Maharashtra

While the process ultra high-density planting (UHDP) has been practised for years in Israel and South Africa, it is only recently being followed by a handful of enterprising farmers like 62-year-old Parmanand Gavane in Maharashtra.

The Chitale brand’s tumultuous journey started with the vision of a lone dairy farmer, Bhaskar Ganesh Chitale, in the interiors of Maharashtra. Here’s their story.

At 60, Lata Kare from Maharashtra ran her first marathon to win money to cover her husband’s medical expenses, and won. She went on to run and win two more. Her inspiring story was adapted into a movie, which received a special mention in the National Film Awards.

Renowned ENT surgeon Dr Jayant Gandhi and Dr Devangi Dalal have helped underprivileged children between the ages of 1 and 20 gain access to high-quality digital hearing aids, training and support, all free of cost.

In Maharashtra's Panegao village, a stunning story of community action was scripted when people banded together to fight a 20-year-long battle against illegal mining by the sand mafia.

Anirudh Chaoji from Nagpur used rainwater harvesting, crop rotation, and solar systems to revive the ecosystem of his ancestral land, while also resolving the man-animal conflict in near Umred Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary and Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve.

Till Dr Mangala Narlikar from Pune became a mother of three, she was known as the wife of celebrated scientist Jayant Narlikar. Very few knew she was a Math wizard waiting to explode. #WomenInSTEM

Kiran Bavadekar from Kolhapur contracted polio at 3 but still went on to pursue wrestling and bodybuilding professionally. Today, he is a fitness trainer, where 300 of his students have joined the Indian Army or police force.

Aamir Khan, Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, and other eminent names in Bollywood saw Malegaon Ka Superman, which catapulted the success of Mollywood, the film industry of the small town of Malegaon, Maharashtra.

M I Siddiqui from Muzaffarnagar, Bihar, went to Mumbai and started Cosmus, a bag manufacturing company. Today, the company sells products like duffel bags, school bags, and laptop bags that are about 30 per cent cheaper than many in the market