changemakers

In a corner of Bihar, a decade-long journey is improving communities. From schools to villages, from livelihoods to health, one rail project became more than steel and engines — it became a catalyst for change, hope, and opportunities for generations.

In Narnoor, IAS officer Rajarshi Shah introduced Aarogya Patashala — a weekly school programme teaching hygiene, nutrition, mental health, and life skills. The result: healthier children, lower absenteeism, and habits that last a lifetime.

While social media looks back at 2016 for glow-ups, this story looks back for growth. From Dal Lake clean-ups and entrepreneurship to starting kitchen gardens in bastis, these four young Indians reveal how small, unnoticed moments a decade ago shaped extraordinary journeys today.

The idea for The Better India didn’t begin in a newsroom, but over everyday moments of reading the news and asking uncomfortable questions. Anuradha Kedia and Dhimant Parekh share how that curiosity turned into a platform focused on solutions, changemakers, and stories that restore faith.

This Makar Sankranti, Surat streets buzz with colour and excitement, but a simple act of care by the police is turning heads. Here’s how a unique safety initiative is making the festival safer for bikers while spreading warmth across the city.

From small farms and forgotten hillsides to solar dryers and 100-sq-ft grow rooms, Indians across the country reshaped agriculture in 2025. These 10 stories capture the ideas, care and courage that made farming more profitable and human-centred.

In 1965, Prof V Rajaraman launched India’s first Computer Science course at IIT Kanpur, mentoring pioneers who would go on to build the nation’s IT revolution.

Sharun Arora leads Chennai Super Klean, a team that started with local clean-ups and now represents India at the Spogomi World Cup. Through strategy, teamwork, and purpose, they show how environmental action can become a powerful and competitive movement on the global stage.

From starting a gifting venture at 16 to founding Rural Tech Rise, Harshini Kishore Singh has empowered 5,000+ children with tech education, cybersecurity awareness & entrepreneurship skills.

Born to a tailor and farm labourer, IAS Vijay Amruta Kulange rose from poverty to become Odisha’s beloved ‘People’s Collector’, known for his pro-people reforms.