks, stationery, coasters and many more,
out of the elephant waste. Talk about revolutionizing the
market! They are people who have done something most of
us never thought of.
READ MORE >

MEERA MAHADEVAN
She started an initiatives for the children of construction
workers, who are mostly ignored. They spend their childhood
in mud and dust, playing with dangerous tools, unfed and
unclothed. While a child’s life should be carefree and happy,
these children are living a life far from normal. She decided to
help these kids and provide them a safe, healthy and
educated childhood. She has been extensively working in
this field through Mobile Crèches, and catering to the needs
of thousands of such children who are deprived of basic
necessities.
READ MORE >

PRAKASH KAUR
Left on the streets when she was just a kid 60 years ago,
Prakash Kaur made it the mission of her life to never let
another newborn and unwanted girl child face the same fate
as hers. She started the Unique Home for girls where she
takes care of those girls who have been abandoned by their
families. She helps these girls become healthy individuals,
and arms them with all the social skills and educational
qualifications that they would need to face life on their own
terms. Religion has no restriction in her home, and the girls
have Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Sikh names. She treats
these girls as her own and doesn’t want to give them up for
adoption.
READ MORE >

RENU SINGH
This amazing lady made sure that anything and everything
that can use this renewable energy source is made
compatible with solar-energy. Her dedication led Lucknow’s
Prince of Wales Zoological Garden to become the first zoo in
the country to use solar power. This initiative changed the
environment of the zoo and made it more “animal-friendly”,
as the solar power keeps the animals comfortable. Singh has
been an inspiration to many who are following in her
footsteps. Her efforts are indeed acting as trendsetters and
inspiring many more zoos to adapt similar techniques to
make a difference in the environment.
READ MORE >

SIDDAPPA
An illiterate farmer from rural Karnataka, Siddappa has
designed a water mill to generate electricity and operates it in
the canal near his house. He spent just Rs. 5,000 on the
construction, and gets 150 watts of power from this water mill
when water flows in the canal. He claims he could generate
electricity for the entire village through his machine, if he
could get a regular supply of water through the canal. The
only obstacle is that the canal has water for only three
months in a year. Siddappa is an example of how one can
bring a larger change without having enough resources or
education.
READ MORE >

PRITI GANDHI
A primary school teacher in Gujarat, Gandhi gave a whole
new meaning to the profession. She started a mobile library
for students who could not afford to buy books. Thanks to her
idea of a kit that contains 25 books on various topics, the
students now have many options to read a book. Her
initiative has not only helped the economically poor students
to get access to books but has also developed a reading
environment in the government school. She also ensured
that an unused land adjoining the school was converted into
a reading corner where kids could sit with their favourite
books.
READ MORE >

BAL PANDIAN
Bal Pandian is an ordinary villager, but his extraordinary feats
have made him a legend. This man loved birds ever since he
was a child and as he grew older he dedicated his life to
conserve the species. He takes care of the Koonthakulam
Bird Sanctuary, and maintains a daily diary of bird species.
He has studied nesting, feeding and other behaviour of the
birds and spends a majority if his time taking care of birds.
When there were a large number of birds to take care of, it
was very hard to arrange the big amount of Rs. 50,000 for
their care. His wife sold off her jewellery including her
mangalsutra to arrange the funds. We salute the man who
has given more priority to these birds than to his own life and
comforts.
READ MORE >

MANVENDRA SINGH GOHIL
A royal prince from Gujarat, Gohil is the only known person of
royal lineage in modern India to have publicly revealed that
he is homosexual. He is founder of Lakshya Trust and is
working extensively towards preventing HIV/AIDS among
men who have sex with men (MSMs). Coming out of the
closet is indeed very challenging and difficult in this country,
and when you belong to such an illustrious family, a lot more
follows after the disclosure. Gohil is a great example of
courage, and shows how one should not let social
boundaries affect one’s life decisions.
READ MORE >

SHACHI SINGH
There are very few people who get inspired by an incident so
much that it changes their life’s goal. When Shachi Singh
saw a poor boy on a railway station, she decided to help all
those kids who are living on streets, spending their days
doing small-time odd jobs to earn their daily bread and butter.
She started an organization, Ehsaas, which caters to the
needs of such children. Thanks to her hard work, Lucknow
station is now free of child labour. Her efforts made the
government create child-friendly booths for lost children
across 72 districts of Uttar Pradesh. From rescuing these
children from manual labour to helping them live a decent
life, Singh has been a support system for all these children
and we respect her dedication for the cause.
READ MORE >

