Four years ago, two brothers caught amid the disaster and misery of Chennai floods, found the real purpose of their lives.

Vijayakumar Mani, an HR professional and his brother Vasanth Kumar Mani who worked in marketing, left their high-paying jobs to pursue a passion that had the potential to change hundreds of lives sustainably.

“The seed to dedicate ourselves for a cause larger than us was always there. The floods just acted as a catalyst, showing us the real misery of people residing in remote parts of the State where facilities and help hardly reaches. During the floods, the help coming from the State and the country mostly reached the central points and not the interior parts due to lack of knowledge and access. Same was the case with farming. That inspired us to become the bridge,” said Vijayakumar.

Hence, in 2016, the duo established ‘I Support Farming,’ which enables the rural farmers to procure necessary capital from urban investors for farming. The initiative eliminates farmer exploitation at the hands of moneylenders, landlords and middlemen.

Owing to their efforts, today, more than 200 farmers in Tamil Nadu have experienced a 20-30 per cent revenue increment, in addition to flowing profits for the investors.

How it all began

Despite the corporate jobs, the brothers were farmers at heart. Every week for the past 15 years, the duo travel 180 km from Chennai to Cuddalore to cultivate crops on a 7-acre land.

“I am an engineering graduate while my brother is an agriculture graduate. His deep interest in farming soon inspired me to join in. The entire process of tilling the land, planting seeds, nourishing the seedlings to watching them grow, is a truly meditative and satisfying experience. But, while our land flourished over the years and we managed to grow crops in 3 cycles a year- two paddy cycles and one for black gram, we noticed that it was not the case with other farmers in the village,” said Vijayakumar.

Devoid of the knowledge of utilising advanced technology and sustainable farming techniques, these farmers would often be caught in the vicious cycle of bad weather and pests, pushing them to manage only a single or no cycle, at all, in a year.

“Upon inquiring, we realised that most farmers didn’t have the necessary capital to afford to farm. For instance, to cultivate paddy, they would need to spend Rs 25,000 per acre over three months. Most of the time, they would get the money from the moneylenders at high-interest rates. But, after the harvest, post deducting all dues, the profits would amount to nothing more than Rs 10,000. This is the reason why many farmers are now quitting farming to become daily wage labourers for Rs 300 a day, which fetches them a steady monthly income,” he explained.

He added that Cuddalore being a flood-prone area had caused immense suffering to its farmers whose paddy fields submerged in the water. Contrary to these farmers who failed to adapt to new farming practices, Vijayakumar adopted Samba Sub, a variety of paddy, introduced by Tamil Nadu Agriculture Department, able to withstand flood water for almost two weeks.

Meanwhile, after the Chennai floods ravaged the State and citizen groups emerged to help, the duo realised that there was no dearth of people wanting to help, only if a proper platform was provided.

“And so we incorporated this realisation into our organisation in 2016, connecting people and institutions from the city to the farmers,” Vijayakumar added.

The First Step 

One of the first and the most difficult challenges was to convince the farmers, says 36-year-old Vijayakumar.

“Despite knowing many of them for so long, it was difficult at first to convince them. The general fear among the farmers was of exploitation, so we had to move slowly to build trust. We paid the lease amount in advance, promising them a 60 per cent rise in profits, and eventually managed to get two farmers on board.”

The work thus began with the two farmers tilling six acres of land.

On the investment front as well, they both reached out to family and friends explaining them the mechanism.“The investors, instead of giving the money to the farmers, provided all the equipment, machinery, high-quality seeds, training etc., to them through us, to improve the yield. After this, we began with paddy crop that yielded 100 per cent profits and was a successful run, whereby the first produce was sold directly to the highest bidder,” he explained.

Additionally, a field team is appointed to make regular visits to the farm to provide valuable assistance to the farmers. “Each person is provided with a tablet device to record the development and upload it on the server. Once that is done, another team in Chennai begins to monitor all the inputs and take required steps or provide advice,” he added.

Eventually, over the years, the team grew from two to 250 farmers working on over 700 acres of farmland.

“It was more like a domino effect. Every time we were able to convince one farmer, we would ask him to spread the word among the others to join the organisation and thus increase the community strength,” he said

Additional Support

With a farmers-first approach, the organisation extended a hand of support by providing insurance covers in case of calamities or other natural deterrents like pest attacks.

In such cases, the profits earned from the sale would first go to the farmers and then flow to the investors and the organisation.

The mechanism created to encourage farmers has since then seen great success with the profits of farmers increasing by 20 to 30 per cent, and an annual turnover of Rs 3.2 crore for the organisation.

In order to increase the benefits further, they plan to expand to other States as well, especially Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. An expansion towards opening an animal farm is also underway.

Today, after substantial success, the duo believes that their true reward lies in the fact that more former farmers are returning to their lands.“We were successful in bringing back hope in their lives, and that is the greatest profit of all!” he concluded proudly!

We need more such individuals to put their best foot forward to change and better the social scenario of India!

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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Water scarcity in Kerala? Prima facie, it does seem ludicrous to suggest that a State receiving, on an average, more than 3000 mm of annual rainfall would suffer from water scarcity.

However, a 2013 study by the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM) found that “temporal variations in its [rainfall] occurrence leads to acute water scarcity during the non-monsoon periods,” particularly in the summer.

“About 50 per cent of the population in the urban area and 80 per cent in the rural area still depend on open wells for the domestic water needs in Kerala,” the CWRDM study goes onto state.

It’s something even Jos C Raphael, the Director of the Mazhapolima Well Recharge Programme, noticed during the early 2000s in his hometown of Thrissur.

“I saw was many wells, a lot of rain, but acute drinking water stress during summers. Nearly three-fourths of the population in the district depend on around 4.5 lakh open wells in Thrissur district for their own household water requirements. A majority of these wells are neither perennial nor sustainable,” says Jos, speaking to The Better India (TBI).

Jos has nearly two decades worth of experience in water resource management, and his insights are interesting.

With his residence close to the District Collectorate, the water crusader made it a point to address every newly posted District Collector about the importance of methods like rainwater harvesting.

“Since 2002, I think, every time a new District Collector arrived, I would visit and urge them to think and work upon rainwater harvesting. However, back then, conversations around rainwater harvesting in Kerala never really caught the attention of the people and media,” he reminisces.

There were attempts at raising awareness through grassroots outreach and multiple articles in various publications like Malayalam Manorama.

However, everything changed with the arrival of Dr V K Baby (IAS) as District Collector of Thrissur in 2008. That year, the Thrissur District Administration, together with the local gram panchayats, jointly launched a well recharge programme through rooftop rainwater harvesting by the name, ‘Mazhapolima,’ which in local parlance means “bountiful rain.”

So, what is Mazhapolima all about? Here is how Jos describes it:

In the rainy seasons, the rooftop rainwater is led through pipes with a filter at the end. This filtered rainwater is directed to open dug wells to replenish the aquifers. In such recharged wells, during hot summers, there is adequate water. It not only helps with the abundance of water but in coastal areas, this system helps to reduce the salinity, turbidity, and colour of the well water. The rooftop is cleaned before the first rain (in June, and the rainy season extends to November), following which other impurities are cleared out and then the water harvested is pure.

In 2008, the district administration kicked started this programme, receiving funding in 2009 from the likes of the Rohini Nilekani-run Arghyam Trust based in Bengaluru. The benefits of adopting this system of rainwater harvesting are clear—improving the groundwater table and raising water quality, particularly in the coastal belts where the wells suffer from saline ingress.

“In fact, this isn’t a technique that we suggested, but something that the Central Ground Water Board of India had long suggested. It’s a scientific technique, which we tried to spread all across Kerala,” adds Jos.

Initially, it was hard for the authorities to convince the locals that Mazhapolima would work for them, who believed that they only had to wait till the monsoon season to see their wells fill up once again. The process began with the mobilisation of gram panchayats, but eventually, a lot of support from the State came for this project. For example, the gram panchayats received a government order from the Local Self Government Department of Kerala to implement this scheme at their level.

In 2015, the Kerala government passed an order of a Rs 6,250 subsidy for well recharge, and when the next government took office in 2016, they upgraded the support.

Unlike the conventional rainwater harvesting tanks, which are limited by capacity, a rooftop well recharge system is a lot better and cost-effective—something many in Thrissur district soon realised across the highland, lowland and coastal areas.

Having said that, for a 1,000-2,000 square feet home, a well-recharging system would cost approximately Rs 8,000. On average, one household needs to pay around Rs 5000 to install the system.

As per the Mazhapolima programme, beneficiaries only need to spend a quarter of the cost. The rest is taken up by the State drawing funds from other public schemes like the Integrated Watershed Management Programme, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and the District Disaster Management Fund. Even the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation and individual donors have contributed toward the programme.

“From 2008 to 2017, approximately about 30,000 well recharging units in Kerala were installed, benefitting 100,000 people. After that many gram panchayats and households have decided to take up this initiative in their own way and we have stopped counting the numbers since. The numbers today would be a lot higher,” says Jos.

He further says, “It has truly become a people’s programme. They do it on their own. However, this is also a consequence of household structures in Kerala as well. Here, each homestead has its own well. In the beginning, we wanted to adopt a traditional participatory community approach, but soon realised it depends on individual households as well, particularly those who can afford to install the system. Apart from the local poor, who avail of government subsidy schemes to construct these structures, many individual houses do it of their own accord.”

As per the same February 2013 CWRDM study, approximately 78 per cent of respondents in the coastal and midland area reported a “significant improvement in the groundwater availability.”

The increase in utilisable groundwater potential with Mazhapolima is estimated for the sample area representing highland, midland and lowland is about 7.22, 14.08, and 43.35 million litres respectively. The study also indicates that the impact of direct well recharge on groundwater regime in the coastal and midland region is very significant, whereas in the highland region it is marginal, the support says.

The first gram panchayat to adopt Mazhapolima was the Thiruvilwamala Gram Panchayat, and the impact on their day-to-day lives has been real. In many of these villages, people would depend on water tankers, particularly in April and May. In villages like Thekkumkara, where the district administration reportedly spent around Rs 14 lakh on tankers to provide water for all the 300 households in 2016-17, today has well-recharging units all over.

Also Read: Brilliant! This IIT Dropout’s Simple Solution Can Deliver Safe & Clean Water to 650,000 Villages

Yet, the challenges remain. For starters, many among the poor are yet to receive their subsidy money even after six months of applying, according to this Down to Earth report. Those whose bank accounts aren’t linked with Aadhaar are not receiving any State-sponsored benefits.

“Furthermore, there is more awareness required in other districts of Kerala, and shake people out of the illusion of seeing their wells full when the monsoon arrives. People need more convincing and to answer their questions, we need to spread further awareness at the grassroots levels. We need greater mobilisation and the State government could do better on this front,” argues Jos.

Nonetheless, the Mazhapolima programme has shown us the blueprint of how activists, communities, and governments can innovate to address the vagaries of climate change, thus protecting even traditionally heavy rainfall regions from undue water scarcity.

All it requires is some science and common sense.

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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Five years ago, if someone had told Chennai-based Shanmuga Priya to consider becoming an entrepreneur, she would have laughed at the implausible suggestion.

Today, she runs a retail saree business named ‘Unique Threads,’ which is entirely powered by WhatsApp and other social media channels, through a network of 16 groups with 250 retailers and over 86,000 resellers.

What is more, she earns a minimum income of Rs 1.5 lakh every month, and the amount only increases during the festive season!

But things were very different for Shanmuga Priya before she forayed into this unconventional path.

The former HR professional was wrapping up a decade of work when her mother-in-law’s health began to fail. A few months later, she passed away.

Unlike many others, the two did not share a typical relationship and were extremely close—so much so, that Shanmuga Priya thought of her as her own mother. Naturally, she was completely shattered by the loss.

Life had come to a standstill for her, but the circumstances were such that she had to immediately quit her job and shoulder responsibilities that her mother-in-law had been overseeing.

At the time, her baby boy was three months old, while her husband, Hari, was undergoing work-related training in Delhi.

Having worked since the day she had graduated from college, Shanmuga Priya wasn’t used to sitting idle at home and this only added to her misery.

“It was during this time my husband told me about how his mother had singlehandedly raised him and his siblings, by going door-to-door and selling sarees. She had faced her fair share of struggles but ensured that nothing affected the well-being of her children. Her story inspired me so much that I thought of giving it a try,” she says to The Better India.

