Aruna Raghuram

Two decades ago, Rajiv Khandelwal and Krishnavatar Sharma started Aajeevika Bureau to make India’s invisible workers seen. Today, their effort has helped 12 lakh migrant workers reclaim Rs 120 crore in wages — and something even bigger: their dignity.

When Himanshi Rathi lost her vision in Class 12, she could’ve stepped back. Instead, she turned to chess — mastering the game she once struggled to imagine, and becoming India’s first woman to win a medal at the Asian Para Games.

After losing his vision in infancy, Vishnu Vaghela grew up in a small village in Gujarat and found purpose through sport. Today, at 27, he captains both India and Gujarat’s blind football teams, mentors young players at the Blind People’s Association (BPA) in Ahmedabad, and continues to break barriers in the world of disability sport — on and off the field.

Vasanthi Veluri and Anurag Chatrath left behind careers in design and banking in the cities to build a slower, more purposeful life in a remote Himalayan village. Today, they grow their own food, live sustainably, and while Anurag consults for a global start-up, Vasanthi runs Peoli — a craft studio that works with rural artisans.

Raised in an orthodox home, Lakshmi Murthy turned menstrual stigma into design-led change. Through cloth pads, visual manuals, and gender education, she’s scripting a new way for rural India to talk about periods, dignity, and sustainability.

From Ayodhya to Rajasthan, three determined women are shattering societal barriers, pursuing their dreams, and uplifting their communities. One teaches life skills to adolescent girls, another is transforming healthcare in her village, and the third is running a thriving business while empowering others. Their incredible stories will inspire you.

Darpan Inani lost his vision at the age of three. With his parents' support and his own determination, he went on to defeat sighted opponents at the international level, become a CA, and win two gold medals at the Para Asian Games — all while balancing chess and his career.

Northeast India has become a hub for creativity and innovation, with local ventures offering unique, eco-friendly solutions to everyday challenges. These innovations, from sustainable storage units to eco-conscious products, reflect the region’s rich cultural heritage and its ability to develop practical, low-cost technologies.

Dr Sunil Shroff, a renal transplant surgeon, established the MOHAN Foundation in 1997 after facing criticism abroad over the rising kidney transplant scams in India. His organisation educates and empowers people to take the organ donation pledge.

Recognising the linguistic diversity of India, with its multitude of languages and over 11 official writing systems, Satya Rajpurohit started the Indian Type Foundry (ITF) in Ahmedabad to create high-quality Indian fonts.