Ms. Usha Chaumar, a former untouchable, and now the President, Sulabh International Social Service Organisation received the Safaigiri award instituted by the India Today group from the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi for cleaning up the bank of Ganga at Assi

Ghat, Varanasi - a dream project of the Hon’ble Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister himself cleaned the Assi Ghat by shovel where the mud had accumulated overtime to submerge the ghat. Sulabh International undertook the herculean task of cleaning up the ghat. Now, it has become a popular river front destination attracting

thousands of locals and tourists from all over the world. The visitors now spend hours to enjoy the serenity and beauty of the Ganges.

ASSI GHAT-THE WINNER

Happy New Year 2016

Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi took up the shovel to clean the Assi Ghat on November 08, 2014

Varanasi's Assi Ghat gets a new look after Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat Campaign

Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder, Sulabh International (India) "Humanist, social reformer and diversity champion Pathak works as an advocate for to the so-called ‘untouchable’ caste, so they may work, live and pray as a fully integrated part of Indian life. His work in the improvement of sanitation and production of bio-gas is changing health and wealth outcomes for the poorest people and is cited as one of the Globally Best Practice by the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements."

– THE ECONOMIST

BINDESHWAR PATHAKin

Top 50 diversity figures in public lifeThis category recognises the achievements of individuals who have used their position in public life, for example as a campaigner, politician or journalist to make an impact in diversity

Ranked by The Economist amongst the World's Top 50 diversity figures in public life along with

US President Barack Obama, Angelina Jolie and Bill Gates (November 2015)

NISH ACHARyAVISITING FELLOW, INDIA-U.S. STUDIES

"Not only has Prime Minister Modi identified toilets as a national priority, but India’s path-breaking NGO, Sulabh International, has already shown that Indians are willing to pay for clean, functioning toilets. Sulabh has scaled to 8,000 pay-for-use toilets across India, and introduced technology that is being used in over 1.2 million homes. Partnerships between American startups and Sulabh are creating various sanitation solutions for the different environments of India."

Excerpts in the aforesaid book about Sulabh International which was founded by Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak in 1970.

By Nish Acharya

Bindeshwar Pathakand the Sulabh Family

BBC WORLD PROGRAMME: ‘BBC IMPACT’

Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak and former untouchable scavenger, Mrs. Usha Chaumar was specially invited and interviewed on the BBC World News channel on 9th April, 2015. The programme known as BBC Impact was compered by the world famous television host and commentator Ms. Yalda Hakim. She referred to Dr. Pathak as ‘Mr. Sanitation’ for his efforts in bringing about a change in the sanitation scenario in India.

Visit on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDMhpTWQ5rg

Sulabh Purified Drinking waterSulabh has installed water treatment plants to make the Sulabh Purified Drinking Water at three sites in West Bengal, namely Madhusudankati (24 Parganas, near Bangladesh border), Mayapur and Murshidabad. Raw water is drawn from the river Ganga in Mayapur and Murshidabad, while in Madhusudankati it is taken from a local pond. After its treatment at the Sulabh Water Treatment Plant, the water from the river/pond becomes purified and absolutely safe for drinking.

Sulabh is bottling this water which is known as Sulabh Safe Drinking Water which is available for Rs. 0.50 paise per litre at Kolkata and Re. 1 per litre at Sulabh campus in New Delhi.

After the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s speech, Bharti Foundation, the famous Airtel, offered to construct toilets for villages in the Ludhiana district. The project is Rupees 100 crore initiative with an aim to provide toilets, covering 900 villages in Ludhiana district. The toilets are being built and maintained by Sulabh International.

Ludhiana: Achieving Sanitation Milestone.........

Hirmathla: Open Defecation free Village

Ms. Paramjit beneficiary; she said that "how her life changed drastically when a toilet was gifted to her."

Sulabh Water ATM at the entrance of Sulabh Campus in New Delhi.

Water Treatment Plant at Madhusudankati, Kolkata

Hirmathla village today is free of open defecation and serves as a model village in the area where with concerted efforts of the motivators has led to a behavior change.

Roof top toilet at Hirmathla

Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi interacting with Jyotsna Pathak, grand daughter of Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak on the ocassion of Raksha Bandhan

at Prime Minister residence, New Delhi

A group photograph of Inaugural Session of the two Day National Conference on the theme of “Fulfilling the Dream of Hon’ble Prime Minister to Provide Toilet in Each Household by 2019- Challenges and Way Ahead’ and celebrating the World Toilet Day at Mavalankar Hall, New

Delhi on 19-20 November, 2015