The year was 2013. Starting with a meagre investment of less than Rs 30,000, Shanmuga Priya visited a few local markets to purchase sarees.

“I displayed the sarees at home and informed the neighbours, who spread the word among their friends and acquaintances. There was a steady stream of visitors, but watching them spend hours rummaging through the sarees, and only People would come home all the time and only buy one, after rummaging through many. It became stressful, and I often wondered if I had made the correct decision,” she recalls.

The silver lining came when she decided to click and share a few pictures of the sarees with her best friend from college, who then went ahead and shared it in an Alumni group on WhatsApp group.

“Within a week, all the stock that at my place was booked. I still remember the day when I couriered the first package. This kind of business model, which was yet to catch up, somehow clicked for me and since then, there has been no looking back,” shares a proud Shanmuga Priya.

She closed the walk-in store at home and started selling the sarees only through WhatsApp. Many customers reached out to her asking if they could resell these and Shanmuga Priya was more than happy to oblige.

“Most of these were homemakers, college students and sometimes, small-scale entrepreneurs, for whom reselling my sarees would bring home a decent income. What worked in my favour was the uniqueness of my products, which I’d personally selected and styled,” she explains.

Soon, the large volumes of customer interactions led her to take Unique Threads to a wider platform, namely, Facebook, on 8 March 2013.

This move boosted sales further, so also started a reseller group on Facebook, which today comprises nearly 86,000 members!

“Here, people share requests for a particular style or exchange contacts—anything and everything that helps in our network growth. I’ve even received orders from countries like Australia, Germany and the Netherlands,” she shares.

While earlier she used to get the sarees from distributors, Shanmuga Priya felt the need to begin purchasing them directly from manufacturers.

“This allowed me to travel and meet the makers of products. Additionally, I also obtained extensive knowledge about different types of fabrics and the business of saree selling. I wholeheartedly acknowledge the support I received from wholesale sellers because they are usually not very forthcoming and it can be difficult for a newcomer. However, in my case, their guidance played a crucial role,” she adds.

Her success story became so famous that WhatsApp turned it into a short documentary. You can watch it here.

While doing business through online marketplaces has gained momentum in recent years, and there are many competitors out there, Shanmuga Priya reiterates that their USP is in the uniqueness of their products, which have often become trendsetters.

“For instance, today, Kalamkari has become a rage across the world. However, when we started out, it was not so. I honestly believe, our products, along with word of mouth, did the trick,” she shares.

Currently, Shanmuga Priya is supported by a staff of six, and they operate from the first floor of her home in Kovur. All the sarees and materials are stored and packaged for delivery from here itself. On average, they can sell a minimum of 80 sarees every day, which doubles with the onset of the festive season.

While many have advised Shanmuga Priya that she should progress from WhatsApp and incorporate more visible business models for better returns, she clarifies that this business was never kickstarted with a commercial agenda.

“I feel that being visible out there doesn’t mean everything and businesses can be done through such models as well, as Unique Threads has successfully proven in the last five years,” she concludes.

Shanmuga Priya’s persistent belief, hard work and commitment to a business which she set up from scratch was instrumental in catapulting it to unimaginable heights.

You may also like: Meet The Engineer-Farmer Earning Lakhs With Organic Bananas, Sugarcane & WhatsApp

We are in complete awe of this inspiring lady and wish her the very best.

You can look up Unique Threads on Facebook here. You can also reach out to them on Whatsapp at 09710402535.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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While I was growing up, my paternal grandparents lived in Bombay (now Mumbai) and other than the obvious reasons why my brother and I loved visiting them during our holidays, there was one other significant reason.

Every morning after his bath, my grandfather would scoop a handful of grains and place it in a small plate that was left by the window for the sparrows.

Within seconds, the little birds would flock in and sit by the window nibbling on the grains, and my grandfather, brother, and I would stand there watching them quietly.

It was such a delightful time.

Life moved on, and we grew up; forgetting all about the sparrows and the little ritual that my grandfather followed for as long as he lived.

I am reminded of this today because Sadhna Rajkumar, the protagonist of my story, has been given the moniker ‘Sparrow Queen’ by the residents of Chennai.

Sadhna is a nutritionist and fitness consultant by profession who has made it her life’s mission to protect and bring back the sparrow, a much-cherished bird which once danced across the neighbourhood trees and is now a rare sight.

Born and brought up in Chennai, Sadhna recollects a time when sparrows were very much part of her everyday life.

“I have always loved being close to nature and can also say that have been fascinated by it. I grew up in Perambur, and the house I lived in was an old tiled roofed house, and that was very conducive for the sparrows as well.”

From living harmoniously with sparrows to not seeing them at all, was a gradual progression. Sadhna says she cannot remember when that happened.

A sudden realisation

“I started thinking about how my children are missing out on seeing the sparrows, and that was when it occurred to me that I should do something about it,” she says.

Sadhna speaks about how she sat down on do a quick Google search about sparrows and found that across the world, their numbers were dwindling.

She also found that in London, many corrective measures like bird baths, feeders, and nests were set-up to encourage the sparrows to return and increase their population.

Having read about the success that this got inspired her to try something similar in Chennai.

Distributing bird nests

Sadhna started out by making the nests herself.

“Having made many bird nests, I decided to go to the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Marina beach; it is a centre point that attracts people from all walks of life.”

“Armed with 50 hand-made nests I stood there distributing these to people,” she says while recalling the phase.

She goes on, “While there were some who were very enthusiastic about taking the nests, some others were sceptical. On the whole, even the process of speaking to people and trying to create awareness was well worth it. I left my number with people and urged them to call me if the sparrows started occupying the nest.”

Not wanting to stop at this, Sadhna continued to find ways to bring the sparrows back.

Sadhna says, “While radiation might be one of the reasons why we see lesser sparrows in cities, it is also a lack of food and water bodies that has driven them away. All the ponds that once existed in the city have been filled, and buildings stand in their place.”

From wooden nests to terracotta nests

Sadhna mentions how the cot involved in making wooden nests was rather high and in an attempt to find an alternate, she stumbled upon terracotta ones. Even that was not an easy task, she says.

“I had to visit many potters, and initially all of them refused to take on the job because the shape of the nest was something that would take time and was a little difficult.”

“My search ended when I met potter named Perumal, who understood perfectly what needed to be done,” she says.

Once the nests were ready, Sadhna started focussing on areas in Chennai where the population of sparrows was marginal.

“Areas such as Perambur, Tondiarpet and Old Washermanpet, Mylapore, Santhome are where I set up these nests. One can still see old, independent houses there, and the tiled roofs and open spaces are what the sparrows come back to,” she says.

Having said this, she also says that recently her mother moved from Perambur to Besant Nagar and Sadhna set up a nest in the balcony of her third-floor apartment.

“Just last week I saw a couple of sparrows that have adopted the nest. Just seeing them gives me so much happiness. I cannot even explain the joy I feel when I wake up to the chirping sounds,” she says.

Are you wondering how you can do the same? Sadhna has a few tips:

1) Make a nesting box and set it up on your balcony or veranda. The opening in the box should face south or west, and the box should be at least 10 feet above ground level.

2) The nesting box should be kept above the ground level to ensure that cats, squirrels and crows do not get near the box.

3) Scatter some grain in and around the box or place them close by in a bird feeder

4) Keep a deep dish near or within the nest and refill it with fresh water each day

5) If you live in an apartment complex, actively encourage others to do the same

Sadhna has sent her nests to various places in India—Delhi and Punjab to Kanyakumari and Mumbai.

Concluding our conversation, she says, “My only wish is that ever city implements this and finds ways by which we can save and bring back the sparrows.”

If you have any query or would like to request Sadhna to send you a nest, you can reach her at 9445249240.

Here’s hoping that we all spend this summer bringing the sparrows back!

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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When in Chennai, I always make it a point to visit the Murugan Idli Shop. Their ghee podi idlis are fluffy pieces of heaven. Soaked in ghee and smothered with spicy podi, it’s the perfect breakfast when paired with a nice, cold glass of jigarthanda!” says Sanchari Pal, my colleague at The Better India.

When it comes to food, it isn’t easy to win Sanchari’s vote of approval, for the woman is one you can call a true-blue foodie. But one bite into the idlis at Murugan’s, and she was sold!

Well, Sanchari isn’t the only person who was spellbound by the fluffy idlis and tantalising chutneys that this ‘shop’ offers—Chennai has been raving over them ever since the first Murugan Idli Shop was established in GN Chetty Road in 2003.

Fun fact: It is reported that at any given time, at least 100 idlis are being steamed at these outlets, while they make between 10,000-12,000 daily.

The shops you come across Chennai, however, are the successors of a small tiffin centre in Madurai, started by a couple in the 60s.

“Fifty-three years ago, my parents started the Murugan Coffee Nilayam in Madurai. It was a small-scale affair, and the place served only coffee and snacks. And, then my mother started making idlis which became very popular,” says S Manoharan, the founder of Murugan Idli Shop.

Interestingly, she began making idlis to support their family of seven. Previously, they sold coffee and evening snacks, which wasn’t sufficient.

In no time, these delicacies became a hit, so much so that an entire day’s production would be sold off in just half an hour!

It was their son, Manoharan, whose ardent love for idlis led him on the path his parents had once trudged upon—almost a generation later.

After completing his masters in peacekeeping, when he told his family that he wanted to take over the business and set up a restaurant just like his father, they were shocked. For his parents didn’t want him to go through the same struggles, but Manoharan was adamant. More than that, he was confident that he would succeed.

And in 1991, he gave Madurai its first Murugan Idli Shop.

The rest, as they say, was history.

Making idlis just the way his mother did, these fluffy delicacies became so popular that people from Chennai requested him to open an outlet in their city.

Finally, in 2003, they got one on T Nagar’s GN Chetty road, with many more to follow.

Along with rebranding of the restaurant, even the menu saw major additions by Manoharan.

With four different types of lip-smacking chutneys, sambar and podi, Manoharan also brought delicacies like ghee pongal, sakkarai pongal, vada and the soul-quenching jigarthanda to the shop—all of which, had an equal fan following!

Funnily enough, the restaurant’s name also holds an interesting story. When Manoharan was deciding on the name, many told him to drop the ‘shop’ and replace it with ‘restaurant’. But he went ahead with the name, as he felt that ‘shop’ would resonate better with the middle-class milieu, whom he had originally wished to serve.

Well, we are glad that he stuck to what he believed in, for today, the Shop has evolved to a much loved and renowned franchise that has 24 outlets in Chennai, two in Madurai, two in Singapore and one even in London!

Serving a legacy that a simple homemaker started decades ago, Murugan’s idlis have remained in the hearts of people for all these years!

When in Chennai, do visit this place. We are sure you won’t be disappointed!

You May Also Like: Shri Sagar: How a Tiny ‘Thindi’ Joint Became Bengaluru’s Go-To-Place For Benne Dose!

But keep this in mind—it is really hard to find a table here for the number of people thronging it at any given time. Make sure you head there early or are willing to wait for one to become free!

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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Over millennia, people suffering from leprosy have been ostracised from society. Such discrimination has been true even of India, even until recently.

Hence, the story of Dr Renuka Ramakrishnan, a dermatologist from Chennai, who helped lakhs leprosy patients in Tamil Nadu over the past 28 years, needs to be taken note of!

In an exclusive interview with The Better India, Dr Ramakrishnan shares her experiences.

She dreamt of becoming a doctor since childhood.

Looking back, she says, “I played a doctor in all my pretend play games. I used to go around giving everyone fake injections.”

She attributes the nurturing of this dream to her father, who always encouraged her and supported her.

An experience that shaped her future

She grew up in Kumbakonam, in a family where everyone was committed to the armed forces.

Narrating an incident from when she was only 16, she says, “It was during the Mahamaham time, which occurs once in 12 years: people from all over gather in Kumbakonam for the holy dip in the temple tank. I was walking back and saw that a crowd had gathered. When I peered in to see what it was all about, I saw a body lying completely naked.”

The man had been left for dead; he had one hand in the water, while his limbs were completely deformed.

Fighting her initial shock, Renuka looked around and heard people talk about how the sanctity of the place had been disrupted by the body. “People were walking by, covering their noses, but not one of them stopped to cover the body,” she says.

