Dear Reader,

Most modern democracies are run by bureaucracies. The civil servants, as we know them, run our systems of administration and governance. In large measure, bureaucrats stick to the rule book and carry out their duties.

However, when they choose to step out of their comfort zones, they can become agents for positive change. IPS officer Dr Veerendra Mishra did just that.

He told me that he came across the Bedia community during his posting in the Rajgarh district of Madhya Pradesh. Socially excluded and discriminated against, the community practices intergenerational prostitution. Some girls are pushed into sex work from a young age while the men live off the money she earns.

Mishra set up his NGO Samvedna in 2002 to change the lives of Bedia community children through education. Through its work, Samvedna has helped 5000 Bedia community girls and boys build a better future by exposing them to education in cities and providing them with options for livelihood. It’s a story of hope, positivity and change. Do look it up!

Each year, during the nesting season, thousands of Olive Ridley turtles come to nest on the beaches along Maharashtra’s western coast. However, the endangered species was falling prey to rising plastic pollution.

Thanks to the turtle conservation project of Chiplun, Ratnagiri-based Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra (SNM), the beaches have once again become a safe haven for the endangered Olive Ridley and other species of turtles, writes my colleague Riya. SNM has set up Aparant to recycle and upcycle plastic waste, which otherwise reaches the nesting sites of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles on the Western Coast.

Aparant also empowers rural women, who upcycle plastic, to make bags, pouches and other utility items. 
Thanks to the efforts of Aparant, people are now better aware of ecology and biodiversity conservation. Aparant has collected 44 tonnes of plastic in the last two years and made the beaches safer for the turtles.

Our other story this week is about a young young entrepreneur from Jaipur, Nitin Jain. He runs a customised gift items business that clocks over Rs 7.5 crore in revenues annually. The quirky, affordable and functional gift items are handmade and based on traditional values and emotions, writes my colleague Bilal.

Nitin started his career as a graphic designer, charging Rs 500 for designing a logo. Today, he charges lakhs for the same work. His popular and successful gifting enterprise Indigifts is also giving back to society. He has tied up with women SHGs to make the products and help women from several states earn a livelihood with dignity.

In our Sunday story, we bring you a sweet treat. Read about Jaipur’s Mahaveer Rabri Bhandar that was started by a wrestler in 1857 and continues to be a favourite of royals and Bollywood celebrities. Why? Read
on to know!

Warmly,
Urvashi