DR. SHANTUBEN PATEL
She is a lady full of compassion and warmth. While working
in UK, an incident changed the way Dr. Patel thought and
she decided to dedicate her life to treating those in need for
free. She came to India and started working in Kutchh, and
began her own school called Dhanvantri School for mentally
and physically challenged children. This inspiring woman is
helping the less privileged get an equal opportunity to study
and succeed. By helping these children experience
something which they generally are deprived of, by giving
them a chance to grow, Dr. Patel has been enhancing and
colouring the lives of all these children.
READ MORE >

UNCLE MOOSA
Shri Sathyanarayan Mundayoor—Sathyanarayanji to adults
and Uncle Moosa to the young—has spent 32 years in North
East India influencing the education and reading movements
at various levels. He quit his well-settled government job to
live a more meaningful life. Keen on developing reading
habits among students, he started a public library and with
his regular efforts, some of the remotest villages in the North
East now have over 13 such libraries. The books are donated
by well-wishers, and Uncle Moosa is single-handedly
managing the initiative for a brighter future of these students.
We salute this guy who dared to take education and books to
the off beat locations of the country.
READ MORE >

GIRISH BADRAGOND
He has been an innovator ever since he was in school. He
would observe the mechanics and would try to fix broken
things at his home. While he was at school, he would help
engineering students finish their projects. As a 28-year old,
he came to Bangalore from Bijapur District in Karnataka, with
a laptop, a wireless router and a 1-way bus fare in 2006.
Today, he is now solving some of India’s biggest agricultural
problems through his simple inventions. All this without even
having a college degree! He sets an example of how lack of
resources cannot stop you if you are really passionate about
your dreams.
READ MORE >

UDAYBHAI
This Autowalla from Ahmedabad will take you on a ride you
will never forget. He makes sure that his passengers are
comfortable. Snacks, water, newspaper, dustbin – this small
vehicle has it all. Do you know the most amazing thing about
this auto? The meter is always at zero! Udaybhai runs it on
the principle of “gift-economy”. The idea behind it is that
someone before you has paid for your travel; now you
can pay-it-forward for the subsequent passenger. He greets
you with a card and a note at the end of your ride. It fills our
heart with love when we see people like Udaybhai, who with
limited resources are trying to spread happiness and love in
the country.
READ MORE >

BASANTI
Basanti was married at the young of 12 and soon after the
marriage her husband died. She shifted to Uttarakhand to
learn knitting and weaving and became literate. Through her
passion and dedication, she has managed to work actively in
the social sector. Her love towards nature led her to start
various initiatives to conserve forests and other natural
resources. She engaged the community and convinced them
to refrain from cutting down trees along the Kosi river in
Uttarakhand. With her regular efforts she has managed to
involve the forest department to contribute to her cause. She
has proved that though the path is difficult, it can be achieved
with dedication.
READ MORE >

AVELINO DE SA
Quite often we see incidents where the differently-abled are
deprived of a good career opportunity in spite of having the
appropriate qualification. Avelino sets an example for all
those who want to defeat their disability and get the top
positions in their chosen fields. Born with cerebral palsy,
Avelino never let this disability come in his away. He became
a certified investment consultant and started an association
called DRAG to help address the issues of the disabled. He
has been self-employed for over 12 years now and has over
100 clients. We can learn a lot from this hero who has made
it possible through his dedication and passion.
READ MORE >

ATUL BHIDE
He made sure that every house in a village got a toilet of its
own. Sanitation is one of the biggest problems of India and
somehow it has always been neglected in rural India. Atul
Bhide started by constructing 10 toilets from his own money
and then got the project sponsored to construct 200 toilets
more. Involved in various community services, Bhide’s dream
is to change the mindset of the people and see an India
where every house has a toilet.
READ MORE >

PRITI AND PRAVIN PATKAR
Of all children, perhaps those of a sex worker are most
ignored. Somehow their education is never taken seriously.
Priti and Pravin Patkar are two amazing souls who
understood the situation and decided to bring a change. The
duo started an organization, Prerana, which caters to the
educational needs of these children. Thanks to their help,
many kids have been able to continue their studies and
pursue various career options. They continue to face many
skeptics who doubt the success of their initiatives but the
success stories and their work proves everyone wrong. We
salute their spirit and admire them for their immense
dedication.
READ MORE >