She gathered only later that the man had suffered from leprosy. She used her own dupatta to cover his private parts and give him the respect and dignity he deserved.

“I remember begging people to help me move the body, to put him into a rickshaw, but it was so difficult. Ultimately, I managed to get the body into a rickshaw and took him to the crematorium,” she shares.

She continues, “It was scary for me. Until then, I had never seen a dead body, leave alone, touched one. But I had to do it. The apathy I saw around me left me deeply disturbed.”

The desire to study medicine became stronger after that incident, and young Renuka worked hard to secure a medical seat on merit at the JIPMER College in Puducherry.

Refusal to take the body

Even though Renuka took the body to a crematorium, they refused to take it, given that the man was a leprosy patient. She was directed to go to another centre, almost 30 kilometres away from Kumbakonam.

“I reached the other place around noon, and with just Rs 10 in my pocket, I requested the old man to do the needful. I fell at his feet and asked him to help me. He was a kind man, who agreed to perform all the last rites,” she recollects.

It wasn’t easy for her once she came back home. She described the day’s events to her father who advised her to keep quiet and forget about it.

“He told me that until the time was right, I mustn’t mention what I had done to anyone. He had said that if people knew about it, I would be disowned. But he made me promise that no matter how many educational degrees I get, I would dedicate my life towards leprosy patients,” she says.

Work after graduation

After the completion of her course, Dr Ramakrishnan joined St John’s Hospital and Leprosy Centre.

She says, “I was with the dermatology department, but I spent considerable time in the emergency wing where there was a dearth of doctors for the night duty. This also gave me some extra money, which I used for the welfare of leprosy patients. I learnt so much during this time.”

Subsequently, Dr Ramakrishnan got married. “After marriage, I moved to Chennai and worked with leprosy patients at a health centre in Shenoy Nagar. I told my husband very clearly that I only wanted to work with leprosy patients,” she says.

What is leprosy?

Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosal surfaces of the upper respiratory tract, and the eyes. It is known to occur at all ages from early infancy to old age. It is curable, and an early treatment averts most disabilities.

It is important to note that leprosy is only infectious with prolonged exposure and if not detected in time, it spreads through the skin and peripheral nerves, damaging the nerves of the hands and feet to render them dead to sensation. It is because of this that patients are susceptible to disabling injuries, also why leprosy is feared and stigmatised so much.

Dr Ramakrishnan says, “For most of us, holding a hot vessel directly is a problem, but for someone who has leprosy, doing this will not cause any sensation immediately, but the scars show up much later.”

Most of us do not contract leprosy as our immune system is strong and we have built a resistance to Mycobacterium leprae, the bacterium that causes the disease. It is those with a weak immunity who fall prey to it. Unfortunately, it is the poor who are malnourished and lack access to medical facilities.

Why do people stay away from leprosy patients?

“In most cases, it is an unfounded fear that coming in contact with a leprosy patient will cause them to contract the disease. I am a living example of why that is not true. Unfortunately, the nerves are affected, and this leads to severe deformity in the patient. It’s the deformity and the general facial features that keep people away,” answers Dr Ramakrishnan.

A doctor’s wish

Dr Renuka Ramakrishnan has been working towards creating an inclusive world.

She says, “My dream is to build a home where people from all walks of life can stay. If I manage to do that, I will truly feel like I have contributed to this life significantly.”

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While various reports suggest that leprosy in India has been eliminated, in speaking to Dr Ramakrishnan, I better understood the ground realities. With several awards and accolades coming her way, Dr Ramakrishnan concludes by saying, “The awards and rewards don’t make a difference to me. I seek immense gratification in my work and will continue doing it.”

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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Ever walked into a store and pondered about the real value of the products, where they are coming from or if the packaging is safe for the environment?

If yes, then that’s the first step towards a secured future. If no, then you need to start now!

If you live in Chennai, here’s your chance to be a responsible consumer and contribute to the environment.

SunnyBee, a retail store/supermarket is setting some serious eco-friendly goals for its competitors and customers. It is also at the same time spreading the message that consumerism need not necessarily come at the cost of harmful elements.

24-year-old Sanjay Dasari, the founder of SunnyBee was disappointed to see the way fruits and vegetables were being handled in the country.

Instead of complaining about it, he decided to go a step further and founded his startup barely a month after graduating from Babson College in Boston, in 2016

In an exclusive interview with The Better India, Sanjay says,

“The idea was to build a social enterprise that would create long term impact, taking into consideration people’s consumption patterns. Thus, we focused on procuring organic food, eliminating plastic and minimising food wastage.”

The 3-year-old startup has 12 outlets across Chennai that sell household essentials including bakery items, organic produce, dairy products and so on.

Here are three things that it is doing right:

1) Getting Produce Directly From The Farmers

Following a business-to-business model, Sanjay and his team directly deal with 35,000 farmers across the country to maintain the real value of fruits and vegetables. To ensure that the quality is never compromised on, samples from farmers are regularly sent to local testing labs.

“In the age of organic produce, we have mapped our purchase and procure the vegetable or fruit depending on the region. For example, apples are purchased only from Kashmir and onions from Maharashtra,” says Sanjay.

Procuring food from the farmers has eliminated middle-men, and this has led to an increase in the income of farmers by 25-40%.

Since SunnyBee has a direct tie-up with the farmers, they also take customers on farm visits from time to time to explain the farming process and generate awareness.

“Awesome company with a mission to remove the middlemen and provide farmers their justified share of profit while providing customers organic and reliable veggies and fruits.During the farm visit we could interact directly with the farmers and understand their plight as well as their happiness of dealing with SunnyBee in lieu of commission agents,” reads a customer’s feedback on Facebook.

Narrating one of the memorable incidents, Sanjay says, “A 4-year-old was surprised to find that milk comes out of a cow and not a milk packet. For incidents like these, we deem it necessary to spread awareness as well.”

2) Plastic Out, Banana Leaf In

Considering that plastic takes up to 500 to 1000 years to decompose, Sanjay was against the idea of plastic packaging from the very beginning. There was a time when they stopped giving plastic bags to their customers, but due to negative feedback, the plastic bags had to be brought back.

When the plastic ban recently came into effect across Tamil Nadu, Sanjay jumped on the opportunity to get rid of plastic bags, and to an extent, even plastic packaging. Recently, the two of its stores switched plastic packaging to banana leaves.

Crediting the idea to his customers, Sanjay says, “Social media is a potent tool, and I realised this when our customers started tagging us in examples where a Thailand shop uses banana leaves. While it was a good idea, it was also awesome that it came from them, so the fear of rejection was automatically eliminated.”

Sanjay got in touch with the farmers who supply their produce to implement the idea.

The farmers use the leaves they discard post-production, and cut them in different sizes and strips that make packaging easy.

Besides being visually appealing and lightweight, banana-leaf packaging is healthy for the produce as it helps to retain the moisture of food and increase its shelf life.

It has been two weeks since this initiative was started and so far, it has received a mixed response. While some customers are happy, some still demand plastic bags.

Some people refuse to take a different route as they prefer convenience over anything. So now we are trying to improve the quality of packaging by customising the banana leaves as per the weight and size of the product, says Sanjay.

3) Reducing Food Wastage

Nearly 40% of all fresh food produced in India spoils before it reaches the customers, reported BBC. The food waste, in turn, is a loss for small-time farmers. It also means a high price for consumers.

To ensure that the same does not happen in SunnyBee, Sanjay and his team carefully calculate the amount of food required in all its outlets, “Our team of experts accurately foresee the demand. The key here is to tell the farmers how much to plant, instead of how much to harvest,” says Sanjay.

All this careful planning has certainly worked, and they have successfully reduced food wastage from 40% to a mere 2%. Sanjay states that, the team, although happy to bring down the wastage significantly, is not satisfied and will only celebrate when it becomes nil.

With SunnyBee doing its own bit for the environment, it is time we as consumers support such initiatives and implement such practices in our lives too!

Get in touch with Sunnybee here

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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“Travelling does not always have to be a route to escape. It can also be one leading to unimaginable discoveries!” exclaims a 45-year-old couple who has travelled almost the entire world.

Meet Sangeetha Ranganath and Prasanna Veeraswamy, who travelled to almost 170 countries together, all the while keeping their full time jobs intact.

Although Prasanna has covered all 193 countries which is technically the entire globe – as per the United Nations, his wife Sangeetha has seen 170 till now.

Speaking to The Better India, Prasanna says, “For us, our job was never a burden that we had to free ourselves from. We love what we do, but the passion for traveling is also overwhelming. We could not afford to quit our jobs or discard our dream to see the world. So, instead, we found the right balance. ” Owing to this, the couple now can call a total of six places around the world, as their home.

“Although we have been all around, it is in India, China, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and now in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where we are blessed with a home,” added Sangeetha.

The voyage begins

After their marriage in 1998, they moved to the US from India. That was the beginning of their long and exciting journey.

At a time when online travel blogs, and Instagram travel influencers were alien concepts, these wanderers at heart, were introduced to the wonders of the world, after one trip abroad.

“It was not like the way it is now, when every other day, travel agencies and online travel websites fill your inbox with tantalising deals, and stories of exotic locations. Travel, especially abroad, was very expensive. But, after we moved to the US, we were shocked to see the booming market in the sector. We always had the wander-bug inside us, and the amazing deals were a topping which we couldn’t have refused. We began to find ways to start exploring the US, at every given opportunity,” said Prasanna.

Sangeetha added that the passion to see the world was so strong that they did not miss even a single weekend staying at home.

“We utilised it all. It’s funny because after getting married, we did not even have a proper honeymoon. We just packed and moved to the US, and continued exploring every corner of it and beyond. And since then we haven’t stopped exploring. It’s like we have had hundreds of honeymoons by now!” she laughs.

After moving to the US for Prasanna’s job, Sangeetha also enrolled into an MBA course, and the couple would utilise the long weekends. It was only in 1990, that they went for their first one-month-long holiday trip to England and Scotland. “It’s like poetry coming alive. And, its consistent with so many places that we have explored,” Sangeetha said.

Balancing leisure with work

Careful planning brewed with lots of passion allowed these two to fly around the world while managing their work.

For them, sitting on the beaches of Cambodia, enjoying a mug of beer and working remotely on their laptop, was never unpleasant. Their work went wherever they did.

“We both work in areas which allow us to do the job remotely. So the feeling of missing out was never there. We would never switch off our phones and laptops when on a holiday, except for places with no connection. Sometimes we did wonder, how it would have been if we had taken a sabbatical from work and finished the trips in one go. But, like people and seasons, even places and societies are ever changing and are different at various points in time. We didn’t want to mix it all up and take it as it goes. One at a time-with patience and love, worked for us” said Sangeetha.

“We both come from middle class families where we were always told that it is an education and a job that will take you places. We stuck to it. It was never one for the other, but both for us,” added Prasanna.

Sangeetha now works with Amazon, while Prasanna works in Microsoft.

However it was never an easy journey to begin with.

“Initially, in the first 12 or so years we would have to manage our trips during long weekends and take a longer holiday in December. But, in the last 8 years we have been able to be more aggressive and have managed to finish eight to ten trips a year,” said Prasanna. They claim that good understanding with their employers also helped ease the process.

In addition to quick and planned trips, another aspect was instrumental in making their dreams come true.

“When we had just come to the US, the ease of travelling and lucrative deals made traveling, especially international, a little easy on the pocket. Now, after all these years, such facilities are available in India,” he added.

But constantly traveling also meant letting go of somethings in life. “In the initial years we would spend almost everything on travel. We did not and still don’t believe in the stereotype that settling in life means buying big financial assets like a house and having kids. Till now, we don’t own a house or have kids. At first it was difficult for our parents and friends to understand but eventually they did. It is a conscious decision to let go of that because for us it is about the moments, not the money. Why should we ground ourselves when we can actually fly!” said Sangeetha.

Most memorable moments

In their quest for memories, they stumbled upon numerous wonders. One of them, Prasanna shares, was rather close to home.

“After trotting all across the globe the last country that I visited was the closest to my home, Pakistan. Despite being so close, it was difficult to visit, but after we eventually did, it was worth it. I still remember how Lahore took us on a journey back to old Delhi,” he said.

