Palak Agrawal

2020 - Present

My Story: ‘Proud To Be A Bartender, Wouldn’t Trade This For Anything In The World’

Purnima Agarwal lost her son, Mayank, to COVID-19 during the devastating second wave. She visited his favorite hangout spot and noticed an unusual sight —a female bartender effortlessly tending to the customers. Purnima's curiosity motivated her to approach the bartender, Saraswati, who shared her story of shattering the gender norms and taking up a non-traditional role.

My Story: ‘Adversity Does Not Discriminate, We Need To Train Our Mind Through Resilience, Patience & Resolve’

Roshan Mathew wanted to join the Indian Army. After completing his basic military training, he was moving on to the second leg of the process when he sustained an injury during an obstacle course and had a compound fracture on his left arm and a dislocated elbow. He had to let go of that dream but he braved odds to recover in a while and is currently attending college to complete his education.

My Story: ‘Dad Faces Risk Of An Infection Every Hour Treating Patients At The Hospital’

He hasn’t had any days off. Half a day, on a Sunday, is the most he can get. He does not get to repair his spectacles that have become loose and need tightening or get his hair cut. His greys are more noticeable than they were a year ago. The most we can do as a family for him, is feed him a hearty breakfast before the grind begins and ensure that he gets his sleep at night, which on occasions get disturbed by emergency phone calls.

My Story: ‘Turned My Hobby Of Strawberry Farming Into A Profitable Venture During Lockdown’

Vritti Narula, a resident of Chandigarh, along with her brother started strawberry farming during the lockdown. However, with abundant fresh produce and an overwhelming response, the siblings decided to take it up full-time.

My Story: ‘I Tend To Her Like A Mother, Fight Like A Sibling, Care For Like A Father’

After separating from his wife, Vinod Jadhav has been playing the dual role of a father and a mother to his daughter, Gauri. From cooking delicious meals to making perfect braids, Jadhav is acing multiple roles with ease.

My Story: ‘We Were Supposed To Fight Pandemic Not Succumb To It, Govt’s Failure Led People To Gasping For Breath’

Jyotsna Bhardwaj, a journalist, has been spending her waking hours, every day, trying to coordinate with the people across the country on social media, verifying the leads and arranging for crucial medical supplies for the deprived amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

My Story: ‘After COVID, We Have Another Battle To Fight— Water Crisis’

19-year-old Sawan Kanojia was selected as the 'Water Hero' by the Ministry of Jal Shakti in 2020. For the past six years, Sawan, along with his team, has been working towards conducting awareness programmes on the importance of water conservation in Uttar Pradesh.

My Story: ‘I Wanted To Help Struggling Litti-Chokha Seller, Zomato Assured To Get Him Onboard After My Tweet Went Viral’

Priyanshu Dwivedi, a freelance writer, resides in Maharashtra's Mumbai. On March 16, he went to his customary stall, near Versova beach, to have Litti-Chokha. Although he has been a regular at the stall, that particular day he decided to engage in a conversation with the vendor, Yogesh, beyond the usual banter. He found out that the Yogesh was facing extreme difficulties in making ends meet. Later, Priyanshu tweeted about the incident and sought help from Zomato to get the stall listed on the platform. The tweet went viral, ending up being shared by the likes of actor Manoj Bajpayee and ultimately triggering a response from Zomato.

My Story: ‘Ola Auto Driver Returned My Belongings, Refused To Accept Reward For His Honesty’

Susanta Sahoo, a digital marketing professional and a blogger, hails from Odisha's Bhubaneshwar. On March 13, Sahoo misplaced his phone and wallet in an Ola autorickshaw while commuting from work. The rickshaw driver, a good Samaritan, returned his belongings and has become the internet's new hero for his honesty after Sahoo's tweet describing the incident went viral.

My Story: ‘I Was Asked To Lose Weight Or No One Will Even Look At Me’

Asmi Shah has been challenging societal norms —breaking one at a time. In her thirties, she is an adventure traveller owning a travel company and a delivery kitchen. Asmi, however, had to battle tough times to get rid of self-doubt and to embrace her truer self. Now, she is actively involved in sharing her days of struggle and spread the message of body positivity to inspire many.