Inspirational Stories of Success | Inspirational Life Stories

A man adopted a railway station in Mumbai and within a few months changed the way it looked. Here is how he made it possible. Visit King's Circle railway station in Mumbai and you'll be in for a surprise—spic-and-span corners, nicely painted walls, well-lit entrances, and beautiful plants!

For the first time ever in the country, Indian Railways gave the go-ahead to a non-profit venture, Die Hard Indian, to adopt a railway station and take charge of its beautification process.

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The team started with picking the dirtiest spot and making it spic and span.[/caption] The man behind the project is Gaurang Damani, an electrical engineer with a social conscience.

“I would file various complaints about the bad condition of the railway stations. One day, the Ministry approached me and asked me to take up this project. I was thrilled,” Damani says.

Damani started his ambitious project in December 2014, and the first thing he did was identify the dirtiest spot in King's Circle station. This was the first place that was cleaned before moving on to other areas in the station.

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Gaurang Damani (fifth from left) with volunteers.[/caption] After every corner of the station had been cleaned, Damani moved on ensure that the space was well-lit — 29 bright lights were installed on foot overbridges. The next step was to beautify the station — a 100 saplings were planted in and around the area to provide some pleasant greenery. In order to prevent people from spitting on the walls, Damani got a few artists to do some beautiful wall paintings. Thanks to this initiative, spitting on the walls has come down by 99 percent. Damani's team also pasted informational posters and banners at the station to spread awareness about cleanliness, safety and hygiene. They lifted debris and did overall cleaning of the platform, apart from fixing potholes and placing dustbins at various locations.

Over 550 volunteers from different organizations, schools and colleges showed up to extend their support to transform the station.

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They engaged youth in their activities who participated by painting the walls beautifully.[/caption]

“There was a lot to be done. But all the volunteers showed immense passion and dedication and the work is finished now. We have appointed a few people to keep a check on how the station is doing after the completion of the work and everything seems to be in place right now,” says Damani.

Die Hard Indian, Damani's NGO, has now taken on the responsibility of maintaining the work that was done at the station. [caption id="attachment_22028" align="aligncenter" width="594"]

The changes in the station are drastic and obvious.[/caption] When Damani started working on this project, he faced various challenges too. The biggest hurdle was dealing with a non-cooperative public. The station is a busy place and keeping track of all the problems in different areas was difficult.

“People would steal the banners, posters and other things. We started putting chains on dustbins to prevent them being stolen,” he recalls.

As it was the Railway Ministry that had approached Damani for this project, there were no problems from the government's side and the mission was carried out smoothly.

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They made sure that people stopped spitting at the walls and repainted the old, dirty spots.[/caption] Thanks to Damani’s NGO and other organisations that managed to raise funds for the project, the station looks much cleaner, brighter and safer now. Damani will take care of the station for the next eight months, after which he is willing to continue his work if the ministry extends their permission.

If anyone wants to replicate Damani's model, he is ready to share his experiences and extend help. He is also looking forward to adopting more stations.

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The team has also planted beautiful sapling to make the platform look more lively.[/caption] To know more about the efforts of Die Hard Indian and how this NGO made the beautification project such a huge success, contact Damani at damanig@diehardindian.com or check out the website.

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“Love yourself, ‘you’ are the only ‘you’ that ‘you’ have,” says Harnaam Kaur, the bearded dame who is changing the perception of beauty around the world. You may have heard of Harnaam Kaur, the 24-year-old woman from UK who refers to herself as the ‘Bearded Dame’. Beautiful, courageous and confident, Harnaam is a true inspiration to many in this world struggling with unrealistic and fabricated standards of beauty. TBI had an email conversation with Harnaam Kaur about her difficult but ultimately rewarding journey:

“I love being a body confidence activist and a plus size model. I enjoy challenging the definition of beauty,” says Harnaam, who is living with polycystic ovary syndrome. Her condition causes hormonal imbalance, which in turn can result in excessive hair growth on the face and body.

At the impressionable age of 11, when hair first started growing on her face, Harnaam became the victim of bullying and hurtful comments – a fate that was to follow her persistently through her growing years. She tried everything - waxing, bleaching, shaving, and a lot more – till she reached her lowest point and was ready to give up on life. “I was affected by bullies a lot. I had to cope, I wanted to stay alive. I used to cry rivers of tears to let out emotions of hate towards my body and the bullies. I used to self-harm. I wanted to kill myself because I hated my life. My bedroom was my safe haven, I would lock myself in my room and stay in it after I came back from school. I used to only go to school and come back home. I never had a social life as I was afraid of getting bullied. Going to school was like doomsday every day,” she says.

But today, Harnaam is well past those dark times. She sports a beard which she loves and has been growing it since the age of 16.

Photo Credit: Flickr

“One day I decided that enough was enough. Self-harming never helps a situation. It causes you more deep emotional and physical pain and the bad situation will be there still for you to deal with anyway. You should seek help and advice when wanting to overcome problems. I remember turning the negative energy of being suicidal into positive energy. People don’t realise how much energy it takes to want to commit suicide. I decided to live life happily.”

However, it was not an easy step to take. Tired of all the bullying and the pain it caused, Harnaam first started to grow her beard for religious reasons; she converted to Sikhism, a religion that forbids cutting one’s hair. Her decision caused consternation within the family. Her parents did not think she would be able to lead a normal life if she had a beard. And it did lead to the expected problems – people staring at her on the street, in stores and washrooms and other public places.

However, over time, she grew to love her beard as a part of her body. Her brother, Gurdeep, was the one person who stood by her and supported her though everything.

A photo posted by the official harnaam kaur page (@harnaamkaur) on Jun 25, 2015 at 12:20pm PDT

Recently, Harnaam made headlines when some pictures of her dressed as a beautiful bride were shared all around the world. Posing for the Urban Bridesmaid Photography studio in south London, Harnaam looked radiant. Photographer Louisa Coulthurst, who did the photo shoot, had seen Harnaam’s portrait at the Beard Exhibition held at Somerset House in March. “I had always been intrigued by the thought of floral beards and a thought came to me of wouldn’t it be cool to have a floral beard on a woman. I emailed Harnaam and she was excited and wanted to get involved,” Lisa was quoted as saying here.

Harnaam, who will be doing many more photo shoots in the future, says – “I absolutely loved my bridal photo shoot. I did not actually get married. It was just a photo shoot and my aim was to help portray diversity in society and to challenge the definition of beauty. I wish to one day officially dress up in bridal wedding attire, be it Indian or Western.”

Ask her about what motivates her to keep going, and she says, “I guess the amazing comments, emails and letters from people make me smile and encourage me to carry on the path of helping people find self-love, empowerment and strength after going through hard times. I receive messages such as "your self-love gives me self-love," or "you helped me love my life and not be suicidal anymore," and "I wish that my children grow up to be as brave and confident as you." These comments and messages make me realise that what I am doing is having an impact on the wider world, and I will continue to live my life's purpose.”

Harnaam, who is also an anti-bullying activist, has made a video called Labels, which is a short film to create awareness about bullying.

To people who are struggling to find the same courage that she has been able to in life, she says – “I love all the elements of my body. How can I not? This is my body. I feel that once we find self-love and contentment, then anything that people say in a horrible way will not affect us. Society always tells us that we are too fat, too chubby, too skinny, too tall or too short, too dark or too light. But I am here saying that we are all absolutely beautiful and nothing that anyone says will change that. My marks on my body all describe a journey that I have been on, how can I erase that journey? I love my body and I hope that others can love theirs too.”

Harnaam plans to do many more photo shoots around different concepts in the future – concepts that will help redefine the meaning of beauty and what is normal. She is also planning on producing more short films on subjects close to her heart.

Source: Facebook (Rock n Roll Bride)

“Live happily, live contentedly. You have one life, live it right. Help each other achieve greatness, and empower each other to reach limits that you thought you couldn't ever achieve,” is Harnaam’s inspiring message to the world.

Picture Source: Facebook page of Harnaam, if not mentioned otherwise.

You can follow Harnaam on Instagram here, and Facebook here, to support her journey.

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).

Music is her language, her soul, her life, her passion, her source of strength. For her, no music means no life. This is the inspiring story of Benzy Kumar. Twenty-two year old Benzy Kumar has eight audio CDs to her name, has been featured in the Limca Book of Records, teaches music to kids, has won three National Awards - and all of this does not even begin to sum up her amazing journey and awe inspiring achievements. Yet, there was a time when Benzy was a cause of concern for everyone. Doctors were not even sure if she would survive. Epileptic convulsions and heavy medicines would render her unconscious. But there was one thing to which she always responded positively when awake - music. When her parents noticed this, they adopted music therapy, which has helped Benzy not just survive but also thrive in this world.

Her passion for music is so strong that even though she cannot converse properly, she can express her feelings through ragas and music.

Benzy is living with autism, and in the words of her mother, Kavita Kumar, she is a very special child. Benzy’s journey would not have progressed along the lines that it did, had it not been for the will and powerful belief of her parents. On realising that Benzy is different from other kids her age, they began to consult doctors who told them that Benzy would be dependent on them all her life for her daily activities. While this came as a shock to them, Kavita and her husband accepted the news with strength and courage:

“Both of us focussed on the fact that what has happened cannot be changed. We only wanted to know what can be done further to help our child,”says Kavita

In 1992, there wasn’t much awareness about autism. But Kavita was determined to utilize her entire education and knowledge to work with Benzy in the best way possible. And it was during that time, when her daughter was just a toddler, that she observed Benzy’s reactions to her favourite musical toy. She noticed how her daughter’s eyes followed the toy, a reaction that she did not show to any other object or activity. This was the one positive observation that Kavita decided to build on. She ensured that music became a part of Benzy’s daily activities. Up until the age of four, Kavita played the role of music teacher to Benzy. After that, she realised the need for a third person who could come in an involve Benzy more sincerely in musical activities. All of this was never done with the aim of making her a professional, but only with the desire of seeing her happy because music made Benzy incredibly joyous.

“When we awaken Benzy with ragas in the morning, she is cool and calm the entire day. And if the same happens without music, she is a completely different person…irritated with everyone around her and also with her own self,” says Kavita

From here began the search for a teacher who could help inculcate a musical routine in Benzy’s life. This was a long struggle as no one was ready to believe that the child had the skills and a calling for music. Finally, after seven people said there was no chance, Benzy’s parents found her a teacher. The late Mr. M. M. Rafi trusted her potential and came in every day just to sing in front of Benzy. “Benzy and I will always be grateful to him. He taught her the basic ragas and helped her excel in the grammar of music. It is because of those classes that today Benzy can instantly play any song on the keyboard right after listening to it,” says Kavita.

They then began to share her work with prominent people working in the field. It was Shubha Mudgal who sent in the first response saying that she found potential in Benzy’s voice, and encouraged her to continue.

