‘This Place Is Mind-Blowing’: How the Better India Showcase 2025 Left Everyone Inspired

Oct 18, 2025, 12:00 PM

The energy, the applause, the goosebumps — Optum presents The Better India Showcase, supported by M3M Foundation, was more than a celebration. It was India coming together for change.

Shantanu Naidu - Head of Strategic Initiatives, Tata Motors

“I’m really happy to be here, especially in a category about young people,” he smiles. “The best thing about this generation is that they can’t separate purpose from profession anymore.”

“They don’t want a job for survival and a purpose on the side. They want both in the same space. And the way they’re doing it, by rolling up their sleeves and getting to work, that’s how real change happens.”

B V R Subrahmanyam - CEO, NITI Aayog

“This place is mind-blowing,” he says. “Seeing all these changemakers makes you feel humble. It reminds you that real change doesn’t start at the top. It begins at the grassroots.”

“The strength of India isn’t in our companies or our banks. It’s in our people. It’s the 140 crore Indians who wake up every day, do their bit, and move this country forward.”

Amitabh Kant - Ex-G20 Sherpa and Former CEO, NITI Aayog

“I’ve followed The Better India’s work for years,” he says. “They bring positivity, they bring changemakers to the front, and they remind us that transformation starts with real stories.”

“Storytelling is powerful. If India has to become a truly developed nation, it will happen through changemakers like these and through stories that help us see what’s possible.”

Prakash and Mandakini Amte - Padma Shri and Ramon Magsaysay Awardees

Mandakini says, “It feels good to see how many people are doing meaningful work in India, all in their own ways, in different fields.”

Prakash says, “What I like most is how The Better India found them, the ones who’ve been working silently. When their work reaches people, it inspires others, and that recognition gives them new energy.”

Anshu Gupta - Founder, Goonj and Gram Swabhimaan | Ramon Magsaysay Awardee

“Changemaking is tough work,” he says. “This isn’t about selling to happy customers. It’s about finding people in grief and choosing to walk with them.”

“If your dream keeps you awake and your fire has purpose, this is your space. Because changemaking isn’t a profession, it’s a stubborn, beautiful way of living.”