Changemakers

From a modest workshop in Jorhat to international recognition, Prabhat Saikia’s bamboo craft is transforming lives, creating jobs, and putting Assam on the world map.

When Dr Ruby Makhija became RWA secretary, she set out to fix one problem in her Delhi colony. Eight years later, not a single bag of waste has reached the landfill — and the numbers will surprise you.

From kitchen tables to community halls, Dr Kalpana Sankar’s ‘Hand in Hand India’ has brought women together in over five lakh self-help groups, unlocked 50 lakh family businesses, and empowered 2.2 million women to shape change in their villages.

Shweta Menon left her IT career to start Truly Tribal, a platform that revives India’s traditional crafts like Warli and Pichwai while ensuring fair earnings for artisans. Today, it supports over 500 artisans across 16 states, helping tribal art forms thrive with dignity and pride.

Madurai-based Dr Swaminathan C runs a 'Doctor on Wheels' programme to take affordable and accessible healthcare to thousands of senior citizens in the city. He shares why he left his life in Canada to start this.

Once branded as “criminals”, Gujarat’s nomadic tribes lived without rights or recognition. Mittal Patel’s work has helped 7.5 lakh people gain homes, education, livelihoods, and dignity — turning invisibility into empowerment.

Advocate Varsha Deshpande has spent three decades fearlessly fighting female foeticide and gender violence, leading sting operations that brought notorious doctors to justice.

In the 1980s, Madhulika’s father guided her through her first period with care instead of rules. Today, from homes to sports fields, these stories show how more fathers are stepping up to help daughters grow with confidence, comfort, and support.

By demystifying food labels and exposing misleading marketing, Revant Himatsingka has helped three million Indians to take control of their health. His page ‘FoodPharmer’ has influenced major brands to reduce sugar and shaped nutrition literacy across schools and communities.

When cyclones tore down poles and summers banned outdoor work, Odisha’s linemen, engineers, and SHG women kept the current flowing. Five years on, their grit and trust have turned a fragile grid into one of India’s strongest power stories.