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Shubha Mudgal was the first celebrity to recognize Benzy's talent[/caption] A big fan of Bollywood, Benzy’s joy knew no bounds when she met Hritik Roshan, who was there to bless her music CD named Koshish. “Whenever we went to watch any movie with Benzy, she never sat for more the 15 minutes, and we had to leave the theatre. It was during the movie Kaho na Pyaar Hai, starring Hritik Roshan, when she saw the entire show in pin drop silence. We were shocked with this miracle. Seeing her reaction, I wondered how she would feel on meeting him. This was when I wrote to him and sent him her CD, and he agreed to meet her. You won’t believe how happy Benzy was after that day,” narrates Kavita, laughing. It was with this CD that Benzy won the national award and got her name in the Limca Book of Records. Also, just last year she received the Best Creative Adult of India award from Mr. Pranab Mukherjee. Her song is featured in the international audio CD titled ‘Songs of the Disabled, Underground Vol. 3’. She is the only artist from India who was selected for this album. Along with this, All India Radio has graded her as a permanent artist and her songs are broadcast on a regular basis. However, the path to this success was not easy. After losing her father in 2010, Benzy quit music completely for two years. Here again, Kavita decided to do her best to establish Benzy back in the field, and with her dedication, she was able to bring music into Benzy’s life once again. Benzy’s latest collection, Ragas, is based on the very same ragas with the help of which she was able to heal herself. Singing the ragas helped her feeble voice become powerful and melodious. “This shows the healing power of Indian classical music,” says Kavita.

Benzy’s current teacher is Pt. Ramji Mishra. Her favourite singers are Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle, and some of Benzy’s favourite songs include Itti hi hasi, Aa bhi ja, and Rahe na rahe hum.

All these achievements did not mark the end of this story. Inspired by Benzy, Kavita decided to start her own project, called the Dhoon foundation, where children belonging to underprivileged backgrounds and living with autism are trained in music and dance free of cost. The main aim of the foundation is to establish these children as artistes so that they do not have to depend on others.

“My message to parents who have children living with autism is that they should not consider autism to be a disease which needs to be cured. They should understand it, and give their children the best quality of life. Treat them as the most beautiful and special children. Teach them with love, and accept them. Keep the children happy. We have raised Benzy as a princess all her life. When a child is happy, he/she will succeed. Just try and find the one thing that makes your child happy, and help them grow in it,” concludes Kavita.

To know more about Benzy and to follow her work, you can visit her website www.benzymusic.com. You can also order her CDs by writing to Kavita at kkavita62@gmail.com.

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us:contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).

From living amidst the challenges of rural India, to becoming an acclaimed artist, illustrator, and writer – this is Bhajju Shyam’s journey. Today, his book, ‘London Jungle Book’, has been published in five foreign languages and his paintings have been exhibited far and wide around the globe. “How did a tribal man like me go from a village in a forest to a city like London? That’s the question in everyone’s mind. It’s quite simple. An artist goes where there is work.” In 2001, Bhajju Shyam was presented with a unique opportunity in the form of an invitation to paint the murals of an upmarket restaurant in London. This trip accounted for many firsts - first trip abroad, first flight, and first ever passport. He then beautifully depicted and narrated these in the ‘London Jungle Book’, which was published in 2004 by Tara Books. Inaugurated in the Museum of London, this visual treat, an instant hit among art and literature buffs, became his gateway to the world of art and books outside of India.

Bhajju’s Journey to London

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Bhajju Shyam- the artist, the comic, the traveller.[/caption] Bhajju’s story begins in 1971 in Patangarh, Madhya Pradesh. Born in a family of the Gond Pradhan Tribe, his childhood was similar to that of many from the rural landscapes of India. It was a challenge for Bhajju’s family to provide for the three children.

“One of us would have books, the other would have a uniform, and the third would have a bag. If we were all one child, we would have made it through. But we were three and there wasn’t enough to go around.”

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Bhajju amongst his community members in Patangarh[/caption] When he was 16, Bhajju resolved to leave Patangarh and take up a job to support his family. His resolve took him to Amarkantak to work on a tree plantation project. Here, Bhajju earned Rs. 2 for every sapling he planted. Unhappy with his job a year later, Bhajju took off for Bhopal. After having worked as a night guard and an electrician in Bhopal, he still found himself unsatisfied. Eventually, in 1993, Bhajju’s uncle and renowned Gond artist, Jangarh Singh Shyam, invited Bhajju to be his apprentice. “I always helped my mother with the paintings on our walls at home when I was younger, and after going through many jobs, I decided this would be just another one.” Bhajju joined his uncle and began filling in the colours and fine patterns of Jangarh Shyam’s art works. Jangarh encouraged Bhajju to begin his own art work when his talent became apparent. During an exhibition in Delhi, Jangarh managed to sell five of Bhajju’s paintings for Rs. 1,200. It was a significant amount for Bhajju and it motivated him to continue in the field of Gond art. Soon, he ventured out on his own and worked on honing his skills. He began selling art works independently and slowly started gaining recognition in the world of indigenous art. But bigger opportunities were in store for Bhajju. His art gained much attention at an exhibition of indigenous art in Paris in 1998, and in 2001, he got a chance to travel to London. Bhajju left India in apprehension after hearing stories about foreign lands; he returned after two months as a story teller himself.

The incredible in the ordinary

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Journey of the Mind: Bhajju’s depiction of his anticipation of his trip to London. His mind was filled with countless thoughts and questions.[/caption] For many of us who are used to zipping around in flights from one state to the other, or sometimes from one time zone to the other, travel holds no novelty. It does not captivate us or make us pause to observe and deliberate. The ‘London Jungle Book’ can be likened to the wonder a child has on encountering the unfamiliar. Bhajju brought out the incredible in the ordinary. Nothing escaped his inquisitive eye, and every experience in London was very creatively expressed through his illustrations and narrations.

Bhajju humorously describes his first flight in the book.

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Bhajju describes his depiction of the flight as an elephant flying, since “the heaviest animal I have ever seen is an elephant. So that creature came to my mind when I painted the plane. A plane taking off is as much of a miracle as an elephant flying.”[/caption]

“The way it happened was like this. It was night and I could see nothing outside. Inside there were only queues and lines of people. So it was queue up, get a stamp on a document, sit down on a row of seats, wait. Then queue up again, another stamp, another row of seats. After this had gone on for a while, and we had sat down in one more row of seats in a sort of long waiting room, I asked the man sitting next to me, “When are they finally going to let us get on the plane?” he looked at me strangely and said, “My friend, we’re inside it!”

Ever thought there could be beauty in the subway of London?

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Bhajju writes “In Gond belief, there is another world below this one, and I discovered there is such a world in London as well. So I have thought of the underground as London’s world below the earth, and the tube as the earthworm that rules it.”

The King of the Underworld: Bhajju writes “In Gond belief, there is another world below this one, and I discovered there is such a world in London as well. So I have thought of the underground as London’s world below the earth, and the tube as the earthworm that rules it.”[/caption]

Bhajju writes “The stairs were moving on their own, collecting people and taking them deeper under the ground. But this was the strange thing - there were more people down there than up on our streets. And then I saw that there were trains running there - under the ground. It was one of the most wonderful things I saw in London, and one that I will never forget - this idea of snuggling your way through the earth.”

After returning from London, Bhajju could only speak of that city. And, awaiting him was a curious audience. “All the way to my village, and for the next ten days, I spoke of nothing but London. London, London, London. One thing was clear - for that moment, everyone was listening to me. Usually, in our village, it is only the elders or the bards who are allowed to sit in the centre and tell stories to everyone. Now I had become the bard.”

The journey so far

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Suddenly, the whole world wanted to speak with Bhajju.[/caption] London Jungle Book has been published in five foreign languages, and an exhibition of the original paintings of the book has toured from the UK, Germany, Holland, to Italy and Russia. Bhajju has his own reason to explain the instant popularity of London Jungle Book. He says, “There were no pretences; if I did not know what it was like to be on an airplane or how to speak English, I just didn’t, and I wasn’t afraid to write about it in my book. It was almost as if people loved it for its sincerity and my curiosity about ordinary things.” Since 2004, Bhajju has illustrated, co-edited and contributed to eight books. Furthermore, he has won several awards including the state award for Best Indigenous Artist. He has travelled to the Netherlands, Germany, England, Italy, Kyrgyzstan and his favourite place - France, for exhibitions, art and literature festivals, workshops and more.

He has also made it to a radio program on the BBC.

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Bhajju at the BBC studio for the BBC Your Story radio program.[/caption] Bhajju, however, is unaffected by this fame. In his black jacket, donning golden earrings and a pair of glasses, sipping on black tea, he stands out in the crowd due to his sheer humility and comic timing.

He has no airs about himself; for him, it is simply about the art.

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Bhajju adding to his countless awards and accolades.[/caption]

Illustrations from 'London Jungle Book' courtesy of Tara Books.

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About the author: After a degree in Banking, Pooja Choksi took off for South America to follow her passion — teaching. However, her love for the Indian outback brought her home to work on the Education-Base project with Conservation Wildlands Trust in the Pench Tiger Reserve. Her interests are conservation, education and travel that includes tents and no cell phone reception. She continues to play Capoeira and lend her voice to matters close to heart. She tweets as @poojation

A Belgian photographer, Pascal Mannaerts, traveled to India and documented the lives of some of the most ignored communities of women through his camera. Know more about his interesting journey and his project called "Fate Breakers". He has spent several days with the “warm and friendly widows of Varanasi” at an ashram in the holy city to get a closer look at their life and struggles; along with his “fearless friend Manju” he has visited the red light areas near the Varanasi railway station where he watched her “give lessons to the children of sex workers even as pimps and goons threatened her”; in Alwar, he was “humbled by the welcome” given by the so-called low-caste families as he spent time with them in their small huts; and he can never forget the afternoon when “I went with my two friends, Abheena and Amitava, a hijra (eunuch) and a transgender, to the beauty parlour where we talked, joked and took lots of pictures”….

Over the last decade or so, has had amazing adventures during his trips to India and met many remarkable, strong women whose incredible spirit and chutzpah he has caught on camera.

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Belgian photographer Pascal Mannaerts (in black Kurta) showcased several memorable images and experiences during his decade-long stay in India through his exhibition, ‘Fate Breakers’.[/caption] The self-taught lensman showcases several memorable images and experiences through his latest exhibition, ‘Fate Breakers’, which is travelling to different cities across the country, including Chandigarh, Pune, Panjim, Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram. “Like elsewhere in the world, in India, too, there are really tough situations that seem almost impossible to deal with. I’m amazed by the strength that the local women show as they make all efforts to overcome those difficulties,” remarks Mannaerts, whose snapshots of Indian women are part of a larger collection of pictures of women from various countries.

“‘Fate breakers’ portrays several stories of Indian women whom I had an opportunity to meet and spend time with. They are fighting against prejudice and determinism, be it from birth, from life's perils, from intolerance or disrespect towards the other. These women have managed to beat the odds to make a difference and empower themselves, for their sake and for others. They represent the hope that things can get better,” he elaborates.

The exhibition features six groups of women:

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Among the many strong women whose incredible spirit and chutzpah Pascal caught on camera is this cheerful image of an acid attack survivor.[/caption]

The ‘untouchable’ community in Alwar and Tonk in Rajasthan, who have found their way out of manual scavenging with the support of Sulabh International;
The physically disabled youngsters from Divyajyoti Centre in Varanasi that provides them with valuable vocational training;
The women rescued by Guria, a Varanasi-based non-profit that fights prostitution;
The widows of Vrindavan;
Acid attack survivors associated with the Stop Acid Attacks campaign; and
The proud members of the transgender community.

