Changemakers
My Story: “Unlike My Elder Brother, Who Had Cherubic Face At The Time Of His Birth, I Was Born Disfigured”
Ashish Saini (31) was born with a rare congenital disorder called lymphatic malformation, which disfigured the left side of his face. Others always treated him with sympathy, ignorance, mockery, hatred, empathy and even, to some extent, guilt. It took him a long time to accept the reality of how he looked. Now, he is extremely comfortable in his own skin and pursues his passion for modelling through his blog.
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: “Nani Reminds Me Over And Again That Age Is Just A Number When It Comes To Chasing One’s Dreams”
Yashi Chowdhary prompted her Nani, Manju Devi Poddar to start her own venture during the COVID-19 lockdown. Her Nani has always been passionate about cooking and finally started her venture at 70 with assistance from her granddaughter. Through ‘Nani’s Special’, they serve varieties of sweets, snacks and other dishes, and have even made deliveries overseas.
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: ‘Never Be Afraid Of Failures, Always Follow Gut Instincts’
Aamir Qutub started his company Enterprise Monkey after he moved to Australia in 2014. His journey from Aligarh to Australia is filled with determination and perseverance.
My Story: “Felt That I Had Fallen Into A Trap I Could Never Escape From”
After running away from home, Manasa was sold to a brothel when she was just 9-years-old. She was finally rehabilitated with the help of some local NGO members. Later, she started working in a packaging factory where she met her husband. Now, she has a happy family and runs a small Kurti shop in her locality. She also aspires to become a baker someday.
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.
My Story: ‘We All Want To Be Heard And Seen In A World Polarizing Itself Each Day’
Paromita Bardoloi started listening circles where people would sit across and listen to each other, without judgments. During the COVID lockdown, the initiative moved online with the sole purpose to create a safe space — letting people connect with each other during tough times, foster the act of listening, and thus help build relationships.
My Story: ‘Drag Performer By Night, Human Rights Lawyer By Day’
Delhi-based Aishwarya Ayushmaan is a human rights lawyer by day and turns ‘Lush Monsoon’ —a drag queen claiming her own space at night. He had to fight inner battles to embrace his real self and says that one should never ponder over ‘Log Kya Kahenge’ and instead should simply listen to their heart!
My Story: ‘Selling Tender Coconuts On Footpath, Trying To Support My Family Gives Me Immense Satisfaction’
The 33-year-old Satyavati who set up her stall to sell tender coconuts in Bengaluru’s Banashankari is a mother of two. She has been balancing her efforts to support her family financially and help her kids get a good education. But like any other businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic hit her day job badly. After one of her customers took her business online recently, it began recovering gradually.
MyStory: “All My Life, I Was Made To Feel That Hair Is An Essential Part Of Physical Appearance”
Sravya Manasa decided to donate her hair to cancer survivors after she met some of them while she was on a tour for her dance performance. Being a professional Kuchipudi dancer, it was not easy for her to take this step. However, she wants to break the conventional definitions of beauty by shaving her head, She says that people should accept themselves just the way they are.
Changemakers
- Inspire
- Empower
- Transform
Business owners, founders, and leaders who are making a tangible impact through innovation, entrepreneurship, and social responsibility.