ABDUL KAREEM
This 66 year old man from Kasargod, Kerala went an extra
mile to preserve the environment. He bought 32 acres of
barren land and planted a forest there. When he first bought
five acres of land in 1977 to plant trees, he became the
laughing stock in his locality. But he didn’t give up and
continued with his efforts to plant trees. Today, he lives in his
32 acre lush green forest which is home to many birds and
animals. Not only have his efforts changed the environment
around him, they have also helped to raise the water table of
nearby areas.
READ MORE >

KAMALESH ZAPADIYA
He traveled 20 kms everyday from his village to a nearby
internet cafe to make education more interesting for his
students. Unhappy with how burdensome studies can be for
students, Kamlesh Zapadiya, a primary school teacher in a
village in Gujarat, converted the entire syllabus from 1st to
10th standard into a quiz format to make it more student-friendly
and fun. This, in spite of living on a farm and having
limited access to electricity. His website edusafar.in
contains many quizzes, courses and modules for students to
go through and learn from. He is now working on
developing general knowledge modules in Gujarati for those
who are preparing for competitive and civil service exams.
READ MORE >

SUNITHA KRISHNAN
A victim of gang rape herself, Sunitha Krishnan has risen
from the ashes to rescue others from trafficking. Her
organization, Prajwala, has been rehabilitating the victims
after rescuing them. Shelters have been built and a factory
has been opened where skills like carpentry, welding, etc. are
taught to the girls. As we see many cases of rapes and
trafficking, we are filled with disgust. But this lady had the
courage to do something about it. Through her blog she talks
about the horrifying reality. Working with police and law
enforcement agencies, Krishnan is making sure that no girl in
the country faces this dreadful plight. She believes in talking
about the cause and has been extensively working to
make people aware. We are filled with admiration and
respect for this amazinRg ElaAdDy. MORE >

NAND LAL GUPTA
This wonderful 85-year old man has been helping the
remotest villages in Himachal Pradesh through his inventions
for over 50 years now. A self-trained scientist, Gupta’s high
tech innovations in the field of adhesives, pine boards as
wooden board substitutes and soil bricks have awed
scientists working in various reputed institutions across the
country. His methodology to make pine boards and pine wool
by utilizing pine needles available in the forests has opened
many livelihood options for the people in the villages. He has
managed to make six different types of adhesives from
cactus. Age is not a concern for this energetic man as he
plans to invent many more such tools that could simplify lives
of people living in the Himalayas.
READ MORE >

SURESH AND INDIRA SONI
While we still come across people who believe in caste
distinctions and untouchables, this couple has developed an
entire village for them. Often those who are suffering from
leprosy, mental sickness, etc. are not welcomed by the so
called “normal” people of the society. Suresh and Indira Soni
empathized with their pain and started the ‘Sahyog Kushtha
Yagna Trust’ in Gujarat, which is an abode to many such
people who live here freely without any prejudice. Spread
over 30 acres of land, Sahyog has given a new life to many
less fortunate people. This couple has restored our faith in
humanity and we believe that with such amazing
personalities, our country will certainly go a long way. People
like Soni make us believe that compassion is the biggest
treasure one can have. READ MORE >

BHANWARI DEVI
This amazing woman has been working with one of the most
under-developed tribal communities in central India.
A gynecologist by profession, she has been serving in the
remotest areas for over 20 years. She set up the Society for
Education, Acton and Research in Community Health, along
with her doctor husband Abhay, and started many such
healthcare initiatives across India. She has managed to
introduce modern medicine in tribal villages and made the
villagers aware of good healthcare facilities. While many
doctors are seeking high-paying jobs in the biggest hospitals
of the country, this amazing woman and her husband is an
inspiration to us all. Kudos to their efforts and passion.
READ MORE >

THILAK AND DHANA
Couples like Thilak and Dhana are all we need today to bring
a revolution in the Indian society, where many are still holding
on to the stale traditions of “gift exchange”. Where weddings
are more of a competition and a place for people to
display their latest jewellery. Thilak and Dhana have
redefined Indian weddings and we can’t thank them enough
for bringing this fresh change. The very reason for the two
friends to tie a knot was to adopt the abandoned girl child of
an HIV positive mother. The wedding reception was a
fundraiser for an education fund for underprivileged children.
No box gifts were allowed; only donations to the fund.
The bride did not wear a heavy silk saree or jewellery.
READ MORE >

