Changemakers

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.

From rural healthcare to groundwater conservation, these innovations prove how homegrown tech can deliver affordable, scalable solutions to India’s toughest challenges.

During the devastating floods in Amritsar, Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney led a large-scale rescue operation, saving over 900 people within 24 hours. Coordinating with the army and relief teams, she brought aid to cut-off villages and became a symbol of courage.

In Maharashtra’s Vidarbha, fly ash had turned fertile lands into grey, lifeless zones. But one scientist is leading a revolution using bamboo and eco-rejuvenation science to bring them back to life. This green transformation is not just saving the soil—it’s creating clean air, jobs, and fresh hope.

Welcome to the Ulta Pulta (upside down) school, where mountains form the walls and the open sky serves as the roof. The school is the brainchild of Shrey and Jyoti, who founded Suraah — a student-centric alternate schooling movement in the hills of Uttarakhand.

Ipra Mekola, once a hunter, is now leading his Idu Mishmi community in conserving the critically endangered Bengal florican by protecting grasslands and turning children into bird guides.

When Vishal Talreja returned from Finland, one question stayed with him: what if every child in India could grow with the same dignity and confidence? That thought became ‘Dream a Dream’, now empowering 2.2 million children with life skills across India.

In a city with less than eight percent forest cover, one patch of green still cools the air, recharges water, and shelters a near-threatened parrot. This is the story of Dol Ka Badh — and the people keeping it alive.

Amidst Rajasthan’s water scarcity and harsh terrain, Sundaram Verma discovered a technique to grow trees with just a litre of water each. Today, more than 60,000 trees stand as proof — showing farmers nationwide that transformation begins at the roots.

In parts of Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, women are still confined to ‘kurma ghars’ during menstruation — a practice rooted in deep-seated stigma and unsafe traditions. NGOs like Making The Difference and SPARSH are revamping these huts.