Unsung Heroes

This is the story of a remarkable man, Mr. Vidya Rattan Sharma, who started as a cook in a local NGO, and went on to create several innovative products in the area of cooking stoves, traditional medicine, organic farming and animal husbandry. His passion for finding solutions to centuries-old problems and determination to carry on his work even in the face of resistance or lack of resources is an inspiration to all.

At a time when there was little if any information interchange, one man worked hard to obtain it and take errant politicians to task. He paid for his doggedness in many ways, but that did not weaken his spirit or resolve. With no personal wealth or aspirations, he died in penury. But Nawab Rajendran's legacy remains for all to admire and emulate! Read about the life of a great man.

Amid all the depressing news we have been receiving of late on the state of the girl child in India, especially from the northern patriarchal states like Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, here are a few stories that give us hope. These are women, and also some men, who have adopted and cared for abandoned little girls despite their own dire conditions, and many times against the wishes of their family. This is courage and compassion in its purest form.

Dr. Verghese Kurien left us exactly one month ago. Known fondly by various names like the Milkman of India and Father of the White Revolution, he not only changed the lives of millions of dairy farmers in the nation but boosted the dairy industry to such an extent as to make India the largest milk-producer in the world. Let us pay tribute to the man who gave us so much, and to whom we never gave the Bharat Ratna. Let us read about him one more time - Lest we forget!

An accredited social health activist (ASHA) in her remote, often flood-ravaged village in Odisha, Pankajani not only saves lives on a daily basis but goes way beyond her call of duty to be available to her wards at all times spreading awareness, dispensing advice and curing ills. Her dedication is plainly visible as she recalls painful memories of last year's floods in Odisha and the steps she took to ensure that the situation in her village remained under control.

Dr. Mapuskar has been working relentlessly in the field of rural sanitation for over 50 years now, and helped develop many innovative methods and technologies to create a sanitation revolution even before it was the rising concern that it is today. His principles of community ownership and his search for appropriate technology that suits the Indian conditions have left a legacy that can be adopted all over the nation for maximum impact. He is truly a TBI Hero.

Jyotsna Sitling - India's first female tribal IFS officer is a force to reckon with. She changed the outlook of the Valley of Flowers and undertook several initiatives to ensure sustenance of environmental efforts