Untold Stories of Courage

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Untold Stories of Courage

Second Edition, 2017
Knowledge Partner Media Partner

EDUCATION ART & CULTURE INNOVATION SPORTS 1

ENVIRONMENT

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT HEALTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP PUBLIC SERVICE AGRICULTURE

JSPL Foundation Untold stories of Courage
www.jsplfoundation.co.in
Foreword
“The Courage, Commitment and
Confidence of Swayamsiddh Shri’s
is an inspiration for all of us to
overcome the challenges of life with
grit and determination. I am sure
these untold stories of courage will go
a long way in inspiring others to work
towards the holistic development of
our great nation.”
Naveen Jindal Our beloved Founder, Shri O.P.
Chairman Jindal always espoused – “To bring
Jindal Steel & Power Limited about change you have to start from
the roots.” JSPL Foundation, is
guided by this tenet that without
the upliftment of the weaker and
backward sections of the society, our
dream of being a leading nation of the
world shall remain unfulfilled.
JSPL Foundation epitomizes our
vision to help achieve inclusive
growth for all. Since inception, we
have impacted the lives of millions
and remain committed to building
the nation of our dreams. I firmly
believe, business is an enabling force
for social advancement and our
community interventions coherently
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2
focuses on our thrust areas that
include health, education, skill
development, infrastructure and
Environment conservation.
Taking this agenda forward, JSPL
Foundation under the initiative of
Smt. Shallu Jindal, our Director,
launched the Rashtriya Swayamsiddh
Samman, in 2015 to felicitate and
surface the great work done by people
at the grassroots across India.
I am pleased to note that in the Second
Edition of the Awards, 22 change
makers from across India are being
felicitated for their commendable
societal work. Knowing about the
work of these Swayamsiddh Shri’s has
been a great learning experience.
I continue to be inspired by these
grassroot change makers and am
certain they will inspire others to work
towards the development of our great
nation.
I commend them for their work and
wish them all the success in life!
 Untold Stories of Courage
President Speak
“The Rashtriya Swayamsiddh
Samman aims to bring out stories
that have yet been untold. Stories of
Courage, Determination and a Will
to bring about a change in the society.
The Samman is an effort to salute
such people and provide them with a
national platform, so that others too
can take inspiration from them.”
Shallu Jindal
President JSPL Foundation, the CSR arm of
JSPL Foundation Jindal Steel & Power, has positively
impacted the lives of millions through
sustained community outreach across
India. Being change makers ourselves,
we institutionalised the national level
awards - Rashtriya Swayamsiddh
Samman in 2015, to recognise and
nurture talent from the grassroots
level who have done inspirational and
selfless service across India.
In the Inaugural edition of the awards,
29 Individuals & Organizations from
all across India were felicitated for
their unique contribution to nation
building.
Inkeeping with the legacy, in the
second edition of the Rashtriya
Swayamsiddh Samman we are
honoring 22 Individuals &
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Organizations. In addition to the
ten categories, we have introduced
the Rashtriya Swayamsiddh Jeevan
Samman for lifelong societal
contribution and a Special Category
of Indomitable Courage. We elicited
an overwhelming response in all the
categories from across India. The
National Jury finally had the daunting
task of adjudging the winners, since
they were all so deserving.
Whether it is the indomitable spirit
of Shalini Saraswathi a quadruple
amputee who runs marathons,
Malavath Poorna a tribal girl from
Telangana who scaled Mount Everst
at the age of 13, or Gazi Jallaludin
a taxi driver from Kolkata who runs
two schools and an orphanage from
his meagre income. They are all truly
awe inspiring and humbling to say the
least.
I congratulate all the winners and
welcome them into our developmental
journey.
Let us all applaud these real heroes
and be inspired by their exemplary
work towards the holistic development
of our Nation!
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JSPL Foundation
About JSPL Foundation
JSPL Foundation is the executing arm of
Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL)
Group CSR activities which works with
the community near business operations
of the JSPL group as well as other parts
of the country.
JSPL Foundation is dedicated to the
cause of humanity and is focused upon
improving the Human Development
Index by way of positioning itself as a
parenting force of various Social Change
Agents operating at the ground level. The
Foundation has been guiding force of the
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Untold stories of Courage
www.jsplfoundation.co.in
sustainable social development initiatives
implemented by Jindal Steel & Power
across its business locations. The CSR
interventions are focused on enhancing
quality of life of the community in the
vicinity of business locations by way
of improving community healthcare
and education, and also developing
critical small civic infrastructures besides
generating sustainable livelihood options,
promoting sports, art and culture.
The Foundation has aligned its
programmes with the Government and
other developmental agencies with an
objective of bringing about a radical
transformation in the lives of the
communities and integrating them into
the mainstream development process
of the country. The Foundation drives
holistic community initiatives to help
address some of the persistent social
challenges in the realms of Healthcare,
Water and Sanitation, Education &
Skill Development, Infrastructure
& Community Development, and
Empowerment of Women.
 Untold Stories of Courage
Rashtriya Swayamsiddh Samman
JSPL Foundation, the CSR arm of JSPL,
instituted the ‘Swayamsiddh Samman’ in
2015 to identify, reward and nurture the
network of social innovators and change
makers at the grass-root level in India.
The award was instituted to honour the
unsung heroes who overcame adversities
in their lives to create their own unique
identity, displaying exemplary courage,
commitment and dedication towards their
cause. The ‘Swayamsiddh Samman’ has
so far been conferred upon more than
160 grass root action leaders, both at
State and National level.
In its Inaugural Edition, the National
Glimpses of Inaugural Edition 2015-16
level Rashtriya Swayamsiddh Samman
elicited an overwhelming response with
358 entries from across the country. Out
of these, 203 entries were shortlisted
based on laid down parameters. 25
individuals and organisations across
the country from different walks of
life were felicitated with the Rashtriya
Swayamsiddh Samman. The awards were
conferred in 10 categories viz. Women
Empowerment, Entrepreneurship &
Livelihood, Education, Agriculture &
Rural Development, Public Service,
Sports, Health, Innovation & Technology
and Environment. Today, these awardees
have become ‘Ambassadors of Change’
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and are guiding others to achieve their
dreams, thus forming a human chain.
Taking this initiative forward, the second
edition of Rashtriya Swayamsiddh
Samman is being organised to reward
and highlight the untold stories of courage
and determination of similar grass-root
leaders and social innovators in India.
The ‘Samman’ will be conferred upon
Change Agents i.e. individuals and
organisations from across India through a
robust process of jury meetings at regional
and national levels. O. P. Jindal Global
University (OPJGU) is the knowledge
partner for the awards.
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JSPL Foundation Untold stories of Courage
www.jsplfoundation.co.in