He recalls a touching moment at the Wagah border, “We were on the other side, sitting under the Pakistani flag and the Retreat ceremony ensued. Each side was chanting slogans of patriotism and cheering their country with overwhelming gusto. Sitting there (on Pakistan’s side), we could feel the energy. It was electric. It was like we were all one. Despite all the differences we count between our nationalities, at that moment, we were all one.”

Every flight, every safari and every single trip brought them closer to one another, and to one single truth – We all, indeed, are one people!

To know more, you can connect on Instagram (travelcurry).

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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Last month, P Sanjai Gandhi’s five-year-long effort finally came to fruition when the Thirubuvanam sari, produced by the registered weavers of the Thirubuvanam Silk Handloom Weavers Co-operative (Thico) Production and Sales Society Ltd, acquired the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

Woven by weavers in a small town of the same name near Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district, the Thirubuvanam silk is known for its rich quality with fine counts of filature silk.

“The filature silk for both warp and weft results in superior quality fabric…The pallu is continuously woven on the loom and runs on from the body of the saree, unlike other sarees where the body and pallu are woven separately. The body and border are also woven in the same single warp. With the use of pure zari, these drapes are styled with various motifs that include manga malai, rudraksham, kodi visiri and neli,” says this description.

Gandhi, who was helped in this effort by the Textile Ministry, is the president of the Intellectual Property Attorney Association and an Advocate in the Madras High Court.

Thanks to his efforts, weaver societies, including Thico, with more than 2000 weavers registered can use the Thirubuvanam brand name to sell their product.

A GI tag is a sign that is used to link a particular item with its geographical place of origin and is mainly used as a certification for its quality. GI Laws protect an item from being duplicated in any way elsewhere.

“Any registered association, society, government body can apply for the GI tag. However, it is conferred on certain goods like agricultural, natural, handicrafts, which demonstrate a certain uniqueness, quality, reputation, special characteristics and proof of historical origins from the land where they emerged. For example, the Kancheepuram Silk saree weave goes back 400 years from the town of the same name. Thus far, approximately 345 products in India have GI tags on them,” says Gandhi, in a conversation with The Better India.

As a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), India enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into force in 2002.

In the following year, Darjeeling Tea became the first item to receive the GI tag. Thus, in the jurisdictions in which the Darjeeling geographical indication is protected, producers of Darjeeling tea can exclude the use of the term “Darjeeling Tea” for tea not grown in their tea gardens or not produced according to the standards set out in the code of practice for the geographical indication.

“The GI tag protects the name, improves the local market, protects production quality and eventually increases sales. Duplicates of the said product are avoided since unauthorised production is not allowed, and thus, the local economy is protected,” says Gandhi.

Gandhi is a native of Thanjavur and a law graduate from the Madras Government College. During his storied career, he has also set up the Sulakshana Panneer Selvam Intellectual Property Rights for Agriculture & Rural Development Centre in 2015, and authored a book titled ‘Arts and Crafts of India: Registered GI Products’ to help researchers from abroad ascertain the intricacies of GI registered art and craft items in the country. Today, he works with a team of five junior lawyers working on IP-related issues in Chennai.

It was the conferment of GI tag for Darjeeling Tea which inspired him to apply for GI tag for various products from his home state.

He began with the famous Kancheepuram Silk and in 2010, 21 cooperative societies and 10 individuals received the GI tag.

As per the GI act, only these authorised makers can claim their product to be Kancheepuram Silk. Others can also register themselves as makers, but they must stick with certain basic characteristics (weave), production process and territorial rights. It also protects the item (Kancheepuram Silk) in foreign countries under the WTO’s Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement, of which India is a signatory.

Following this success, he was among the two IP attorneys from India selected by the Japan Patent Office for their 70-day training programme in Tokyo in 2007. This was a turning point in his life and furthered his journey in this practice.

Of the 30 items conferred with the GI tag in Tamil Nadu, Gandhi has led efforts for 18 including Eathomozhy Tall Coconut, Thanjavur Doll, Bhavani Jamakkalam, Madurai Sungudi, Thanjavur Paintings, Salem Venpattu, Kovai Kora Cotton Sarees and Mahabalipuram Stone Sculpture, among others such items.

For his efforts, he was conferred with the National IP Award by the Government of India last year under the ‘Top Individual for Best facilitation of Registration of GI and Promotion of registered GI in India’ category.

He dedicates his award to the training programme he underwent in Japan, which further accentuated his interest in the field.

Having said, the process of applying for a GI tag is a touch cumbersome.

“It takes a minimum of one year to grant an application. The GI Registry issues a formality check report within the appropriate time from the date of application, and once applicants receive the report, they must reply within two months. After their response, the GI Registry constitutes a Consultative Group of seven persons who are experts. The applicants have to give a presentation about the concerned goods seeking GI tag before this group, and during this presentation, they are asked about the product’s uniqueness, special characteristics and historical origins,” informs Gandhi.

After this meeting, their application is rejected, accepted, or an examination report is issued. If the application is approved, will be published in public journal. Once published, the GI Registry waits for four months to offer any objections. If no objection is forthcoming, the application is granted,” he adds.

The entire process naturally requires a lot of research on the part of lawyers. Take the example of Ponni rice, which a Malaysian company tried to patent.

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This claim was contested in a Kuala Lumpur court with the Indian applicants claiming that this variety of rice was named after—and in tribute to—the Kaveri Delta region in India. Locally, the Kaveri river is also known locally as ponni.

“The judge ruled that ponni is descriptive of a variety of rice originating from Tamil Nadu in India and recognisable to consumers as such,” says this report in The Star, a Malaysian news publication. The patent application was thankfully rejected.

When asked what motivates him to work on these applications and that too without profit, Sanjai insists that as a Gandhian, one of his key objectives is rural development. Additionally, GI tags help maintain high quality standards and protect local cultures and economies.

“I am currently working on applications for 30 unique items in the state.This is a country blessed with unique products, and we must absolutely protect what is ours, and ensure that certain qualities and characteristics unique to a place must not be forgotten or usurped by outside vested interests,” he adds.

Unlike our fickle politicians, it’s dedicated people like Sanjai Gandhi, who are among the true protectors of local heritage and culture.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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We all have clothes lying around the house that aren’t being used anymore and could very well be given away to those who might have better use for them.

While sometimes our busy schedules may keep us from depositing the clothes, many of us probably don’t know where we could go ahead and donate them.

To help you manage your ‘to-give-away’ pile of clothes better, we have compiled a list of seven organisations where you can distribute your used clothes.

There’s a general rule of thumb when you’re thinking of donating old clothes—would you give it to a friend? If the answer is yes, then you could go right ahead. If the answer is no, because the clothes are torn, dirty or unusable, it would be better to find alternate uses/options.

Do be mindful of the clothes that you set aside for this exercise.

1. Clothes Box Foundation (CBF)

Location: Haryana, Maharashtra, Odisha and Jharkhand

How does it work?

Once you have kept aside the clothes you wish you donate, you can call CBF or visit their Facebook page and leave them a message.

You can then either wait for them to pick up the clothes (the organisation provides this service at a nominal charge) or get the clothes delivered at their collection centre.

Once in, the clothes are sorted and distributed by the team at CBF. The photographs of the distribution will also be uploaded on Facebook if you wish to see them.

Contact details: You can reach their website here, Facebook page here or call them on +91-78383-71356.

2. Share At Door Step (SADS)

Location: Bengaluru. SADS also has 100 NGO partners across 8 cities and various corporate tie-ups.

How does it work?

After you have sorted out the clothes that you wish to keep aside for donation, visit the SADS website and enter your location, following which a list of NGOs in your area will appear on your screen.

Select the NGO whose requirement matches your donation and once done, add the items you wish to donate into your checkout bag and schedule a pickup.

Please note that as of now the pick-up facility is available only in Bengaluru. A convenience fee is levied depending on the number of items that you are donating. The starting rate is Rs 199. You can also choose to drop off the clothes by yourself.

Contact details: You can visit their website here, Facebook page here, or call them on
+91-88847 84742.

3. The Open House

Location: Chennai

How does it work?

In December 2015, after the Chennai floods, Rotarian Isai Prakash and his team found that they had a lot of leftover used clothes.

It occurred to them that they could be given a second chance, and after sorting through them, getting them cleaned, and mending them, they distributed the clothes amongst the needy.

They also went a step ahead, and gift-wrapped the clothes that they were handing out. While it started out of necessity, the work that this group does has been continuing.

Contact details: if you are in Chennai and have some clothes that you would like to donate, call on +91-9677085646 or +91- 9710535297.

4. Apang Manav Mandal (AMM)

Location: Ahmedabad

How does it work?

If your clothes are in good condition and can be worn by people between the ages of 7-25, look no further than AMM.

Founded in the year 1958, AMM is devoted to the cause of the disabled and looks after all their needs and requirements.

Brijita, the Chief Administrator of the organisation says, “Our only request is that people donate clothes that are in good condition. Do not leave behind clothes that you wish to throw away or discard.”

Contact details: The clothes can be dropped off at Dr Vikram Sarabhai Road, B/h. ATIRA, Ahmedabad-380015.

You could contact them on 079- 26302643 or 079- 26308156, or even visit their website here.

5. Mahesh Foundation

Location: Belgaum

How does it work?

This organisation has been working for the welfare of children and youth who have been impacted by the HIV/AIDS virus. Founded by Mahesh Jadhav in 2006, they request for woollens, sarees, salwar suits, trousers, shirts, kurta-pyjamas and even curtains and bed sheets to be used at their orphanage that houses almost 40 children.

Contact details: Ashakiran Children Care Home, Plot No.1284, Jain Basti Galli, Near Harsha Hotel, Ramatirth Nagar, Belgaum -590015.

You can reach them at +91- 9164575327 or +91-8494945327.

6. Prayas

Location: Hyderabad

How does it work?

According to Shaik Altaf Ahmed, the Executive Director of Prayas, the organisation started a project called ‘Distribution of reusable items’ in 2008.

Under this, they not only accept clothes for those above the age of 12 but also other reusable household items.

Until March 2019, donors could schedule a pickup, but Ahmed says that as of now, the service stands cancelled.

Contact details: You can connect with Ahmed at +91- 9866335488 or send an e-mail to prayashyd@gmail.com. Their office is located at # 4-1-21, Champa Estate, Boggulakunta, Tilak Road, Abids, Hyderabad.

The official website can be reached here.

7. Clothes for Help

Location: Kolkata and Pune

How does it work?

Once you donate your clothes, the organisation sorts through it and ensures that the families that are in dire need are directly impacted.

The organisation members visit different slums across the city to make sure the clothes reach the people who need them. You could log into the website and chose either a location to make the drop or schedule a pickup from your residence. If your address is within a 7-kilometre radius, then a pickup can be arranged.

Contact details: You can reach them at 22 Saktigarh (opposite Saktigarh maath)

Jadavpur, Kolkata, 700032 or call on 033-4004-8442.

For you, the clothes might not mean anything now but are sure to bring a smile to those who get to wear them. Do your good deed today!

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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The power of a brand can never be underestimated. A brand is a promise to the customer, and as long as the product lives up to the promise, the brand will always thrive.

A case in point is a small appalam (papad) brand, started in the early 1900s, which continues to thrive in today’s age of private labels and ready-to-eat foods.

It must have been some appalam that made the Eighth President of India, R Venkataraman write in the Rashtrapati Bhavan menu that “South Indian food should be served with Ambika Appalam.”

This iconic brand was started by a man named Aiyappan in 1915 in an 850 sq ft house in the by-lanes of Triplicane in Chennai. Aiyappan, who had migrated from Trichur in Kerala to Madras in search of employment opportunities, decided that selling papadams would yield good results.

He would make these hand-pressed papads, bundle them together by a jute rope, and go from door-to-door to sell them.

As the papads became popular, he got married and started a family of his own, all of whom were involved in the business in one way or the other.

Son K A Velayudhan joins the business

Aiyappan’s son dropped out of school and joined the business formally in the mid-1900s. He suggested making ‘appalam’, which had a shelf-life of up to a year, while that of a papadam was merely a week.

It is interesting to note that until 1956 (for over 40 years since the product was launched), the appalams had no brand name.