JAYDEEP MANDAL AND SOMBODHI GHOSH
This pair revolutionized the lesser-talked topic of
menstruation. They started an organization ‘Aakar Innovation’
that caters to the needs of all the women who use dirty rags,
bark, ash and mud in the absence of menstrual hygiene
products. They have developed a low-cost sanitary napkin
manufacturing machine that produces bio-degradable, pulp-fibre
sanitary napkins, which are comparable in quality to
MNC products. Jaydeep and Sombpdhi, through their
initiative, are offering livelihood opportunities to rural women
and also creating sales and distribution models through
village-level women entrepreneurs. Kudos to the duo for
working towards the unacknowledged but important issue of
the society.
READ MORE >

NAVIN GULIA
An unfortunate event changed this man’s life forever and he
turned from a military aspirant to a disabled. He spent two
years in a hospital, unable to move. Though his doctor
claimed he would never be able to move again, Gulia had a
vitally different view from his. Passionate about cars, Gulia
started with modifying a basic Maruti 800 into a disabled-friendly
model. Not one to give up, Gulia drove to Khardung
La, which is thought to be the highest motorable pass, and hit
the headlines for driving non-stop for 55 hours. And if this
was not inspiring enough, he has also started an initiative,
‘Apni Duniya Apna Ashiana’, to support marginalized children
from weaker sections of society.
READ MORE >

SHANTILAL MUTTHA
He is the man who brought water to drought-affected Beed.
Maharashtra has been facing droughts for many years now.
The parched lands and dried up wells are common sights
every summer. Muttha is one of those people who witnessed
the drought and saw the hardships of the people. He decided
to change the situation and founded ‘Bharatiya Jain
Sanghatana’ to solve the issue. He started his efforts by
reviving various lakes and recharging wells, and as a result,
about 2500 hectare of land received silt and the cumulative
water storage capacity was increased by 20 lakh cubic
metres. When most of the irrigation is dependent on rains,
Muttha has appeared like a light at the end of a dark tunnel
for these drought-affected farmers.
READ MORE >

SHILPA SONAL
This dynamic lady caters to the educational needs of
construction workers’ children. We talk about education
opportunities for every section of the society. But often these
children are unable to compete in the mainstream
system due to the different levels of schools and the facilities
that they get, or rather, don’t get. Shilpa is bridging this gap.
She started Bagiya, a school which provides “mainstream”
quality education to 50 such children every year. Through
various skills training programmes, Sonal, with her team of
volunteers, is trying to change the fate of these lesser
privileged children. We need more such leaders who are not
only giving education opportunities to those who need it but
also preparing them for a bigger world and tougher
competition. READ MORE >

DR. RANGANAYAKULU BODAVALA
In the times of 4G internet and smart phones, there are still
some sections of the country which are struggling
for electricity. While kerosene lamps look like a solution to
light up these villages, they do more harm than good. Always
active in the field of rural development, Dr. Bodavala planned
to solve this issue. He launched ‘OneChildOneLight’ where
he harnesses the power of the sun in these
adverse conditions. The objective was to provide safe and
affordable lighting to every underprivileged child through LED
lights. Dr. Bodavala’s initiative has reached out to
over 4,30,000 children and targets to reach out to 12 crore
children.
READ MORE >

FAITH GONSALVES
This talented girl has put music to a better use. She has
brought together children who have been abused or have
suffered trauma to form a music group called Music Basti.
The initiative has acted as a great tool to build confidence
and self-worth. Gonsalves has worked with over 400 children
and 500 volunteers in Delhi. She has beautifully broken the
boundaries and made the lives of these young children a little
better through music. This vibrant lady is actively working to
make this initiative popular across India.
READ MORE >

VARUN ARYA
He is the extraordinary man who is responsible for converting
“the worst land in Rajasthan” into the lush, green campus of
the Aravali Institute of Management, with over 6000 plants
and trees which have grown up to 12 feet. He erected water
harvesting structures, made lawns, and with the use of
various modern techniques, brought about the unimaginable
change. While most professionals of his age are busy with
their high-paying jobs, he spent his time in making an
important contribution to mother nature. With his help and
technology, we are certain we can revive many such barren
lands.
READ MORE >

DR. BABA ADHAV
Baba Adhav has redefined the way the waste
collection industry works. From financial support, education
and insurance facilities to intangibles like dignity of labour
and quality of life, Dr. Adhav is doing everything possible to
make the lives of waste pickers a little easier. He organized
the first-of-its-kind ‘Convention of Waste Pickers’ in Pune,
which was attended by around 800 waste pickers. Over a
period of time he has managed to work with 9,000-plus
members, 80 per cent of who are marginalised women. His
efforts for this ignored section of the society are
commendable and we need more such amazing people.
READ MORE >

