Chennai

Dr Naveen Kumar from Chennai is on a mission to combat health issues caused by adulterated food. For this, he encourages his patients to grow their own food using organic farming. He cultivates native seeds on his terrace and distributes them to patients and others, motivating them to grow fruits and vegetables at home.

Preethi Srinivasan’s illustrious life as an athlete changed in a fraction of a second when she met with an accident at 18 that left her quadriplegic. Today, she runs Soulfree, a non-profit organisation that provides rehabilitation, physical training, counselling and hope to people with irreversible spinal cord injuries.

Chennai’s Kirthana Raamsukaesh runs Vetri's Pet Food Bank to feed stray dogs. She also conducts vaccination drives, rescue operations, medical interventions, and rehabilitation campaigns for stray animals.

Pooja Srinivasa Raja, who overcame postpartum depression, bullying, and eating disorders through therapy, founded ‘The Love Hope Company’ in Chennai. This wellness space aims to make mental health support accessible and break the stigma surrounding it.

In the absence of a way to track the quality of dirty and clouded water cans, siblings Bharath Govindaraghavan and Balachander G launched BookWater that ensures access to safe drinking water.

A day in the life of Esther Shanthi, manager at the Otteri cremation ground in Chennai. She narrates how she put in almost a decade to transform this place, despite the threat to her life.

Tamil Nadu resident and MBA graduate Karthick G launched Pikbig, a ‘boutique on wheels’ that brings the experience of shopping for clothes right to the customer’s doorstep.

Social entrepreneur Sriram V Ayer established his foundation NalandaWay in 2005 to use art forms like music, theatre, and more to transform the lives of children affected by disasters, violence, HIV/AIDs and more.

Áine Edwards, an Ireland-native who worked in Chennai for a decade, helped kids in Mahabalipuram become surfers and skateboarders of repute.

Hailed by Anand Mahindra, this viral video shows a stunningly creative choreography by IAS Officer Kavitha Ramu for the 44th International Chess Olympiad being held in Tamil Nadu's capital Chennai.