Tamil Nadu

Pained by the state of poor and homeless people, Jalaja and Janardhanan were driven by an overwhelming sense to care for those who had no one.

It is said that the greatest gift is the gift of life. This saying is exemplified by what Tamil Nadu's 26-year-old Masilamani did to save a four-month old baby.

"Seeing patients happy gives us happiness. Their words of encouragement like ‘you saved my life’ gives us a lot of inspiration. We are simple people who don’t care for material needs, and doing this work is what gives us joy."

“My grandmother-in-law was known for her ability to cook for very large gatherings. She could cook for more than 50 people at a time!

The opportunities for labour are many, but the wages are uncertain. After many years of this instability, when the opportunity for a steady income came Maheshwari's way, she was excited and weary.

At 13, she happened to read the autobiography of Helen Keller and that was when she realised that the power to transform her life was not with anyone else, but rested completely with her.

"You have actuated a long-dormant desire among Indians. Let's discard what never belonged to us. Let's caste away caste," said actor Kamal Hassan on Twitter in praise of her actions.

The Better India (TBI) is bringing to you a series of stories on sustainable architecture and living options and in this quest, how can we leave mud houses out?

“I come from a small village in Tirunelveli district, so I know what it’s like for students from these parts," says Dr Mari Raj - who is fighting for equality and justice.

"Chinnathambi is a very calm elephant. He never troubled anyone and even after all the troubles and physical damages he went through, he was very quiet and patient. All he is doing is finding a way back"