VIKRAMJIT SINGH ROOPRAI
This man is dedicated to spreading awareness about
the monuments of Delhi. He has started initiatives to make
people aware of the lesser-known historical places of Delhi.
He has located and mapped over 500 monuments so far. He
plans to find all 1317 monuments and spread the word about
heritage in such a way that every child in Delhi will start
loving this city. His website contains detailed information
about all the heritage sites in and around Delhi. While we see
people disrespecting these amazing sites by littering, Rooprai
is doing commendable work in spreading awareness about
our rich heritage. Kudos to his dedication and hard work!
Read more
READ MORE >

SHIBUMON AND ELIZABETH
This couple has come a long, long way from their home in
Kerala to live among a marginalized community of snake
charmers in the outskirts of Delhi, so that they can give the
children there a chance at life! Very few people have the
courage to go outside their comfort zone to do selfless
deeds for others. Shibhumon and Elizabeth want to bring a
change by teaching the kids from the Sapera Basti. The duo
is spending a lot of time in transforming the lives of these
people and encouraging them to take up better jobs. Though
they face many challenges every day, they are standing tall
to achieve their mission.
READ MORE >

HEMANT BABU AND MICHELLE CHAWLA
Right after their wedding, Hemant and Michelle went to a
simple tribal village. It’s been 11 years and the couple is still
in the village, contributing to the lives of the Warli tribes and
to the ecology of this once-barren land. While most of us go
to fancy locations for a honeymoon and make grand plans for
our lives after the ‘big day’, this couple has taken the road
less traveled. They have been extensively working in the field
of Education, Environment Protection and Community Media.
They went on to start a school, create organic farms,
establish community radio and created an unparalleled ‘oral-history’
of the Warli tribes and much more in the same locale.
READ MORE >

SAFEENA HUSAIN
This wonderful lady has spent the majority of her life working
in the field of girls’ education in India. She started an
initiative, ‘Educate Girls’ in Rajasthan to get as many girls as
possible into school so they can benefit from a good
education, improve their lives and become an asset to their
communities. Her hard work and dedication has led to a huge
increase in the number of schools, which rose from 500 to
4425 in a time span of just five years. Leaders like Husain
give us a hope that the country has a bright future where a
girl child would be given equal opportunity to study and prove
herself.
READ MORE >

MAMOON AKHTAR
He is the man who is single-handedly opening the world of
opportunities for people. Akhtar is changing the outlook for an
entire area in West Bengal, bringing education, health,
livelihoods and development to all the children living in the
slums. His initiative, Samaritan Help Mission, is providing
developmental opportunities to the poor and needy slum
children, with a special emphasis on young girls. Akhtar is
helping these children to explore their hidden talents and also
training them to secure a decent livelihood. This is just a
small part of the bigger impact that he is leaving on the
people and we are so inspired by this amazing man.
READ MORE >

AKSHAI ABRAHAM
This sports lover is helping marginalized children reach their
true potential with the help of sports, helping them to grow
into responsible and contributing members of the society. His
initiative, KHEL, partners with organizations working with
orphans, street children, slum children, village children,
children in shelters and children of migrant and domestic
labour and engages them. He also makes the kids aware of
topics like child sexual abuse, civic responsibility, substance
abuse and healthy living. And all of the serious talk is made
fun through sports. Three cheers to this amazing sportsman!
READ MORE >

ROBIN CHAURASIYA
An ex-US military officer, Chaurasiya is now helping trafficked
girls in Mumbai slums escape the sex trade, heal, achieve a
good education, and become self-supporting. She started an
organization, Kranti, which caters to the needs of the
disadvantaged girls. A feminist and activist since a very
young age, Chaurasiya, through her bold initiative, is
changing the lives of hundreds of girls who need a little help
and support to come out of this dark tunnel. She is a woman
of substance and we admire her spirit and dedication. -
READ MORE >

DR. SHASHI RAO
This wonderful personality changed how the education
system works through her school Ananya. She believed in
teaching kids not through books but through life skills, human
interaction and true meaningful learning. She is successfully
executing a model where children of labourers, vegetable
vendors, maid servants and others, of various age groups
and cultural backgrounds, sit together and share stories.
There are no textbooks, only concepts which the children
themselves introduce without even knowing it. We wish more
schools learn from her initiative and make education a little
more interesting.
READ MORE >

