Divya Sethu

Dr Manisha Gupte and Dr Ramesh Awasthi run MASUM (Mahila Sarvangeen Utkarsh Mandal), a collective of thousands of women across Maharashtra who mobilise to gain a better understanding of their sexuality, and what rights they have over their bodies.

This year’s recipient of the Social Innovator of the Year Award, Ashraf Patel runs Pravah and ComMutiny, two organisations that work with the youth and youth leaders at the grassroots level.

Under the editorship of the ‘grand old man of journalism’ Tushar Kanti Ghosh, the Amrita Bazar Patrika scaled great heights in India’s freedom struggle.

Packing their entire home into a vintage van, Sim, Kartik and their dog Everest from Toronto, have spent the last 16 months living on the road.

Dr Neelam Gupta runs A Ray of Hope (AROH) Foundation in Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar. She speaks of what it takes to venture into dangerous territories to rehabilitate and empower youths.

Dr Himmatrao Bawaskar, Padma Shri awardee, conducted monumental research and work into finding a way to treat scorpion stings. He brought the case fatality rate down from 40% to 1% in India.

Nand Kishore Chaudhary recalls his journey of establishing Jaipur Rugs, manufacturer of hand-knotted rugs and carpets, and how he overcame several odds to empower women who were considered ‘untouchable’, helping them earn better through weaving.

The world’s first republic, Vaishali, is in Bihar, India. Here’s the story of its rise and fall, and why it was an integral city in ancient India.

In 1995, public health scientist Dr Smarajit Jana formed Durbar, a collective of over 65,000 sex workers, who banded together to advocate for their rights, health, and agency, leading to a number of transformations across the country.

Besides making Alam Ara in 1931, Ardeshir Irani also gave India its first indigenously made colour film and first-ever talkie.