Finally, it was Velayudhan who came up with a name—Ambika Appalam Depot. A local artist sketched the logo with the tag line, ‘Azhagaai porium’, which means ‘fries beautifully’. The artwork adorns their wrappers even today.

Moreover, the young man ensured that the products were sold beyond Triplicane. He visited places as far as Tambaram as well. With a desire to make it big, in 1963, he opened their first flagship shop at Mathala Narayanan Street in Mylapore, just enough to seat one person.

That was just the beginning

By 1965, the company had diversified by adding many more products to their list—various kinds of podis (rasam, paruppu, sambar, idly), along with different kinds of appalams and papadams with ingredients like arasi (rice), jeera (cumin seeds), jackfruit and tapioca.

A new chapter begins in 1975

It was in 1975 that K V Vijayraghavan, the grandson of Aiyappan, all of 20, joined the business. In an interview with The Hindu, he had said, “Sitting in the shop was entertainment for me because quite a few actors would visit.”

What’s worked for the company is their consistency—they have not altered the recipes since they began operations.

Vijayraghavan says that their customers are so discerning that even a small slip doesn’t escape them.

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With his son, Vyas, joining the business, the fourth generation of the family is ready to take it forward in a more modern way. The 55 varieties of Ambika products are presently available on Amazon with the brand aiming to have their own retail portal soon.

To know more about them, write to info@ambikaappalamdepot.com.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Fearured image source

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About four years ago, Prem Antony, an event manager, decided to go zero-waste. The amount of plastic around him—right from the flimsy carry bags to the big grain containers was indicative of the burden we are imposing on the environment.

Soon, single-use plastic materials in his life were replaced by reusables, and the eco-warrior decided that this initiative would have to take a holistic turn.

The result?

South India’s first organic zero-waste grocery store!

If you look at its inventory, EcoIndian is just like any other grocery store in Chennai. You will find your share of grains, pulses and millets here. You can also purchase honey and skin care products.

But unlike most conventional stores, these products won’t be stored or sold in plastic. Rather, they will make use of glass, steel, and any material that the customers bring for themselves.

Speaking to The Better India, the 38-year-old entrepreneur says, “My mission to go zero-waste was translated into an organic store by the name of EcoIndian. My close friend, N Pradeep Kumar and I were friends since class 10. Over the years, our bond grew stronger, thanks to our common ties. When I conceptualised EcoIndian, there was no doubt that I would seek his partnership in the business. This grocery shop was started in 2018, but we were not zero-waste then.”

They realised that their products might be organic and homemade, but the amount of plastic used in packaging was harming their cause. EcoIndian was thus, not aligning with its ideology.

“So, two months ago, we made the leap and went zero-waste,” Pradeep says, adding, “All our plastic containers and bags were replaced by glass bottles, stainless steel containers, butter sheets and cotton bags. But another thing that sets us apart from other organic stores is our BYOC policy—Bring Your Own Container—and avail a 5% discount at the store!”

Packaging products is a costly process for consumers as well as the environment. It begins when the farmer packs their grains into huge gunny bags and ends when the consumer buys a few grams or kilos of the product. EcoIndian decided to cut this process altogether.

“We work directly with farmer communities in and around Chennai. That way, we cut the middleman whose involvement only increases the price of the product. This also allows us to speak freely with organic farmers. When we decided to go zero-waste, we approached the farmers too, who were happy to give us unpackaged products. EcoIndian is saving 8-10% of the costs incurred through packaging, and we are sharing this profit with our customers,” Pradeep informs.

The Chennai store aims to give you a completely eco-friendly experience, and as an incentive, you get to buy products that are about 10% cheaper than the average organic store.

Not only is it equipped with staples, you will also find sanitary cloth napkins, menstrual cups, reusable notebooks (you write on them with an ordinary pen or pencil and wipe them off with a wet cloth when done), pickles, jams and other such products that are organic, handmade and have a long shelf life.

Prem tells us that another mini-initiative by the store is to get over the minimum-buy concept. A supermarket will have pre-packed grains of certain quantities, and your local grocery store will tell you that you need to buy a minimum 250 gm of grains.

But not EcoIndian.

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He explains, “Our customers can bring their own containers, and buy whatever quantities of grains or pulses they please. Whether it is 10 gm or one kilo, we don’t care. This initiative stems from our fight against food wastage. You buy the quantity you need, there’s no restriction from us.”

And so, about ten of their clients have sworn their loyalty already and an average of three new customers are added every week. They buy anywhere from a sample of staples to a week’s ration. The 450 sq feet shop offers a wide variety of daily essentials, so you don’t feel the unique, organic, zero-waste shop is inadequate for your needs.

A concept that we love, the two-month-old EcoIndian is already generating positive feedback. You can contact Pradeep on +91 81240 01177 or visit the store.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Images: courtesy Pradeep Kumar N

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The 8-year-old boy picks up his pace to match his father’s giant strides. His huge eyes soak in the vibrant ambience of Moore Market of Madras (Chennai). He is oblivious to the high-octane energy of the place, the whispering people all talking at once, and all about one thing. Independence.

India was on the cusp of creating history. Freedom from an oppressive 200-year-old rule was just around the corner. Emotions were running high, and freedom was the only thing the old and young could speak of. The little boy was not only living in history but also dreaming of creating his own.

For D Hemchandra Rao, the crowded labyrinthine bylanes of his favourite Market was like a museum offering the most bewitching gifts. Ancient artefacts, books, instruments, tasty treats, postcards of places he has never seen, models of ships in all sizes, and his favourite—stamps. 

Today, after 70 odd years, Rao welcomes people to, possibly, Chennai’s first Maritime Heritage Museum which, incidentally, is his home too, located in a lane off the busy Kaliamman Koil Street in Virugambakkam.

The boy has come full circle.

Dhow models, anchors, coins with ships engraved on them, models of brass ships, wooden houseboats, pocket watches, clocks, ship lanterns, postcards, and the pride of the collection—innumerable stamps; of lighthouses, canals, buildings, famous personalities and all things in between. Rao’s museum boasts of a collection worthy of a pirate’s haul collected over decades.

For this, he is immensely grateful to his father, who introduced him to the idea of preserving something that has a history, heritage value and cultural importance.

Hailing from Kerala, Rao now calls Chennai his home. Rao’s curiosity for memorabilia, souvenirs and oddities stems from his passion for history. A passion that took birth in his childhood which he has nurtured ever since.

After completing his Majors in Civil Engineering, in 1963, he went on to work with two firms, one of which was a shipping firm that reaffirmed his penchant for ships and lighthouses.

In 2002, Rao retired, and just like every retired person, had several questions about his life ahead.

Speaking to The Better India, he says,

For 37 years, I worked, and suddenly, one day, I was doing nothing. I had no idea about how I would utilise my free time until I took a walk on an arch bridge in the city. The beautiful architecture of the building piqued my interest to read about its history.

Rao spent the next five years chronicling the history of bridges and canals, “The bridges are constructed across three seasonal rivers, namely Cooum, Buckingham Canal and Adyar. It is a common misconception that Buckingham Canal originated in Andhra Pradesh. However, it was in Madras. Lack or misleading information pushed me to find out more about the bridges,” he adds.

Rao went beyond the history books and visited over 20 bridges to observe their architecture, patterns and designs in detail.

The expedition inspired him to dive into the mysteries surrounding lighthouses. In 2015, he travelled extensively across India and covered Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Gujarat in four years, and visited many lighthouses.

Amidst these expeditions, Rao’s attention went to the Buckingham Canal that is seven feet below Krishna Canal in Andhra Pradesh, “I remember we walked endlessly from Marakkanam to Peddaganjam amidst the thorny bushes and uneven roads to reach the place.”

Rao has articulated the history, facts and trivia about the canal in his museum through maps, pictures, and a 16-foot-wooden boat that is a replica of one of the boats that crossed the canal in the 1870s.

His collection of replicas of boats include the famous Kerala boat houses, brass boats and others. Meanwhile, his garage displays 200 photos of lighthouses that he has visited.

Courtesy his travelling experiences, Rao’s living room now boasts of unique and antique items. The walls are painted in blue to give the visitors a feeling of being ensconced in a submarine helping them immerse into maritime history.  

He opened the museum to the public last year in August, and so far around 150 people have visited, “I am an old man, and I did not initially keep a register for visitors as I had not expected people to be interested in my museum. But after people started coming regularly, I started to keep a count.”

It takes an hour to tour the house. Rao personally attends every visitor and tells them the history and significance of each of the displayed items.

My goal is to spread knowledge to as many people as possible. Personal interaction also helps me learn new things from people belonging to varied backgrounds, he says.

Rao now plans to expand his museum and add three more rooms to display his entire collection. He has also written a book on lighthouses, and his next on bridges will be out soon.  

The Directorate Of Lighthouses And Lightships has recognised his efforts and gifted him five shipping ties.

Rao charges no fee for a visit to his museum, which can be visited at any time of the day. But Rao prefers the evenings considering the household chores keep him busy during the day.

If you wish to visit him, ring him at 9840870172 or write him at: dhraoships@gmail.com

Postal Address: 8, Elango Nagar Annexe, Virugambakkam.

Also Read: Butterflies, Brains, Turbans & Trains: India’s Many Museums All On One Website!

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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Solomon Raj originally hails from Hyderabad and is now settled in Kolathur, Chennai. For close to eight years after his marriage in 1992, Solomon and his wife, Felvia Shanthi did not have any kids. This gave rise to thoughts of adoption.

Speaking to The Better India (TBI), he recalls, “We were very clear from the beginning. It wouldn’t be via ‘baby shopping’. Instead, we wanted to give a better life to a child who was deserving and in need of a home.”

With that in mind, Solomon felt that if he would adopt, it would a child infected with HIV (human immunodeficiency viruses) – perhaps the most needy among all children.

At the time, HIV was far more dreaded than it is now. Several rumours of infections via syringes or any other simple means lead to an ostracisation of anyone detected with the virus.

But it seemed not meant to be. Years passed, and the couple was blessed with biological children, so the idea of adoption took a backseat. But the guilt of not giving a needy child remained within Solomon. He remained active in Chennai’s social work space over the years and often shared his desire to adopt such a child.

And then, suddenly, in 2005, a transwoman, Noori, who ran an NGO of her own, SIP, got in touch with Solomon. “I have an abandoned child,” she said. He was HIV+.

“I was perplexed. I already had biological children by then. At first, I thought, I could perhaps have the child admitted to an orphanage and finance his education. But when I got in touch with several organisations, they refused the minute they were informed about the child’s medical condition. So I visited the kid.”

Arputha was only six at the time. Solomon listened to him in stark horror as he narrated how HIV robbed him of his entire family. His parents and siblings had all succumbed to the deadly virus.

Solomon adopted Arputha. And there has been no looking back since then.

Today he is ‘Solomon Appa’ to 45 HIV+ kids. Yes, 45. All through the Shelter Trust, a registered non-profit and a safe haven for kids once abandoned and left to fend on their own.

He recalls the initial challenges of adopting an HIV+ child saying, “I often had to lock him (Arputha) at home while going to the office. My wife and I would go to work, Our families were unhappy with our decision of adopting. So while they would take care of our biological kids, they refused to keep our adoptive kid due to HIV. So the boy would stay locked in until the afternoon, till I rushed from office just to feed him.”

The young boy felt caged and would often yell to passersby to free him, which created misunderstandings in the neighbourhood about Solomon. Besides, every time Solomon returned home, he would find the boy in a corner almost passed out.

“Even though he was sleeping, every time I returned I lived in constant fear that he was dead. The trauma was too much to bear.”

Realising how the approach was affecting the young boy, Solomon decided to start taking him to office. For the first few days, everything was fine. His colleagues even put Solomon on a ‘Mother Teresa’ like pedestal for helping the kid.

It was only a matter of days until the atmosphere started rapidly changing.

“He was full of energy. So he would run around the office, speak to everyone, use the same toilet, drink water from the same dispenser and glass. All those who used to sit with us for lunch and greet him with open arms suddenly started distancing themselves. He would often look at me upset asking, why a certain uncle or aunty wouldn’t want to speak to him. Several women started taking leaves. It was absolutely disturbing for my son too.”

Solomon eventually quit his job. He empathised with the loneliness of the kid and decided to adopt another HIV+ kid. Just as he was about to reach out to the trans woman who helped with the first adoption, she called him.