Rashtriya Swayamsiddh Samman,

Second Edition (2017)
In the second edition of the Awards, JSPL Foundation has introduced the Rashtriya Swayamsiddh Jeevan Samman for life long inspira-
tional and selfless service. The Rashtriya Swayamsiddh Samman will be awarded to 12 Individuals & 9 Organizations, from across India
for their societal contribution in the respective categories. In addition to the National Level Award, the Swayamsiddh Shri’s - Individuals
& Organizations, will receive an honorarium of rupees One Lakh each for their exemplary work in the identified categories.

Indomitable Agriculture & Rural Women Innovation

Courage Development Empowerment & Technology

Public Service Health Education Sports

Art & Culture Environment Entrepreneurship

& Livelihood

Parameters/Criteria
1. At least three years of dedicated service in relevant area at the grass roots level
2. A credible personal/organisation and respect in society
3. Achievements that are the best in peer group
4. Uniqueness of the work done
5. High level of impact on ground
6. High degree of trust worthiness
7. High potential of replication of idea/project
8. Partnership and multi-stakeholder approach to ongoing work/project
9. Previous funding support from credible organisation
10. Positive visibility in society
11. Entrepreneurial zeal and innovative approach to work/project
12. Funding support from corporate
13. Relevance to Millennium Development Goals(MDGs)/forthcoming Social Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations

*The Award in Public Service, Individual category is being shared by two individuals.

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 Untold Stories of Courage

Award Process Snapshot ,d igy cnyko dh vksj

For Information / Application / Nomination: -

http://jsplfoundation.co.in/swayamsiddh/apply.html
Call for Entries Entries were sent by Email to: awards@jsplfoundation.co.in
& By Post to: Ms. Bhavna Sethi, JSPL Foundation, Jindal Centre, 12 Bhikaji
Cama Place, New Delhi- 110066

Entry forms received were be collated and grouped into regional zones by JSPL Foundation
Preliminary Screening and were further assimilated as per identified categories.

O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana - India’s premier University, the
Knowledge Partner screened and regionally assimilated entries were further assessed as
Knowledge Partnership per evaluation parameters and metrics. The shortlisted Applicants went through to the
STAGE 1

Regional Rounds.
16th - 22nd March, 2017

Entries received from across India - were assimilated on the basis of regional zones.
The regional jury evaluated entries based on critical parameters.
North Chandigarh
Regional Assessment East Kolkata
West Mumbai
South Hyderabad 23rd March - 05th April, 2017

The shortlisted individuals & organisations were subjected to site visits, referrals and
Revalidation primary & secondary research.
STAGE 2

The finalists from the regional rounds were evaluated by an eminent National Jury. The
Jury was guided by the Knowledge Partner and JSPL Foundation to select the final winners
National Jury of the Rashtriya Swayamsiddh Samman, Second Edition, 2017.
Week of 10th July, 2017

Thursday, 03rd August 2017

Award Presentation Venue : Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in the publication has been provided by the applicants. In addition to the Rashtriya Swayamsiddh Jeevan Samman,
the 21 winners of the Rashtriya Swayamsiddh Samman have been selected based on the information provided by applicants and collective judgement of Jury
members at regional and national levels. Neither JSPL Foundation nor any of its employees nor knowledge and process partner give any warranty of accuracy,
nor accept any liability as a result of reliance upon the content by any direct or indirect parties. The publication also contains some information available in the
public domain, created and maintained by the applicants and their organisations. The photographs and logos of winning awardees, consolation prize winners
and inspirational models used in the publication are also provided by the applicants themselves and are inter alia property of applicants. JSPL Foundation does
not warrant or solicit any kind of act or omission based on this publication and fully owns the copyright of this publication.This booklet has been published for
information and illustrative purposes only and is not intended to serve as an advice of any nature, whatsoever. In event, any part of the publication is to be used
or produced by a third party in any manner whatsoever; they would need to provide proper attribution.

