Changemakers

Surbhi Gandhi from Mumbai became a Chartered Accountant at 26 before starting Pro-Firo, a yoga and mindset venture shaped by her own journey.

A Bengaluru resident’s simple rainwater harvesting system is helping apartment complexes cut up to Rs 1 lakh in monthly water tanker bills, recharge groundwater, and inspire over 200 communities to adopt sustainable water solutions.

Across India, campus teams are taking their ideas beyond the classroom - helping villages manage waste, supporting menstrual health, protecting coastlines and building rural energy solutions.

At 22, Mohd Sujathullah began feeding strangers at Secunderabad Railway Station. Today, he has served over 10 million free meals and runs Humanity Hospital in Hyderabad.

Shree Charani, left-arm spinner from Andhra Pradesh, rose from village cricket to represent India and take 14 wickets at the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, becoming Kadapa’s first woman cricketer to play for Team India.

After his father’s passing in 2019, Amit Kumar began earning for his family. In Ghaziabad, he works full-time and keeps practising acting as he prepares for formal training.

Indian women scientists are driving breakthroughs in space exploration, AI healthcare, mathematics and science communication, reshaping India’s future through precision-led innovation.

In Narnoor, IAS officer Rajarshi Shah introduced Aarogya Patashala — a weekly school programme teaching hygiene, nutrition, mental health, and life skills. The result: healthier children, lower absenteeism, and habits that last a lifetime.

What would The Better India look like as a daily newspaper? This Newspaper Day, we reimagine our most-loved stories — from sustainability and farming to parenting and wildlife — on a classic front page.

Meet the Padma Award 2026 winners whose lifelong work in art, sport, service, and sustainability has created a lasting impact across communities in India.