“Daivamme, Daivamme, You are like God. I was just thinking about you. This is surely some twist of fate. I have another HIV+ child who just came in. We just buried her mother, now the six-year-old has nowhere to go.”

In less than an hour, Solomon visited the girl and brought her home. And now he had two. But that is where it would end. Soon, the news that Solomon was adopting HIV+ kids spread like wildfire.

Within days, a 70-year-old man had travelled all the way from Andhra Pradesh and knocked on Solomon’s gates. “I cannot afford to take care of these two kids. The doctor wants me to travel weekly for their treatment,” he said. Back then, Chennai had among the very few hospitals in the country that specialised in the care for HIV patients.

When Solomon told the man it would be difficult to take the kids in, the man fell at his feet and pleaded. “Please take them or bury them. I cannot take them.”

“It was really heartbreaking,” Solomon recalls.

After asking for time to think over the decision, Solomon took the kids in.

“After introspecting, I realised these kids were innocent victims of someone else’s fault. Also back in school, we learned the pledge of India, where we said – All Indians are my brothers and sisters. Keeping that in mind, I wasn’t doing any favour by taking care of the kids. God forbid if something like this were to happen in my own family, would we leave the kids of our relatives to fend for themselves? No, right? So, I made it the mission of my life.”

Taking care of 47 HIV+ kids can be very gruelling. Especially, when they face several other health complications thanks to the virus, like infections in the brain, heart and kidneys.

(HIV is a virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), a condition which leaves the body totally vulnerable to diseases by destroying the body’s natural immune system. This means patients can die even from illnesses like the flu or a fever. Even with modern treatment, their health remains fragile.)

Solomon juggles three jobs — at the NGO Right Now Foundation, at a theological college and the Centre for Development and Women’s Studies — to take care of his kids.

In the beginning, it was a major challenge to find caretakers for the kids.

“I had to work in order to take care of them, my wife was working too. So when we reached out to people to seek help, they refused and would often pass harsh judgements knowing the kids were HIV+” he said.

Besides, due to some high-risk cases, even the doctor had instructed Solomon to wear gloves while taking care of the kids.

“They called me Appa. How could I wear a glove and refuse to hold my own kids?”

Today, the home is run by 11 HIV+ members and an on-call doctor, counsellor, accountant and psychologist. Much of this is thanks to Solomon’s savings, his salaries and of course, donations.

“We like to call it the home for, and run by, positive people,” says Solomon.

Many of the kids had been abandoned after their parents’ deaths and had no documentation. So school admissions were a major task. The kids are between the ages of three to 20. Seven are currently pursuing higher education. Arputha himself is now studying as a second year student of BSc in computer science.

For a long time, he exhausted all his savings and reserves to provide what he could for the kids. Also as the number rose, they no longer fit into their small home and had to move into a bigger space. When Solomon hunted for spaces, many landlords would refuse. He finally found a new spot in Villangadupakkam, Redhills in Chennai.

In line with government laws, Solomon had to register his home as an NGO. That’s how the name ‘Shelter’ came about– a place they called home. From checking their backgrounds, filing documentation to obtaining no objection certificates, he maintains more than 75 records and licenses.

“My family and friends would often tell me, ‘Why are you doing this? These kids eat in the same place, play with your biological kids. Aren’t you scared for their safety?’ I cut off ties with most of them. I told them, ‘If you do not have anything good to say, don’t say anything bad either. Don’t discourage me or discriminate against my children.’”

Thanks to his love and dedication, most of the kids that doctors had given hardly a week’s time to live are in the best health they can be – all things considered.

The dietary requirements of the kids keep changing. Since they are prone to infections, their immunity has to be strengthened with high-protein food.

“Besides, there is no proper medication available in India. In the West, there are five to six levels of treatment available for HIV. Many kids die because they become immune to a particular treatment and require stronger medicines at different phases. While Indian medical practitioners are trying different combinations to tackle this, a lot more that needs to be done.”

From monthly visits, the children now go for weekly appointments in govt and private hospitals, which can be heavy on the pocket. Solomon hires private vehicles for these trips.

“When they feel the urge to vomit due to the treatment, I cannot expect the public bus to stop at different points. It drains the kids out and also inconveniences passengers. When hiring private vehicles too, only a few children can travel, while the rest get stranded. So multiple vehicles have to be arranged.”

Solomon is currently looking for good samaritans who can help ease their transportation woes.

Ever since demonetisation and new rules stating that NGOs cannot take more than 2000 in cash as donations (since it is violative of tax laws), Solomon has to often request people to write cheques and submit documents.

“Some of them refuse and complain saying, ‘you can either take it or leave it.’ I do not accept cash due to a penalty, so it often causes loss.”

READ MORE: Couple Began Hospital in a Hut 25 Years Ago, Now Treats Over 1 Lakh Tribals Every Year

Dealing with death

The passing of a loved one can be emotionally gruelling, especially when it is a child who was just running around the room months ago.

“When one of our kids, Tanaki, passed, we decided to not tell the younger girls. There is a tradition in the home, when a child is admitted due to any complications, the kids call the hospital once a day and speak to him/her. It had been ten days and the girls kept insisting they wanted to speak to Tanaki. I told them she had gone back to her village. They seemed gloomy for quite a few days. When I asked them, they burst out crying, saying they knew Tanaka had passed. I held them close and we all cried. They had seen our caretakers return without Tanaki and observed how a few days ago we entered with sad faces from the back door. They picked up that we had finished the final rites.”

After two deaths, Solomon sought counselling for him and the kids. Now they are slowly opening up through moral stories about the acceptance of death.

“12 days to three weeks often mean the end for most kids. And the kids know that. They are fully aware that one day they too may go to the hospital and not return. But life has to move on, and we need to live it to the fullest, be kind to others and impact their lives. So they do exactly that,” he says, as he signs off.

On each of their birthdays, acknowledging the uncertainty of life and hoping to make the best of it, they sing ‘Happy Long Life To You’ in the tune of Happy Birthday. No more words needed.

Want to help Solomon? Donations to Shelter are income tax exempted under 80G. Indian donors can contribute to:

Shelter Trust.
Indian Overseas Bank.
Account No. 024501000019335.
Choolai branch.
IFSC code. IOBA0000245.

Call on 09444455275

If you are an NRI or foreign donor, you can get in touch with Solomon on shelterindia05@yahoo.co.in and his team will guide you.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

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For A Lalitha, the responsibility of raising her four-month-old daughter was heavy. Married at the age of 15, Lalitha gave birth to a healthy, beautiful baby in the September of 1937 when she was 18. Just four months later, the teenage-mother lost her husband.

Baby Syamala was now the responsibility of a single mother.

Heads shaved, a strictly restricted life and banishment from society, the life of a widow was a prolonged trauma that they had no choice but to endure. Although the practice of Sati was less prevalent in Madras (now Chennai) where Lalitha had lived, societal standards still prescribed an austere life of isolation and perpetual sorrow to the young widow.

Instead, the forward-thinking and courageous Lalitha decided to overthrow all existing, outdated norms and pursue engineering. A male-dominated field then, Lalitha had made a decision that would make her India’s first female engineer!

Lalitha, fifth in the line of seven siblings was born on 27th August 1919. Her family was a typical middle-class Telugu family where the brothers had gone ahead to become engineers and the sisters were restricted to basic education. As was prevalent in those times, Lalitha was married off at the age of 15. Her father, however, insisted that a marital life should not interfere with her education and ensured that his daughter studied till class 10.

A mother’s instincts that made history:

Lalitha’s story is just half a narrative if we don’t follow the journey of her daughter, Syamala Chenulu. Now settled in the USA, Syamala has fond memories of how her mother, an icon in the field of engineering, faced her challenges while raising her. Speaking to The Better India (TBI), Syamala says, “When my father passed away, mom had to suffer more than she should have. Her mother-in-law had lost her 16th child and took out that frustration on the young widow. It was a coping mechanism and today, I understand what she was going through. However, my mother decided not to succumb to societal pressures. She would educate herself and earn a respectable job.”

Medicine was quite a popular field for women in those times. However, medicine requires the professionals to be available round the clock and Lalitha did not want to fall into a profession that would require her to leave her baby in the middle of the night. She needed a typical 9 to 5 job that allowed the young mother to spend time with her beloved daughter.

Like her father, Pappu Subba Rao and her brothers, Lalitha chose to become an engineer.

Rao, a professor of Electrical Engineering at the College of Engineering, Guindy (CEG), University of Madras, spoke to KC Chacko, the Principal of the college and to the Director of Public Instruction, RM Statham. Both the officials were supportive of admitting a woman—a first in CEG’s history.

“Contrary to what people might think, the students at amma’s college were extremely supportive. She was the only girl in a college with hundreds of boys but no one ever made her feel uncomfortable and we need to give credit to this. The authorities arranged for a separate hostel for her too. I used to live with my uncle while amma was completing college and she would visit me every weekend,” Syamala tells us.

You may also like: This Amazing Book Celebrates India’s Pioneering Women Engineers. About Time!

A few months after Lalitha started her studies in 1940, she conveyed that though she was fine in the college, she was lonely in the hostel. Rao believed this was an opportunity to invite more women to follow his daughter’s path and advertised open admissions in CEG for women. Leelamma George and PK Thresia soon joined albeit for the civil engineering course.

“Both of them were juniors to my mother by a year. However, all three of them graduated together because the second world war was at its peak in 1944 and the university decided to cut down the engineering course by a few months,” Syamala explains.

A trailblazing engineer:

For a brief period after graduating from CEG, Lalitha worked with the Central Standard Organisation in Shimla as well as with her father in Chennai.

Fun fact: CEG had to remove the word ‘He’ from their printed certificates and replace it with ‘She’ for Lalitha, Thresia and Leelamma when they graduated.

Rao invented Jelectromonium (an electrical musical instrument) as well as an electric flame producer and smokeless ovens. Lalitha had assisted him in these innovations. But within nine months of joining her father’s workshop, Lalitha started looking for other avenues and settled for a job in the Associated Electrical Industries in Kolkata.

Syamala explains, “My aunt lived in Kolkata and had a son about my age. We were very close and so, amma used to go to work leaving me with my cousin and aunt. That’s how I grew up. Although, today, I can understand how important my mother is in the history of women’s education in India as well as in the history of engineering, back then, all I knew was that my mom is an engineer—just another engineer.”

You may also like: How India’s First Woman Architect Blazed a Trail With Her Work on Chandigarh!

In the years to come, Lalitha’s achievements were to be recognised at international platforms too. In 1964, for instance, she was invited to the first International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists (ICWES) in New York. It was during this conference that her mother’s importance as a professional really dawned upon Syamala.

“But what I take from her life is her extreme patience towards people and the quality of doing instead of just talking. She never remarried and never made me feel the absence of a father in my life. She believed that people come into your life for a reason and leave when the purpose is over. I never asked her why she never got married again. But when my husband asked her, she had replied, “To take care of an old man again? No, thank you!”

Throughout her career as an engineer, Lalitha had made sure of two important things—that her daughter is raised by loving people and that her being a woman in a male-dominated world would never be an obstacle. While attending the New York conference, she had very famously said, “150 years ago, I would have been burned at the funeral pyre with my husband’s body.”

Fortunately for women in India, she went on to become a trailblazing electrical engineer, lighting up the way for others to follow.

Lalitha passed away at a young age of 60 years due to a brain aneurysm but the legacy she has left behind is a gift for generations to come.

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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The name ‘Higginbothams’ shakes up a lot of memories for all old-timers residing in Chennai, whether it was where they bought their first book or the classic chequered flooring, its high arches or the wooden railings.

“This is my usual routine for the last 50 years. I never forget to visit Higginbothams; I like to see Anantharama’s photo… it inspires me,” says Doraisamy Vishwanathan, one of the older customers.

The beloved bookstore once served royals, Prime Ministers, and institutions for more than a century. India’s oldest bookstore, still in business after 175 years, it all began with an illegal immigrant and his sheer luck.

In the early 1840s, a British librarian named Abel Joshua Higginbotham boarded a ship. When discovered by the captain, he was thrown out at the port of then Madras presidency. Fortunately, being a librarian, he found employment as a store manager of Wesleyan Book Shop. The store catered to local theologians and largely sold religious works.