JOSEPH SANTHUMARY PARTHIBAN
This banker has covered all grounds from North to South by
making beggars in Delhi open bank accounts and changing
the lives of villagers in Tamil Nadu. Banking for Partibhan is
not about money or sitting in office and signing papers. It is a
medium to change lives. From inculcating the habit of saving
among the poorest of poor and helping them open a bank
account, this man has set them free from the high interest
rates of private money lenders and the vicious cycle of debt.
He has given a different meaning to his profession and we
don’t have enough words to express our respect towards
him.
READ MORE >

SWAPNIL CHATURVEDI
This inspiring man is cleaning toilets so that our daughters
can live a dignified life. When his daughter complained about
lack of clean and accessible toilets, Swapnil started
‘Samagra’ that aims to provide clean sanitation services to
the urban poor. Commonly called the “Poop Guy”, Swapnil is
focusing on the psychology of the people to teach them how
to use toilets in a proper way. He believes in talking openly
about sanitation and bringing a change for a healthier future.
Quite an unusual job, but Swapnil has made his point and we
all have immense respect for his great initiative.
READ MORE >

PRATIMA DEVI
She is a rag-picker and lives in a parking lot of an area
considered as one of the swankiest in South Delhi, Saket.
What is unique about her? Her love for animals and her
efforts to rescue and save them. Someone who is living on
the streets can also bring about a bigger change. She is
called messiah of dogs and has been feeding over 70 dogs
since almost 30 years now! With her dedication and
relentless efforts to serve the voiceless, Pratima Devi has
proven that it isn’t that difficult to be what we are by birth –
humans.
READ MORE >

DEBABRATA GHOSH
This incredible man has been working with tribal people for
the last 25 years. He has been working extensively to create
a better environment for tribals to live in in order to bridge the
gap between bridge between the urban people and these
tribal. – He has been successfully running an initiative called
‘Damodar Adibasi Development Society’, with the sole
objective of social and cultural evolution. From building
bridges to building blood banks, this man has done it all.
From arts, culture to sports and health, Ghosh has been
deeply involved in the lives of these villagers and going the
proverbial extra mile to bring a positive change.
READ MORE >

PRAMOD KULKARNI
Kulkarni started an initiative SATHI through which he has
rescued over 47,000 children from the railway stations and
reunited them with their families. Could a deed be any more
noble? The satisfaction Kulkarni gets after reuniting the
family is immense and something that keeps him going.
READ MORE >

REKHA KUMARI
This 22 year old girl on wheelchair is a source of huge
inspiration. Struck with polio at the age of two, Rekha is
actively running an initiative that calls for equal rights and
opportunities for children living with disabilities across the
globe. Besides talking about the rights of disabled children
and creating awareness for an inclusive child development
policy, she wants to take her campaign to the Parliament for
a concrete livelihood policy for the disabled. The lady with
strong determination and power is an inspiration to us all and
we salute her courage.
READ MORE >

SINDHUTAI SAPKAL
No words justify the story of her life. The hardship she faced
and how she emerged as the ‘mother of orphans’ can only be
felt when you talk to her. Despite the harshest poverty, she
adopted every orphan she met and became a grandmother
to over 1000 children. Some of her children have grown to be
engineers, doctors and lawyers. She is indeed a woman of
substance and we admire and respect her immense courage
and compassion.
READ MORE >

PARTHO BHOWMICK
He is the man who is single-handedly opening the world of
opportunities for people. Akhtar is changing the outlook for an
entire area in West Bengal, bringing education, health,
livelihoods and development to all the children living in the
slums. His initiative, Samaritan Help Mission, is providing
developmental opportunities to the poor and needy slum
children, with a special emphasis on young girls. Akhtar is
helping these children to explore their hidden talents and also
training them to secure a decent livelihood. This is just a
small part of the bigger impact that he is leaving on the
people and we are so inspired by this amazing man.
READ MORE >

WANT MORE SUCH STORIES?
Web: www.TheBetterIndia.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/thebetterindia
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebetterindia
Email: contact@thebetterindia.com

68 Modern Day Heroes Of India

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (18)

Similar to 68 Modern Day Heroes Of India

Similar to 68 Modern Day Heroes Of India (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (15)

68 Modern Day Heroes Of India