Despite being a foreigner, Mannaerts did not face any problem in convincing women to pose for him. “People do ask me if, being a male photographer and a foreigner, it was difficult for me to make them feel comfortable in my presence. But quite honestly, it wasn’t a problem. I always say that photography is about the human being and about being human. If you are respectful, if your approach is honest and if you are aware of what is acceptable behaviour in the local culture then it is generally easy going,” he says. Indeed, the rapport he developed with the women in his pictures was evident during a special interaction that he had organised with them in the Capital recently. The widows from Vrindavan and the women from Tonk and Alwar were especially happy to meet him and relive their memories. Amidst the impromptu selfie session, one of them loudly declared, “When you were hanging around with us I could never have imagined that we would be on such huge posters on walls in Delhi. All this from the small camera you had in your hands at the time! This is great!”

Mannaerts recalls some interesting moments from his shoot at Meera Sahbaghini Ashram in Vrindavan, “After I had spent a few days going around town, I landed up one morning in front of this ashram. The women welcomed me with huge smiles and I felt they were happy to see me. Some of the older ones were initially hesitant to pose in front of the camera and so I told them that they didn’t have to get photographed. However, after a while, as the ice melted, it was the others who convinced them to get their picture taken. Once they were willing, there was no stopping them.”

In Rajasthan, Mannaerts was truly moved by the heartfelt reception he got from the women who were once silently bearing the ignominy of being manual scavengers.

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One of the six groups of women that the exhibition features is the ‘untouchable’ community from Alwar and Tonk in Rajasthan, who have found their way out of manual scavenging with the help of an NGO.[/caption]

“They heartily welcomed me into their small homes; it was an incredible feeling. And I felt the same way when I was with Manju and Sheela-ji, two women who not only take care of children with disabilities but also help out sex workers in Varanasi. Their dedication to their work blew me away. For instance, Manju, who reaches out to sex workers, has often been threatened with dire consequences if she continues but that in no way deters her from her mission. I went with her into the red light district near the railway station where she gives lessons to sex worker’s children. She simply told me to be alert and discreet with my camera. Despite the imminent dangers, there she was, boldly doing what she thought was right. That’s her everyday life,” he says.

The time he spent with his extraordinary friends, Abheena and Amitava, a hijra (eunuch) and a transgender, was unforgettable and fun. He shares, “I had a great time when I went with Abheena and Amitava to the beauty parlour. We spent the whole afternoon, talking joking and taking pictures. They had so much positive energy and enthusiasm despite the obvious discrimination they encounter virtually on a daily basis. Once the beauty treatment was done I accompanied Abheena to the nearby market as she wanted to buy new pair of high heels. As I walked beside her on the busy street, I was amazed by her pride, confidence and charisma.”

Whereas Mannaerts has been documenting people and social issues for many years now, ‘Fate Breakers’ is a project that is particularly close to his heart.

“This is not the first time I have trained my lens on social concerns. But being in India has been immensely rewarding. I consider myself blessed to have met all these brilliant women who found me worthy of sharing their life with me. Honestly, it’s an experience of a lifetime,” he signs off.

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).

Written by Elsa Sherin Mathews for Women’s Feature Service (WFS) and republished here in arrangement with WFS.

One girl. Two governments. Millions of well-wishers. This is the story of ‘Geeta’, a speech and hearing impaired girl who has been cared for in Pakistan for the last 15 years, and the search for her family in India. You can become her real life Bajrangi Bhaijaan. Here's more about her stay in Pakistan and the little clues she has been giving to track her family. “Pakistan” – “Enemy” “Minister”- “Corruption” “Movies” – “Just Entertainment” “Twitter and Facebook” – “Timepass” Our brain is programmed so negatively about the above words on the left that we relate them only to the adjectives on the right. But, yesterday morning, something happened that will change your attitude towards these five words completely.

Pakistan

15 years ago (year 2000) Bilquis Edhi, the founder of Bilquis Edhi Foundation, Karachi, Pakistan, is a professional nurse and one of the most active philanthropists in Pakistan. She has been nicknamed, ‘The Mother of Pakistan.’ Along with her husband, she runs a charity that has saved over 16,000 unwanted babies. One day, a 5-year-old deaf and dumb girl was brought to her orphanage by the Punjab Rangers of Pakistan. The girl used to do namaste and touch the feet of elders in respect. This led Bilquis and her team to conclude that the girl was Hindu. And so, they gave her the most sacred Hindu name: Geeta. Slowly, as they got used to Geeta’s sign language, they learnt that Geeta was from India and had seven brothers and three sisters. She even managed to recognize the map of India and pointed her finger at Jharkhand and then Telangana, trying to convey something about her past. Bilquis Edhi tried very hard to find Geeta’s home and family but was unsuccessful and disappointed at every turn. Geeta is 23 now and the shelter has made every possible attempt to ensure that she feels at home. They have decorated her room and given her a space where she can pray. They have also placed idols and photos of Hindu gods for Geeta. Geeta copies Hindi words from magazines and rewrites them. In her writings, the number 193 makes a frequent appearance. Is that a clue to a house number? Some other address? No one knows as yet. In the meantime, Pakistan’s former Federal Mister for Human Rights, Mr. Ansar Burney, got to know about Geeta. Mr. Ansar Burney is also the Chairman of Ansar Burney Trust International (https://m.facebook.com/AnsarBurney.Official). He visited India in October 2012, along with the pictures and details of Geeta, but failed to locate her parents.

India

Year 2015 Kabir Khan, an Indian film director, makes a film, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, which resembles the story of Mr. Ansar Burney and Geeta. Bajrangi Bhaijaan makes it to the blockbuster charts, in both India and Pakistan. On watching Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Mr. Ansar Burney once again starts his mission to search for Geeta’s parents.

2^nd August 2015 6:55 PM

Twitter

Mr. Ansar Burney tweets to Minister of External Affairs, Government of India, Mrs. Sushma Swaraj, about his concern for Geeta. 3^rd August, 2015 10:06 AM Mrs. Sushma Swaraj tweets that she has asked Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Dr. T.C.A. Raghavan, to go to Karachi and meet Geeta!

Within a few hours of this tweet by Sushma Swaraj, the entire Indian media is focused on Geeta’s story. 3^rd August, 2015 5:50 PM Mr. Anwar Burney gives his consent to The Better India to write this story.

Mr. Ansar Burney also wrote a letter to Kabir Khan regarding this matter and he did a detailed story on NDTV about Geeta. Hopefully, Geeta, who was lovingly called Guddi by her mother, will finally reunite with her family. Best wishes to Mr. Anwar Burney and Geeta from the entire The Better India team!

With inputs from: Shreya Pareek & Nishi Malhotra

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Sandeep Bacche, a.k.a Munnabhai SSC, owns an autorickshaw equipped with a telephone and WiFi connection, an LCD screen, and water and tea for the riders. But it is not what he owns but what he does with this auto rickshaw that will have you floored. Read on! Sandeep Bacche is known in Mumbai as the auto driver with the coolest vehicle in town. His rickshaw is equipped with a telephone connection, a newspaper and magazine stand, a WiFi connection, a fire extinguisher, some hot tea, an LCD screen, drinking water, pictures with celebrities, and lots more.

His story however, is not that of the person who owns a luxury auto rickshaw; his story is that of a philanthropist who owns a heart of gold.

While the auto is what strikes the eye first, there is so much more that goes on behind the scenes, which is what makes a ride in his vehicle so special. Sandeep, who lost his mother to cancer, has a donation box for cancer patients at the back of his rickshaw. Then there is a sticker outside his auto which clearly states that he donates Rs. 2 from every fare amount that he receives. Once every month, he gives this collection to the Tata Memorial Hospital and Mount Mary church in Mumbai.

But this is not all that Sandeep Bacche does.

He arranges help in the form of money, clothes and food, for needy cancer patients and those suffering with kidney ailments. On Sundays, he can be found distributing breakfast among cancer patients in authorised homes in Mumbai, or hospitals like the Tata Memorial Centre. He also goes door to door, collecting clothes from homes, which can be helpful for these patients. He sometimes also asks the donors for financial help, for which he takes the patients and their families along.

With a first aid box installed in his rickshaw, Sandeep also dresses the wounds of people hurt on the road. “If I come across such people at traffic signals, I clean their wounds and help them bandage it,” he says.

ZINDAGI HAR KADAM EK NAYI JANG HAY (HUM SUB EK HAY YAHA KOYI CHOTA YA BADA NAHI HAY) pic.twitter.com/8qeZN7liqX
— SANDEEP BACCHE (@sandeepbachche) December 3, 2014

How does he come to know about cancer patients who need help? Most of the time, it is through his visits to authorised homes like the one in Bandra and to the Tata Memorial Hospital. Because he is well known for his work, the news has been spreading through word of mouth as well. People who have met him share his details whenever they find someone in need. “As I have gained some popularity because of the internet, many people in hospitals have also given my number to one another, in case somebody needs help.” Right now, he is helping a lady who has lost both her kidneys. Her husband will be the donor in her operation. This couple is already being helped by a trust to meet the cost of the operation, but other than that, they still need around Rs. 35,000 for additional check-ups, which Sandeep is helping them arrange. And then there are his social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, through which people reach out to him.

Moreover, a sign on his auto says: “Any problem, call Munnabhai SSC.” He is a huge fan of Sanjay Dutt and his film Munnabhai MBBS, and has cleared his SSC board exam, hence the name.

HUM BHI AAP KE BADE FAN HAY SANJU BABA pic.twitter.com/ad2VWl8W9P — SANDEEP BACCHE (@sandeepbachche) April 3, 2015

Sandeep is 38. He grew up in extreme poverty and completed his education up to class 10 in 1995. After this he started working in a travel agency as a peon. It was while he was doing this job that he came across a bus which was well equipped with luxuries like a TV set, WiFi connection, etc. Sandeep decided that if he ever owned a vehicle in his life, it would have similar features. The travel agency he worked in moved abroad after a while. Sandeep received a PF amount of Rs. 35,000 from this job, with which he then purchased the auto rickshaw. Five years after this, his mother was diagnosed with stage 3 throat cancer. At this time, Sandeep was still working as a driver, and his father had retired. The family could not afford the treatment. He used to spend his days trying to find some source to arrange for the money. But there was nobody who was ready to help him. His mother could not be saved. During this time, he had come across actor Sanjay Dutt, who had helped him with a small sum.

“My mother could not be saved, but that action made me think about how a famous personality like him helped a person like me in a time of need,” recalls Sandeep.

This whole journey of trying to arrange for funds for his mother made Sandeep want to help all those people who might be in a situation similar to his. He says he tried joining some charity organizations too but was rejected because he is an auto driver.

Thus, he started doing things on his own, beginning with giving chocolates to children at signals.

“I also put up statuses on my Facebook page asking for help for some patients. But most of the time people think that this is a fake venture. I do not get help every time when I ask for it,” he says ruefully.

