Changemakers

At 21, Shafali Verma represents a kind of ambition we rarely pause to understand. Her story is shaped by early responsibility, setbacks, and an honesty that does not try to impress anyone. From Rohtak’s narrow lanes to lifting a World Cup, she shows what determination looks like when you look at it up close.

What if you could beautify the Himalayas this year instead of adding to the growing problem of pollution the mountains are experiencing? Our winter campaign calls you to donate Rs 500 to help clean up operations being conducted by Healing Himalayas Foundation.

Long before pollution drew public concern, Dr J N Pande saw how Delhi’s air was affecting breath and daily life. His early insight shaped policy and helped the city protect its people.

From a Sufi musician’s daughter to a WWII resistance hero, Noor Inayat Khan’s quiet courage is now immortalised on a French postage stamp.

When Nipun Malhotra saw a film trailer turn disability into a punchline, he chose not to look away. His petition travelled to the Supreme Court and led to a first-of-its-kind ruling that now guides how disability is portrayed across Indian cinema.

Born with brittle bone disease and denied basic education for most of her childhood, Ruchita Sahukari is today studying journalism from a wheelchair at IIMC. With her parents’ determination and an inclusive campus behind her, she’s already reporting stories, winning awards, and proving what true accessibility can enable.

It began with one troubled mother walking into a hospital and meeting a couple who simply chose to listen. What followed set the course for Anandgram, a place where 650 HIV-positive children found safety and care far from the fear they once lived with.

A group of Bengaluru students began simple heritage walks to understand their city. What followed was a series of child-led initiatives, from lake awareness drives to clean-ups, literacy programmes, and petitions. In their Children’s Day letter, they share how belonging inspires responsibility.

After a stray dog near his school died in a road accident, 13-year-old Zohar and his classmates worked together to protect the remaining dogs by fitting them with reflective collars. In his Children’s Day letter, he reflects on what this experience taught him and why small actions matter.

A pocket-sized soil testing device, NutriSens is giving farmers real-time insights, cutting fertiliser misuse, empowering rural women entrepreneurs, and putting scientific soil health data in every farmer’s hands.