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JSPL Foundation Untold stories of Courage
www.jsplfoundation.co.in
Rashtriya Swayamsiddh Jeevan Samman
Dr. (Prof.) Prasanna Kumar Patasani
Odisha
Dr. Prasanna Kumar Patasani is a
Scholar, Philosopher, lyricist and an
eminent literarian. He has been a
Parliamentarian for the last five terms
and is currently serving as a member of
the 16th Lok Sabha of India.
He is best known for his unique
contributions in the field of literature
and has authored numerous books
on poetry, philosophy, spirituality,
travel and psychology. Besides being
a PhD and D.Litt , in order to satiate
his spiritual cravings, he joined the
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram at
Rishikesh and embraced yoga and
spiritual practices and became a
strong proponent of yogic practices
and transcendental meditation.
He travelled the world extensively
professing the impact of yoga and
meditation in controlling the scrounge
of social crime. For his contributions
to the cause of World Peace, he was
awarded with the Messenger of Peace,
at the International Conference of
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Association of Future Humanity at
Oxford (UK) in 1989. Dr. Patasani
has also addressed the Colloquium on
the subject – ‘Towards a Democratic
New World’ in Paris.
He has to his credit over 70 books
of Poetry, philosophy, spiritualism
and psychology, many of which have
been translated into major Indian
languages. He is the Founder of
Abadhut Group of Rebel Poets, his
literary renditions reflect the struggle of
the common man for survival.
Dr. Patasani is the founder of
18 Educational and Spiritual
Institutions and President of
about 75 similar Institutions.
He has pioneered the
development of Bhubaneswar
and the state of Odisha into
an educational hub.
Untold Stories of Courage

Indomitable Courage
Special Category ,d igy cnyko dh vksj

Shalini Saraswathi
Bangalore, Karnataka
Based in Bangalore, 37 year old and mental strength, with her husband
Shalini, lost all her four limbs owing Prashanth Chowdappa by her side.
to a rare bacterial infection. Back in
Inspite & despite all adversities, she
2013, she had just returned from
fought back with an indomitable spirit
vacation in Cambodia when she
and today is a role model for not just
suddenly fell ill. What started off as a
the differently abled but to the entire
fever quickly developed into something
humankind.
far more serious and Shalini, who was
also pregnant at the time, was suddenly
on the brink of death and dealing with
JSPL Foundation salutes the
multiple organ failures. indomitable spirit of Shalini
Saraswathi, a Quadruple
Doctors diagnosing the illness in
Bengaluru, however, thought it was
Amputee, who has overcome
dengue. They could not have been adversities and is a source
more wrong. In the course of the next of inspiration to us all.
few months, she had a miscarriage,
both legs and her left hand amputated, Today she is a writer, motivational
following which her right hand just “fell speaker and a sports enthusiast. This
off.” trained Bharatnatyam dancer is an
avid blade runner and even runs
Having gone through the rigours of marathons. She is a true beacon of
mainstream medicincal procedures, she hope, endurance and epitomizes the
finally turned to Ayurveda, that helped indomitable spirit.
her in the healing process. And not
before long she regained her physical

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JSPL Foundation Untold stories of Courage
www.jsplfoundation.co.in

Women Empowerment
Winner-Individual Category

Josephine Selvaraj
Madurai, Tamil Nadu
Josephine, is fondly known as economically supports a work force
the ‘Queen Bee’ and ‘Florence of over 300 and is a role model for
Nightingale’ for her unique women across India.
contribution in empowering women
An author of three books on Bee
and augmenting their economic
keeping and Sting therapy, she has
independence. What started out, as
helped 420 women set up honey bee
a means of supporting her husband in
farms and trained more than 50,000
troubled times is today a flourishing
people under the National Honey
Woman Entrepreneurship Model.
Mission. Many SHG groups have
She received her initial bee keeping
adopted her model and empowered
training at Madurai’s Krishi Vigyan
the lives of women with secondary
Kendra and now regularly imparts
income in the rural hinterland of
training and mobilises women to take
Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
up bee keeping, which was otherwise a
male bastion.
Her tryst with bees started way back
Owing to Josephine Selvaraj’s
in 2006, and today besides being a consistent efforts over the
Bee Entrepreneur she is also a Healer. years, over 20,000 women
Her close association and experiential have received free training
learning with bees not only led to the on bee-keeping and have
development of therapeutic honey embraced bee framing as
but also made her a sting therapist
an avenue for sustained
of repute, for treating High Blood
Pressure and Arthritis. She is a
livelihood.
successful woman entrepreneur and

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 Untold Stories of Courage
Women Empowerment
Winner-Organisation Category
Maaghara
Foundation Trust
Bhubaneswar,
Odisha Being stirred to action, on account of
the deplorable condition of women in
the rural hinterland in Odisha; a group
of committed and dedicated young
women workers started Maa Ghara,
in 2004 to work for the upliftment of
womenfolk. Maaghara is on mission
to strive for a society where there is
respect and safety for each women.
The Organization has a two pronged
approach- Sensitization & Advocacy
on one hand and field services on the
other. The dedicated direct field service
includes rescuing and rehabilitating
trafficked and sexually abused victims
and giving them temporary shelter,
food, healthcare, legal support and
various trainings for capacity building.
The Organization manifests itself as a
shelter which is a transit home for these
victimized women until they get legal
remedies and are economically secure.
The Organization has a participatory
model which encourages volunteers
from amongst women in the
neighborhood communities of the
victimized girls thereby forming
Community Vigilance for corroborative
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Maa Ghara’s unique
activation model has
become a state wide people’s
movement to stop atrocities
on women and restore their
human rights with dignity.
It has 7 women helpline
counseling and legal advice
centres in 7 districts of
Odisha. There are about
10,000 women members
working as peacemakers
in the remote and tribal
villages across Odisha.
action. These women groups stir into
immediate action and cohesively work
towards insulating the victimized
from repeat adversity and endeavors
to secure her rights. As part of the
preventive paradigm – they reach out
to vulnerable sections and sensitize
them against existing social crimes,
which include trafficking, child labor,
domestic violence and physical abuse.
Over the last decade, the holistic efforts
of the Organization have resulted in the
rescue and rehabilitation of thousands
of distressed women across age groups
in Odisha.
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JSPL Foundation Untold stories of Courage
www.jsplfoundation.co.in
Education
Winner-Individual Category
Gazi Jallaluddin
Sundarbans, West Bengal
Gazi Jallaluddin, 65 year old taxi
driver in Kolkata had to stop his
studies due to poverty, but today runs
2 schools and an orphanage in his
native Sundarbans. A victim of the
rampant migration from village to
cities owing to abject poverty, young
Gazi had to beg for alms on the busy
streets of Kolkata. At the tender age of
13, he worked as a rickshaw puller but
with hard work he became a taxi driver
and was able to eke out a decent living.
Having navigated his life through
hardships, he nurtured a desire
to help children from his native
village Sundarbans who were being
accustomed to the same travails.
Gazi Jallaluddin’s unique initiative has impacted
the lives of over 1500 families. Today his school has
a strength of 425 students and 21 teachers and is
growing from strength to strength, on the back of his
earnings and charity from his community as well
as philanthropists.
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He thus embarked on a mission
to empower the downtrodden in
his community through education
and training that would impact
their quality of life and secure their
livelihoods.
This resulted in the formation of
the Sundarban Driving Samiti.
The unique training model not only
trained youth to become able drivers
but also espoused that the beneficiary
of the training program in turn trains
two more in their circle and thereby
form a human chain of learning. The
chain still continues and today, there
are 300 boys from the Sundarbans
driving taxis and earning their living in
Kolkata. Towards the goal of providing
basic education, he set up Sunderban
Shikshayatan- a cooperative charity
that is run by contributions from
gainfully employed taxi drivers for
fund raising for establishing schools
for primary education of the poor and
orphans in the community.
 Untold Stories of Courage