Sandeep, who also has to take care of his family, struggles to make ends meet and keeps trying to find ways in which he can take enough money back home and can also continue helping people. “I am an auto rickshaw driver and I earn the same like any other driver. I have no sponsors. I have received eight awards, but never received any money in those. I cannot feed my family just by taking awards and being featured in newspapers.” Hence, to take his cause forward without any hindrances, he charges extra when people call him up for a ride on special demand.

As he is pretty famous in the city, he usually gets calls by people on different occasions and, in such cases, he charges a fixed extra amount that people are happy to give.

That’s Sandeep—the auto driver who happily gives discounts to people with disabilities, pregnant women, and senior citizens. He also offers free rides all day on his birthday, which falls on 31st December, and discount rides on many different days of the year.

Here is him announcing such offers via his Twitter account.

SABHI LADIES KE LIYE RAKSHABAMDHAN KO 10.8 .2014 KO MUNNABHAI KI TARAF SE PURE DIN FREE SERVICE MILEGI pic.twitter.com/aBjHBUi14k
— SANDEEP BACCHE (@sandeepbachche) August 7, 2014

BHAI MERI TARAF SE KAL AAP KE BIRTHDAY KE DIN EK GIFT HAY PURE DIN BANDRA MAY FREE SERVICE pic.twitter.com/BbNHGOBVJM — SANDEEP BACCHE (@sandeepbachche) July 28, 2015

You can contact Sandeep at 9022416338 anytime you want a ride or want to donate to a cause. You can also follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

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While most girls her age were busy playing with toys, Poorva Joshi took a rather unconventional approach to spending her weekends. She rigorously played four different sports and even became the holder of a Guinness World Record in indoor skydiving. “I want to be a pilot or an astronaut one day. My idol is Kalpana Chawla and I want to follow in her footsteps and make India proud. I am clear about what I want to do,” says an excited and perky 12-year-old Poorva Joshi, and you cannot help being amazed at her determination and clarity about her goals. Born in Delhi, Poorva currently lives in Singapore. She is not your regular school goer—this eighth grader jumps from skies and shoots with guns. She practices and follows not just one but four sports rigorously, which include indoor skydiving, 10m rifle shooting, fencing, and athletics.

“I don’t remember when and how I developed this passion for sports. We shifted to Singapore when I was eight years old. I love discovering new things and following different sports. So I started with fencing and gradually started indoor skydiving (which is my favourite sport) and other sports three years ago,” she says.

Poorva has won 10 medals in fencing, three medals in 10m rifle shooting, and even holds a Guinness World Record for indoor skydiving.

[caption id="attachment_30052" align="aligncenter" width="451"]

Poorva not only excels in one but four sports.[/caption] “Indoor skydiving is a sport which gives you a feel for actual skydiving, but in a more secure environment. It is almost as good as an actual skydive,” explains Poorva. The Guinness World Record came into her kitty when she was just 10 and had recently started participating in the sport. It was a group award for most number of children inside a tunnel at the lowest wind speed and Poorva was one of the children in the tunnel.

“We were 14 people in that tunnel and I had just begun diving then. I guess that award gave me the confidence to go further with this sport because initially I was a bit scared to do so. But once you try it you feel like a bird,” says Poorva.

Soon, Poorva will be seen doing a formal tandem skydive in Australia this October. She will be assisted by a trainer since she does not weigh enough to go all by herself. When Poorva was in India she had participated in the 4th Under-12 National Fencing Championship held in Nashik. She won a bronze medal, which was awarded by then Delhi CM Sheila Dixit.

She is also a gold medalist in the Singapore Z-Fencing 2014 competition in the Under-14 Foil Mixed Team category.

[caption id="attachment_30048" align="aligncenter" width="581"]

Poorva was one of the 14 kids who created the world record in indoor sky diving.[/caption] In addition to this, the young girl also has a score of 385.7 in 10m rifle shooting for women. “This is one of the best score among children of my age internationally. Most of the children have a score of somewhere near 360, but I have 385.7. Also, adult players have a score of somewhere around 400, I am aiming for that now,” she says. For someone as young as Poorva, who has her studies to focus on along with participating in these sports, the challenge initially was to manage her time. But today she has a set schedule, which involves attending school Monday to Friday, practicing fencing on Friday and Saturday, shooting and athletics every Sunday, and skydiving once in every two weeks. Poorva believes leading this life full of studies and sporting activities has helped her become a stronger person. “I have learnt to be more focused now, learnt to work with a team, and most importantly I have overcome my fears,” she says. [caption id="attachment_30050" align="aligncenter" width="418"]

Poorva wants to become an astronaut or pilot in future.[/caption] Giving credit for all her success to her family, especially her father, Poorva says she wants to make her country proud as an astronaut. She also wants to have a successful career in skydiving and rifle shooting.

“Earlier, I used to wonder how I would do all this? How will I handle a rifle that is so heavy? But I did and it happened so easily. Similarly, I wondered how I would do indoor sky diving…but I just went out there and it was wonderful,” she says.

We wish this little sports star every success in the future. To know more about her work or congratulate her on her achievements, you can contact her father Manas Joshi at - Manas.Joshi@tomtom.com

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).

While most of us seek stability and a regular paycheck, Jubanashwa Mishra took on an unplanned journey to 28 states in India, doing arbitrary and odd jobs every week. He has worked as a photographer, a tattoo artist, a river rafting guide, a film executive, a tea factory worker, a waste warrior, and much more. While every week most of us go to the same office to do the same job, this man had no idea where he would be working the next week.

Meet Jubanashwa Mishra from Bhubaneswar, Odisha, who took 28 jobs in 28 weeks and covered 28 states of India. Determined to not do a dull regular job after completing his engineering, Mishra took a path rarely traveled.

[caption id="attachment_27427" align="aligncenter" width="800"]

Job 2, Market researcher, Gujarat[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27428" align="aligncenter" width="800"]

Job 3, Hotel manager, Rajasthan.[/caption]

“I did my engineering like many people in India but I knew I never wanted to do a job. I got the idea of job-hopping when I heard of a guy who did something similar -- doing 52 jobs in 52 weeks. I thought I’d use the same idea too and explore the 28 states in India.”

- Jubanashwa Mishra.

Inspired by the work of Canadian Sean Aiken who first introduced the concept of one week one job, Mishra decided to follow the same path. Once Mishra had made up his mind, there was no looking back. He didn’t even tell his parents about his adventure; they got to know about what he was doing through a local news article. Confused and worried in the beginning, the family finally accepted the idea that Mishra was not going to take up a “settled” job.

How he went about his dream plan

[caption id="attachment_27429" align="aligncenter" width="640"]

Job 4, Waste Warrior, Himachal Pradesh[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27430" align="aligncenter" width="800"]

Job 5, Seva, Punjab[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27431" align="aligncenter" width="800"]

Job 6, Rafting Trainee, Jammu & Kashmir.[/caption]

“Initially I would contact organizations and secure the jobs beforehand, but then, as I got the hang of it, I became more spontaneous. I stopped planning and took any job of my interest that came my way,” recalls Mishra.

Throughout his journey, Mishra was sure of one thing— he wanted to take up jobs that would help him understand the culture and traditions of the state he was going to. And so it came about that he took up a job as a waste warrior and mountain cleaner in Himachal Pradesh, a tea factory worker in Assam, a movie marketing executive in Maharashtra, a mud artisan in West Bengal, a rafting trainee in Jammu & Kashmir, and so on.

Starting with his journey as a photographer in Haryana in May 2013, Mishra’s journey has been full of unforgettable experiences.

[caption id="attachment_27432" align="aligncenter" width="960"]

Job 7, Poly farm worker, Uttarakhand.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27433" align="aligncenter" width="960"]

Movie Marketing Executive, Maharashtra.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_27434" align="aligncenter" width="637"]

Job 9, Tattoo Artist, Goa.[/caption] “I started as a photographer in Haryana because those guys were the first ones to say yes to my proposal,” laughs Mishra. But as he moved forward in his journey and explored other states, people started approaching him with various job offers. Some he did as a volunteer for free and for others he was paid a substantial amount. From being a news channel TRP analyst in Odisha to emotional consultant in Karnataka, and even a tattoo artist in Goa, Mishra tried his hand at many jobs. But the one he found the most challenging was working as a playschool teacher.

“In one week I learnt enough to make a small tattoo on a client. But it was being a playschool teacher in Andhra Pradesh which was most challenging -- handling three to four year old kids is not easy,” he says.

Supported by funds he collected through a crowdfunding platform, Mishra traveled approximately 25,000 km by train, bus, taxi, flight, tram, auto, bike, rickshaw, boat, raft, and even his own two feet.

[caption id="attachment_27435" align="aligncenter" width="960"]

Job 10, Emotional counselor, Karnataka.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27436" align="aligncenter" width="960"]

Job 11, Beachside Sundal Seller, Tamil Nadu.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27437" align="aligncenter" width="800"]

Job 12, Boat House Driver, Kerala.[/caption]

“I was living my dream of meeting new people and connecting with them. I didn’t care about how difficult the journey was. In the end all that mattered was the experience I was gaining. There is so much to learn and explore in our country. We should travel far and see amazing places, cultures and people,” says Mishra.

Despite the fact that Mishra is highly educated (being an engineer and then a Post Graduate from MICA, Ahmedabad), Mishra did not restrict his job profiles to his capabilities. Rather, he pushed himself and took up the most unexpected jobs.

While in Uttar Pradesh he was a cremation assistant, in Chennai he was a snack seller on the beach. One week he was running a contraceptive campaign in rural Bihar, and in another he was working as a farmer in Uttarakhand.

[caption id="attachment_27438" align="aligncenter" width="960"]

Job 13, Play School Teacher, Andhra Pradesh.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27439" align="aligncenter" width="574"]

Job 14, News Channel TRP Analyst, Odisha[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27440" align="aligncenter" width="800"]

Job 15, Content writer, Chhattisgarh[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27441" align="aligncenter" width="856"]

Job 16, Data Entry Administrator, Jharkhand.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27442" align="aligncenter" width="907"]

Job 17, Contraceptive Rural Campaign worker, Bihar.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27443" align="aligncenter" width="800"]

Job 18, Cremation Assistant, Uttar Pradesh.[/caption] The journey was a challenge of course. He was constantly on the road, adjusting to different climatic conditions and circumstances…his health finally took a toll and he was very ill for several days. “I thought I was going to die. I was in bed for two weeks. But that was the only break I took and I was back on my journey,” he says.

Mishra is now back to his home in Bhubaneshwar and documenting his experiences in a book that tells of his incredible journey.

