From the toymaker of Ettikoppaka, Andhra Pradesh, to a musician who transcends religion, to India's first solar-powered village, and more, these heroes are quietly and determinedly transforming the country around us
Unsung heroes can be found in every corner of India, and it’s time we told their stories. From the toymaker of Ettikoppaka, Andhra Pradesh, to a musician who transcends religion, to India’s first solar-powered village, and more, these heroes are quietly and determinedly transforming the country around us.
The toymaker of Ettikoppaka
Angel on the Road
Pankaj Tarai has helped hundreds of accident victims, becoming an inspiration for all. Pankaj Kumar Tarai founded Devadutt Sangathan in 2015 to rescue accident victims in Jagatsinghpur district. Since then, the 38-year-old and his team of 25 volunteers have rescued 400 accident victims, of whom 300 have survived. Pankaj spends 25% of his monthly income to help the injured and has also created a WhatsApp group of volunteers, police, and fire station personnel to coordinate aid efforts. The group doesn’t charge victims or their families for their work. They have saved hundreds of accident victims in the past 16 years.A musician who transcends religion
Rising India, Real Heroes: A Library in the Forest
A school teacher and tea shop owner have accumulated over 1,000 books for residents of a remote village to read. In a remote village called Edamalakkudy in Idukki, Kerala, a small library has become a second source of information for the residents. Akshara Library was started by PV Chinnathambi, a tea shop owner, and PK Muralidharan, a school teacher. It began in a small corner of Chinnathambi’s tea shop in 2012. The duo managed to put together a collection of 150 books. Today, the library has over 1,000 books spanning across genres by popular Malayalam and Tamil writers. Chinnathambi and Muralidharan don’t charge any library fees. PM Narendra Modi had praised Akshara during his radio show Mann ki Baat in 2019.The ‘Gocrete’ Revolutionary
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