Education
Winner-Organisation Category ,d igy cnyko dh vksj

WE4YOU visually impaired in India. Their

Charitable Trust
Bhubaneswar,
Odisha WE4YOU is a charitable trust, set
up by 7 young minds, all of them
engineers working in Odisha, Delhi,
Bengaluru, who are committed
to providing accessible education
to visually challenged students,
outreach model involves volunteers
who lend their voices to these Audio
Books.
Their interventions also include
disseminating these Audio Books to
their intended community of students
both in schools as well as colleges. This
unique intervention uses IT and IT
enabled services wherein volunteers
can make these audio files on their

While the country is home to 12 million blind students,

there are only 10 Braille Press units in India, which is
not enough to meet the demand. Educating the visually
impaired through Audio Books is an innovative mode
of intervention. Till date the organisation has converted
more than 500 books into audiobooks in
Odia, Hindi and English language.
enhancing their skills and educating Personal Computers at their own
them for gainful employment. The convenience. These files are then
idea struck the engineers when they scrutinised and pass the rigors of
volunteered to lend their voice to institutional accreditation before being
blind students and assisted them with acknowledged as an Audio Book.
the scripting of answer sheets during
their 10th examinations. This gesture They have been awarded by the
culminated into WE4YOU. Odisha government for Innovation
in Education in the Disability sector.
Formal education for the visually Their network of volunteers is growing
impaired has been a grave concern, enormously in other parts of India and
and this unique initiative could is impacting the lives of thousands of
perhaps be the answer for providing visually impaired individuals across
basic to formal or technical education Chennai, Gurgaon and Bangalore.
with the help of voice books for the
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JSPL Foundation Untold stories of Courage
www.jsplfoundation.co.in

Health
Winner-Individual Category

Subhasini Mistry
Hanspukur, West Bengal
Subhashini Mistry, is an extraordinary to fruition her dream of building a
woman in deed. She was all of 33 Hospital for the poor and needy in
when her husband died of a stomach memory of her departed husband, who
ailment. She could not afford the died due to lack of medical care.
treatment. Penniless and with four
Today at 80, she is still actively
children to raise, she harboured a
involved with the hospital and her
dream of building a hospital for the
younger son Ajoy, a doctor is carrying
needy. She worked as a house maid,
forth her mission at the hospital.
on farms, as a bricklayer and selling
vegetables by the roadside for more
than 40 years to raise Rs 300,000 The 100-bed hospital in
to build first a basic shed then a Hanspukur, in the eastern
modern concrete structure. Indian state of West Bengal
She faced hardships all her life, be it was opened in 1993, since
the early demise of her husband or then it has treated more than
the fact that she had to put two of her 250,000 patients free
children in an orphanage since she
of cost, saving countless
could not educate them. She overcame
all adversities of life, through her hard
lives.
work, perseverance and brought

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 Untold Stories of Courage

Health
Winner-Organisation Category ,d igy cnyko dh vksj

Gramin Samaj The focused approach of community

Kalyan Vikas
Manch
Palamu, GSKVM is a non-government
Jharkhand voluntary organization, operates
in Jharkhand across the districts of
Latehar, Garhwa and Palamu.
The cases of tuberculosis are rising
in Jharkhand, with over 34,000
new cases being reported in the state.
Armed with a vision to support the
government’s efforts, to curtail the
disease, GSKVM implemented a TB
care and Control project which was
supported by WHO, in collaboration
with the Revised National Tuberculosis
Control Program.
based case finding strategy which
involved screening of the entire
community in Palamu across
demographics has become a role
model of outreach by a NGO. They
have reached out through awareness
camps to a mass in excess of 10,000
in their operative geographies.
The most cost-effective way to stop
the spread of TB in communities with
a high incidence is by curing it. TB-
DOTS (directly observed treatment)
is the name given to the tuberculosis
control strategy recommended by
the World Health Organization. A
unique aspect of their outreach was
the hand holding and support rendered
for individuals suffering from TB to
complete the prescribed treatment
program.

Tuberculosis, the silent killer; kills 5 lakh Indians every

year, making it a big challenge for India to achieve
its goal of being TB free by 2025. Through a multi-
pronged approach of sensitization, advocacy, preventive
and remedial action and adherence to treatment
modules, this NGO has been able to impact 3152
individuals directly within the first year, till date 12,181
individuals have benefitted from the program.