[caption id="attachment_27444" align="aligncenter" width="600"]

Job 19, Mud Artisan, West Bengal.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27445" align="aligncenter" width="778"]

Job 20, Tea factory worker, Assam.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27446" align="aligncenter" width="800"]

Job 21, Floor Host, Sikkim.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27447" align="aligncenter" width="800"]

Job 22, Story Telling Instructor, Arunachal Pradesh[/caption] “I have been recently rejected by a publisher. But I am sure I will find one at the right time,” he says. Not willing to join the corporate sector, Mishra has started a preschool called Paper Boat in Bhubaneswar. “It is a futuristic playschool where children do not simply learn, they experience education through our theme-based learning approach,” he says. [caption id="attachment_27448" align="aligncenter" width="928"]

Job 23, Hardware store worker, Nagaland.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27449" align="aligncenter" width="575"]

Job 24, Journalist, Manipur.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27450" align="aligncenter" width="672"]

Job 25, Tech Advisor, Tripura.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27451" align="aligncenter" width="742"]

Job 26, Bullet mechanic, Mizoram.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27452" align="aligncenter" width="960"]

Job 27, Volunteer @ MSNP+ Society, Meghalaya.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_27453" align="aligncenter" width="960"]

Job 28, Strategic Consultan, Madhya Pradesh.

Job 28, Strategic Consultant, Madhya Pradesh.[/caption] “Don’t be afraid to dream and then live your dreams. People will tell you that it is difficult, but don’t hesitate. Always listen to your heart,” is his advice to others out there who hope to live their passion some day. To know more about Mishra’s countless experiences, contact him at - jubanashwa@oneweekjob.com or check out his website.

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us:contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).

At his age, he walks 5-7 kms a day collecting leftover medicines from the rich in Delhi. Meet Medicine Baba, the selfless man who dreams of setting up a medicine bank for those who cannot afford treatment. Omkarnath Sharma, better known as Medicine Baba, is a retired blood bank technician on a very difficult mission. He wants to start a free medicine bank for the poor and needy.

And for this, he walks around the streets of Delhi, knocking on one door after another, collecting medicines from the upper- and middle-class houses in the city.

[caption id="attachment_30536" align="aligncenter" width="700"]

Omkarnath Sharma collecting medicines[/caption] “Bachi dawai daan me, na ki kudedaan me. Medicine baba ka ek hi sapna, gareebo ka medicine bank ho apna.” (Leftover medicines should be donated, not discarded. Medicine Baba has only one dream, that the poor should have a medicine bank of their own).

This is Medicine Baba’s daily call at the doors of the well-heeled people of Delhi, those who don’t even often know that they have an abundance of unused medicines lying around in their homes.

[caption id="attachment_30535" align="aligncenter" width="700"]

Medicine Baba documenting the details of his collection[/caption] At an age when many people choose to rest and spend time with their families, Medicine Baba has no plans of hanging up his shoes. He has been working like this since 2008, when an under-construction Delhi Metro bridge in Laxmi Nagar collapsed and Omkarnath witnessed many injured people suffering because of the lack of adequate medical care. He saw how the nearest hospital turned away patients saying it did not have the required medicines. For no fault of their own, the injured people had to rush here and there to find a place that could provide proper treatment. Omkarnath was shocked. He found this situation painfully ironic—on the one hand there were no medicines in the hospitals for people who were dying and on the other there were large quantities of usable medicines being discarded by households every day.

He wanted to do something that had never been done before—to collect these medicines and create a bank of medicines for the poor. And so began his journey.

[caption id="attachment_30541" align="aligncenter" width="960"]

People come in to take medicines from Omkarnath for free[/caption] Omkarnath goes out every morning, takes a bus, and visits a different neighbourhood of Delhi each day. Here he walks around for about 5-7 kms, collecting unused prescription and non-prescription medicines from houses. Over the years, he has been successful in gaining some regular contributors, who sometimes call him to say that he can come and collect the medicines.

Ask him if he has any difficulty walking around so much at this age, and he says, “It is difficult, but if you are worried about difficulties and challenges, how will you work?”

He scans the collected medicines carefully, and maintains a record of all of them. Some of these medicines are stored in a small room he has rented next to his house in Manglapuri, New Delhi. Those who cannot afford medicines can visit him here between 4 and 6 pm.

Medicines in his collection that can be useful to hospitals (like those required for the treatment of cancer), are donated to hospitals like AIIMS, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Deen Dayal Upadhayaya Hospital, Lady Irwin Medical College, and a few ashrams and dispensaries in Delhi. He says that he donates medicines worth Rs. 4-6 lakhs every month.

Medicine Baba says his main mission is not just to collect medicines. The priority is to create awareness among people so they think twice before discarding useful prescription medicines.

[caption id="attachment_30538" align="aligncenter" width="960"]

Out on his mission[/caption] For himself personally, the satisfaction that he experiences on seeing people get healed with the help of medicines he donates, is enough. He is proud of his work and this is what gives him the inspiration to keep moving forward despite his age. “I feel so happy when I see them going to work all healed and healthy,” he says As a retired person, Omkarnath faces difficult times trying to make ends meet sometimes. His family includes his wife, a son, a daughter, and a granddaughter. He manages his work with the help of donations he receives from people from time to time. Other than that, he is also sometimes seen in buses and metros, letting people know about patients who need financial help.

If he manages to collect some money this way, he uses it to donate medical equipment like oxygen tanks, hospital beds, etc.

Medicine Baba is a blessing for many people. At present, he is trying to help some people suffering from cancer and kidney ailments. He is trying his best to arrange money for their treatment. Moving around in Delhi, wearing an orange shirt that highlights his phone number and his mission in bold, Medicine Baba is a source of hope for many. We can only wish that his dream of setting up a medicine bank gets fulfilled. To know more about Omkarnath and donate to his mission, you can visit his website here or write to him at helpingbaba@gmail.com or you can call him on +91 9250243298.

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us:contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).

Somewhere in the interiors of Maharashtra, in a small town called Chandrapur, one couple step out of their comfort zone to spread largesse and cheer in their environment. Meet Sapna and Nihar Halder. Nihar Halder served the Indian army for nine years in the EME Corp., working as a vehicle mechanic. He was also a part of the Indian peace keeping force, which went to help Sri Lanka in the year 1989. He still gets tears in his eyes when he remembers the horrific incidents during the peacekeeping operation. [caption id="attachment_27736" align="aligncenter" width="439"]

Nihar and Sapna Halder[/caption] "I had a friend, whom I met that morning before we left for our respective areas. On the same night we found his body thrown around in," remembers Nihar Halder. But these incidences made him even stronger.

"The Army taught us how we should take responsibility if there is something wrong around us. I think all civilians should also be given army training compulsorily. May be then each one of us will stop blaming and start acting." - Nihar Halder.

After serving the Indian army, Nihar returned to his hometown, Chandrapur. He started his new life with a small grocery shop. He was married to Sapna, a school teacher. Life was going smoothly for the young couple, however, they felt something was missing. The thought of doing something for society kept playing on their minds. At last, Nihar came across an NGO called Sankalp Sanstha and joined them. Sankalp used to collect waste newspapers and scraps from people and sell them, using the money to donate to schools and help physically challenged children.

By collecting money in this manner, they also managed to take these school children to meet the then President of India, Mrs. Pratibha Patil, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in the year 2011.

[caption id="attachment_27738" align="aligncenter" width="441"]

Nihar on extreme left and Sapna second from right with Mrs. Pratibha Patil[/caption] This was a mesmerizing experience for the little kids who could not imagine a world outside their tiny homes in Chandrapur. While working at the NGO, the couple also organized several spiritual and positive talks by Shri. Ramesh Bhai Ojha at the Central Jail in Chandrapur.

The Floods

[caption id="attachment_27731" align="aligncenter" width="494"]

The couple helped people in distress during floods.[/caption] But their real journey was yet to begin. On the frightful night of 16th July 2013, Chandrapur was flooded and half the city was almost submerged. People became homeless overnight. Nihar and Sapna knew that they could not wait for any help from the government or NGOs. This couple called up a few good friends -- Mukesh Walke and R.K Shukla -- and started cooking for the homeless people. They used everything that was available in their little grocery store. They cooked all night and made several packets to distribute to the affected people. Sapna also pointed out that many kids and women did not have clothes. And so the next day they moved from door to door to collect old clothes and distribute them. This was a turning point in the life of the Halders who then decided to do everything they possibly could for the under privileged in their individual capacity, wherever and whenever possible.

The Tea Shop Owner

[caption id="attachment_27728" align="aligncenter" width="445"]

From left to right - Nihar, Bhaiyalal, Rakhi and Geeta.[/caption] Bhaiya Lal had a small tea stall just opposite Nihar's shop. The tea stall was open all day and all night. Bhaiya Lal worked nonstop. Nihar once asked him the reason behind this and came to know the man’s heart touching story. Bhaiya Lal's eldest son was pursuing his Bachelor's degree in civil engineering. The youngest daughter Rakhi was studying in the 12th standard. And the eldest daughter Geeta had a hole in her heart. Nihar had seen many well-to-do families where girl children were not treated well. But he was surprised to see a tea seller father who took extremely good care of his ailing daughter. Nihar and Sapna then decided to felicitate every such simple act of bravery or kindness, which can be a lesson to society.

"We are really proud of our father. He does not sleep at all in the night. If he feels sleepy, he drinks a cup of tea and keeps working so that he doesn't miss a single customer. No other father can take care of his daughters as much as our Papa. We were so happy when someone else recognized this." - Bhaiya Lal's daughters

Sadhna’s Story

[caption id="attachment_27735" align="aligncenter" width="336"]

Sadhna Mukherjee[/caption] Sadhna Mukherjee was just 35 when she lost her husband. She was left with two little kids and a small teashop that used to be run by her husband. It was very obvious that she now needed to take up the responsibility for running the teashop in order to look after her children. And she did that too. But what she did was not as easy as one would think. The teashop was situated opposite a wine bar and this made things very difficult for Sadhna. But, she did not stop what she was doing.

"I was not educated. I couldn’t have managed to get a stall anywhere else. Having no other option, I started selling tea from the same tea stall my husband owned. Felicitation by the Halders definitely did not lessen my difficulties but it gave me more strength to fight against them. I had always found people who humiliated me for what I was doing. This was the first time someone was appreciating me." - Sadhna

The Halders don't limit themselves to just recognizing and honoring such acts but also do small acts of kindness themselves. [caption id="attachment_27732" align="aligncenter" width="427"]

The couple also organizes informative camps.

The couple also organizes information camps.[/caption] Anjana Bai Behre is a homeless 82-year-old lady. She met Nihar first when someone brought some grocery for her from Nihar's shop. After a few months, Nihar found out that the person who helped Anjana Bai could only afford to give Rs. 300 to her monthly. Nihar took the responsibility of Anjana Bai after that and gave her all the groceries required on the 30th of every month. Nihar and Sapna also arrange informative camps whenever they can. The camps give information about various policies and facilities provided by the government for less fortunate people.

"I believe that if each one of us will take some responsibility to make our society a better place and do whatever little they can for their surroundings then one day there will be no one left who would need help." - Nihar Halder.

Please contact Mr. Nihar Halder at +91 9860953560 or email at bacher.manabi@gmail.com if you would like to help this couple or be a part of their journey.

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About the author: A mechanical engineer, Manabi Katoch has been brought up listening to Tagore's poems and stories, so she is kind of an emotional person within. She loves writing poems and stories on social and political issues. Few of her poems can be viewed on www.poemocean.com and satires on www.mindthenews.com. She has worked with Wipro, Frankfinn and Educomp in the past.