His dedication was soon evident. But the Mission was losing its profits and in 1844, when they decided to shut the store, they offered Higginbotham the option of buying out the stock.

A J Higginbotham took the opportunity; he bought the shop and renamed it ‘Higginbothams’.

The store gained popularity for its quality of books and diversity of subjects, for its proprietor had the skill to track down rare and in-demand books.

A guide book published in 1859 by John Murray titled Presidencies of Madras and Bombay listed Higginbothams as a ‘premier book shop’.

The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 provided Europe with direct access to Asia in record time. This shortcut impacted shipping routes, world trade, and passenger travel. The three-month journey from England to India was reduced to three weeks. Ships arrived at Indian ports carrying foreign goods. Large crates for Higginbothams were being offloaded at the Madras port. They contained precious cargo—books and publications that were topping the bestseller lists in Europe.

Higginbothams became India’s largest bookstore chain in the 19th century. As it grew, so did its reputation.

History has it that Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, was a voracious reader. Higginbothams was also appointed as his official bookseller when he visited India in 1876. They were called upon to provide the prince with appropriate reading material following his arrival at the Royapuram Station in Madras. This led the bookshop to attract a large number of elite clientele.

By the beginning of the 20th century, Higginbothams had already become the official book supplier for the government and expanded to publishing with cookbooks.

Their customers ranged from the British Prime Minister Clement Atlee to the Maharaja of Mysore, Jayachamaraja Wodeyar. It is widely speculated that the Mulligatawny Soup and Madras Curry Powder became legacies of the British Raj only after Higginbothams first printed their recipes.

A J Higginbotham passed away in 1891, leaving his son C H Higginbotham, in charge. After he took over, he went on to spread this legacy across south India. The bookshop shifted to its present location at Mount road (now Anna Salai); the white building is one of the landmark and heritage structures in the city.

By the 1940s, it had stalls at the Central Railway Station in Chennai, and the Ernakulam Junction Railway Station in Kochi, making books accessible to travellers.

After Independence, in 1949, S Anantharamakridhnan of the Amalgamations Group took over the bookstore. “The year ushered in the transition of the Company from a foreign-owned one to an Indian company. Despite its long history of 175 years, Higginbothams remains young by constantly meeting the ever-changing needs of its esteemed customers,” says Nasir Ahmed Shariff, Chief Operating Officer.

Shariff talks about the relevance of the bookstore in the digital age. He says “Physical books have not lost the charm. As a brick and mortar store, we provide the ambience and meeting point for readers. In trying to reach the younger generations, we have moved closer to our customers. Regional language publications have always been dear to Higginbothams. The Chennai showroom has an exclusive section for Tamil books.”

Also Read: How One Man Made Bengaluru’s Favourite Bookstore ‘Blossom’ From the Pavement

At present, the Higginbothams group has more than 20 stores spread across South India. The Chennai store holds a special place in history as the first and the oldest bookstore, with an ambience that takes you back to a time long gone.

(Written by Krutika Haraniya and Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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Though 12-year-old Aswatha Biju is like every other preteen whose world revolved around school, friends and favourite hobbies, this young girl from Chennai is India’s youngest paleontologist, with a collection of 74 fossil specimens that makes her home nothing less than a mini museum.

Also, she conducts seminars for not just school or college students, but also for researchers at geology and paleontology institutes. Pretty amazing, right!

Speaking to The Better India, Aswatha, who had just returned home after conducting a seminar at Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), shares that her interest in fossils first sprung from the encyclopedia at home when she was barely two or three years old.

Her mother, KT Vijayarani, corroborates this fact with pride as she talks about the young prodigy.

“Right from the time she was two or three years old, she was fascinated with shells and would often collect these. She also loved reading books and her favourite was the encyclopedia. Even though, she wouldn’t understand much, she’d always flip through the pages. It was one of those times when she came across an ammonite and told me that she wanted that ‘shell’. After telling her that it was a fossil, I told her that it wasn’t possible to own them as they are under the government protection. But I didn’t want to break her heart and took her to the Egmore Museum,” she says.

That’s how it all began. The five-year-old Aswatha was so fascinated by the ammonite, she requested her mother to take her to the museum some 10-12 times after the first visit, just to see that one fossil. Slowly, she started gathering more knowledge on fossils and began travelling to nearby places with her in search of fossils.

“She had collected many, which she recognised purely based on self research. Unlike the museum specimens, these weren’t millions of years old. Perhaps, a 100 or 200 years,” Vijayarani explains.

When she was in class 5, Aswatha ended up calling the HOD of Marine Sciences of Bharathidasan University in Trichy. “Because of her age, the HOD couldn’t believe the extent of knowledge she had, all from just reading and researching. She told him that she has few fossils that she’ll bring to the university to know more about their origins. Amused and slightly dubious, the professor asked her to come,” Vijayarani says.

The very next day, the mother-daughter duo headed to the university after travelling for seven hours, only to find that the HOD wasn’t there.

“She was a little disappointed, but the twist in our lives was just going to happen. We ran into Dr Ramkumar from Periyar University, who was there for some work. Upon seeing a little girl carrying so many fossils, he was intrigued and spent the next three hours giving a lecture to Aswatha. At the end of it, he was absolutely delighted with her ability to not just listen but also grasp everything rather quickly. He was the one who called her a prodigy,” she remembers.

After giving her blessings and guidance, Dr Ramkumar parted but not before giving Aswatha a route map to Ariyalur bed, a paleontological site where one can find fossils that are millions of years old and asking her to collect whatever specimens she would come across there.

“Both my husband and I have negligible knowledge in the area, let alone fossils. But it beats us to see how she has all this knowledge. When we came to Ariyalur, she already knew about the specimens that she was collecting in the field. She managed to collect roughly about 26 specimens and identified them all correctly. Now, she has 79 specimens,” Vijayarani adds.

Later on, she came in touch with Dr Nagendra, Geology head at Anna University, who had mentored her further. It was during this time that she realised how underexplored paleontology as a field was in India and she wanted to raise awareness about fossils at school and college levels.

A rather motivated Aswatha wrote to the headmistress of a nearby local school requesting to hold a session of fossils for students last year and upon seeing her enthusiasm, the latter agreed.

And thus, her foray into conducting seminars on fossils started and till date, has taken 15 such sessions. She has even visited renowned research institutes, where her audience included doctorate holders as well.

“She told me that while these people were researching in the field, their knowledge on fossils in India is rather limited. It gives her immense happiness that every person she has held a seminar for, can easily differentiate between a normal rock and a fossil,” she laughs.

Both her parents are extremely proud of their daughter and go to any extent to fulfil her wishes. “As much as she is passionate about paleontology, she is equally brilliant in studies and has won many awards in science and maths olympiads. Because she is so passionate about fossils, we feel that as parents, if we don’t support her dreams then who will. That is why we ungrudgingly take her to every fossil site or institutes for seminars, no matter how far it is,” Vijayarani happily adds.

Her exceptional contribution to the field of paleontology was recently honoured at FICCI FLO event, where she received a special mention award by none other than the state governor.

As of her future plans, Aswatha hopes to pursue paleontology in India itself. “But the field is not really well-established here. So, if that doesn’t work, I’d like to pursue youth science or become an IFS officer,” the class 7 student shares.

You may also like: Check Out India’s Jurassic Village, Where ASI is Preserving 2.6 Million-Year-Old Fossils!

We wish the young prodigy best and are positive that one day, she’ll become one of India’s renowned experts in the field of paleontology.

You can follow Aswatha’s work on fossils on Facebook here.

All photo courtesy: KT Vijayarani.

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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While Chennai is reeling under a severe water shortage, there is one resident living on Vasuki Street in the Rajakipakkam area, whose home has more than enough water. V K Raviraja, a 48-year-old insurance consultant, and his family of four including a wife and two children, have thrived on the thousands of litres of rainwater they collected last year.

Back in 2009, he built his 1,000 sq ft home, but it was around 2014-15 when he decided to add a robust rainwater harvesting system.

Not just one, he has built four kinds of rainwater harvesting systems in his home!

“Our overhead tank is split into two chambers, with a total capacity of 7,500 litres. One chamber, with a capacity of 4500 litres, is dedicated to rainwater, while the other 3,000 litres is dedicated to borewell or municipal water for common use. The rainwater catchment area on top of the over head tank is 72 square feet. I have created a slope such that when it rains, rainwater falls on the top and goes into the tank through a hole, which I created manually. This is simple gravity at work, using no mechanical devices. Water enters through the hole, passes through the pipe, and before it falls inside the tank, dust is filtered by a piece of white cloth folded twice or thrice. I change this cloth frequently because dust settles there,” says Raviraja, speaking to The Better India.

As of June 2019, he has collected 1,500 litres of drinking water in his overhead tank. He wants to want to double that to 3,000 litres in 2019-20. Meanwhile, plumbing is done from the overhead tank to the kitchen. Here, rainwater is further cleaned using a cloth filter attached to the tap and can be used for more than 150 days.

His family consumes around 8-10 litres of rainwater every day. Recently, when it rained for about 40 minutes, he collected more than 20 litres of water.

Another round of rains will cause the tank to fill up. But how pure is it? And will it remain so after being stored in the tank for six months?

“Yes, it remains clean. These 1,500 litres of rainwater and 3,000 litres of municipal water are stored separately in different chambers in the same tank. Tight lid covers on top avoid direct exposure to sunlight and prevent the formation of algae. During the dry season, the tank is covered with polyethylene sheets which restricts the flow of dust on top of the tank. When it rains, this sheet is removed,” Raviraja answers.

He adds, “The municipal or borewell water in my area has salt deposits of a whitish-yellow colour. They settle down at the bottom of the overhead tank when it is stored. They clog the pipes with salt and often restrict water flow. The water I collect is very pure. The Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) is less than 10 mg/L. In borewells in my area, the TDS is 2,000 mg/L. When I convert it through RO system, the TDS is around 100-200+. Moreover, I regularly clean the tank, especially during the monsoon season. It’s the only real maintenance work I do.”

He continues, “Moreover, I’m not a fan of purifying water with the RO system, bringing the municipal water into the kitchen and using it for drinking purposes. Equipment cost, maintenance, the kind of chemical used, wastage of water during the cleaning process are some of my concerns. Also, if the water is consumed directly without RO, it will cause health issues. Recently, I inspected the overhead tank, and the rainwater remained crystal clear.”

Apart from this, he has a separate setup for an underground sump with a capacity of 13,000 litres to catch all rainwater from the terrace for common use.

However, like many households in the city, he has used this sump for storing roof rainwater during the rainy season. Water collected on the terrace is connected to the sump with pipes.

“Another rainwater harvesting system is borewell recharging through rainwater. First, a 2-feet pit is created surrounding the borewell pipe, which gets exposed. We have created multiple holes throughout the exposed area using a drilling machine and covered the pipe with nylon mesh so that only rainwater flows into the pipe, while the dust and sand gets filtered out. Meanwhile, the pit is covered by an inspection cover made of iron. A combination of slopes, jelly water pipe and nylon mesh just outside the inspection cover will take the rain water inside and further filter the dust and sand,” informs Raviraja.

“Moreover, there is one more system to catch rainwater falling elsewhere outside the house but inside our property. We have constructed mini recharge borewells (locally known as “Urai Kinaru”) 6-8 feet deep, and all rainwater falling inside our residential property is directed into them. Not a drop of rainwater flows outside the compound wall,” he adds.

So, a major part of the 1,500 litres of drinking water his home collected, came in November and December last year. Since January 2019, the city has barely received any rainfall.

Lastly, all common walk areas are laid with paving blocks, but he has avoided cementing them. Water percolates everywhere inside the compound. The creation of these facilities entails a one-time expense. “Meanwhile, the overall costs of constructing these rainwater harvesting systems are negligible because it only includes some masonry work, drilling holes, attaching white cloth to the water receiving end, etc,” he says.

Besides building a robust rainwater harvesting system, he has also constructed two types of biogas plants. One treats kitchen waste, while the balloon biogas plant treats human waste. This provides the fuel needs for his household for two hours a day. After the gas is generated, the solid waste is composted while the liquid is used as fertiliser. He has also installed 2-kilowatt solar power panels that generate eight units of power every day.

Also Read: Natural & Non-Toxic: Chennai Startup’s Army of Microbes Cleans & Saves Water!