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JSPL Foundation Untold stories of Courage
www.jsplfoundation.co.in
Art & Culture
Winner-Individual Category
Anup Ranjan Pandey
Bastar, Chhattisgarh
Anup Ranjan Pandey, a theatre
personality and musician from
Chhattisgarh, conceptualized the
Bastar Band by involving people of
several tribes like Gonds, Marhias,
Bisonhorn, Halba, Bhatra, Parja
Murias, Dorla, Abujmarhias and
Dhurva, from the heartland of India.
Each of the tribes has a unique dance
form, which is being preserved,
protected and promoted by this
connoisseur of tribal art.
The deterioration of peace and erosion
in the performing art traditions were
the compelling factors that incited him
to work to salvage these art forms from
the threat of extinction and catalyzed
the foundation of Bastar Band.
Bastar Band, a music and dance band
from Bastar, Chhattisgarh, aims at
taking different tribal dance forms
and music to the doorsteps of the
urban folk. The band tours different
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Anup has been working for
the cause of protecting and
promoting tribal dance and
music forms for over 22
years. The 125-member
ensemble Bastar Band
plays at least 50 ancient
instruments and sings from
its repertoire of 150 songs
across the state and all over
the country, spreading the
message of love, peace,
brotherhood and
ecological harmony.
parts of the country in an attempt to
showcase the beauty of tribal dance
forms of tribal people living in Bastar
and also to create interest in it so that
the dance form is passed on to the next
generation.
 Untold Stories of Courage
Art & Culture
Winner-Organisation Category
Khamir Craft
Resource Centre
Kachchh, Gujarat
Khamir was established in the
aftermath of the Bhuj earthquake.
Khamir is a not for profit promotional
platform for the crafts, heritage and
cultural ecology of the Kachchh region
of Gujarat. The organization aims
to serve as a cultural resource centre
that enables artisans to conserve their
traditional way of life by creating
sustainable livelihoods centered on
their craft.
The name stands for Kachchh
Heritage, Art, Music, Information and
Resources. Khamir means ‘intrinsic
pride’ in Kachchhi, the local language.
In Hindi it means ‘to ferment’ an
equally apt name given the constant
fermentation and cross pollination of
artistic activities that play out within
the organization as well as in the
Kachchh region at large.
,d igy cnyko dh vksj
This joint initiative of Kachchh Nav
Nirman Abhiyan and the Nehru
Foundation for Development, was
incepted in 2015. Today, Khamir
strives to create a democratic and
empowering space - a common roof
under which a range of stakeholders
Khamir is committed to
the vision of a vibrant,
sustainable Indian craft
sector in which crafts and
artisans alike are highly
valued by people worldwide.
At present they are working
with 150 craft units in
Kachchh region impacting
the lives of about 3000
artisans.
can exchange ideas and collaborate. It
serves as a platform for the promotion
of traditional handicrafts and allied
cultural practices, the processes
involved in their creation, and the
preservation of culture, community
and local environments.
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JSPL Foundation Untold stories of Courage
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Entrepreneurship & Livelihood

Winner-Individual Category

Vikash Das
Balasore, Odisha
A budding social entrepreneur, Vikash
Das is known for his innovations in
democratizing rural non-farming
sector & building sustainable impact
enterprises. He is the founder of Vat
Vrikshya, a social enterprise which
aims to facilitate the development
process to improve the quality of life
of tribal women through participatory
action and entrepreneurship so as to
ensure sustainability.
Vikash is the chief change maker at
Vat Vrikshya, prior to which he was
working as IT Security Analyst in IBM
Corp. Bangalore. He always wanted
to do something that empowered the
most vulnerable communities in the
tribal region and bring equitable and
Vat Vrikshya is working with 2300 women artisans
and has directly impacted the lives of thousands
of villagers due to the ripple effect of broad based
community development programs.
inclusive growth. He followed his heart
and founded ‘Vat Vrikshya’. This is
where it all began!
His guiding tenet –is to transform the
socio-economic scenario of India by
nurturing entrepreneurship among
women in rural India and encouraging
them to be the change agents in their
communities.
What started in just one village has now
expanded and spans across four states of
Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand and
Chhattisgarh. The enterprise provides
women with vocational training,
soft loans, expert advice and market
linkages to help develop supplementary
sources of income. The tribal women
are mentored on concepts of savings
and networking through leadership,
marketing skills along with financial
literacy. It also tracks their progress
and has reached out through training
and intervention programs to 17,000
marginalized women communities.