A nine-year-old took the responsibility of teaching whatever he learnt in his own school to other kids who were not fortunate enough to get an education. Here's what happened. Babar Ali was nine when, one day, while returning from his school, he saw a few kids working in the fields. The next day too, he saw that the kids were not in school but helping their parents at the farm by doing odd jobs.

“I realised they had never attended school due to lack of finances. Plus, our village didn’t have good schools. Even I used to travel about 10 kms up and down every day to attend school,” recalls Babar Ali, who is from Murshidabad in West Bengal.

Babar did not recognise at the time that his concern for these children would change not only his own life but that of hundreds of other children who did not have the opportunity to attend school. He was lucky that his father, a jute trader, could send him to school, an opportunity not many kids of his age in his village had.

At nine, when most kids cannot even do their own homework, Babar started a school of his own and became probably the youngest headmaster in the world.

[caption id="attachment_31330" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]

Babar Ali's school runs upto class 8 now.[/caption]

Photo: www.global1.youth-leader.org

“I was a class 5 student then. I got together eight young kids and started teaching them after returning from my school. I just thought I’ll teach them what I learnt in class,” says Babar.

This is how Babar’s makeshift school started under a guava tree in his own backyard where, everyday, a few village kids would wait for him to return from his school. He would, like a dedicated teacher, come back straight to his house from school and talk about what he had learnt there. Babar would take broken pieces of chalk from his school after classes, and use terracotta tiles at home to make a blackboard. He didn’t require any fancy resources to run his school; all he needed was his students’ passion to study.

“When my teacher found out about my home school, she started giving me a full box of chalk,” Babar says with a smile.

[caption id="attachment_31331" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]

At 15, he became the youngest headmaster of the world.[/caption] The students too, enjoyed their young teacher’s classes. As they did not have any resources like pens, pencils, notebooks, or even a syllabus, they used newspapers as reading material. “I just wanted to impart education somehow. I didn’t care about the syllabus, I thought if they learn any small thing, it will be an achievement,” says Babar, who was quite a thinker. Gradually, Babar’s school became more popular and more students started joining him in his backyard. “Sometimes, I would not even have lunch, I would just come back from school and directly start teaching them,” he says. As he saw the kids regularly attending his school, he took a few half-used notebooks from a ragpicker for his students.

To ensure that the students regularly attended class, he would often buy them sweets from his own pocket money.

[caption id="attachment_31328" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]

Babar Ali's school has both girls and boys in equal number.[/caption] To convince their parents to send them to his school, he would collect some rice from his relatives and give it to the parents -- such was this nine-year-old’s dedication to impart education! He would also organise various activities like sports, dance and music to make school more fun for the students. Babar never skipped going to his own school, since he replicated everything he learnt there in his own school.

“I couldn’t afford to miss school because what would I teach my kids if I didn’t learn something there? I felt responsible for the kids I was teaching,” he says.

[caption id="attachment_31335" align="aligncenter" width="687"]

Babar's school now has 6 full time teachers.[/caption] However, Babar’s father began to worry that his son may be neglecting his own studies. But such was Babar’s dedication that he was able to balance both teaching and learning, and eventually his father had to relent and let him continue running his school.

Today, Babar’s school has about 300 students -- with a balanced boy to girl ratio.

[caption id="attachment_31329" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]

Babar started teaching when he was just 9.[/caption] He is 21years old now, has six teachers working with him, and also has 10 volunteers who contribute to his school on a regular basis. His school now goes up to class 8.

“It wasn’t easy. Especially because I was so young. People would often doubt my intentions and say that I was trying to mislead the kids. But it was because of my students’ belief in me and my family’s support that I managed to continue my work,” he says.

For a long time, Babar ran the school using his own pocket money and some support from his family. But then, as his work started becoming well known, the Ramakrishna Mission began to help him out and gave him basic necessities like books and stationery for the kids. He has also started receiving a few donations to run his school now. Babar, who has completed his graduation in English, is now pursuing a Masters of Arts degree.

He still manages to find enough time to support all his students and is proud that six students from his first batch are now part of his own school as teachers.

[caption id="attachment_31332" align="aligncenter" width="720"]

His school now has hundreds of students who come on regular basis.[/caption]

“My school is run completely by volunteers. I don’t charge anything from the kids and I am also unable to pay anything to the teachers. It is only a passion towards education that is binding us all together,” he says.

Babar has indeed come a long way, but he has plans for the future too. He says he wants to create a “dream school” for kids from underprivileged backgrounds and give them good facilities for free.

“I believe that if you are passionate about something then you can achieve anything. Age, finances, other hurdles, they just don’t matter and eventually everything works out,” he concludes.

You can support this young headmaster by donating to his cause. Also, if you wish to just drop by and see the wonders he is doing, contact him at - babaralimurshidabad@gmail.com

All pics otherwise mentioned: Babar Ali

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Shanti Tigga was no ordinary woman. She was the first female jawan in the Indian Army, and she achieved this feat when she was 35 and had two children. Here are some more amazing facts about the brave lady. With more and more women breaking barriers and stereotypes in the country, let’s look back at a few who were bold enough to take the first step and pave the way. Defense, especially on ground, has always been the domain of men. However, there was one woman who refused to bow down to social conventions - Sapper Shanti Tigga. She was the first female jawan the Indian Army was honoured to have. TBI brings to you 10 facts which showcase her prowess and her badassery in all its might.

1. Tigga was a mother of two when she became a jawan in the Indian Army.

Photo: www.respectwomen.co.in

2. During their physical tests, she defeated all her other male counterparts.

3. She completed the 50 m run in 12 seconds during her tests.

4. On her 1.5 km run, she outran all of her other male counterparts to complete it with 5 seconds to spare till they caught up.

5. She was 35 when she achieved this feat. She was immensely fit and did not let her age come in the way of her dreams.

Photo: www.bihardays.com

6. She cleared all her tests to join the 969 Railway Engineer Regiment of Territorial Army in 2011.

7. The firing instructors were so impressed with her skills in handling guns, that she earned the highest position of marksman.

Photo: www.bihardays.com

8. She was also awarded the title of best trainee.

9. She did not even know that there had been no female jawan before her -

Photo for representation purpose only. Source: defencelover.in

“I joined Railways in 2005, on compensatory ground after my husband passed away. Last year, I learnt about TA Railways and I volunteered for it. At that time, I was not aware of the fact that no woman has ever joined the Army as personnel below officer rank (PROB). But that was hardly a deterrent.”

10. They say that she always dreamt of joining the army and making her family proud.

Although she met with a tragic death, after her abduction, she shall always remain a woman carrying valour beyond compare.

Photo: taofficers.blogspot.in

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In the MY STORY section, we present some of the most compelling and pertinent stories and experiences shared with us by our readers. Do you have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com with "MY STORY" in the subject line.

I am Himanshu Bakshi. My height is 3 feet and 8 inches, and I live with dwarfism. But I did not let my disability come in the way of how I live my life. This is my story. People sometimes assume that those who are living with physical disabilities are unable to contribute to the society in any meaningful way. It is unfortunate that people think this way, and they should understand that their assumption in not right. Take my life as an example. It is full of many different challenges that come up every single day. I see people laughing at me and making cheap comments whenever I step out of my house. I have even witnessed a woman pointing towards me and telling her son that if he doesn’t eat his food, this is how he will become. Why you ask?

Because I am a person living with dwarfism. It is a condition which affects one in 25,000 people. My height is 3 feet and 8 inches, and my life has been a roller coaster ride because of it.

But I have never been demotivated. I am an LLB and Commerce graduate, and I work as a Chartered Accountant. Currently, I am associated with an international consulting firm. You might be thinking, "So, what is so special about him?" Well, I am a perfect example of someone who has successfully converted a disability into an opportunity.

With my dedication, I have proven to the world that nothing can stop you if you have a strong will power, which is far more important than a strong body.

There were many hurdles on my journey to where I am today. I had to stand and write most of my exams through school and college because the benches were too large for me. When I was in CA final year, I lost my father and that was the lowest point of my life. He always wanted to see me become a CA and I fulfilled his dream. But the day it got fulfilled, he was not there. I have my mother, who is the strongest pillar in my life, and she has always been an inspiration for me. As they say, if God takes away something from you, he replaces it with something else that you had never imagined. The same happened in my case. Being a national level current affairs debater, I have participated in many TV talk shows. I also write articles for many newspapers and give inspirational lectures to people from all walks of life. Some people come up to me and say “Salaam Zindagi”, and it always makes me feel really good. I received the "Inspirational person of the year" award in my previous organization and was also featured in the anniversary issue of the fashion magazine, Maxim. Other than these, I have also received awards from many renowned personalities such as Late Mr. Jagjit Singh. I am a firm believer of something that Mahatma Gandhi had once said - “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” And to others, I say the same thing. - Himanshu Bakshi

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One would think this 80-year-old would have hung up his boots a long time ago. Why then is he, instead of reading a newspaper on the porch and playing with his grandchildren, busy keeping the local government, policemen and officials on their toes? Meet K.R. 'Traffic' Ramaswamy, a social activist who fears none. "I want to see Chennai as one of the most livable and lovely cities in the country,” says 80-year-old Ramaswamy, with high hopes and a quavering voice. This man, who started his career as a mill worker, is one of the most popular names in Chennai today. [caption id="attachment_17438" align="alignleft" width="198"]

Traffic Ramaswamy[/caption] Born on April 1, 1934, Ramaswamy is no less than a hero who continues to fight for what is right in spite of many challenges. From asking to remove the prefix 'Amma' from Jayalalitha’s name to filing over 50 PILs (Public Interest Litigations), Ramaswamy has always stood by what he believes in. He even walked out of his father’s house when he demanded dowry from the bride’s family.

Who is he?

A home guard by profession, his life as an activist started when he unofficially began directing traffic on Chennai’s busy Parry Corner. In appreciation of his dedication and efforts, the police gave him an identity card which earned him the name Traffic Ramaswamy. “It was difficult. Many family members went against me for my ‘foolish’ acts of public service. But some friends provided me food and shelter,” he remembers. Ramaswamy’s activism grew, along with his understanding of the public system, when he worked as PA to a minister in Rajaji’s cabinet.

What has he done?

He was imposed a fine of Rs. 25,000 by the Madras High Court in October 2014 for filing a vague PIL stating “party functionaries who swear allegiance to a criminal cannot form the government.” He had also filed a PIL to prevent Jayalalitha’s picture from appearing on bus stands and buses. He was responsible for bringing the ban on the use of motorised fish carts in Chennai in 2002. The fish carts, also known as Thattu Vandi, are motorised carts with a flat wooden plate at the back which causes a lot of damage and injuries if it accidentally hits people. Furious with his actions, the fish sellers attacked him and damaged his property. Ramaswamy was also abandoned by his own family when he started receiving death threats. But today, even the fishermen acknowledge his efforts and accept that the ban was important.

“What is wrong should be addressed without fearing anything. That is what I have always done.”