Back in 2001, rainwater harvesting was mandatory in the state. Although this had some positive effect on groundwater levels for a few years, poor enforcement has resulted in the present crisis. It is no surprise then that many are revisiting rainwater harvesting methods.

“I hope and trust that we can make use of rainwater wisely by building an overhead tank system and sump so that we can reduce our dependence on polluted groundwater,” concludes Raviraja.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Images Courtesy: V K Raviraja

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The journey dates to 2013.

A resident of the Thiruveedhi Amman Koil Street, K L Bala, recalls how his friend and secretary of the residents’ welfare association in the area, knocked on every door in the locality. It was a combination of flats and individual homes in Chennai’s R K Nagar, which houses 80 families. He mobilised them to step out, greet each other and break the ice.

“Prior to this, people and their lives were restricted to the four walls of their own homes. Many who had lived there for the better part of their lives were clueless about their neighbours! So, we all got together and held several meetings. We decided to identify priority issues for our street and work on the solutions together,” he tells The Better India.

The issues were many—innumerable automobile shops turning the street into a repair hub; visitors parking their vehicles without permits for endless hours; a broken platform that was poorly maintained; strewn garbage and open defecation—the same as any other urban colony.

And so, the residents came together to bring about change and reclaim their street.

Cut to 2019, the Thiruveedhi Amman Koil Street Residents Association (TAKSRA), was recognised by the State Government for its many environmentally-conscious initiatives. It bagged the Pollution Control Board’s Green Award, presented by Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Edappadi Palaniswamy.

Every home on the street segregates its waste. While their wet waste is processed into compost every quarter, plastic waste is collected and recycled.

Generating more than 12,000 kg of manure annually, the society has not only managed to get rid of the abandoned vehicles that encroached its street but has now converted the stretch into a blooming garden which has a combination of flowering potted plants, lush trees, and intricate creepers. An old school compound was being treated as an open defecation spot, was reclaimed and painted with colourful art and portraits of inspiring personalities.

And it doesn’t stop there.

Apart from having rainwater harvesting in each of its buildings, TAKSRA also created a recharge well for water conservation. It follows drip-irrigation for its street garden and is now working on implementing grey water recycling soon.

The Better India caught up with one of its active members, K L Bala to know how these 80 households got together to create a sustainable street and move one step towards a greener tomorrow.

“We started slowly. One of the major issues was the vehicles. So we worked with the traffic department and put up no-parking boards on one side of the street and created parking space for residents on the other side. Then, also educated those who had encroached the space. After sustained efforts, we were able to clean it with a group of 30 volunteers. We also fixed a broken platform with the help of the corporation and revived the sidewalk by planting an array of herbs, flowering plants, and creepers.”

The society’s next step was to adopt a bin-less model and send as little waste to the dump yard as possible. One of the first steps towards this was to adopt waste segregation in every household. They also set up common compost pits for all the dwellings to process wet waste (vegetable waste, dry leaves, flower waste, etc.).

Following a three-month composting cycle, the association generates 300 kg of compost per cycle which, when multiplied by ten buildings, is 3,000 kg. In a year, the total manure produced comes up to a whopping 12,000 kg!

A major part of this manure is used for the street garden, and the excess is sent to the corporation’s dry leaf composting unit at a park in the vicinity.

The street garden is a unique space. The residents have innovated by using recycled tyres as pots by painting them, as repainted tyres do not attract mosquitoes.

Another addition is that of a gardener, specifically employed to promptly water, manure and trim plants in the street garden. To ensure water efficiency, a drip irrigation system is used for the street garden. Connected with multiple buildings through pipe connections, the building that has surplus water facilitates the process.

The society also generates 20-30 kg of plastic waste per week. It has collaborated with Kabadiwalla Connect to set up a bin where all the residents collect their plastic waste and send it for recycling. It is also now working on awareness drives to reduce plastic usage.

What has been the net result of this initiative? Three bins on the street have been removed. The space that was once consumed by big community bins, now has blooming flowers and creepers. Apart from its biomedical waste, the society has cut down the waste it sends to landfills.

Additionally, they fixed streetlights and set up CCTV cameras, along with a police booth.

“More residents are making use of the street as a walking space now. They also make it a car-free zone on Sundays to allow the kids more space to play,” says Bala.

Once every quarter, TAKSRA holds an e-waste collection drive. It attracts residents as well as people from areas as far as T Nagar and Adyar. This is done in collaboration with Chennai-based WasteWinn, a company that offers zero-waste solutions. Once the collection bin is full, the e-waste is transported to a Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB)-approved dismantling unit in Porur, called Tritech Systems.

Torchbearers of change

“Our street has become a role model, and we are now helping others adopt it. We are a part of the larger colony called R K Nagar, so we have now mobilised people to form 4-5 such groups on different streets. The change reflects in the fact that they now want to compete with us. We are coordinating with resident associations on the ward and zonal levels. Secretaries of the respective association and government officials are added to a WhatsApp group where we share the best practices and issues for quick redressal.”

TAKSRA also worked with the traffic department and other non-profit organisations to transform Sringeri Mutt Road. Once known for road safety issues, a den for illegal activities, open defecation and unsafe, it has now transformed into a pedestrian-friendly street.

Vision for the future

A few other projects in the pipeline include grey water recycling to water the garden. While the model is on the verge of completion in Bala’s building, it will soon be replicated for other dwellings.

They are also exploring the use of solar energy for street lights and lighting up common spaces within the buildings.

When asked about winning the Green Award, Bala beams, “One of the reasons we won the CM’s award was that we voluntarily formed a group to adopt a sustainable model, although we were not a gated community, with the power to enforce rules. We are constantly on the lookout of newer innovations. People, as well as associations, refer to TAKSRA as the best model, and we aim to live up to that expectation.”

He signs off, “Our next plan is to invite more birds into our neighbourhood and make it more lively. We are experimenting with different species of plants to attract them.”

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We hope that other societies can take a leaf out of TAKSRA’s book and replicate the model in their neighbourhoods.

If this story inspired you, get in touch with TAKSRA on their Facebook page here.

Images courtesy: TAKSRA

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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The Chennai droughts have made not just national but international news. Most residents of the Tamil Nadu capital, whether young or old, rich or poor have been brought to the mercy of a couple hours’ supply of tap water or purchased water tanks. Businesses have come to a standstill, families are compromising on their daily chores, and Chennai is reeling under a perpetual thirst, thanks to the drought.

Residents are praying for rainfall, which will recharge the local water bodies. The tanks, they are aware, are not a sustainable solution. Sooner or later, they too will run out of water. Today, the tanker costs between Rs 4,000-5,000. The day isn’t far when this amount will not be enough to purchase a few hundred litres of water. A report by NITI Aayog has concluded that 21 major Indian cities will run out of water by 2020. Chennai, as it looks, is already facing this horrible prospect.

In these daunting times, every drop of water counts. And if you can save up to 80 per cent of the water you use, why not take the opportunity? These water saving fittings can do all the work for you. Check them out on The Better India Shop.

But these trying times have awoken hundreds of residents to the dark reality as well as to their responsibility as extensive users of the city’s resources. That we use hundreds of litres of water daily—in taking baths to washing clothes and utensils, but never really replenishing them has started costing us.

Natural resources are not entirely free to use. The price we pay is by using them sustainably.

The timelapse imagery of Chennai’s disappearing reservoirs is mind boggling. That’s roughly 3 billion cubic feet of water gone in less than a year https://t.co/NcwvYkNrcr pic.twitter.com/hEdu7SXOCC

— Brian L Kahn (@blkahn) June 21, 2019

One man crusading for residents to follow through this responsibility is Dr Sekhar Raghavan. Popularly called Chennai’s “Rain Man”, Raghavan has been working to encourage rainwater harvesting in the city for over two decades. His tireless efforts are now applauded, and today, in the middle of a water crisis, the eco-warrior receives nearly 20 phone calls daily, inquiring how housing complexes can implement a harvesting system.

“I visit every single one of the homes. We have spread enough awareness. Now is the time to act, and act I will,” says the 71-year-old while speaking to The Better India.

Born and raised in Chennai, Dr Raghavan has been living in a housing complex near the beaches. This detail is crucial for the story because the location of his house was the catalyst in making him the water conservation crusader he is today.

“I have been living in the house for about 50 years now,” he explains, adding, “The way my locality developed has always worried me. Cement roads and constructed buildings have blocked water from percolating into the ground, and so, all the water finds its way into the sea. It either meets the sea or floods the city. In 1995, I started going door to door, pleading people to harvest rainwater. Initially, I got a lot of resistance, but within three years, I had established the importance of my message. That was the starting point of my crusade.”

Once Raghavan’s message gained momentum, he formed a ‘Rain Centre’ (RC) to organise the efforts of harvesting rainwater on a city level.

As you harvest, so shall you reap

The year 2003 saw a great policy boost for Tamil Nadu as the state government issued a mandate for all buildings to have a rainwater harvesting system. Non-compliance could result in fines or cutting of the government water supply.

“Tamil Nadu received less than average rainfall in 2003 and 2004, and so, for the people who implemented the harvesting system, the results were not evident. In the following year, however, we got heavy rain which replenished the groundwater. This was reinforcement enough for thousands of residents to acknowledge and appreciate the benefits of harvesting water. Even then, my studies showed that about 40 per cent of the total buildings actually implemented good quality systems. The benefits of which we can experience today,” the doctor says.

RC, led by Dr Raghavan, also consists of a team of plumbers and well-diggers who conducted surveys of rainwater harvesting systems across the city. They wanted to show the residents a model house for rainwater harvesting. After the 2005 rainfall, they saw the groundwater levels go up by 20 feet—a positive sign for them to pursue their cause.

Desperate times, undaunted efforts

Today, over a decade since Raghavan united efforts to conserve water, Chennai is once again realising the importance of his message. As a result, RC gets nearly 20 calls every day, asking the experts for their advice and quotations on a harvesting system. So far, he has successfully helped 500 houses harvest rainwater.

Speaking about how he is helping residential complexes in their efforts, Raghavan says, “I spend nearly three hours every night responding to every e-mail. I have received about 300 messages so far and have visited 100 senders. I am glad that people have finally understood the importance of water harvesting. Each location is grouped area-wise and I visit one locality every day. We can’t depend on the government for everything. Some efforts need to be made by individuals, and I will leave no stone unturned in ensuring sound guidance to those willing.”

Here is a basic outline of what they do:

– Identify the water catchment areas and a slope which allows smooth flow of water.
– Build a recharge well to store the collected water and a source well to extract it.
– A pipeline connects rooftops (which has the largest surface area in any housing complex) and driveways to the recharge well. Speed breakers are built on driveways to direct water to the recharge wells.
– Recharge wells are about 1 foot tall, 15 feet deep, and 3-5 feet wide, depending on the area of the housing complex and the amount of rainfall in the area. The price of constructing the well depends on the width, although the consultation is free.
– The aim is to dig a few feet deeper once you reach the sandy layer in the earth. This way, the water gets filtered and recharges the groundwater.

Considering the urgency of the situation, RC is giving the highest priority to housing complexes that have 200 or more flats.

Then come the complexes with fewer flats, and at the end of the list, are independent houses which have big gardens and require less domestic water.

“There are two kinds of rainwater harvesting,” the doctor tells us. “One that collects water in your building sump, which requires you to add a filter but you can have the collected water for your domestic use. The second method is to recharge the groundwater, which is our primary focus. I can see people coming together for a good cause because of the drought. Constructing harvesting systems is not as expensive as paying for tankers every summer, and so, hundreds of people have come forth to get the harvesting systems although these won’t benefit them individually.”

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Rains are the predominant source of freshwater in India, melted snow being the second. Since the topography and climate of our subcontinent do not allow for the second option, it is upon us to take responsibility for the first. We cannot keep exploiting nature and expect it to replenish itself when we obstruct this cycle with our ever-increasing population widespread use of chemicals and unchecked pollution. Modern problems sometimes require traditional solutions like harvesting available resources and giving back to nature what it gives us.

To get in touch with Dr Raghavan, write to him on sekar1479@yahoo.co.in. He may be busy helping others throughout the day, but he is sure to answer your e-mail at night. You can also call them on 044 24416134/044 24918415 or visit their website.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Images Courtesy: Dr Sekhar Raghavan

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