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 Untold Stories of Courage
Entrepreneurship &
Livelihood
Winner-Organisation Category
Alombro Mayu
Yaku Chi Amey
Aroga
Roing, Arunachal
Pradesh
“Sustained Livelihood Development
and gainful employment”.
ALOMBRO MAYU YAKU CHI
AMEY AROGA commonly known
as AMYAA NGO stands for social
transformation. The service of AMYAA
working in targeted rural areas of
Eastern Region of Arunachal Pradesh
has been basically to redefine the lives
of the poor by facilitating sustainable
livelihood opportunities. Strengthening
the grassroots groups (NaRMGs,
SHGs, and Farmer’s Clubs) through
frequent capacity building and training
has been the primary focus of AMYAA.
The Organization encourages
inclusivity and believes in enabling the
community members to be responsible
for their own development through
active participation at all levels of the
developmental process.
,d igy cnyko dh vksj
In the district of Lower
Dibang Valley, AAMYA has
promoted a District level
federation The federation
comprises of 48 SHGs from
20 Villages and was set up
with a vision to act as catalyst
for viable socio-economic
development of the region.
The federation has already
set up a SHG rural mart for
marketing of local handloom
and handicrafts products.
AMYAA has promoted 20
farmer’s clubs to be organized
into Producers Organization
for systematic marketing of
the agri-horticulture
products.
The Organization is headed by Mr.
R K Paul and has been credited to
have formed the first All Women
Cooperative in Arunachal Pradesh.
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JSPL Foundation Untold stories of Courage
www.jsplfoundation.co.in
Innovation & Technology
Winner-Individual Category
Uddhab Bharali
Lakhimpur, Assam
Mr. Uddhab Bharali, a farmer in
Assam has the unique distinction of
developing more than 85 engineering
devices for different purposes in
agriculture. An innovator par
excellence he has to his credit over 105
innovations, with 53 registrations with
National Innovation Foundation.
Out of these thirteen have been
commercialised.
Mr. Bharali set up a research
workshop to help local communities
and industries solve their technological
needs in his hometown of North
Lakshimpur on the banks of the river
Brahmaputra. He started to design
machines and devices that would help
small scale farmers to increase their
productivity and revenues.
Many of the innovations are popular
in foreign countries too. He has been
acknowledged for his unique forte
and advises agencies like the Central
Silk board, North Eastern Region
Community Resource Management
Second Edition, 2017
20
Project (NERCRMP) and other
Institutions across India. He also
believes in sharing his innovative
experiences and has technically trained
over 50 youth from rural areas, who
are in turn impacting their agrarian
communities.
He indigenously developed a
polythene making machine
at a subsidised cost of sixty
seven thousand rupees, when
company made machines
were priced at Rs. 4 lakh.
Additionally, this agrarian
innovator has developed several
other utility machines like
the pomergranate de-seeder,
garlic peeling machine, tobacco
leaf cutter, paddy thresher,
cane stripping machine and
several other mechanised
machines.
Untold Stories of Courage

Public Service
Winner-Individual Category ,d igy cnyko dh vksj

Sarabjeet Singh
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
Sarabjeet Singh is a Shimla based
philanthropist who selflessly takes
the responsibility of providing solace
to both the living and the dead. At a
time when even paid drivers were not
keen on doing it, this Good Samaritan
ferries the abandoned dead and living
for free.
At first he started out by assisting
the Gurudwara in organizing blood
donation camps and continued doing
so long after the Gurudwara stopped.
He also set up a free canteen for
cancer patients and their attendants at
Shimla’s only cancer hospital. Other
than the canteen, five Roti banks have
also been started to collect fresh roti’s
everyday from volunteer families who
serve the community. The free canteens
are a huge respite for the patients and
attendants, especially the poor, who
are already bogged down with the high
cost of treatment.
All the blood banks in the state have his
phone number and know they can rely
on him in case of an emergency.

Singh has also been running a free 24X7 funeral van

service to help the dead in their final journey, be it night
or day. Till date, Singh has ferried more than 5,000
bodies. For the last 10 years, he has also been organizing
blood donation camps and has collected more than
20,000 units of blood for Shimla’s hospital.

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JSPL Foundation Untold stories of Courage
www.jsplfoundation.co.in

Public Service
Winner-Individual Category

S Murugan
Kochi, Kerala
Murugan, who hails from Kerala, an
auto driver by profession. However,
he is no ordinary rickshaw driver, for
he ferries the hurt, incapacitated and
needy for free.
Belonging to a poor family in
Chengotta district in Tamil Nadu, his
parents migrated to Idukki district in
Kerala in search of work. They eked
out a living as plantation laborers
who could not afford educating their
son. Given the abject poverty, he spent
his childhood doing odd chores to
supplement their income and be able
to give exams through the Open school
system. He completed secondary level
education and learned to drive and
became an auto rickshaw driver.
Having lived on the streets for the
better part of his growing years, he
has been ferrying and rescuing the
poor, sick and mentally challenged
from the streets and leaving them in
the care of hospitals, shelters and
old age homes, since 2002. He
institutionalized his public service
under the NGO – Theruvoram. He
also started to provide shelter, food
and medicine for the orphaned street
children. This self taught citizens’
noble work and acclaim soon spread,
such that in 2013, Theruvoram was
given the responsibility of running the
social justice department’s shelter for
homeless.
Over the years Murugan
has been able to rescue,
rehabilitate and help over
8000 children and poor.
His NGO is actively working
in 17 districts of Kerala to
save the lives of homeless,
injured and destitute
street children.

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22
 Untold Stories of Courage
Public Service
Winner-Organisation Category
Haroon Mukati
Islamic Centre
Aurangabad,
Maharashtra
HMIC, has the unique distinction of
founding the first Roti Bank of its kind
in Maharashtra. This bank is situated
on the busy Jinsi-Baijipura Road
in the heart of the Aurangabad city.
The idea behind the bank was to ask
people from well-to-do families to
spare and deposit home cooked rotis
with vegetarian or non-vegetarian
food, which would then be ferried to
demarcated areas, from where the
poor, unemployed and needy could
withdraw it respectfully without
resorting to begging.
The organization initially mobilized
100 donors to provide food security
for the under privileged through this
unique initiative.
,d igy cnyko dh vksj
This bank only deals in
freshly cooked food items
and today feeds over
800 people daily, while
duly maintaining strict
quality control and hygiene
standards.
As word of the bank spread,
membership at the centre shot up and
now HMIC boasts of 350 members
and about 200 donor deposits are
recorded daily. To open an account
at the roti bank, the donor has to fill
up a form and obtain a code number.
The details of the depositor are
stored under this number. The bank
operates between 11 am and 9 pm and
maintains strict hygiene and tagging of
the food and consumables.
Drawing strength from the success of
the Roti Bank, HMIC has launched a
Kapda bank on the same lines.
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JSPL Foundation Untold stories of Courage
www.jsplfoundation.co.in

