grassroots innovation

Rang De works on a peer-to-peer lending model, which enables small-scale farmers and entrepreneurs by making decentralised renewable energy (DRE) solutions accessible through low-cost credit.

From solar-powered flour mills to pocket-sized insulin carriers, these five young changemakers are proving that innovation has no age — and that the future is being built today.

From reviving forests to reimagining cities, sustainability in India is being redefined by bold, everyday action. As part of Optum Presents The Better India Showcase, supported by the M3M Foundation, here are five changemakers leading the way.

The Leap 300 model helps families escape extreme poverty in just 300 days through app-based selection, skill training, and business mentoring. With a 91% success rate, it enables participants to build sustainable livelihoods, boost incomes, and break generational poverty cycles.

The Better India Showcase 2025 honours changemakers who build, teach, heal, and uplift, far from the spotlight. Join us this September as their stories of courage, care, and relentless action finally get the recognition they deserve.

Faced with crop spoilage in his village, 26-year-old Swuyievezo Dzudo used his science background to build a solar dryer that costs Rs 7,000. Now used by over 500 farmers in Nagaland, his invention is saving crops, boosting incomes, and earning national recognition.

Moved by the suffering in his hometown, Basaiah Hiremath left a high-paying job in the US to return to Karnataka. His solution? Moringa: a superfood that changed thousands of lives.

In a village where water is scarce and the land is unforgiving, Sundaram Verma found a way to grow trees using only one litre of water per plant. His simple method has helped over 60,000 trees survive drought — and inspired farmers across India to rethink how change takes root.

Sushmita Kaneri, a software engineer-turned-social entrepreneur, launched Gullakaari to revive India’s endangered crafts and empower 1,000+ artisans with sustainable livelihoods. She is training them to make functional products through traditional art.

Through decades of global research and grassroots work, Dr. Ashish Sharma reveals how India’s fight for clean air is as much about policy and technology as it is about people. From baby strollers in polluted streets to citizen-led sensors and urban policy, this is a call to reimagine our cities — together.