India has a rich tradition of social work, with numerous individuals dedicating their lives to the service of others and made an exceptional, enduring contribution to the many lives they came into contact with. With relentless determination, they have effected great change through a change in policy, community development, and self-advocacy, which has to some extent been revolutionary. These individuals may be considered the sign of a new India where equality and prosperity could be a possibility.
1. Kailash Satyarthi
Politely called the hero, Kailash Satyarthi is an Indian social activist, for whom the protection of children’s rights and the fight against child labor are especially important. He is also a founder of Bachpan Bachao Andolan that is Save Childhood Movement and through this organization. Kailash has helping to rescue more than 88000 children from all forms of abuse. Global activism: Under Satyarthi, every individual on the surface of the earth has the ability to learn and freedom from work. This made his bring positive changes to children lives and even the world at large which earned him the Nobel peace prize in 2014 alongside Malala Yousafzai. The efforts performed by Satyarthi became known in the context of child labor, training, children’s rights in the world.
2. Anna Hazare
Anna Hazare is a civil society activist from India like Dale, but he rose to fame after a campaign against corruption. Addressing Gandhian non-violent protests, Hazare headed massive campaigns against corruption like the 2011 Jan Lokpal Bill agitation. It was intended to spearhead the creation of a separate agency that would be tasked with conducting corruption cases. This forced the emergence of mass protests across the territory of the country; the occurrence received a lot of attention from both the public and the media. He himself has set an example by leaving alcohol and many more, abandoning drinking in his village known as Ralegan Siddhi.
3. Ela Bhatt
This pragmatic reformist is known by the name of Ela Bhatt, who is an educationalist and social activist of India. She is the founder of SEWA organization specifically for the purpose of empowering poor and also self-employed women by assisting them to became economically independent.The impact of this venture aiming to empower women has been felt over the years and has helped women all over with a record of more than 1. five million females, thereby enabling them to access the most important monetary facilities, medical, and other schooling services. She has struggled and dedicated herself for the good cause of vulnerable women in India for which she has been awarded with so many prestigious awards such as ‘Ramon Magsaysay Award’ & ‘Padma Bhushan’ awards.
4. Vandana Shiva
Vandana Shiva is the well-known chief of the Indian socially oriented organization Ruchira, environmentalist, and a reformer, a famous advocate of sustainable approaches to agriculture, defense of biologic variety, and the farmer’s rights. She has organised the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology which is involved in advocacy of environmentally sustainable forms of agriculture, and revitalisation of native seeds. She supports organic agriculture and is against genetically modified crops and seeds controlled by large companies. Authoring several books and receiving numerous international awards including the Right Livelihood Award also called the ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’.
5. Saalumarada Thimmakka
Saalumarada Thimmakka is such an outstanding Indian woman environmentalist who has substantially contributed to forestation. With scanty means she and her husband sowed and cultivated 385 banyan saplings on a four-kilometer motorway in Karnataka. For this work, she is referred to as The Mother of Trees. Thimmakka’s work demonstrates that individual commitment is critical for environmental enhancement and management. She has received numerous awards, among them The Padma Shri that she received in 2019, which is one of the highest honors an Indian citizen can receive, for her efforts toward the environment and for the passion she has shown as an inspiration to other ‘Green’ activists.
6. Medha Patkar
Medha Patkar is a recognized Indian social activist who is involved with various social causes and helping minorities and fighting mass projects related to the underprivileged section of the society. To counter the establishment of new dams on the Narmada River that entailed the displacement of many people without adequate compensation, She formed Narmada Bachao Andolan (Save Narmada Movement). In addition, Patkar has dealt with issues such as caste discriminative practices, communalism, and the workers and the tribal peoples’ welfare. Her commitment to the causes of civil justice and populist organization has made her a prized national and universal figure and establishes her as a large measurement in India’s social emancipation sector.
7. Harsh Mander
Harsh Mander can be characterized as an outstanding Indian social activist for having a caring of outcasts and sexual minorities. Mander was a civil servant in India and is an IAS officer who quit service to bring about change in the society. He has founded dwelling of Equity studies this is concerned with matters of fairness, hosting the issues relating to homelessness, the problems of communalism and the rights of the dalits, adivasis and religious minorities. It therefore makes his major tasks to include the campaigns for food protection and the Right to Information Act.
8. Ramveer Tanwar
Ramveer Tanwar, now not only an incredible social reformer, walked the trails of India excelling in environmental activism with an focus on water conservation. Famously known as the “Pondman of India”, Tanwar kick started “Jal Chaupal” campaign which involved making people aware through Jalsabha’s and raising awareness pertaining to water issues whereby the campaign aimed to bring back traditional water in our bodies. He has demonstrated a successful approach of rejuvenation of many ponds in Uttar Pradesh and consequently an extended neighbourhood water availability and ecological quality.
9. Jadav Payeng
The story of Jadav Payeng who is popularly referred to as the ‘Forest Man of India has left many touched especially after backing a sandbar in Assam into what is now a lush forest. For over four decades of his life, he has single handedly developed nearly 560 acres of area of Majuli Island into the Molai Forest. This initiative has a great influence on the local environment and provides a vital resource by helping the formation of a home and a shield against the erosion types. For his hard work and dedication in championing the course of environmental conservation, Payeng has national and international recognition that includes the prestigious Padma Shri award in the year 2015.
10. KV Rabiya
Although she faced Polio at a very tender age and has been depending on a wheelchair since 14, KV Rabiya never let her disability to hinder her. In the Nineties, she emerged as one of the principal differential equations influencing the literacy crusade in Kerala while encouraging the elderly and disabled to symbolize education. The legacy of Rabiya withstood through her NGO namely Chalanam, to empower the disable ones with regular education, employment and more. The autobiographical critique ‘Swapnangalkku Chirakukalund’ established her commitment and leveraging of dreams.
This legacy of India’s top 10 social workers has brightened the path and enticed destiny generations to continue their noble work. Without these individuals’ repeated contributions in fighting social causes and providing care to specific groups, the society has not been brought extra nearer to the direction of an even more inclusive and compassionate world in the forthcoming years.