Sports
Winner-Individual Category

Malavath Poorna
Nizamabad, Telangana
Malavath Poorna (currently 16), was
the youngest girl to climb Mount Everest
at the tender age of 13. She hails from
a small tribal village and learned
mountain climbing at her school,
showed immense potential got formally
trained and completed the dangerous
Himalayan mountaineering journey on
May 25, 2014. Having achieved this
feat so early in life, she is already a role
model for tribal children. Hailing from
Nizamabad, this poor Indian farmer’s
daughter shed joyful tears at the summit
after a grueling climb across difficult
terrain overcoming personal fear. She
reminiscences seeing dead bodies of
mountaineers during her climb, the
gruesome sights did not deter this young
girl from scaling new heights.
The aim of her expedition was to
inspire young people and students from
her tribal background and encourage
them to take up sporting activities
and show their mettle. Since then
she has represented India in various
international expeditions and brought
laurels for India.
Scaling Mount Everest is
incredibly taxing and over
250 people have died trying
to climb it. Altitude above
roughly 26,000 feet is
considered death zone, since
there is not enough oxygen
to sustain human life.

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 Untold Stories of Courage

Sports
Winner-Organisation Category ,d igy cnyko dh vksj

Astha Mr. Sunil Jain, himself being wheel

Bangalore,
Karnataka
Astha is an organization that aims in
creating and providing opportunities
for interaction between the “able”
and the “differently able” worlds.
This unique approach enables the
participation of both these worlds
and enhances the quality of life of the
targeted beneficiaries.
chair bound is the Founder Trustee
and Chief Enabler of Astha. A
Chartered Accountant by profession,
he mentors and guides para-athletes
to reach excellence in their chosen
Sports and achieve success. Inkeeping
with the agenda, Indian Wheelchair
Tennis Tour (IWTT), a division of
ASTHA is working towards the single
minded objective of advocating the
participation of an Indian contingent
in this Para Olympic Sport in the next
3-5 years.

India with a population of 200+ lakh differently-abled

people got just 12 medals in the Para Olympics. There has
been no concerted effort to develop competitive wheelchair
tennis in India. ASTHA has successfully conducted India’s
first AITA ranked wheelchair tennis tournament wherein 34
players participated. In the second series, this number will
grow to 46, since 12 more individuals have been
trained.

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JSPL Foundation Untold stories of Courage
www.jsplfoundation.co.in

Agriculture & Rural Development

Winner-Individual Category

Akash Chaurasia
Sagar, Madhya Pradesh
Akash Chaurasia a 29 year old &
resident of village Tilli, district Jalna
Madhya Pradesh hails from a very
small farming family. Having done
his senior secondary he has invented a
multi layer farming at a field of 3 Acres
which he has taken on rent.
This true son of the soil, got through
PMT (Medical Entrance) in his state
but instead chose to follow his heart
and championed the cause of safer
crop yields through organic farming.
His family beckoned him to pursue
Medicine but he did not give in and
continued on his journey of developing
techniques to maximize output.
He developed a unique four layer
farming technique where four different
crops are sown in the same piece of
land harnessing the sub soil, top soil
and using climbers and creepers for
variety in layering. In this technique,
that has been endorsed by Krishi
Vigyan Kendra, Sagar - with the same
amount of fertilizer, water, labor and
money, four different crops are grown.
He uses organic farming techniques,
This young farmer believes
in sharing his experiential
learnings with the farming
community at large. He has
trained 32 thousand farmers
from all over the country in
his farm in Sagar Madhya
Pradesh. He has prepared
42 agricultural models all
across the country in different
parts. He has given training
in 19 universities on organic
farming & multi layering
techniques. He has been able
to generate INR 10.5 lacs
per acre-an incredible yield.
by which the produce is four times
more and the expenses are 4 to 5
times less. This is a crop intensive and
high density cropping technique which
yield maximum yields with optimum
utilization of resources.

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26
 Untold Stories of Courage

Agriculture & Rural

Development
Winner-Organisation Category ,d igy cnyko dh vksj

Krishi Yog the services to its members. Also

Hyderabad,
Telangana
Krishiyog, a unique initiative, under
Advaita Organics - provides end-to-
end support to small and marginal
farmers to make their farming
profitable and sustainable. These
unique interventions across Andhra
Pradesh include access to institutional
credit, input procurement, crop
management, agri-extension services
and marketing support. It is currently
working with farmer groups to deliver
they are working on a model where
the farmer group can engage local
resources to deliver services, thereby
providing employment opportunities
and augments rural develeopment.
Advaita Organics works towards
creating a more efficient and
sustainable agricultural supply chain
that increases farmer incomes. They
solve problems using technology, and
make agriculture more sustainable,
even as they make organically grown,
pesticide-free agricultural produce,
an inherent part of the daily urban
lifestyle through easy access.

The cumulative impact of these interventions in drought

prone and challenging environments where farmer suicides
are common occurrences is noteworthy. The tangible
impact is reflected by a 4% reduction in interest rates for
farmers, a 10% improvement in yield and Improvement
in Net savings per crop for a farmer with 2 acre farm is
approximately Rs 12,450.

