Changemakers

Indian wildlife champion Vivek Menon has been elected the new Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) — the first Asian to ever lead the global network. His win marks a big moment for conservation, bringing decades of experience, passion, and on-ground action to the heart of international wildlife protection.

On 18 September 2025, India’s changemakers gathered under one roof for Optum presents The Better India Showcase, supported by M3M Foundation — an evening that celebrated courage, compassion, and collective action. From villages to cities, it was proof that hope still drives India forward.

From metros to small towns, thousands of women log in every week to access free workshops, mentorship, and resources through 46 XX Foundation.

In 2009, auto driver D. Joseph’s quick thinking exposed a child trafficking racket in Tamil Nadu, helping police rescue 12 stolen babies and reunite them with their families.

What if reporting a pothole, logging a flooded home, or fixing a garbage black spot was as simple as sending a WhatsApp message? With Reap Benefit’s chatbot, 1.5 lakh young Indians across 18 states are turning that into everyday reality.

When doctors dismissed her severe period pain, Lucknow-based educator Zarine Garcia decided no girl or boy should feel the same. Through the Study Hall Foundation, her sessions have reached 4,500 students across rural Uttar Pradesh, breaking years of silence around menstruation.

What do you do when the sea that raised you starts to choke on plastic? For Ajay Sawant, the answer was to listen — and turn heartbreak into hope for the ocean he calls home.

As an MBBS intern at Goa Medical College and a certified fitness coach, Dr Anshul Sadhale is showing how prevention can start long before illness does. His science-backed posts on fitness and nutrition are changing how Indians think about health.

In Bihar’s brick kilns, where childhoods are often traded for labour, Anshu Jaiswal is rewriting destinies through Akshar Learning Centres. His Neev Ki Eent Foundation is turning bricks into books and giving children a chance at dignity and dreams.

When drought hit Maharashtra, engineer Rahul Bakare built BoreCharger — a robot that revived 4,000 borewells and recharged 650 crore litres of water across India.