- Ramaswamy

Another major change that he brought to the city was by going against unauthorised constructions. He managed to get a multi-storey building which was encroaching on the street at T. Nagar demolished. He also got a one-way road where a lot of lives had been lost due to accidents, converted into two-way. [caption id="attachment_17439" align="aligncenter" width="640"]

The 80 year old man is still standing tall and fighting against wrong.[/caption] Most of his actions are backed by the PILs that he files. Cathedral Road in Chennai is one of the best kept roads in the city as it has the houses of two of Tamil Nadu's biggest political leaders on each side of the road. The entire stretch of the road used to be covered with party posters and banners. Ramaswamy filed a PIL to remove the posters and won the case too. Too scared to go against the powerful figures, the police and other officials were reluctant to remove these posters. So Ramaswamy went ahead and removed them himself. Having spoken loudly against corruption, he has been attacked several times and today has court protection and lives alone due to several death threats given to his dear ones. He also launched a political party, Makkal Pathukappu Kazhagam in January 2014, which is open to anyone to join. “I want to invite people to get associated with it and feel free to raise their voice against what is wrong. The party already has thousands of people engaged with it,” he says.

What keeps him going?

[caption id="attachment_31885" align="aligncenter" width="600"]

Having spoken loudly against corruption, he has been attacked several times and today has court protection and lives alone due to several death threats given to his dear ones.[/caption]

“It is the love for my city and a dream to see it progress that keeps me going. I believe there will be a day when the entire nation will be corruption-free. But only if we all come together to fight for it.”

- Ramaswamy.

He believes that the real power lies with the people and they should use it. “I want citizens to be bold. They should not fear anything and come out in the open,” he says. From a mill worker to a social activist, Traffic Ramaswamy’s life has been full of ups and down. But he has always stood by his decisions and raised his voice against what is wrong. Even in his twilight years, he shows strong will power and immense dedication towards a better city and, above all, a better India. Contact Ramaswamy on his Facebook page.

All pics: Facebook

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Dr. Akhouri Sinha was blissfully unaware that a mountain in Antarctica was named after him. One day, while browsing through the internet, he stumbled upon this information on Wikipedia. The US Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names identified the mountain as Mount Sinha (Mt. Sinha), honouring his pioneering work from early 1970s on animal population in Antarctica. Akhouri Achyutanand Sinha was born in Churamanpur village near Buxar, Bihar. He completed his graduation with a BSc degree from Allahabad University in 1954, and obtained an MSc degree in Zoology from Patna University in 1956. Sinha then taught Zoology at the Ranchi College, Jharkhand, from November 1956 to July 1961. After this, he went to the US to complete his PhD at the University of Missouri in Columbia.

He began his career as a reproductive biologist with a specialization in the reproduction of sea otters and other marine animals.

Source: viewpatna.blogspot.in

Later, Dr. Sinha joined the University of Minnesota where he taught for over 25 years and carried out his pioneering research in biology.

The Antarctic Expeditions – A high point in his career

Given his background and his expertise in reproductive biology, the US National Science Foundation invited Dr. Akhouri Sinha to conduct research on the reproduction of Antarctic seals, as part of their Antarctic Program. Thus, he became a part of the scientific team which made two expeditions to Antarctica in 1972 and 1974. They spent about 22 weeks on the icy continent, conducting population studies of seals, whales and birds in Bellingshausen and Amundsen seas. “We were often dropped via helicopters atop vast sheets of pack ice to study, catalogue and capture resident fauna,” says Dr. Sinha. He was completely spell bound by the pristine beauty of the place and more importantly, by the amazing adaptability of the animals in harsh weather conditions there.

The naming of Mount Sinha

Picture used for representation only. Source: Andrew Mandemaker/Wikimedia

A 990 meter (3248 feet) high mountain located in the southeast extremity of Erickson Bluffs, in the southern part of McDonalds Heights, has been named Mount Sinha. The mountain was named by the US Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN), and US Geological Survey. They also added that “records of population sizes, types and behaviours created by Sinha and his teammates have established critical baseline data that remain relevant in today's climate change debates." The mountain was originally mapped between 1959-1965, by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and US Navy air photographs. It is ranked as the 2914th highest mountain in Antarctica. Dr. Akhouri Sinha, now in his 80s, is currently a research scientist at the Veterans Affairs Medical Centre in Minneapolis, Minnesota, an adjunct Professor in the Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, and a professor in the Department of Urology at the University of Minnesota. He and his team are studying characteristics of prostate cancer stem cells and aggressiveness of prostate cancer in addition to cell proliferation and cell death. Dr. Sinha is reported to have said that the ice that he had once traversed has begun to disappear at an alarming rate mainly due to climate change. He still does not know "the exact date or year when Mount Sinha was named."

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About the author: Sharath Ahuja works at the Indian Institute of Science, plays badminton, billiards and snooker and is also an amateur photographer.

Rekha Kalindi, an 11 year old girl, raised her voice against forced marriage. She was tortured and even starved by her mother but she didn't give up. Here's an excerpt from the book, The Strength to Say No: One Girl's Fight against Forced Marriage, that chronicles her brave actions and how she fought against everyone to continue her studies. I hid away on the terrace as the sun went down. I wondered how long I would have to reject the marriage offers that were pouring in. I went to sleep, but my uncle woke me up to suggest coming to the room downstairs. For fear that I would fall over the side he helped me get down the stairs without a guardrail. The next day I went straight to school without going to our house. It was out of the question to meet my mother, who I imagined must be furious with me. When I got home after school a boy accompanied by his parents was in the house. My mother introduced them to me. I understood what was being plotted and when they asked me what I thought of the young man I didn’t answer.

‘Are you sure she agrees?’ asked the boy’s mother. ‘Yes, yes!’ replied my mother. ‘She is shy and reserved, but we spoke to her yesterday. She knows what she ought to do . . .’ I hid out in a corner of the yard, my legs doubled up against my stomach. ‘And how old is she?’ the mother asked. ‘She’s coming up for ten. She is very gifted, you know. We’ve sent her to school so that she will be educated, and she’s top of the class. Her teachers are very proud of her. They say that she is much more intelligent than the other pupils.’ ‘Ah! Very good! Nowadays children should go to school. It’s very useful . . .’

I wonder how this woman can know what is said or done in a school – especially as I suspect that her son has never set foot in one.

‘I don’t know how to cook, and I don’t like children,’ I say in a cold and determined tone. ‘Oh yes?’ replies the mother sharply. ‘But you are going to learn, I’m sure of it . . .’ ‘I don’t think so. I eat very little, and neither my older sister nor my mother has taught me.’ ‘She exaggerates. She lacks confidence in herself,’ my mother says, trying to reassure the other woman. ‘She has taken care of her brothers and sisters since she was quite small . . . I know what she’s worth. She’s very gifted.’ ‘Yes, she seems gifted, but my problem is that she’s too dark . . . You see? Compared with my son, who is lighter . . . How much is the dowry? I mean, bearing in mind this difference in skin colour?’ I continued to listen to this discussion – or, rather, negotiation, I should say – that was all about me. I felt that Ma wanted a firm commitment on their part.

That’s enough. I couldn’t bear this masquerade any longer. I got up and headed for the young man, who must have been be five or six years older than I.

‘You know the story of Kishalaya?’ ‘No. What is it?’ ‘He’s a brahmin who frees a tiger from its cage and makes it promise not to eat him in exchange for its freedom. It’s a traditional tale of Bengal, but never mind. You know how to sing Baul?’ ‘No.’ ‘I am always chosen to perform the Indian national anthem and the traditional songs of Bengal. Do you know that most children’s diseases are spread by mosquito bites?’ ‘No, I didn’t know that.’

‘I learned all that at school, just as I learned the importance of hygiene, reading and mathematics, and I can’t see myself abandoning all that to marry you!’

With that I turned on my heel and went back into the room where the parents were still arguing about the wedding and the dowry. ‘Your son is an idiot! I won’t marry him whatever my parents say!’ I knew that my parents were going to be embarrassed and get a bad reputation, but I couldn’t see any other way to get me out of this trap. The family went away. My mother gave me a furious look, and my father took the villagers back home, all the time offering profuse apologies. As soon as I enter the gate of the school I feel a sense of liberation. I know that here I am protected by my teachers. They are the ones who taught us that in spite of our ages we can refuse to go along with our parents’ plans. I feel like asking for advice from Atul, the teacher, but I decide against it, thinking that my parents have understood the lesson and that it’s not worth embarrassing them any more by letting the incident reach the ears of the teachers.

***

I understood that my parents had the firm intention of getting me married, most likely before the next winter. Ma is too busy nursing my brother Tapan to work in the rice paddies any more. Baba no longer manages to earn enough money. The price of food is going up, and we have to drink the water that rice was boiled in. It is becoming more and more difficult to go on like this. Are my parents right? Must I ease out of the family environment and leave room for my younger brothers and sisters? I feel guilty that I was ever born.

***

What happens next? Does Rekha manage to make her parents understand or gives up due to the pressure? Read the story of Rekha Kalindi, an 11 year old girl from a remote village in Bengal who had seen the troubles faced by her friends due to forced marriages. She decided not to follow the same path and said "NO" when her parents wanted her to get married. She was tortured and even starved. But she didn't give up. You can buy the book, The Strength to Say No: One Girl's Fight against Forced Marriage here and be inspired by the extra ordinary story of this young girl who is also called India's Malala.

Featured image: gogirlglobal.com

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No one would guess looking at this chaiwallah in his makeshift roadside shop — the one with an old tin kettle and crusty chai glasses — that he inhabits another world of reading and writing as well. Laxman Rao has written 24 novels, published 12, and is now pursuing a Master’s degree. People in Delhi who like tea and good stories should pay a visit to Laxman Rao. The 63-year-old man has been writing books since he was a teenager. He has self-published some of those books and they are on sale at his roadside chai shop near ITO in Delhi, and are also available on Flipkart, Amazon and Kindle. Born in Talegaon Dashasar village of Maharashtra, Laxman was inspired by the writings of Gulshan Nanda to take up writing himself.

He used to read Nanda’s novels as a 15-year-old. "I used to think I will become Gulshan Nanda one day," he says.

There were no schools in Laxman’s village, so he had gone to live in Amravati. However, due to financial problems in his family, he also had to work as a domestic help for three years, and at a spinning mill for five years, while continuing his education. It was an incident at school that first upset and moved him, and then inspired him to write. One of his schoolmates, Ramdas, a boy from his village, drowned in a river and lost his life. Ramdas was known for being a rebellious student before one teacher helped him change his life and turned him into a favourite of everyone at school. The story of Ramdas became the first book written by Laxman. Knowing that Delhi is the place where many publishing houses are located, Laxman wanted to move there and take up writing in a more serious way. After finishing school till Class 10 and working as a farmer for some time, Laxman left his village with only Rs. 40 given by his father. The journey to the capital city itself was not an easy one. He could only reach Bhopal before all his money was used up. So he had to work as a labourer at a construction site for three months.

Finally, in July 1975, he reached Delhi as a young man of 25. All he had at that time were two shirts, a 10th-grade completion certificate, and the dream of becoming a successful writer someday.

