padmashri

Treated with a mixture of oil and ash, coloured by the hue of an Indian tree — a single piece of Telia Rumal takes around 2 months to be completed.

“I want to continue digging ponds no matter how old I get,” says the inspiring crusader who treats the ponds like his family members.

"Every expert we met discouraged us to take up this mission. No one believed that we could revive such a wasteland through organic methods. But, we made the impossible eventually possible."

“Even before I learnt to write the alphabet, I was drawing and sketching. I don’t even remember how old I was when I started.”

Since 1973, Dr Rao has been treating up to 1200 underprivileged patients at his village clinic every Sunday. And that's not all, he has also built 700+ toilets and planted 35000 trees! #Respect #RealLifeHero

Such was his reverence of her work that former Prime Minister, AB Vajpayee, bent down to touch the feet of this incredible woman. #Respect #RealLifeHeroine #PadmaShri

“I wished that it would get over quickly, but quitting was never an option. The discomfort only made me swim faster and better."

This article is part of our ‘TBI Corner’ where we speak to you, our reader, directly. This is all about what we’re doing as a brand, our take on various topics, and what’s up at TBI. Let us know what you think in the comments below!

In its maiden attempt, India became the first Asian nation to reach the Mars orbit, and the first nation in the world to do so in its first attempt. One man who held it all together and made us proud is Dr Mayilswamy Annadurai.

A resident of Bhubaneswar, the very talented Ileana Citaristi is the first dancer of foreign descent to receive a Padma Shri!