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JSPL Foundation Untold stories of Courage
www.jsplfoundation.co.in
Environment
Winner-Individual Category
Sachidanand Bharati
Garhwal, Uttarakhand
Sachidanand Bharati, was born in
1955 in the Uttrakhand region to
a mother who was the first woman
panchayat leader of the region. When
he was older, Bharati became involved
in the Chipko movement.
As a leader in the Chipko movement,
Bharati mobilized cross-generational,
non-violent environmental uprisings
and groups across Uttrakhand and was
instrumental in reversal of forest lands
and 4.3 million hectares of land from
commercial use back to agriculture
In an area where the recurring narrative is that of mass
de-forestation, dying springs, lost rivers, landslides
and associated environmental disasters his efforts have
given new hope to numerous groups in the
Uttrakahnd terrain.
Second Edition, 2017
28
and forest use land. Bharati initiated
successful dialogues and non-
violent confrontations between hill
communities and the government. It
led to policy reversal and the retreat of
state presence from indigenous, green
turf.
Following the deluge in Uttrakhand
in 2013, he stepped up not only
his reforestation pursuits but also
augmented water conservation
programs. Towards this, he mobilised
women from the Mahila Mangal Dals
because women responded to the call for
reforestation and water management
intuitively and emotionally. Today,
there is an active collective of more
than 15,000 women in 150 villages,
who are committed to savvy water
management in the Himalayan region.
 Untold Stories of Courage
Environment
Winner-Organisation Category
Suryakumbh
Jalna, Maharashtra
Suryakumbh - Simplified Technologies
for Life.
Building upon the cultural heritage
of worshiping Surya - the Sun God
as the ultimate source of energy
and celebrating the very experience
of life through a large gathering in
Kumbh, For past six years, Simplified
Technologies for Life has been
passionately working to ignite young
minds through experience driven
transformation. They have designed
a unique festival called SuryaKumbh
which is internationally acknowledged
as the World’s Largest Solar Festival,
SuryaKumbh has reached over
120,000 school children from a
small tribal hamlet of Jawahar to
ultramodern city of Dubai. The
uniqueness of SuryaKumbh lies in
the way it creates a flavourful fusion
,d igy cnyko dh vksj
of science and festival that positively
impacts everyone involved across
age groups to harness solar energy in
everyday lives.
Simplified Technologies for Life was
established in 2011 with a vision of
taking solar energy to every home in
India, given the abundance of sunlight
in India. The idea was to use solar
cooking as an entry point and empower
the users with an experience that would
inspire them to lead a more sustainable
life.
While SuryaKumbh is designed
to introduce a family to the
power and possibilities of solar
cooking through a child, the
real beneficiaries are rural
women who will escape the
drudgery of collecting wood, be
less exposed harmful emissions
and effectively harness the free
energy of the Sun
efficaciously.
29
JSPL Foundation Untold stories of Courage
www.jsplfoundation.co.in

Prominent people from academia, businesses and NGOs active in the development sector from the four regions
were duly identified to be part of the regional Jury to select most deserving applicants at the regional level based on
pre-identified parameters provided to them. Similarly, people with long standing professional track records were
identified to be a part of the National Jury.

National Jury

Ms. Savitri Jindal Mrs. Shallu Jindal Mrs. Aruna Abhey Dr. (Prof.) C. Raj
Chairperson Emeritus President Oswal Kumar
O.P. Jindal Group JSPL Foundation Chairperson of Oswal Professor and Vice
Group Chancellor, O.P.
Jindal Global
Regional Juries University

Northern Region

Padma Bhushan Prof. Arun Kumar Dr. Yogesh Chawla Ms. Sangita Fr. Reji Tom
B.N Goswamy Grover Ex- Director PGIMER Vardhan Director of Don Bosco
Renowned Art Vice Chancellor, Chandigarh Chairperson, Navjeevan Society,
Historian Punjab University Vatsal Chaya Trust Chandigarh

Eastern Region

Dr. Ashok Mr. Soumen Koley Mr. Adhrick Roy Mr. Wasim R Dr. Anuradha Das
Chakraborty Secretary Tapsil Jati Chairman & Kapoor Director, Garden High
Principal SHELTER, Adibasi Praktan Sainik Managing Director, Eminent Painter & International School,
Hooghly West Bengal Krishi Bikash Shilpa OTL Cab Artist, Kolkata Kolkata
Kendra

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30
 Untold Stories of Courage

,d igy cnyko dh vksj

Padma Shri Mr. Srijan Pal Singh Dr. Anurag Prof. Ranjan
Shovana Narayan Author, Social Agrawal Mohapatra
Kathak Guru & Entrepreneur & Physician, Academician Educator, CSR Specialist
Culture Catalyst CEO, Kalam Centre & Principal Scientist & Editor, CSR Vision
at CSIR

Western Region

Dr. Huzaifa Mr. Narottham Ms. Harsha Dr. Preeti Verma Prof. Shalini Bharat
Khorakiwala Reddy Mukherjee Director, Centre for Deputy Director
CEO, Wockhardt President, SBI Entrepreneur, IICSR Special Education, Tata Insititute of Social
Foundation Foundation SNDT Sciences

Southern Region

Padma Shri Padma Shri Prof. K. Narender Dr. Nibedita Prof. B. Balaswamy
Dr. Mohammed Abdul Dr. Aekka Yadagiri Director of
Patnaik Chairperson
Waheed Rao Educational Faculty in Special Board of Studies in
Former Officiating Renowned Sculptor, Multimedia Research Education & HOD Communication &
Director, Central Research Telangana Centre (EMRC), Department of Special Journalism, Osmania
Institute of Unani Medicine Osmania University Education, NIEPID, University
Hyderabad CCRUM Secunderabad
31
JSPL Foundation Untold stories of Courage
www.jsplfoundation.co.in

Communication Address: Jindal Center, 12 Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi - 110066
Registered Office: Jindal Centre, Plot No.2, Sector 32, Gurgaon - 122001 (Haryana)
32 T +91 41462402 M +91 9560029642 W www.jsplfoundation.co.in