On reaching Delhi, he tried to find a job but could not get anything. He had to work as a construction site labourer and a waiter at a restaurant for two years before opening his own paan (betel leaves) shop. Later, he converted it into a tea shop and has been selling tea for the past 20 years now. In those two years, he wrote another book called Nayi Duniya ki Nayi Kahani, based on his journey to Delhi and his determination to become a writer. But when he finally took both his books to the many publishers in the city, Laxman received nothing but rejection and ridicule. Nobody believed that the work of a tea seller could be any good. It was when one of these publishers literally asked him to “get out” that Laxman decided to publish his books himself, without any external help. And so, in 1979, he used all his savings (Rs. 7,000) to self-publish his first novel, Nayi Duniya Ki Nayi Kahani. Being a publisher means you have to sell your book yourself too. Laxman used to do that by riding across the city on his bicycle, stopping by at libraries and schools, asking people if they would be interested in reading his work.

He also registered his own publishing company — Bhartiya Sahitya Kala Prakashan.

Today, he publishes 500 copies each of 4 different titles annually. Publishing one title costs around Rs. 25,000-30,000. He says about 100 copies are sold from the tea shop itself every month, and the rest are sold through e-commerce websites. He is also working on 2 more novels these days. After his first book was published, people slowly began recognizing him as an author. In 1984, a senior Congress party member came to know about him after reading an article based on his life. He told the then PM of India, Indira Gandhi, about Laxman, and he was invited to meet and present his books to her. She encouraged him to continue writing. When he insisted that he wanted to write a book on her life too, she said that he should write something about her tenure instead. Hence, he wrote a play called Pradhanmantri.

"I wanted to present it to Mrs. Indira Gandhi but her unfortunate death took this opportunity from me," he says.

In spite of being good as a writer, Laxman never gave up the urge to learn, and is continuing his education even today.

He passed the Class 12 CBSE exam at the age of 40 from Patrachar School in Delhi, and then completed his graduation through a correspondence course from Delhi University. Currently, he is pursuing MA in Hindi from IGNOU.

"I chose to write in Hindi as I wanted my books to be read all over the country. So I started reading Hindi books as much as possible. I used to visit Daryaganj’s old books' market every Sunday to buy Hindi books," says the writer.

Like his novel about Ramdas, all his books are based on real life incidents.

“Some boys at my stall used to talk about a girl, their classmate, who did not speak much. I asked them if I could meet her. She then became a character (and title) of one of my books — Renu,” he says.

Renu also became the book that Laxman personally presented to the former Indian president, Pratibha Patil, who was so impressed by his work that she invited him to Rashtrapati Bhavan, along with his family, on July 23, 2009.

As of now, he has no plans of closing his tea shop. "With the money I earn from my books, I have to publish more books. And the tea shop helps me run my household," says Laxman, who lives with his wife and two sons, both of whom are pursuing higher studies. Laxman has now stopped going around selling his books. Ramdas, the first book that he wrote, is his bestselling novel till date and is already in its 3rd edition. Over 3,000 copies of it have been sold and it has also been converted into a play. He is currently working on his upcoming books —Barrister Gandhi, which is based on the life of Mahatma Gandhi, and DANSH, a social novel. Some of his other famous books include Narmada, Parampara Se Judi Bhartiya Rajneeti, Ahankaar, and Abhivyakti. Laxman Rao refuses to take any funds and donations from people. Those who want to give are politely advised to buy one of his books instead.

“I am satisfied with my life, I want to move ahead. I am hopeful that my books shall earn me a lot of money someday. Then I’ll stop selling tea and engage in full time writing. That day is not too far away now,” he says confidently.

To know more about Laxman, you can write to him at laxmanrao.bskp@gmail.com and visit his Facebook page. His books can be bought on Flipkart, Amazon and Kindle.

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).

Jyoti is a thalassemia patient. But, she says, she is more than an illness—she believes in her identity as a novelist, a blogger, a speaker, and a woman. Jyoti’s childhood was different in many ways. She remembers reading books under a small lamp while her sisters slept. She also remembers going for regular blood transfusion while her friends went to school.

Jyoti Arora was three months old when she was detected with thalassemia, which was long before she understood the full meaning of her ailment. Her parents, though shell shocked, wanted Jyoti to have a happy and fulfilling childhood.

They sent her to the same school that all the neighbourhood children went to. Her school was disrupted often, and for days together, when she had to be admitted to the hospital. This continued for a few years and when Jyoti was in Class 7, she had to drop out of school. This was a huge setback. But Jyoti was not going to let her illness win over her. She not only completed her school through correspondence but also got a Master’s in English and Applied Psychology. Jyoti loved reading. Books were her best friends and she devoured every genre; she would submerge herself in classics that were written hundreds of years ago. She would dream about stories, about writing stories, about other children reading her stories. While thalassemia stunted her growth and regular blood transfusions increased the iron content in her body, what did not change was her love for books. She started nurturing a dream, a dream to write her own book. Jyoti started her professional career as an English tutor, while simultaneously writing articles for a couple of magazines. After that, she worked for a few years as a freelance writer and content developer. Her primary role was to abridge classics and make them suitable for pre-teens to read. She also wrote fiction/adventure books for children. After working in the freelancing space, Jyoti took up full time employment with a US-based recruitment firm where she was awarded the best employee of the year award for 2014.

The battle with thalassemia continued. However, there was no stopping Jyoti. She was convinced that her soul lies in writing and her first novel — Dream’s Sake — was published in the year 2011.

The novel is based on the psychological conflict of physically challenged people. She went on to self-publish her second novel — Lemon Girl — in the year 2014. The theme of Lemon Girl is women’s abuse and oppression. Both her novels have garnered positive reviews from readers as well as critics. While her love for reading and writing is second to none, she is fascinated by technology too, and writes about various gadgets and products at www.technotreats.com. Jyoti’s undefeatable grit and go-getter attitude have won her many laurels. She was recently invited to be a speaker at an event on World Thalassemia Day on May 8, 2015, which incidentally is also her birth date.

Jyoti used that platform as an opportunity to talk about thalassemia, and today advocates awareness about thalassemia on various other forums.

Jyoti feels that even today, awareness about thalassemia and its prevention is minimal. Thalassemia is a genetically inherited disease, is not infectious, and cannot be passed on from one individual to another through personal or any other contact. In India, about 3.9 percent of people are carriers. Thalassemia Major patients require life long blood transfusions and costly medicines for their survival. Often, the blood transfusion needs to be carried out on monthly or even fortnightly basis. Apart from regular blood transfusions and costly medicines, thalassemia patients are also given Desferal injections that need to be infused over a period of several hours. This means that the patient has to keep the injection and the infusion pump attached to the body over a period of ten-twelve hours, several days a week. The only treatment available for this disease is a bone marrow transplant, which is very expensive and risky. While the treatment of thalassemia can get complicated and expensive, the best solution is to prevent the occurrence of the disease. In fact, a child can be Thalassemia Major only when both parents are Thalassemia Minors. The probability of the child being a Thalassemia Major in such a case is 25 percent and can be detected during the early stages of pregnancy. Jyoti feels that society at large needs to accept and assimilate people like her in the mainstream. She is not sick or feeble or unintelligent just because she is a thalassemia patient. She, in fact, advocates the importance of considering herself equal to one and all. Jyoti feels that she is more than an illness—she believes in her identity as a novelist, a blogger and a woman. For more information, write to Jyoti at: write2jyoti@gmail.com

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).

About the author: Neha Dua is a graduate from St Stephen’s College, Delhi and completed her MBA degree from MDI, Gurgaon. She is currently working with a large Indian MNC bank. She is an avid reader, dance enthusiast and likes to write. Her personal blog can be accessed at: www.allexpressions.blogspot.com. In her pursuit to write beyond her personal experiences, she has volunteered to be a writer of happy and inspiring stories of The Better India.

From weighing 120kg in 2009 to 62kg in 2012, this is the story of how Shreyas Karnad went about gaining a healthy life for himself. His journey is one of relentless persistence, tears, pain, and sweat. And his hope is that this will inspire all those who are struggling to gain health and happiness with exercise and clean eating habits. It was in October 2009 that I was diagnosed with severe gastritis, kidney stones, fatty changes in the liver, and blood impurities that lead to skin. The reason for all these lifestyle diseases was my weight. At 5 feet 5 inches I weighed 109kg. I was on medication for the next few months, and my weight shot up to 120kg because of my poor eating habits (binging on a lot of junk), until the day came when I started vomiting anything I ate. The doctor informed me that if I wanted to live, there was no option but to reduce weight and body fat percentage, and eat right.

I was only 22 at that time, and it was way too early to be living an unhealthy life confined by tablets and medication.

[caption id="attachment_33722" align="aligncenter" width="624"]

Shreyas before losing weight (L) and after (R)[/caption] In the beginning of 2010 I joined a gym, and tried a plethora of exercises along with healthy eating. I gave up meat, eggs, beverages (tea and colas), sweets, sugary/high calorie food, processed/packed food and rice. My diet comprised of fruits, vegetable salads, sugar-free juices, and millets. The exercise regime revolved around more of weight training than cardio, but the result was minimal. I then decided to hire a personal trainer for a period of three months. This was the turning point in my life. My trainer asked me to maintain a diary and make note of all that I ate every day. He set me up for a fitness program that included 70% cardio and 30% weight training. Initially, it was a struggle to walk even for a few seconds due to my body weight. However, one day, finally I was able to walk for 4km on the treadmill in 30 minutes. This was the result of relentless persistence, tears, pain, and sweat.

The feeling after walking 4km on the treadmill was incredible. That was it; there was no looking back from there!

Picture for representation only. Photo Credit: Peter Burgess/Flickr

Over the next few months, the treadmill became my best friend and running, a way of life. With every kilometre on the treadmill, I was losing a few grams of weight and gaining a lot of self-confidence along with a positive approach towards life. By June 2011 I was able to run 10km in less than 50 minutes and went from weighing from 120kg to 80kg. I also started signing up for runs longer than 10km I took around six hours to complete my first full marathon in September 2011. This was without much knowledge about training and preparation for marathons. I found about new ways of training from thereon. I also started including yoga and systematic weight training in my schedule. Additionally, I went vegan for a while and dropped weight further.

Finally, by the end of 2012, my weight reduced to 62kg. This essentially means that I had lost 57kg in three years.

I was off medication now, had a completely new outlook towards life, and with running as a new passion, I had something to look forward to every morning.

Since 2012, I have participated in over 50 running events; most of them in South India and a few in South East Asia. I was also a part of a cycling tour through Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, along with other cycling events.

Picture for representation only. Photo Credit: Joe/Flickr

Currently, I am focusing on running faster in full marathons and exploring the country a bit on the cycle. I also want to graduate to ultra-marathons in the coming year, and my wish list comprises of a cycle tour from Manali to Leh; cycling through all of Western Ghats and the Western Coast; and hiking in parts of the Appalachian trail in the United States; running the Ultra Trail Marathon in Hong Kong; and cycling in parts of Europe over the next few years. I hope my story serves as a source of inspiration for those who want to lose weight and live a healthy and happy life. - Shreyas Karnad